Hadiths
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Whoever treads a path in search of knowledge, God will make easy for him a path to Paradise).
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Whoever God wants good for, He makes him understand the religion)
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim).
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (If a person dies, his work is cut off except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who
Faith Faith in the Divine Books in Islam 1548 2026-10-10

Jacob’s Final Advice, the Places Where the Scriptures of Abraham Are Mentioned in the Qur’an, and How Islam Reached Indonesia

Question
What was the final advice of the Prophet Jacob (Yaʿqūb), peace be upon him, to his children before his death? The Scriptures revealed to the Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, have been lost, but they are mentioned in the Qur’an in more than one place. Mention two of these places. In which country is the largest number of Muslims found? How did the people of this country embrace Islam?
Answer

 

Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:

The Noble Qur’an states that Jacob, peace be upon him, advised his children before his death to adhere to monotheism and worship Allah alone. The Qur’an also mentions the Scriptures of Abraham, peace be upon him, in several places. Among the countries with the largest Muslim populations is Indonesia, where Islam spread through contact with Muslim merchants.

First: Jacob’s Final Advice to His Children

The Noble Qur’an explains that when Jacob, peace be upon him, approached the end of his life, he asked his children what they would worship after him. He said to them:

“What will you worship after me?”

They replied:

“They said: We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac—the One God, and to Him we submit.” [Al-Baqarah: 133]

Thus, Jacob’s advice concerned the greatest foundation: affirming the Oneness of Allah and worshipping Him alone.

Second: Places Where the Scriptures of Abraham Are Mentioned in the Qur’an

The Scriptures of Abraham, peace be upon him, are mentioned in the Noble Qur’an in more than one place. Among them is the following:

Allah, Most High, says in Surah Al-Aʿla:

“The Scriptures of Abraham and Moses.” [Al-Aʿla: 19]

And He, Glorified and Exalted, says in Surah An-Najm:

“Or has he not been informed of what was in the Scriptures of Moses, and Abraham, who fulfilled [his obligations]?” [An-Najm: 36–37]

These are two places where the Qur’an explicitly mentions the Scriptures of Abraham, peace be upon him.

Third: The Country with the Largest Muslim Population and How Islam Reached It

The source states that Indonesia is one of the largest Muslim countries in terms of the number of Muslims in Asia, while Nigeria is among the countries with the largest Muslim populations in Africa.

The source indicates that Islam spread in Indonesia through contact with Hadrami Muslim merchants, with trade and interaction with Muslims playing a role in bringing Islam to the region and spreading it among its people.

It should be noted that asking about the “highest percentage of Muslims” is different from asking about the “largest number of Muslims.” The percentage of a country’s population is not the same as the total number of Muslims. Therefore, the wording of the question is not precise in this respect.

Conclusion

Jacob, peace be upon him, advised his children to uphold monotheism and remain devoted to the worship of Allah alone. The Qur’an mentions the Scriptures of Abraham in Surah Al-Aʿla and Surah An-Najm. As for Indonesia, it is one of the countries with the largest Muslim populations in Asia, and the source states that Islam spread there through contact with Hadrami Muslim merchants.

And Allah knows best.