وَٱمْرَأَتُهُۥ قَآئِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَٰهَا بِإِسْحَٰقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَٰقَ يَعْقُوبَ ٧١
And his wife was standing, and she smiled. Then We gave her good tidings of Isaac and after Isaac, Jacob.
إِسْحَاق
Ishaq: meaning of the name
Boy Hebrew origin Isḥāq
ProphetIn the QuranName of the prophet Ishaq (Isaac); in Hebrew, “he laughs”
The word as it is recited in the Quran: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary, Hud 11:71.
Ishaq in Islam
Son of Ibrahim and Sarah, Ishaq is named 17 times in the Quran. The angels announced him to his aged mother: “We gave her the good news of Ishaq, and after Ishaq of Yaʿqub” (11:71), and Ibrahim received the good news of “Ishaq, a prophet from among the righteous” (37:112). The Prophet ﷺ named him in the noble lineage of Yusuf son of Yaʿqub son of Ishaq son of Ibrahim (al-Bukhari 3382).
Meaning of the name Ishaq
Ishaq is the Arabic form of the Hebrew Yitshaq, “he laughs”: the Bible links the name to the laughter of Abraham and Sarah when a son was promised to them in their old age. The Quran too mentions the laughter of Ibrahim’s wife just before this good news (11:71), and the commentators gave several reasons for it (wonder, joy…). A foreign (aʿjami) name, it was borne by great Muslim scholars such as Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, a teacher of al-Bukhari.
- In Arabic
- إِسْحَاق إسحاق
- Transliteration
- Isḥāq
- Gender
- Boy
- Origin
- Hebrew
Is Ishaq in the Quran?
Yes: Ishaq is named in the Quran 17 times, in 12 surahs.
وَبَشَّرْنَٰهُ بِإِسْحَٰقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١١٢
And We gave him good tidings of Isaac, a prophet from among the righteous.
فَلَمَّا ٱعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا نَبِيًّا ٤٩
So when he had left them and those they worshipped other than Allāh, We gave him Isaac and Jacob, and each [of them] We made a prophet.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى وَهَبَ لِى عَلَى ٱلْكِبَرِ إِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَسَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ ٣٩
Praise to Allāh, who has granted to me in old age Ishmael and Isaac. Indeed, my Lord is the Hearer of supplication.
12 other verses
In the hadiths
Authentic
Sahih al-Bukhari 3382
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The honorable is the son of the honorable, the son the honorable, i.e. Joseph, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham.
" الْكَرِيمُ ابْنُ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ يُوسُفُ ابْنُ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ـ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ "
Is this name permissible?
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Ishaq in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.
Read the rules for choosing a name
This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.
Writing Ishaq in each language
- French
- Ishaq, Ishak
- English
- Ishaq, Ishak, Is-haq
- Spanish
- Ishaq, Ishak
- Turkish
- İshak
- Arabic
- إِسْحَاق
Similar names
See also
- Ibrahimإِبْرَاهِيم Name of the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham); “father of a multitude” according to the Bible
- Sarahسَارَة “Princess, noble lady” in Hebrew; name of the wife of Ibrahim
- Yaqubيَعْقُوب Name of the prophet Yaʿqub (Jacob); linked in Hebrew to the “heel”
- Ismailإِسْمَاعِيل Name of the prophet Ismaʿil (Ishmael); in Hebrew, “God hears”
- Yusufيُوسُف Name of the prophet Yusuf (Joseph); in Hebrew, “God will add”