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The name “Palestine” originated from a tribe that departed from the islands of the Mediterranean Sea in order to escape a food shortage. They established their settlement in the southern region of the land, and as a result of their settlement in ‘Paleset,’ they became known as the “Philistines.”
Once upon a time, an ancient people settled in the area that later became known as “Palestine.” Thousands of years ago, people moved around a lot, looking for water, resources, and better places to live. Those who landed in Palestine first called the land “Canaan” because a very ancient people, hailing from the Arabian Peninsula, were called the “Canaanites.” Others, from the hotter Arabian lands, also moved to the cooler climate in Palestine.
Also arriving from Arabia were a group called the “Jebusites,” who settled in Jerusalem or Al-Quds, as we call it. Others settled in the valleys and mountains. The earliest inhabitants included the Phoenicians and Amorites, as well as other groups and tribes from different parts of the world about whom we know little.
The name “Palestine” originated from a tribe that departed from the islands of the Mediterranean Sea in order to escape a food shortage. They established their settlement in the southern region of the land, and as a result of their settlement in ‘Paleset,’ they became known as the “Philistines.” They interacted with and mixed with other tribes, blending their cultures, languages, and traditions. The different tribes and peoples built homes, markets, and lived together for many generations.
Today, more than 3000 years later, the people who speak Arabic still refer to the land as “Philistine.”
In Palestine, there were people who believed in different things and worshipped stone idols instead of Allāh, the Creator of the Universe. But Allāh loved His people and wanted them to worship Him alone rather than stones that bring no benefit to people. So, Allāh sent a wise and kind Prophet named Ibrahim (Abraham) to remind the people about the importance of worshipping Allāh alone.
Ibrahim, a man of great faith, confronted the idolatry and preached the worship of the one true God, Allāh. He was very dedicated to this message and suffered a lot for the sake of the message.
Ibrahim was born in a place called Iraq, and he traveled to different lands, spreading the message of Allāh. He settled in a beautiful land called Palestine. There, Ibrahim and his wife Hagar had a child. They named him Isma’il (Ishmael). Abraham was also married to Sarah.
Sarah later gave birth to another son who they called Ishāq (Isaac). Ibrahim and his family made a special journey to a city called Makkah, where he built the Ka’bah, the first House of Worship or ‘Masjid‘ on earth. The Ka’bah was a reminder that people should come together to worship Allāh.
After some time, Ibrahim returned to Palestine and lived there until he passed away. Today, he rests in peace in a Palestinian city called al-Khalil (Hebron), near his beloved wife, Sarah.
Ishāq, Ibrahim’s son, continued spreading the teachings of his father. He married a woman from his homeland in Iraq and returned to Palestine with her. They were blessed with twin sons, and one of them was named Ya’qoub (Jacob). Ya’qoub was so devoted to worshipping Allāh that he was given the nickname “Isra’il,” which in English is ‘Israel’, meaning “Servant of Allah” in their old language. He taught his twelve children to be good servants of Allāh and to fully submit to Him. Ya’qoub wanted his children to be Muslims, just like him and his ancestors.
“Or did you witness when death came to Jacob? He asked his children, ‘Who will you worship after my passing?’ They replied, ‘We will worship your God, the God of your forefathers—Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac—the One God. And to Him we submit (Muslimun).”[1]
Now, let’s answer a question: Can a person say they follow Ya’qoub or Isra’il if they do not live according to Allāh’s wishes? The answer is no. To truly follow Ya’qoub, we must live our lives in a way that pleases Allah and obeys His commandments!
Ya’qoub had a very special son named Yusuf (Joseph) and 11 other sons. So in total, there were 12 brothers! Yusuf was so close to his father that Yusuf’s brothers became jealous. So one day, they decided to do something terrible. They tricked their father into thinking they would take Yusuf out to play, but instead, they threw him into a deep well.
All alone in the well, Yusuf wondered what would happen to him. Luckily, a caravan passing by heard his cries for help and found him. They took Yusuf with them to Egypt and sold him off as a slave.
Yusuf worked hard and showed great wisdom and integrity. Allāh blessed him with extraordinary beauty and knowledge and he even knew how to interpret dreams. In Egypt, Yusuf faced a challenge when the nobleman’s wife, who was looking after Yusuf as a slave tried to tempt him into doing something wrong, but Yusuf stayed strong and refused to disobey Allāh. As a result, she put him in prison for many years.
But don’t worry, Allah never forgets His true servants. One day, the King of Egypt had a dream. He asked the people of the town, and no one knew its meaning. Eventually, they went to Yusuf when he was sitting in prison and Yusuf was able to interpret it accurately. The dream revealed that a famine was coming, so Yusuf advised the king to prepare for it.
The king was impressed by Yusuf’s honesty and wisdom, so he freed him from prison and appointed him to manage the kingdom’s storehouses and finances. Yusuf became an important and respected person in Egypt.
Yusuf’s story teaches us the importance of staying faithful to Allāh, even when faced with challenges. By being patient, honest, and obedient to Allāh’s commands, Yusuf was rewarded in the end.
Remember, my little friends, no matter what challenges we face, let’s strive to be good servants of Allāh, like Ibrahim, Ishāq, Ya’qoub, and Yusuf. May we always live by following Allāh’s wishes and find peace and happiness in doing so.
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References:
Qur’ān 21:33
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