Prophets: Elijah [Ilyas] & Elisha [al-Yasa]

6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنَا...

6: 84. We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) We guided:

C903. We have now a list of eighteen Prophets in four groups, covering the great Teachers accepted among the three great religions based on Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.

The first group to be mentioned is that of Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac's son Jacob.

Abraham was the first to have a Book. His Book is mentioned in 87:19, though it is now lost. They were therefore the first to receive Guidance in the sense of a Book.

...وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ...

and before him, We guided Noah,

C904. In the second group, we have the great founders of families, apart from Abraham, viz., Noah of the time of the Flood;

- David and Solomon, the real establishers of the Jewish monarchy;

- Job, who lived 140 years, saw four generations of descendants, and was blessed at the end of his life with large pastoral wealth (Job 42:16,12);

- Joseph, who as Minister of State did great things in Egypt and was the progenitor of two Tribes; and

- Moses and Aaron, the leaders of the Exodus from Egypt. They led active lives and called "doers of good."

...وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ...

and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron:

...وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٨٤﴾

thus do We reward those who do good:

وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَى وَعِيسَى وَإِلْيَاسَ ...

6: 85. And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias:

C905. The third group consists not of men of action, but Preachers of Truth, who led solitary lives. Their epithet is: "the Righteous."

They form a connected group round Jesus. Zakariya was the father of John the Baptist as Elias, which was for to come" (Matt 11:14); and Elias is said to have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the Mount (Matt. 17:3).

Elias is the same as Elijah. (R).

... كُلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿٨٥﴾

all in the ranks of the righteous:

وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا...

6: 86. And Isma'il and Elisha, and Jonahs, and Lut:

C906. This is the last group, described as those "favoured above the nations."

It consists of four men who had all great misfortunes to contend with, and were concerned in the clash of nations, but they kept in the path of Allah, and came through above the clash of nations.

- Ismail was the eldest son of Abraham; when he was a baby, he and his mother had nearly died of thirst in the desert round Makkah; but they were saved by the well of Zamzam, and became the founder of the new Arab nation.

- Elisha (Al-Yasa) succeeded to the mantle of the Prophet Elijah (same as Elias, see last note); he lived in troublous times for both the Jewish kingdoms (of Judah and Israel); there were wicked kings, and other nations were pressing in on them; but he performed many miracles, and some check was given to the enemies under his advice.

- The story of Jonah (Yunus) is well-known: he was swallowed by a fish or whale, but was saved by God's mercy: through his preaching, his city (Nineveh) was saved (10:98).

- Lut was a contemporary and nephew of Abraham: when the city of Sodom was destroyed for its wickedness, he was saved as a just man (7:80-84).

...وَكُلاًّ فضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٨٦﴾

and to all We gave favor above the nations:

Other versions:

6: 84

Asad and We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; and We guided each of them as We had guided Noah aforetime. And out of his offspring, David, and Solomon, and Job, and Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron: for thus do We reward the doers of good ...........................(names of prophets) ...And every one of them was the righteous; .......And every one of them did We favor above other people ..........We elected them and guided them onto a straight way.

Yusuf Ali We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) We guided: and before him We guided Noah and before him We guided Noah and among his progeny David Solomon Job Joseph Moses and Aaron: thus do We reward those who do good:

Pickthall And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good.

Transliteration Wa wahabna_ lahu_ isha_qa wa ya'qu_b(a), kullan hadaina_ wa nu_han hadaina_ min qablu wa min zurriyatihi da_wu_da wa sulaima_na wa ayyu_ba wa yu_sufa wa mu_sa_ wa ha_ru_n(a), wa kaza_lika najzil muhsinin(a).

[[ Ruby’s note – The guidance came to those who were doers of good. Therefore the guidance was not an arbitrary choice. It was based on the absolute knowledge of God as to who is sincere and dedicated to His service and cause. The clause placed here indicates that.]]

6: 85

Yusuf Ali And Zakariya and John and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous:

Pickthall And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous.

Transliteration Wa zakariyya_ wa yahya_ wa 'isa_ wa ilya_s(a), kullum minas sa_lihin(a).

6: 86

Asad and [upon] Ishmael, and Elisha, and Jonah, and Lot [note 70]. And every one of them did We favor above other people;

Yusuf Ali And Ismail and Elisha and Jonas and Lot: and to all We gave favor above the nations:

Pickthall And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one of them did We prefer above (Our) creatures,

Transliteration Wa isma_'ila wal yasa'a wa yu_nusa wa lu_ta_(n), wa kullan faddalna_ 'alal 'a_lamin(a).

[[ Asad’s notes: 70 – Although Lot was not a “descendant” of Abraham since he was his brother’s son, his name is included here for two reasons: firstly, because he followed Abraham from his earlier youth as a son follows his father, and, secondly, because in ancient Arabian usage a paternal uncle is often described as “father” and, conversely, a nephew as “son”. For the Hebrew prophets Elijah (Ilyas) and Elisha (al-Yasa), see note 48 on 37:123.]]

37.Surah as saffat

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِنَّ إِلْيَاسَ لَمِنْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴿١٢٣﴾

37: 123. So also was Elias among those sent (by us).

C4112. See n. 905 to 6:85.

Elias is the same as Elijah, whose story will be found in the Old Testament in I Kings 17-19. and 2 Kings 1-2.

Elijah lived in the reign of Ahab (B.C. 896-874) and Ahaziah (B.C. 874-872), kings of the (northern) kingdom of Israel or Samaria. He was a prophet of the desert, like John the Baptist,-unlike our holy Prophet, who took part in, controlled, and guided all the affairs of his people. Both Ahab and Azariah were prone to lapse into the worship of Baal, the sun-god worshipped in Syria. That worship also included the worship of nature-powers and procreative powers, as in the Hindu worship of the Lingam, and led to many abuses.

King Ahab had married a princess of Sidon, Jezebel, a wicked woman who led her husband to forsake Allah and adopt Baal-worship.

Elijah denounced all Ahab's sins as well as the sins of Ahaziah and had to flee for his life. Eventually, according to the Old Testament (4 Kings, 2:11) he was taken up in a whirlwind to heaven in a chariot of fire after he had left his mantle with Elisha the prophet. (R).

إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٢٤﴾

37: 124. Behold, he said to his people,

"Will ye not fear (Allah)?

أَتَدْعُونَ بَعْلًا...

37: 125. "Will ye call upon Baal

C4113. For Baal-worship see last note.

وَتَذَرُونَ أَحْسَنَ الْخَالِقِينَ ﴿١٢٥﴾

and forsake the Best of Creators --

وَاللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ وَرَبَّ آبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿١٢٦﴾

37: 126. "Allah, your Lord and Cherisher and the Lord and Cherisher of your fathers of old?"

فَكَذَّبُوهُ...

37: 127. But they rejected him,

C4114. They persecuted him and he had to flee for his life. Eventually he disappeared mysteriously;

see n. 4112.

...فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُونَ ﴿١٢٧﴾

and they will certainly be called up (for punishment) --

إِلَّا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ ﴿١٢٨﴾

37: 128. Except the sincere and devoted Servants of Allah (among them).

وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرِينَ ﴿١٢٩﴾

37: 129. And We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times:

C4115. See above, 37:78-81, and n. 4083.

سَلَامٌ عَلَى إِلْ يَاسِينَ ﴿١٣٠﴾

37: 130. "Peace and salutation to such as Elias!"

C4115a. Ilyasin may be an alternative form of Ilyas: Cf. Sainaa (23:20) and Sinin (95:2).

Or it may be the plural of Ilyas, meaning "such people as Ilyas'.

إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣١﴾

37: 131. Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٣٢﴾

37: 132. For He was one of Our believing Servants.

Other versions:

37: 123

Asad And, Behold, Elijah [too] was indeed one of Our message-bearers [note 48].

Yusuf Ali So also was Elias among those sent (by us).

Pickthall And lo! Elias was of those sent (to warn)

Transliteration Wa in na ilya_sa laminal mursalin

37: 124

Yusuf Ali Behold he said to his people "Will ye not fear (Allah)?

Pickthall When he said unto his folk: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

Transliteration Iz qa_la laqaumihi ala_ tat taqu_n

37: 125

Yusuf Ali "Will ye call upon Baal and forsake the Best of Creators

Pickthall Will ye cry unto Baal and forsake the best of Creators,

Transliteration Atadu_na balaw wa tazru_na ahsanal kha_liqin

37: 126

Yusuf Ali "Allah your Lord and Cherisher and the Lord and Cherisher of your fathers of old?"

Pickthall Allah, your Lord and Lord of your forefathers?

Transliteration Al la_ha rab bakum wa rab ba a_ba_ I kumul aw walin

37: 127

Yusuf Ali But they rejected him and they will certainly be called up (for punishment)

Pickthall But they denied him, so they surely will be haled forth (to the doom)

Transliteration Fakaz zabu_hu fa in nahum lamuhdaru_n

37: 128

Yusuf Ali Except the sincere and devoted Servants of Allah (among them).

Pickthall Save single-minded slaves of Allah.

Transliteration Il la_ iba_dal la_hil mukhlasin

37: 129

Yusuf Ali And We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times:

Pickthall And we left for him among the later folk (the salutation):

Transliteration Wa tarakna_ alaihi fil a_khirin

37: 130

Yusuf Ali "Peace and salutation to such as Elias!"

Pickthall Peace be unto Elias!

Transliteration Sala_mun ala_ ilya_sin

37: 131

Yusuf Ali Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

Pickthall Lo! thus do We reward the good.

Transliteration In na kaza_lika najzil muhsinin

37: 132

Yusuf Ali For He was one of Our believing Servants.

Pickthall Lo! he is one of our believing slaves.

Transliteration In nahu_ min iba_dinal muminin

[[ Asad’s notes - 48; The Hebrew prophet Elijah (Ilyas in Arabic) is mentioned in the Bible (I Kings xvii ff. and II Kings i-ii) as having lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Ahab and Ahaziah – i.e., in the ninth century B.C. – and having been succeeded by Elisha (al-Yasa in Arabic). The above stress on his, too, having been “one of the message-bearers” (min al-mursalin) recalls the Quranic principle that God makes “no distinction between any of His apostles” (cf. 2:136 and 285, 3:84, 4:152, and the corresponding notes) ]]