وَاذكُر إِسماعيلَ وَاليَسَعَ وَذَا الكِفلِ ۖ وَكُلٌّ مِنَ الأَخيارِ

And remember Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhū al-Kifl – each [of whom was] among the elect.

EXEGESIS

Kifl has the meaning of guarantee. It is used to refer to the portion that is sufficient, that in a way guarantees one’s needs.^{‎[1]Raghib, p. 717.} When God gives in this world and the hereafter it is described as, He will grant you a double share (kiflayn) of His mercy (57:28).

EXPOSITION

This verse lists three other prophets who are also to be remembered. The first of these three is the more well-known Prophet Ishmael (a), another son of Prophet Abraham (a),^{‎[2]Tabrisi, 4/510; Tabari, 7/173; Mizan, 7/243.} who is also known as Dhabīḥ-Allāh (the sacrifice for God).^{‎[3]According to Genesis 22 it was Isaac (a) who was to be sacrificed. Some Muslim exegetes have also adopted this view, although they are in the minority.} For more on Prophet Ishmael (a), see the commentary on verses 2:125-140.

The second is Prophet Elisha (a), who is also well-known in the Bible as a prophet and miracle worker. His being a prophet is evidenced by the verse in Sūrat al-Anʿām which mentions him and other prophets and follows it with the statement, each We graced over all people (6:86).

The context here and in Sūrat al-Anʿām suggests he was one of the descendants of Prophet Abraham (a).^{‎[4]Nemuneh, 5/326.} There is not much information on his life in the Islamic sources, and what little has been mentioned is often contradictory or just Isrāʾīliyyāt that repeats the Biblical narratives of various prophets.

It is unclear if the al is part of the name or is the definitive article of the Arabic language that has been added to the name Yasaʿ. Most likely it is a part of the name like Aliskandar (Alexander, from the Greek Alexandros).^{‎[5]Alusi, 12/202. Although Makārim Shīrāzī claims that Aliskandar comes from Iskandar, which then had the article al added to it (Nemuneh, 19/311), but this is definitely wrong.} Others have said it comes from word wusʿ, meaning expansiveness.^{‎[6]Tabari, 7/173; Alusi, 12/202. This is also the apparent opinion of Baydawi, 5/31.} Ṭabarī criticises this, saying that if it was the verb yasaʿ then Arabs would not put al in front of it, like they would not say al-Yazīd.^{‎[7]Tabari, 7/173. See also ʿAynī, ʿUmdat al-Qārī, 2/60.} Others have said his name has two lām letters and is read Allaysaʿ.^{‎[8]Tabari, 7/173; Baghawi, 2/141.} This is perhaps more akin to a non-Arabic name, like Elisha, who is the most likely candidate for the identity of al-Yasaʿ. Prophet Elisha (a) was a prophet who accompanied Prophet Elijah (Ilyās) (a), one of the great prophets of Banī Isrāʾīl who struggled to stop his people from worshipping idols, notably Baal. For more on al-Yasaʿ see 6:86.

The final is the more mysterious Dhū al-Kifl, whose identity has divided scholars. The description each [of whom was] among the elect, which was used for the previous prophets as well, makes it clear that Dhū al-Kifl should have been a prophet too. Dhū al-Kifl should definitely not be his name, but rather a moniker. However, it is unclear to whom exactly the antonomasia is referring.

The most likely meaning for Dhū al-Kifl and the most oft-reported is that he was given the name because he promised (takaffala) God he would never get angry at his people, would fast during the day, and stay up in prayer during the night.^{‎[9]Tibyan, 7/272; Tawus, p. 241; Shahīd al-Thānī, Munyat al-Murīd, p. 321; Bihar, 13/407; Tabari, 17/58-59; Thalabi, 6/299-300.} In many of these reports they relate long stories of how Satan then sent a man to try and trick him into getting angry and failed to do so. Another account says that he took charge of the affairs of the prophets, saving them from death by the grace of God.^{‎[10]Tibyan, 8/572.} In this regard it is reported that at one point Banī Isrāʾīl had 400 prophets of whom all but a hundred were killed by a tyrant. The rest fled and Dhū al-Kifl gave them sanctuary and hid them.^{‎[11]Baydawi, 5/32; Alusi, 12/203.}

Also in many reports it is said that he was not a prophet and he made his promise to a prophet-king of God in order to be named his successor. However, this is not likely as the context in which Dhū al-Kifl is mentioned strongly suggests he was a prophet.^{‎[12]Nemuneh, 13/482; Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, 1/259.}

As for who exactly is Dhū al-Kifl, there is no agreement. Again, as with al-Yasaʿ (a), the reports are unreliable and contradictory, or just simply relating Biblical stories. What is most likely considering the context is that he is linked to the previously mentioned al-Yasaʿ (a) and the most probable candidate for the identity would then be Ilyās (a), as al-Yasaʿ (a) was the successor of Ilyās (a). It is also possible, as some have suggested, that Dhū al-Kifl was the successor of al-Yasaʿ (a). This would be supported by the order in which the names are mentioned in this verse. However, considering that the successor of Elisha (a) was not well-known and that the surah is mentioning the grand prophets of God, and considering the close link between Elijah (a) and Elisha (a), it makes sense that Dhū al-Kifl should be none other than Elijah (a). We could note that some early exegetes have also mentioned that Dhū al-Kifl is Ilyās.^{‎[13]See for example Zamakhshari, 3/131; Alusi, 12/202.}

Prophet Ilyās (a) was almost certainly the Biblical Elijah (a), who called upon the Israelites to abandon the worship of Baal and return to the worship of God, And indeed Ilyās was one of the apostles, when he said to his people: ‘Will you not be God-wary? Do you invoke Baal and abandon the best of creators, Allah, your Lord and Lord of your forefathers?’ (37:123-126). Elijah (a) is mentioned as doing the same in 1 Kings 18.

It should also be kept in mind that the prophets in this surah are mentioned as examples, reminding Prophet Muhammad (s) to be patient with regard to the troubles his people caused him. Prophet Abraham’s (a) people tried to kill him, Prophet Jacob’s (a) own sons caused him endless grief, and so on. The story of Elijah (a) fits in with this context as he tried futilely to get his people to stop worshipping Baal.

Finally, it could also be mentioned that there is a city in Iraq called Kifl that has a grave that is attributed to be that of Dhū al-Kifl.^{‎[14]Subḥānī, Jaʿfar, al-Qaṣaṣ al-Qurʾāniyyah, 2/330. Apparently there is such a grave near Damascus as well.} For more on Dhū al-Kifl see 21:85.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīm al-Ḥasanī, that he wrote to Imam al-Bāqir (a) asking him who Dhū al-Kifl was and whether he was a messenger, to which the Imam replied: ‘God – exalted be His name – has sent over 124,000 prophets of which 313 were messengers. Dhū al-Kifl was one of them. He lived after Solomon the son of David, peace be upon him. He used to judge between people as David used to judge. He did not get angry except for the sake of God – mighty and glorious – and his name was ʿAwīdiyā.’^{‎[15]Bihar, 13/405.}
2. From ʿĀmir al-Ṭāʾī, that Imam al-Riḍā (a) said that a man came to Imam Ali (a) one day in the mosque of Kufa and asked him: ‘Tell me six prophets who had two names.’ The Imam said: ‘Yūshaʿ ibn Nūn, who was Dhū al-Kifl; Yaʿqūb, who was Isrāʾīl; Khiḍr, who was Ḥulaqiyyā; Yūnus, who was Dhū al-Nūn; ʿĪsā, who was al-Masīḥ; Muhammad, who was Aḥmad, the blessings of God be upon them all.’^{‎[16]Khisal, p. 322; Ilal, 2/596; Uyun, 1/222.}

Note: Majlisī points out that the claim made in this narration about Dhū al-Kifl being Yūshaʿ ibn Nūn is contrary to what is more well known.^{‎[17]Bihar, 11/36.} See the next section for more.

3. It has been reported from Imam al-Riḍā (a) that al-Yasaʿ (a) was a prophet who had miracles similar to Prophet Jesus (a), like walking on water, healing the sick, and raising the dead.^{‎[18]Tawhid, p. 422; Uyun, 1/143; Ihtijaj, 2/204; Mizan, 17/216.}

Note: In the Biblical narrative, Elisha (a) is described as having these miracles. This would support the idea that al-Yasaʿ is Elisha (a).

The Bible, in the book of Kings, details the story of Elijah (a) at length. As for Islamic sources, we may mention here as an example a summary of what Ṭabarī reports. He says that God placed the sustenance of his people at the hands of Ilyās (a) who then prayed for God to strike his people with a drought because of their worship of Baal. However, Ilyās (a) was always guaranteed his provision. Whenever he would visit someone, the people would know of his presence by the smell of bread and this would bother the people of that house. One night, Ilyās (a) visited the house of a woman who had a son by the name of al-Yasaʿ ibn Ukhṭūb. Al-Yasaʿ then believed in Ilyās (a) and followed him. Ilyās (a) then told his people that God would return the rains if they gave up idol worship and repented, which they did and he prayed for the rains to be brought back and they were. However, soon after, his people returned to idol worship once again. Having witnessed that, Elijah (a) was upset and prayed that God take his spirit and remove him from their presence, which God did by sending a flaming steed on which he rode away, leaving al-Yasaʿ as his successor.^{‎[19]Ṭabarī, Taʾrīkh, 1/327-328.}

There is much similarity between this and the Biblical narrative. According to it, however, Elijah (a) predicts the drought, but does not pray for it: ‘Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was one of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab: “As the Lord God of Israel lives before whom I stand, there will not be dew or rain these years except by my word.”’ (1 Kings 17:1)

The Biblical narrative also differs on how the people gave up their idol worship, saying it occurred after a trial of sacrificing bulls which is detailed in 1 Kings 18. 2 Kings 2 also describes God taking away Elijah (a) on a whirlwind.

It is also mentioned that Dhū al-Kifl charged (takaffala) a king to repent, promising that he would go to heaven if he did so.^{‎[20]Bihar, 13/406; Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Muntaẓam, 1/384. Ibn al-Jawzī adds that the king was one of the ʿAmāliqah.} This latter part bears resemblance to 2 Kings 1, which tells the story of Elijah (a) lambasting the king Ahaziah, who had fallen ill in his bed and sought the help of a false god to get better.^{‎[21]2 Kings 8 also mentions Elisha (a) going to the Syrian king, Ben-hadad.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some have claimed he was Joshua (Yūshaʿ) the son of Nūn (a).^{‎[22]Muhit, 4/575.} In this latter case Yasaʿ would be an Arabisation of the name Yūshaʿ, with the article al being added to it.^{‎[23]Nemuneh, 5/326, 19/311.} Ṭanṭāwī says his father’s name was Shāfāt.^{‎[24]Tantawi, 5/121.} This is apparently based on 1 Kings 19:19, which mentions Elisha as being the son of Shaphat.

Ṭanṭāwī also says that he died in 840 bce and was buried in Samarra.^{‎[25]Tantawi, 5/121. He must be referring to the area.} He gives no citation as to what this date is based on.

There are various opinions about what is meant by Dhū al-Kifl:

1. It was simply his name.^{‎[26]Tibyan, 8/572.}
2. It has been said that he was the one who gets twice the reward (kiflayn),^{‎[27]Tibyan, 8/572.} as per the verse, He will grant you a double share (kiflayn) of His mercy (57:28). Or that he was a prophet who had twice as many good deeds as other prophets.^{‎[28]Tabrisi, 7/95; Alusi, 12/203.} Or that he took charge (takaffala) of good deeds.^{‎[29]Tibyan, 8/572.}

As for who he was:

1. He was the successor of al-Yasaʿ, who charged him to fast the days and stay up during the nights in prayer.^{‎[30]Razi, 22/177; Ibn Kathir, 5/319; Alusi, 12/203.} Majlisī relates the same and says that he was a prophet that lived in the time after Prophet Solomon (a) but before Prophet Jesus (a).^{‎[31]Bihar, 13/406.}
2. He was Yūshaʿ ibn Nūn.^{‎[32]Alusi, 12/202.} Although some have said al-Yasaʿ was Joshua (a).^{‎[33]Nemuneh, 19/311.}
3. He was the son of Prophet Job (a). His name was Sharaf and God commanded him to call to people to worship one God. He used to live in the Levant.^{‎[34]Alusi, 12/202; Tantawi, 12/171; Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Muntaẓam, 1/388.} We may note that the Bible mentions Elisha (a) as going to Damascus (2 Kings 8).
4. Al-Bayḍāwī mentions that he was the cousin (son of the uncle) of al-Yasaʿ.^{‎[35]Baydawi, 5/32.}
5. He was Prophet Zachariah (a), due to the verse, He charged (kaffala) Zachariah with her care (3:37).^{‎[36]Alusi, 12/203.} This is contrary to verses 6:85-86, where Prophet Zachariah (a) and Ilyās (a) and al-Yasaʿ (a) are mentioned separately. Verses 6:85-86 also show that Ilyās (a) and al-Yasaʿ (a) were two separate people.
6. That he was another person also called al-Yasaʿ, but he was the son of Ukhṭūb, who was with Elijah (a).^{‎[37]Qurtubi, 7/33.}
7. He is Khiḍr.^{‎[38]Qurtubi, 7/33.}

As we mentioned earlier, there is so much contradiction in these reports that little can be said with absolute certainty about these two.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

Regarding the miracles of Elisha (a):

1. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet. But none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.^{‎[39]Luke 4:27.}
2. Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life …^{‎[40]2 Kings 8:1.}
3. And he took the robe of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the water, and said, ‘Where is the Lord, God of Elijah?’ When he had struck the water, it parted from one side to the other, and Elisha crossed over.^{‎[41]2 Kings 2:14.}

Note: If al-Yasaʿ is Elisha (a), then these are in agreement with what the hadith related from Imam al-Riḍā (a).

1. And as they were crossing, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Ask for something, and I will do it for you before I am taken away from you.’ And Elisha said, ‘Let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.’ He said, ‘You have asked for a difficult thing, but if you see me when I am taken from you, it will happen to you. If not, it will not.’^{‎[42]2 Kings 2:9-10.}

Note: If we accept that al-Yasaʿ is Elisha (a), then Dhū al-Kifl could be Elijah (a) and the one who had been given a great or double portion of God’s mercy.

[1] Raghib, p. 717.
[2] Tabrisi, 4/510; Tabari, 7/173; Mizan, 7/243.
[3] According to Genesis 22 it was Isaac (a) who was to be sacrificed. Some Muslim exegetes have also adopted this view, although they are in the minority.
[4] Nemuneh, 5/326.
[5] Alusi, 12/202. Although Makārim Shīrāzī claims that Aliskandar comes from Iskandar, which then had the article al added to it (Nemuneh, 19/311), but this is definitely wrong.
[6] Tabari, 7/173; Alusi, 12/202. This is also the apparent opinion of Baydawi, 5/31.
[7] Tabari, 7/173. See also ʿAynī, ʿUmdat al-Qārī, 2/60.
[8] Tabari, 7/173; Baghawi, 2/141.
[9] Tibyan, 7/272; Tawus, p. 241; Shahīd al-Thānī, Munyat al-Murīd, p. 321; Bihar, 13/407; Tabari, 17/58-59; Thalabi, 6/299-300.
[10] Tibyan, 8/572.
[11] Baydawi, 5/32; Alusi, 12/203.
[12] Nemuneh, 13/482; Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, 1/259.
[13] See for example Zamakhshari, 3/131; Alusi, 12/202.
[14] Subḥānī, Jaʿfar, al-Qaṣaṣ al-Qurʾāniyyah, 2/330. Apparently there is such a grave near Damascus as well.
[15] Bihar, 13/405.
[16] Khisal, p. 322; Ilal, 2/596; Uyun, 1/222.
[17] Bihar, 11/36.
[18] Tawhid, p. 422; Uyun, 1/143; Ihtijaj, 2/204; Mizan, 17/216.
[19] Ṭabarī, Taʾrīkh, 1/327-328.
[20] Bihar, 13/406; Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Muntaẓam, 1/384. Ibn al-Jawzī adds that the king was one of the ʿAmāliqah.
[21] 2 Kings 8 also mentions Elisha (a) going to the Syrian king, Ben-hadad.
[22] Muhit, 4/575.
[23] Nemuneh, 5/326, 19/311.
[24] Tantawi, 5/121.
[25] Tantawi, 5/121. He must be referring to the area.
[26] Tibyan, 8/572.
[27] Tibyan, 8/572.
[28] Tabrisi, 7/95; Alusi, 12/203.
[29] Tibyan, 8/572.
[30] Razi, 22/177; Ibn Kathir, 5/319; Alusi, 12/203.
[31] Bihar, 13/406.
[32] Alusi, 12/202.
[33] Nemuneh, 19/311.
[34] Alusi, 12/202; Tantawi, 12/171; Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Muntaẓam, 1/388.
[35] Baydawi, 5/32.
[36] Alusi, 12/203.
[37] Qurtubi, 7/33.
[38] Qurtubi, 7/33.
[39] Luke 4:27.
[40] 2 Kings 8:1.
[41] 2 Kings 2:14.
[42] 2 Kings 2:9-10.