Overview (Verses 45 - 48)

Other Prophets

Having related these three stories in some detail, to remind the Prophet that he too should remain steadfast in the face of opposition, the sūrah makes a very brief reference to other prophets. They too endured tests and remained patient; they also received God’s favours as a result. Some of these lived earlier than David, Solomon and Job, and we know the periods they lived in, while we do not know the others’ time of life, because the Qur’ān and other sources available to us have not specified it. Remember Our servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: all men of strength and vision. We gave them a specially distinctive quality: the remembrance of the life to come. In Our sight, they were indeed among the elect, the truly good. And remember Ishmael, Elisha and Dhu’l-Kifl: each belonged to the truly good. (Verses 45-48) Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, as well as Ishmael, undoubtedly lived earlier than David and Solomon, but we do not know in what time relation they were to Job. Elisha and Dhu’l-Kifl are mentioned only very briefly in the Qur’ān. The Arabic name given to the first of these two is Alyasa`, which is closer to the Hebrew version of Elisha. Most probably they refer to the same person. As for Dhu’l-Kifl, we know nothing of him apart from how he is described here: he ‘belonged to the truly good.’

God, limitless is He in His glory, describes Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as ‘men of strength and vision’, which refers to their good actions, whether physical, done by hand, or mental, relying on sound vision and good judgement. This implies that a person who does not do good deeds is without a hand, and the one who does nor think well is without a mind or a vision.

Another of their good characteristics is that God gave them a distinctive quality to remember the life to come. This they did with complete disregard for everything else: “We gave them a specially distinctive quality: the remembrance of the life to come.” (Verse 46) This is the quality that gave them their distinction and choice position: “In Our sight, they were indeed among the elect, the truly good.” (Verse 47)

Similarly, God states that Ishmael, Elisha and Dhu’l-Kifl were truly good. He instructs His last messenger to remember them and to contemplate their patience in adversity and the grace He bestowed on them. He too should remain patient in the face of denial and rejection. Steadfastness and patience is the proper course for all advocates of the divine message, particularly God’s messengers. God will not abandon such servants. Instead, He will reward them for their patience. What He has for them is certainly better than anything else. When compared with God’s grace and care, the schemings and rejections of the unbelievers are of little significance.