History of the Prophets
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Elias, Elisha, Ezekiel
Elias is mentioned twice, once at some length, showing that he preached against the worship of Bal or the sun-god (The Holy Quran, 37:123–132).
Elisha is mentioned once only by name (The Holy Quran, 6:86), along with Ishmael and Jonah and Lot—all four being stated as excelling the world.
Dhulkifl (The Holy Quran, 21:85) is probably Ezekiel.
Joshua is not mentioned by name, but is referred to along with Caleb in 5:23.
The prophet Samuel is also not mentioned by name, but is referred to in 2:246–248.
Daniel’s vision (Daniel 8:3) is referred to in 18:83, and Ezekiel’s vision (ch. 37) is referred to in 2:259.
References mentioned above:
“And Elias was surely of those sent.
When he said to his people: Will you not guard against evil?
Do you call upon Bal and forsake the Best of the creators,
Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of yore?
But they rejected him, so they shall be brought up,
But not the servants of Allah, the purified ones.
And We granted him among the later generations (the salutation),
Peace be to Elias!
Even thus We reward the doers of good.
Surely he was one of Our believing servants.” (The Holy Quran, 37:123–132)
“And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot; and each one (of them) We made to excel the people;” (The Holy Quran, 6:86)
“And Ishmael and Idris and Dhu-l-Kifl; all were of the patient ones;” (The Holy Quran, 21:85)
“Two men of those who feared, on whom Allah had bestowed a favour, said: Enter upon them by the gate, for when you enter it you will surely be victorious; and put your trust in Allah, if you are believers.” (The Holy Quran, 5:23)
“Hast thou not thought of the leaders of the Children of Israel after Moses? When they said to a prophet of theirs: Raise up for us a king, that we may fight in the way of Allah. He said: May it not be that you will not fight if fighting is ordained for you? They said: And what reason have we that we should not fight in Allah’s way and we have indeed been deprived of our homes and our children? But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them. And Allah is Knower of the wrongdoers.
And their prophet said to them: Surely Allah has raised Saul to be a king over you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us while we have a greater right to kingdom than he, and he has not been granted abundance of wealth? He said: Surely Allah has chosen him above you, and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique. And Allah grants His kingdom to whom He please. And Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.
And their prophet said to them: Surely the sign of his kingdom is that there shall come to you the heart in which there is tranquillity from your Lord and the best of what the followers of Moses and the followers of Aaron have left, the angels bearing it. Surely there is a sign in this for you if you are believers.” (The Holy Quran, 2:246–248)
“Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.” (Daniel 8:3)
“And they ask thee about Dhu-l-qarnain. Say: I will recite to you an account of him.” (The Holy Quran, 18:83)
“Or like him who passed by a town, and it had fallen in upon its roofs. He said: When will Allah give it life after its death? So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him. He said: How long hast thou tarried? He said: I have tarried a day, or part of a day. He said: Nay, thou has tarried a hundred years; but look at thy food and drink — years have not passed over it! And look at thy ass! And that We may make thee a sign to men. And look at the bones, how We set them together then clothe them with flesh. So when it became clear to him, he said: I know that Allah is Possessor of power over all things.” (The Holy Quran, 2:259)