Surah Al-Anaam, Verse 85 and 86

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 *Surah Al-Anaam, Verse 85:*

وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ كُلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

And Zakariya (Zachariya), and Yahya (John) and 'Isa (Jesus) and Iliyas (Elias), each one of them was of the righteous.

#COMMENTARY

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. Zakariyyah was the father of John the Baptist, the precursor of Jesus (chapter 37-41); and Jesus referred to John the Baptist as Elias: "this is Elias, which was to come" (Mathew, chapter xi, verse 14); and Elias is said to have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the Mount (Mathew, chapter xvii, verse 3). Elias is the same as Elijah.

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*Surah Al-Anaam, Verse 86:*

وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

And Isma'il (Ishmael) and Al-Yas'a (Elisha), and Yunus (Jonah) and Lout (Lot), and each one of them We preferred above the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns) (of their times).

#COMMENTARY

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 ALLĀH, and came through above the clash of nations. Ismā'īl 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 he became the founder of the new Arab nation. Elisha (Al-Yasa') succeeded to the mantle of the Prophet Elijah (same as Elias,); 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 Jonas (Yūnus) is well-known: he was swallowed by a fish or whale, but was saved by ALLĀH'S mercy: through his preaching, his city (Nineveh) was saved (chapter x, verse 98). Lot was a contemporary and nephew of Abraham: when the city of Sodom was destroyed for its wickedness, he was saved as a just man (chapter vii, verses 80-84).