 | This articleusestexts from within a religion or faith system without referring tosecondary sources that critically analyse them. Please helpimprove this article.(January 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Ilyas | |
|---|---|
Arabic:إلياس | |
 Ilyas being given a horse of fire by an angel, to ascend to heaven. | |
| Prophet of Islam | |
| Preceded by | Suleyman |
| Succeeded by | Alyasa |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Ilyas Ibn Yasin Unknown |
| Died | c. 850/849BCE |
| Parent |
|
| Region | Ash-Sham |
| Relatives | Harun (forefather) |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Muslim leader | |
Influenced | |
Ilyās (Arabic:إلياس) in Islam was aprophet ofGod who was sent to guide theIsraelites. He was given the prophetic mission to prevent people from worshipping idols.[1] Ilyas is the prophetic predecessor toAlyasa.[2] Some Islamic scholars believe, that Ilyas is from the progeny ofHarun (Aaron).[3]
In Islamic sources, Ilyas' full name is Ilyas ibn Yasin.[4]
According to many Islamic sources and the Bible, Ilyas ascended to the heavens.[5] However, Ibn Kathir did not accept these hadiths and considered them amongIsra'iliyat.[6] InMu'jam al-buldan, Yaqut al-Hamawi mentioned a grave for Ilyas in Baalbek.[7] A shrine was later built over this grave, but it was dedicated to a "Prophet Aila" even though locals believed it was the tomb of Elias.[8]
| Part ofa series onIslam Islamic prophets |
|---|
Listed by Islamic name and Biblical name.
|
 Islam portal |
Ilyas is first mentioned as aprophet inAl-An'am 6:85.[9] He invited his people who lived inBaalbek tomonotheism, obeyingAllah and abandoningsins.[10] His main task was to prevent theidol-worshipping.[11] After he faced persistence of his people for many years, cursed them with drought and people were inflicted with starvation.[12] Ilyas' narrative in theQuran and laterMuslim tradition resembles closely that in theHebrew Bible and Muslim literature records Elijah's primary prophesying as taking place during the reign ofAhab andJezebel as well asAhaziah.[a] Ilyas' figure has been identified with a number of otherprophets andsaints, includingIdris, which is believed by somescholars to have been another name for Ilyas,[14] and Khidr.[15]Islamiclegend later developed the figure of Ilyas, greatly embellishing upon his attributes, and some apocryphal literature gave Ilyas the status of a half-human, half-angel.[16] Ilyas also appears in later works of literature, including theHamzanama.[17]
Elijah is mentioned in theQuran, where his preaching is recounted in a concise manner. The Quran narrates that Elijah told his people to come to the worship of Allah and to leave the worship ofBaal, the primaryidol of the area. The Quran states:[1]
"Verily Elijah was one of the apostles. When he said to his people: "Will you not fear Allah? "Will ye call upon Ba'al and leave the Best of Creators, Allah, your Lord and Cherisher and the Lord and Cherisher of your fathers of old?
— As-Saaffat 123–126
The Quran makes it clear that the majority of Elijah's people denied the prophet and continued to follow idolatry. However, it mentions that a small number of devoted servants ofGod among them followed Elijah and believed in and worshiped Allah. The Quran states, "They denied him (Elijah), and will surely be brought to punishment, Except the sincere and devoted Servants of Allah (among them). And We left his (memory) for posterity."[18][19]
In the Quran, Allah praises Elijah in two places:
Peace be upon Elijah! This is how We reward those who do good. He is truly among our believing servants.
— Quran, chapter 37 (As-Saaffat),verse 129–132[20]
And Zakariya and Yahya and Isa and Elijah, they were all from among the righteous
Numerous commentators, includingAbdullah Yusuf Ali, have offered commentary on verse 85 saying that Elijah, Zakariya, Yahya and Isa were all spiritually connected.Abdullah Yusuf Ali says, "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. Zachariah was the father of John the Baptist, who is referenced as "Elijah, 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)."[22]
Although mostMuslim scholars believed that Elijah preached inIsrael, some early commentators on the Quran stated that Ilyas was sent toBaalbek, inLebanon.[23] Modern scholars have rejected this claim, stating that the connection of the city with Elijah would have been made because of the first half of the city's name, that ofBaal, which was the deity that Elijah exhorted his people to stop worshiping. Scholars who reject identification of Elijah's town with Baalbek further argue that the town of Baalbek is not mentioned with the narrative of Elijah in either the Quran or theHebrew Bible.[24]
By the passage of time, drought spread and many died. When they saw themselves inflicted, regretted their past deeds, turned to Elyas, and accepted his invitation.[25] Then, due to theDua of Ilias a heavy rain came and the land was satiated; however, after a while, people forgot their covenant withAllah and returned to idol worshipping. When Ilias saw this, he asked God for his own death; but, Allah sent him a chariot of fire and he ascended to the skies and chose Alyasa who was his pupil as his vicegerent.[25] Ilyas is rarely associated withIslamic eschatology.[26] However, some Muslims believe that Ilyas is expected to come back along with the mysterious figureKhidr during the end of times.[27]
Muslimliterature andtradition recounts that Ilyas preached to theKingdom of Israel, ruled over byAhab and later his sonAhaziah. He is called a "prophet of the desert—likeYahya".[28] Ilyas is believed to have preached with zeal to Ahab and his wifeJezebel, who according to Muslim tradition was partly responsible for the worship offalse idols in this area. Muslims believe that it was because the majority of people refused to listen to Elijah that Elisha had to continue preaching the message ofAllah to Israel after him.[29]
Ilyas has been the subject of legends and folktales inMuslim culture, usually involving his meeting withKhidr. According to a Muslim exegete report,Muhammad met Ilyas in Makkah.[30] InIslamicmysticism, Ilyas is associated closely with the sageKhidr. One hadith reported that Ilyas andKhidr met together every year inJerusalem to go on thepilgrimage toMakkah.[31] Ilyas appears also in theHamzanama numerous times, where he is spoken of as being the brother ofKhidr as well as one who drank from theFountain of Youth.[32] Further, It is narrated inKitab al-Kafi that ImamJa'far al-Sadiq was reciting the prostration of Ilyas in the Syrian language and began to weep. He then translated the supplication in Arabic to a group of visiting scholars:
"O Lord, will I find that you punish me although you know of my thirst in the heat of midday? Will I find that you punish me although you know that I rub my face on Earth to worship you? Will I find that you punish me although you know that I give up sins for you? Will I find that you punish me although you know that I stay awake all night just for you?" To which Allah then inspired to Ilyas, "Raise your head from the Earth for I will not punish you".[33]
