Transliteration:( Wa Ismaa'eela wa Idreesa wa Zal Kifli kullum minas saabireen )
"And remember Ismail and Idrees [128], and Zul-Kifl. They were all men of patience [129]."
In this verse, Allah honours three noble Prophets:
Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him) – known for his obedience, sacrifice, and steadfastness alongside his father, Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
Hazrat Idrees (peace be upon him) – whose blessed name was Akhnooq ibn Burda ibn Mahla Beel. He lived before Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him) and was among the earliest Prophets.
Allah says about him:
“And We raised him to a lofty place” (Surah Maryam, 19:57), which many scholars interpret as him being taken alive into Paradise.
Hazrat Zul-Kifl (peace be upon him) – a Prophet known for his justice and perseverance in carrying out divine duties, though less is recorded about his life.
Allah praises them all as “men of patience”, meaning they exemplified:
Steadfastness in worship, consistently turning to Allah in devotion
Endurance in the face of hardships caused by their people
Patience with natural trials and calamities that tested their resolve
Their mention serves as a model for all believers—demonstrating that true closeness to Allah requires not only faith, but also resilience, endurance, and devotion in adversity
85. And (remember) Isma`il, Idris and Dhul-Kifl: All were from among the patient. 86. And We admitted them to Our mercy. Verily, they were of the righteous.) Isma`il, Idris and Dhul-Kifl Isma`il was the son of Ibrahim Al-Khalil, peace be upon them both. He has already been mentioned in Surah Maryam, where mention was also made of Idris. From the context and the fact that Dhul-Kifl is mentioned alongside Prophets, it appears that he was also a Prophet. Others say that he was a righteous man, a just king and a fair judge. Ibn Jarir refrained from making any decisive comment. And Allah knows best.
(21:85) And (We bestowed the same favour) upon Ishmael, Idris[80] and Dhu al-Kifl,[81] for they were all steadfast.
80. For explanation, see (Surah Maryam, ayat 56) note 33.
81. Zul-Kifl is not the name but the title of a righteous man, which literally means a man of luck. Here it does not refer to worldly prosperity but to his high character and ranks in the Hereafter. He has also been mentioned by this title in (Surah Suad, Ayat 48). There are different opinions about his identity and nationality. Some have regarded him as Zacharias but this is not correct because Zacharias has been mentioned separately in (Surah Al-Anbiya, ayat 89). Others say that he was Elias, or Joshua, son of Nun, or Elisha, but this again is incorrect, because in (Surah Suad, Ayat 49) Elisha and Zul-Kifl have been mentioned as separate personalities. Some others say that he was Prophet Job’s son, named Bishr, who succeeded him as Prophet.
Allamah Alusi says: The Jews claim that he was Ezekiel who was appointed to Prophethood during the captivity (597 BC) of the Israelites and he performed his mission in a habitation by the side of the Chebar canal.
These conflicting opinions indeed confirm nothing. The modern commentators, however, are inclined to believe that he was Ezekiel, though there is no convincing argument about it. This opinion is sound because his description in this verse that he was a patient and righteous man and was blessed by God is fully confirmed by the Book of Ezekiel. He was one of those people who had been taken prisoner by Nebuchadnezzer at the downfall of Jerusalem, who settled the Israeli exiles at Tel-abib by the river Chebar in Iraq. Here, in 594 BC, Ezekiel was raised to Prophethood when he was hardly 30, and he continued preaching the message of God to the exiled Israelites as well as to the iniquitous people and rulers of Jerusalem for full 22 years. In the 9th year of his mission, his wife whom he called the desire of his eyes died, but when the people came to mourn her death, he warned them of the wrath of God and the impending disaster. (Chapter 24: 15-21). The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel in the Bible is one of those scriptures which appear to be genuine and divinely inspired.
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