Surah Sad ayat 48 Tafsir Quran 38:48

﴿وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ ۖ وَكُلٌّ مِّنَ الْأَخْيَارِ﴾
[ ص: 48]

38:48 And remember Ishmael, Elisha and Dhul-Kifl, and all are among the outstanding.

And mention also Our servants Ishmael and Elisha who was a prophet the lām here in al-Yasa‘ is extra and Dhū’l-Kifl — there is disagreement over whether he was a prophet; it is said that he was so called because he looked after kafala a hundred prophets who had sought refuge with him from being killed. Each that is every one of them was among the excellent akhyār is the plural of khayyir.

And apply remembrance O Muhammad to Ismail, Elisha and Zul-kifl, each and all are among the chosen for an exalted eternal life

The Chosen and the Best among the Prophets Allah tells us about the virtues of His servants the Messengers and His Prophets: وَاذْكُرْ عِبَادَنَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ أُوْلِى الاٌّيْدِى وَالاٌّبْصَـرِ ( And remember Our servants, Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya`qub, Ulil-Aydi wal-Absar. ) meaning, righteous deeds, beneficial knowledge, strength in worship and insight.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: أُوْلِى الاٌّيْدِى ( Ulil-Aydi ) "Of great strength and worship; وَالاٌّبْصَـرُ ( wal-Absar ) means, understanding of the religion." Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "They were given strength in worship and understanding of the religion." إِنَّآ أَخْلَصْنَهُمْ بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ ( Verily, We did choose them by granting them the remembrance of the Abode. ) Mujahid said, "This means: We made them strive for the Hereafter, and there is nothing else for them besides that." As-Suddi also said, "The remembrance of the Hereafter and striving for it." Malik bin Dinar said, "Allah removed the love of this world from their hearts, and singled them out for land remembrance of the Hereafter." Qatadah said, "They used to remind the people about the Abode of the Hereafter and to strive for it." وَإِنَّهُمْ عِندَنَا لَمِنَ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ الاٌّخْيَارِ ( And they are with Us, verily, of the chosen and the best! ) means, they are among those who have been elected and chosen, and they are the best and the chosen ones. وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَـعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ وَكُلٌّ مِّنَ الاٌّخْيَارِ ( And remember Isma`il, Al-Yasa`, and Dhul-Kifl, all are among the best. ) We have already discussed their characteristics and stories in detail in Surat Al-Anbiya', may peace be upon them, and there is no need to repeat it here. هَـذَا ذِكْرُ ( This is a Reminder ) means, a reminder to those who will be reminded.
As-Suddi said, "This means the Holy Qur'an."

(38:48) And remember Ishmael, Elisha, *50 and Dhu al-Kifl. *51All were of the best.

And remember Ishmael, Elisha and Dhul-Kifl, and meaning

*50) The Prophet AI-Yas`a has been mentioned only twice in the Qur'an, in Surah Al-An'am: 86 and here, without any detail about him; only his name appears in the chain of the Prophets.
He was one of the major Prophets of Israel, belonged to Abel Meholah, a place on the river Jordan, and is well known as Elisha among the Jews and Christians.
When the Prophet Elijah ( peace be upon him ) had taken refuge in the Sinai peninsula, he was commanded to return to Syria and Palestine for some important works, one of which was to prepare the Prophet Elisha for his successorship.
Accordingly, when the Prophet Elijah came to his town, he found Elisha ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth.
The Prophet Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him, and he left the oxen and followed him.
( I Kings, 19:15-21 ).
He remained under training with him for 10 to 12 years.
Then, when Allah recalled Elijah, he was appointed Prophet in his place.
( 2 Kings, oh.2 ).
The Second Book of the Kings gives a detailed account of the Prophet Elisha ( chs., 2 to 13 ), which shows that when the Israeli state of northern Palestine got lost in polytheism and idol-worship and moral evils, Elisha a pointed Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, king of Israel against the royal dynasty due to whose misdeeds those evils had spread in Israel.
Jehu not only put an end to Baal-worship, but also condemned to death every member of the wicked family, including its children.
But in spite of this reformist revolution the evils that had taken root in Israel could not be completely eradicated, and after the death of the Prophet Elisha they assumed enormous propertions; so much so that the Assyrians begn to invade Samaria whenever they pleased.
( For further details, see E.N.
7 of Surah Bani-Isra'il and E.
N .'s 70, 71 of Surah As-Saaffat ).

*51) Dhul-Kifi also has been mentioned only twice in the Qur'an, in AlAnbiya': 85 and here.
For our research about him see E.N.
81 of Al-Anbiya`.

 

The Chosen and the Best among the Prophets Allah tells us about the virtues of His servants the Messengers and His Prophets: وَاذْكُرْ عِبَادَنَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ أُوْلِى الاٌّيْدِى وَالاٌّبْصَـرِ ( And remember Our servants, Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya`qub, Ulil-Aydi wal-Absar. ) meaning, righteous deeds, beneficial knowledge, strength in worship and insight.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: أُوْلِى الاٌّيْدِى ( Ulil-Aydi ) "Of great strength and worship; وَالاٌّبْصَـرُ ( wal-Absar ) means, understanding of the religion." Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "They were given strength in worship and understanding of the religion." إِنَّآ أَخْلَصْنَهُمْ بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ ( Verily, We did choose them by granting them the remembrance of the Abode. ) Mujahid said, "This means: We made them strive for the Hereafter, and there is nothing else for them besides that." As-Suddi also said, "The remembrance of the Hereafter and striving for it." Malik bin Dinar said, "Allah removed the love of this world from their hearts, and singled them out for land remembrance of the Hereafter." Qatadah said, "They used to remind the people about the Abode of the Hereafter and to strive for it." وَإِنَّهُمْ عِندَنَا لَمِنَ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ الاٌّخْيَارِ ( And they are with Us, verily, of the chosen and the best! ) means, they are among those who have been elected and chosen, and they are the best and the chosen ones. وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَـعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ وَكُلٌّ مِّنَ الاٌّخْيَارِ ( And remember Isma`il, Al-Yasa`, and Dhul-Kifl, all are among the best. ) We have already discussed their characteristics and stories in detail in Surat Al-Anbiya', may peace be upon them, and there is no need to repeat it here. هَـذَا ذِكْرُ ( This is a Reminder ) means, a reminder to those who will be reminded.
As-Suddi said, "This means the Holy Qur'an."

( And make mention of Ishmael and Elisha ) the cousin of Ilyas ( and Dhu’l-Kifl ) who appointed himself as a guarantor of a few things which belonged to some people and kept his word; it is also said that he took charge of 100 prophets and he fed them until Allah saved them from death. However, he was a righteous man and not a prophet. ( All are of the chosen ) in Allah’s sight.

And remember Isma'il (Ishmael), Al-Yasa'a (Elisha), and Dhul-Kifl (Isaiah), all are among the best.

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