Surah As Saffat Notes (123-142)

Source: Ibn Kathir
Translation: Mohsin Khan

(123) And verily, Iliyas (Elias) was one of the Messengers.

Qatadah and Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Ilyas is another name for Idris.'' 

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Ilyas is Idris.'' This was also the view of Ad-Dahhak . 

Wahb bin Munabbih said, "He is Ilyas bin Yasin bin Finhas bin Al-`Izar bin Harun bin `Imran. 

Allah sent him to the Children of Israel after Hizqil (Ezekiel), may peace be upon them both. They had started to worship an idol called Ba`l, and he called them to Allah, may He be exalted, and forbade them to worship anyone besides Him. Their king believed in him, then he apostatized, and they persisted in their misguided ways, and not one person among them believed in him. So he prayed to Allah against them, and Allah withheld the rain from them for three years. Then they asked him to relieve them from that, and promised that they would believe in him if rain came to them. So he prayed to Allah for them, and the rains came, but they persisted in their evil ways of disbelief. So he asked Allah to take him to Him. Al-Yasa` bin Akhtub had grown up under his care, may peace be upon them both. So Ilyas was commanded to go to such and such a place, and whatever mount came to him, he was to ride on it and not to give it away. A horse of fire was brought to him, so he rode it, and Allah clothed him with light and covered him with feathers, and he used to fly with the angels as a human angel, heavenly yet also earthly. This is what was narrated by Wahb bin Munabbih from the People of the Book; Allah knows best how true it is.

(124) When he said to his people: "Will you not fear Allah? 

(When he said to his people: "Will you not have Taqwa'') means, `do you not fear Allah when you worship others instead of Him'

(125) "Will you call upon Ba'l (a well- known idol of his nation whom they used to worship) and forsake the Best of creators, 

(Will you call upon Ba`l and forsake the Best of creators,) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and As-Suddi said that the word Ba`l means lord. `Ikrimah and Qatadah said, "This is the language of the people of Yemen.'' 

According to another report from Qatadah, it is the language of Azd Shanu'ah. 

`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam narrated from his father that it is the name of an idol which was worshipped by the people of a city called Ba`labak (Baalbek) which is to the west of Damascus. 

Ad-Dahhak said, "It is an idol which they used to worship.''

(Will you call upon Ba`l) means, `will you worship an idol,'

(126) "Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?" 

(and forsake the Best of creators, Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers) means, `He is the One Who is deserving of your worship alone, with no partners or associates.'

(127) But they denied him [Iliyas (Elias)], so they will certainly be brought forth (to the punishment),

(But they denied him, so they will certainly be brought forth,) means, for the punishment on the Day of Reckoning.

(128) Except the chosen slaves of Allah. 

(Save the chosen servants of Allah.) means, those who believe in Him alone.

(129) And We left for him (a goodly remembrance) among generations (to come) in later times; 

(And We left for him among the later generations.) means, he is praised and spoken of highly.

(130) Salamun (peace) be upon Ilyasin (Elias)!" 

(Salam (peace!) be upon Ilyasin!) Similarly, one might say for Isma`il, Isma`in. This is the language (dialect) of Bani Asad; they say Mikal, Mika'il, and Mika'in. They say Ibrahim and Ibraham; Isra'il, Isra'in; Tur Sina', Tur Sinin. All of that is fine.

(131) Verily, thus do We reward the Muhsinun (good-doers, who perform good deeds totally for Allah's sake only) 

(132) Verily, he was one of Our believing slaves. 

The Destruction of the People of Lut (Lot)

(133) And verily, Lout (Lot) was one of the Messengers.

(134) When We saved him and his family, all, 

(135) Except an old woman (his wife) who was among those who remained behind.

(136) Then We destroyed the rest [i.e. the towns of Sodom at the place of the Dead Sea (now) in Palestine].

Allah tells us that He sent His servant and Messenger Lut, peace be upon him, to his people, and they denied him, so Allah saved him from among them, him and his family with the exception of his wife, who was destroyed along with her people. Allah destroyed them with different kinds of punishments, and made their vicinity a foul, stinking lake which is on a well-travelled route where people pass by night and day (i.e., the Dead Sea, which lays close to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah on the highway between Arabia and Syria).

(137) Verily, you pass by them in the morning. 

(138) And at night; will you not then reflect? 


(Verily, you pass by them in the morning. And at night; will you not then reflect) meaning, `will you not learn a lesson from them and how Allah destroyed them, and realize that a similar end awaits the disbelievers.'

The Story of Yunus

(139) And, verily, Yunus (Jonah) was one of the Messengers. 

We have already discussed the story of Yunus, peace be upon him, in Surat Al-Anbiya' (21:87-88). 

In the Two Sahihs it is reported that the Messenger of Allah said: (It is not right for any person to say I am better than Yunus bin Matta.)

(140) When he ran to the laden ship,

(When he ran to the laden ship.) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "It was filled with cargo. 

(141) He (agreed to) cast lots, and he was among the losers,

(Then he (agreed to) cast lots,) means, to draw lots.''

(and he was among the losers.) means among those who have been overcome. This was because the ship was being pounded by the waves on all sides, and they were at risk of drowning, so they drew lots, and whoever lost would be thrown overboard so as to lighten the load. The Prophet of Allah Yunus, peace be upon him, lost the draw three times, but they did not want to throw him overboard. He took off his garment so that he could throw himself into the sea, and they tried to stop him.

(142) Then a (big) fish swallowed him and he had done an act worthy of blame.

 Then Allah commanded a large fish from the Green Sea (i.e., Mediterranian Sea) to cleave the oceans and come and swallow Yunus, peace be upon him, without cutting his flesh or breaking his bones. The fish came and Yunus, peace be upon him, threw himself overboard, and the fish swallowed him and took him away, traveling through all the seas with him. When Yunus had stayed for some time in the fish's belly, he thought that he had died; then he moved his head and legs and arms, and saw that he was alive. He prayed in the belly of the fish, and one of the things he said in his main prayer was: "O Lord, I have taken as a place of worship to You a place which no other person has reached.'' They differed as to how long he spent in the belly of the fish. 

Some said three days; this was the view of Qatadah. 

Some said seven days; this was the view of Ja`far As-Sadiq, may Allah be pleased with him. 

Some said forty days; this was the view of Abu Malik. Mujahid said, narrating from Ash-Sha`bi, "It swallowed him in the morning and cast him forth in the evening.'' And Allah knows best how long exactly was.