Tafseer of The Cattle · Al-An'aam · 6:85
And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias - and all were of the righteous.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The discourse on the explanation of His statement: وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ — all were among the righteous (6:85).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: And We also guided, to the like of that to which We guided Nūḥ of guidance and right course, from his progeny: Zakariyyā ibn Iddū ibn Barakhiyyā, and Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā, and ʿĪsā ibn Maryam, the daughter of ʿImrān ibn Yāshahm ibn Amūn ibn Ḥizqiyā, and Ilyās.
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And they differed concerning "Ilyās".
Ibn Isḥāq used to say: he is Ilyās ibn Yasā ibn Finḥāṣ ibn al-ʿAyzār ibn Hārūn ibn ʿImrān, the son of the brother of Mūsā, the prophet of Allah ﷺ.
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Another used to say: he is Idrīs. And among those from whom that is reported is ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd.
13515 - Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Isrāʾīl related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of ʿUbayda ibn Rabīʿa, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd, who said: "Idrīs", he is "Ilyās", and "Isrāʾīl", he is "Yaʿqūb".
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As for the genealogists, they say: "Idrīs" is the grandfather of Nūḥ ibn Lamak ibn Mattūshalakh ibn Akhnūkh, and "Akhnūkh" is "Idrīs ibn Yard ibn Mahlāʾīl". And thus it is related from Wahb ibn Munabbih.
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And what the genealogists say more closely resembles what is correct. That is because Allah, the Exalted whose mention is exalted, traces "Ilyās" back to "Nūḥ" in this verse and makes him part of his progeny, and "Nūḥ" is the son of Idrīs according to the people of knowledge. It is therefore impossible that the grandfather of his father should be traced back to being part of his progeny.
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And His statement: "all were among the righteous", He says: those of them whom We have named, whom We have mentioned by name, "were among the righteous", that is to say: Zakariyyā, Yaḥyā, ʿĪsā, and Ilyās, the blessings of Allah be upon them.
