Prophet Ilyas (Elijah)

Who is Ilyas?

Ilyas (Arabic إلياس) is a prophet of the Children of Israel sent to a people who had abandoned pure monotheism and taken up the worship of Baal — a Canaanite deity whose cult had spread among the northern tribes of ancient Israel. He is identified with the biblical Elijah (Hebrew Eliyahu) and mentioned by name in the Quran among the greatest and most upright prophets.

Quranic Mentions

Ilyas is mentioned twice:

• "And Zakariyya, Yahya, Isa and Ilyas — all were of the righteous." (Al-An'am 6:85)
• "And indeed, Ilyas was from among the messengers. When he said to his people: 'Will you not fear Allah? Do you call upon Baal and leave the best of Creators — Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers?'" (As-Saffat 37:123-126)

His Mission Against Baal

Ilyas was raised to prophecy in a time when the Children of Israel had turned to worshipping Baal. In striking Quranic language, he demanded of them: "Will you not fear Allah? Do you call upon Baal and leave the best of Creators?" (37:124-125). His confrontation with idolatry cost him hardship and rejection; the Quran affirms that his opponents "denied him" and thus faced consequences, "except the chosen servants of Allah" (37:127-128) — meaning those righteous few who followed him.

The Quran ends its account of Ilyas with the honour common to the greatest messengers: "Peace upon Ilyasin (Ilyas). Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good; indeed, he was of Our believing servants." (37:130-132)

The Biblical Elijah Parallel

Islamic tradition — following commentators like at-Tabari and Ibn Kathir — identifies Ilyas with the biblical prophet Elijah, famous in the Hebrew Bible for the same confrontation with the priests of Baal at Mount Carmel, the ravens that fed him in the wilderness, and his ascension to heaven in a chariot of fire. Islamic scholars accept the broad outline of this identification while regarding the finer details as beyond what the Quran and hadith establish as authoritative.

Ilyas and Al-Yasa

The Quran mentions Al-Yasa (Elisha) as another prophet, and Islamic tradition holds that Al-Yasa was the disciple and successor of Ilyas — the pair mirroring the biblical Elijah/Elisha relationship. When Ilyas was raised up, his mantle of prophecy fell on Al-Yasa, who continued calling the Children of Israel to Allah alone.

Lessons from His Story

• Zeal for tawhid — Ilyas confronted the entrenched idolatry of his people fearlessly, teaching that no fashionable false god is worth abandoning the "Best of Creators".
• Steadfastness through rejection — even when his people denied him, Ilyas persevered; the Quran calls him "one of Our believing servants".
• Reward for the sincere — the Quran promises: "Thus do We reward the doers of good" (37:131) — a universal principle beyond his time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Ilyasin" in the Quran?

Verse 37:130 says: "Peace upon Ilyasin". Classical commentators offer two main readings: (1) it is an alternative form of the name "Ilyas" (as with Sinin/Sina for Mount Sinai), or (2) it is plural, referring to "the family of Ilyas" or "his followers". Both meanings honour him and those with him.

Did Ilyas die like other prophets?

The Quran does not specify. The biblical account describes Elijah being taken up alive to heaven, and some Islamic traditions echo this, though it is not part of established doctrine. What is essential is the Quran's affirmation that he was among the messengers, one of the righteous, and blessed with a lasting greeting of peace.