“Indeed, Elijah was one of the messengers.” (123)

His, Exalted is He, saying: “Indeed, Elijah was one of the messengers.” It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Masud that he said: Elijah was Enoch. His copy of the Quran read: “Indeed, Enoch was one of the messengers.” This was also the view of Ikrimah.

Others said: Rather, he was a prophet among the prophets of the Children of Israel.

Ibn Abbas said: He was the cousin of Elisha.

Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: He was Elijah, son of Bishr, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, son of Imran.

Muhammad ibn Ishaq also said, as did the scholars versed in historical reports: After Allah, Exalted is He, took Ezekiel the Prophet, peace be upon him, the Children of Israel fell into grave disorder; corruption and polytheism became widespread among them. They set up idols and worshipped them instead of Allah. Allah, Exalted is He, therefore sent Elijah to them as a prophet. The prophets ⦗97/a⦘ among the Children of Israel after Moses were sent to restore what they had forgotten of the Torah.

The Children of Israel had become dispersed throughout Greater Syria. This came about because, when Joshua son of Nun conquered Greater Syria, he settled the Children of Israel there and divided the land among them. He established one of their tribes in Baalbek and its surrounding areas. This was the tribe from which Elijah came, and Allah, Exalted is He, sent him to them as a prophet.

At that time, they were ruled by a king called Ahab, who had led his people astray and compelled them to worship idols. He and his people worshipped an idol called Baal, which was twenty cubits tall and had four faces. Elijah began calling them to Allah, Exalted is He, but they listened to nothing he said, apart from the king, who affirmed him and believed in him. Elijah would then set the king’s affairs aright, guide him soundly, and direct him.

This King Ahab had a wife called Jezebel, whom he would appoint as his deputy over his subjects whenever he was away from them on a military expedition or otherwise. She would appear publicly before the people and judge between them. She was a killer of prophets; it is said that she was the one who killed John, son of Zachariah, peace be upon him.

She had a scribe who was a wise believer and concealed his faith. He had saved three hundred prophets from her hands, for she intended to kill every one of them whenever he was sent, besides those whom she had already killed. She was unchaste, and had married seven kings of the Children of Israel, assassinating every one of them. She was long-lived; it is said that she bore seventy children.

This Ahab had a righteous neighbor called Mazdaki, who had a small garden from which he earned his livelihood. He devoted himself to cultivating and maintaining it. The garden stood beside the palace of the king and his wife, and they overlooked it, taking their leisure there, eating, drinking, and resting at midday. King Ahab treated his neighbor Mazdaki well and showed him kindness. But his wife Jezebel envied him because of that garden and sought ways to seize it from him, since she heard people frequently speak of it and marvel at its beauty. She also plotted to kill him, but the king forbade her from doing so, and she found no means against him. Then it happened that the king departed on a distant journey, and his absence was prolonged. His wife Jezebel seized the opportunity and assembled a group of people