﴿85–86﴾ “And mention Ishmael, Idris, and Dhul-Kifl; each was among the steadfast. And We admitted them into Our mercy. Indeed, they were among the righteous.”

That is: Mention Our chosen servants and the prophets We sent in the finest terms, and praise them most highly: Ishmael son of Abraham, as well as Idris and Dhul-Kifl, two prophets from among the Children of Israel. “Each” of those mentioned “was among the steadfast.” Patience means restraining oneself and withholding it from what it naturally inclines toward. This encompasses the three kinds of patience: patience in obeying Allah, patience in refraining from disobeying Allah, and patience in enduring Allah’s painful decrees. A servant does not deserve to be described as perfectly patient until he has duly fulfilled all three.

Allah described these prophets—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them—as steadfast, indicating that they duly fulfilled these three kinds of patience and observed them as they should. He also described them as righteous. This encompasses righteousness of the heart through knowing Allah, loving Him, and constantly turning to Him; righteousness of the tongue by keeping it ever fresh with the remembrance of Allah; and righteousness of the limbs by occupying them in obedience to Allah and restraining them from sins.

Because of their patience and righteousness, Allah admitted them into His mercy, placed them among their fellow messengers, and granted them reward both in this world and the Hereafter. Even if their only reward had been that Allah Most High exalted their renown throughout the worlds and granted them honorable mention among later generations, that alone would have sufficed as honor and distinction.