The Prophets
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE[21:85]
AND [remember] Ishmael and Idrīs, and every one who [like them] has pledged himself [unto God]: they all were among those who are patient in adversity,

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* v.85 : See sūrah 19, note 41.
* Lit., “and him of the pledge.” The expression dhu ’l-kifl is derived from the verb kafala – and especially the form takaffala – which signifies “he became responsible [for something or someone]” or pledged himself [to do something].” Although the classical commentators consider dhu ’l-kifl to be the epithet or the proper name of a particular prophet – whom they variously, more or less at random, identify with Elijah or Joshua or Zachariah or Ezekiel – I fail to see any reason whatever for such attempts at “identification,” the more so since we have not a single authentic hadīth which would mention, or even distantly allude to, a prophet by this name. I am, therefore, of the opinion that we have here (as in the identical expression in 38:48) a generic term applying to every one of the prophets, inasmuch as each of them pledged himself unreservedly to God and accepted the responsibility for delivering His message to man.