Elias

The messenger Elias ( إلياس ) is mentioned three times in the Quran, which corresponds with the prophet in the Elijah Bible.

6:85:4	wa-il’yāsa	وَإِلْيَاسَ	and Elias –
37:123:2	il’yāsa	إِلْيَاسَ	Elias
37:130:3	il yāsīna	إِلْ يَاسِينَ	Elias.

The first occurrence is in 6:85 but does not provide many details except for indicating that he was among the righteous, while the following verse indicates that he was also given prophets.

[6:85] Also, Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias; all were righteous.
[6:86] And Ismail, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot; each of these we distinguished over all the people.
[6:87] From among their ancestors, their descendants, and their siblings, we chose many, and we guided them in a straight path.
[6:88] Such is GOD’s guidance, with which He guides whomever He chooses from among His servants. Had any of them fallen into idolatry, their works would have been nullified.
[6:89] Those were the ones to whom we have given the scripture, wisdom, and prophethood. If these people disbelieve, we will substitute others in their place, and the new people will not be disbelievers.

(٨٥) وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ كُلٌّ مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
(٨٦) وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَٱلْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
(٨٧) وَمِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ وَٱجْتَبَيْنَـٰهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
(٨٨) ذَٰلِكَ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
(٨٩) أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُوا۟ بِهَا بِكَـٰفِرِينَ

More details regarding Elias are mentioned in verses 37:123-130

[37:123] Elias was one of the messengers.
[37:124] He said to his people, “Would you not work righteousness?
[37:125] “Do you worship a statue ( Baal / بَعْلًا ), instead of the Supreme Creator?
[37:126] “GOD; your Lord, and the Lord of your forefathers!”
[37:127] They disbelieved him. Consequently, they had to be called to account.
[37:128] Only GOD’s servants who are absolutely devoted to Him alone (are saved).
[37:129] We preserved his history for subsequent generations.
[37:130] Peace be upon Elias, and all those like Elias.

(١٢٣) وَإِنَّ إِلْيَاسَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
(١٢٤) إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
(١٢٥) أَتَدْعُونَ بَعْلًا وَتَذَرُونَ أَحْسَنَ ٱلْخَـٰلِقِينَ
(١٢٦) ٱللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ وَرَبَّ ءَابَآئِكُمُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
(١٢٧) فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُونَ
(١٢٨) إِلَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ
(١٢٩) وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرِينَ
(١٣٠) سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَىٰٓ إِلْ يَاسِينَ

What is interesting in this passage is that the word statue ( Baal / بَعْلًا ), used in 37:125, directly corresponds with the history of Elias (Elijah) in the Bible.

The story of Elijah can be found in 1 Kings 18. The people of Israel had been suffering from a drought for more than three years due to their idolatry of their false god Baal, so Elijah challenged King Ahab to a spiritual contest. They gathered at Mt. Carmel, along with the prophets of Baal and Asherah.

Elijah asked the people to choose between God and Baal, but they remained undecided. Elijah then challenged the prophets of Baal to prepare a bull as an offering for their god without lighting any fire on an altar. If Baal is true, then he should be able to answer their prayers and bring fire from the sky to consume their offering, but despite hours of effort from the prophets of Baal, nothing happened.

Elijah then repaired the altar of the Lord and placed the sacrifice on the altar. He then asked the people to douse the altar and the sacrifice with twelve large water jugs until it was all soaked. Then he prayed to the Lord. God answered his prayer with fire from heaven, consuming the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and even the water. The people of Israel declared the Lord as God and abandoned the prophets of Baal. Soon after, the drought ended, and rain fell upon the land.

Also, the passage in the Quran about Elias ( إِلْيَاسَ ) ends with an interesting writing of Elias in 37:130 where it uses the plural of Elias ( إِلْ يَاسِينَ ).

This expression uses Elias as a descriptor for him and those like him, so it would be translated like so:

[37:130] Peace be upon Elias, and all those like Elias.

(١٣٠) سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَىٰٓ إِلْ يَاسِينَ

We even have this in English known as “Person as Verb” where an individual’s name is used to describe an action. Some examples in English are “Be like Mike” as in Michael Jordan, or a person being identified as a Karen or Chad.