Description

LINEAGE

Prophet Dhul-Kifl (AS) was an Islamic prophet. Although his identity was unknown, his identity has been theorized and identified as various Hebrew Bible prophets and other figures, most commonly Ezekiel. Allah sent thousands of prophets for the guidance of humankind one after another. The children of Israel have been the most stubborn and easily deviated from the true religion every time. There were many Prophets sent down for the children of Israel in each generation, but they did not follow the Prophets and continued their disbelief. Prophet Dhul-Kifl (AS) was one of the Prophets who was mentioned in the Quran as a righteous and patient servant of Allah.

LIFE

Prophet Dhul-Kifl (AS) is mentioned in the Quran by his name twice in Surah Ambiya and Surah Saad. Since his name is mentioned in the Holy Quran among the other Prophets, it can be said that He was also a Prophet, however many scholars claim that He was not a Prophet but a pious and patient wise man. Allah knows best.

Al-Yasa (AS) was looking to appoint a successor. He assembled a group of companions and set out three conditions and asked the people “Who will be the successor after me upon certain conditions, and preach the people calmly and never become angry with them?” According to another tradition he used to fast in the daytime and pass the night in prayers, and not be angry with anyone.

Dhul-Kifl (AS) got up and said, “I accept your terms. Again, Yasa’a repeated twice, Dhul-Kifl (AS) said, “I will follow your terms.” After that Yasa’a died and Dhul-Kifl (AS) became the successor and preached to the people. One day Iblis asked one of his companions, “Which one of you would go to Dhul-Kifl (AS), make him angry, and compel him to break his promise?” A companion of Iblis, named Abyaiz said, he was prepared to do this. Iblis ordered him to go and try.

Dhul-Kifl (AS) was following a routine that involved fasting during the day and making prayers throughout the night. He used to take a short nap in the afternoon.

Iblis planned to bother Dhul-Kifl (AS) during his nap time by knocking at the door and saying I am an old, tortured man who needs help.

Iblis was welcomed in and started the false story of his sufferings. He stretched the story to an extent that the nap time of Dhul-Kifl (AS) was gone. The Dhul-Kifl (AS) told Iblis to visit him in the court in the evening so that justice can be done to him.

The Dhul-Kifl (AS) waited for the Iblis at the court, but he did not turn up. The next morning, he waited for the Iblis to return but he did not return. Iblis turned up again during the nap time of Dhul-Kifl (AS) and started knocking on the door. Dhul-Kifl (AS), told him very calmly, “Didn’t I tell you to come to my court yesterday, but you failed to appear, nor did you come this morning?”

Iblis replied, “Sir, my enemies are wicked people; they got to know that you were sitting in your court and would force them to give back to me what was due, they agreed to settle the matter out of court. But as soon as you left your court, they went back on their promise.”

Iblis continued the conversation for a long time and made Dhul-Kifl (AS) miss his usual nap time once again. Dhul-Kifl (AS) asked Iblis to visit his court again to settle matters. Once again, Dhul-Kifl (AS) waited patiently in the court, but Iblis did not visit. When Dhul-Kifl (AS) returned home that day, he was very tired due to the lack of sleep. He asked the family members not to allow anyone to knock at the door this time.

Iblis knocked on the door again and tried to disturb his sleep so he would not be able to fast, pray, and thought to make him angry. When he knocked on the door this time, family members of Dhul-Kifl (AS) refused to open but Iblis was determined and appeared inside the house next to Dhul-Kifl (AS)’s room and started knocking at the door of his room.

Dhul-Kifl (AS) realized that Iblis entered the house while the door remained closed and he became aware that the man standing before him was Iblis and asked him, “Are you the enemy of Allah?”

Iblis admitted that he was Iblis and said, “You have thwarted all my plans and frustrated all my efforts to entice you in my design. I intended to make you angry somehow so that one of your claims before Yasa (AS) could be proven false.”

It was because of this episode the man was given the title Dhul-Kifl, a title meaning “possessor of, or giving, a double requital or portion”.

There are at least two sites that are attributed to Dhul-Kifl (AS) as his tomb. The first one is in the city of Dezful in southern Iran. It is attributed to Ezekiel and because some people believe that Dhul-Kifl (AS) and Ezekiel were the same people, they believe his tomb is in that city. The other tomb attributed to Dhul-Kifl (AS) is in southern Iraq in a small town called Kifl. Historians say it is more likely that the one in Iraq is the tomb of Dhul-Kifl (AS) as even the town is named after him.

LEGACY

You should be patient, be a good judge and keep your promises. Prophet Dhul-Kifl (AS) had all these characteristics. Prophet Dhul-Kifl (AS) was never angry at anyone. This was specifically in the story of how the devil, Shaytan, came to Dhul-Kifl (AS) three times when he was supposed to take a nap.