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Who was Prophet Dhul-Kifl? His life and story

A patient and righteous Prophet

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At a glance

The meaning of his name
"Dhul-Kifl": the one with a portion, the one who takes on a responsibility
His main quality
Patience and righteousness
In the Quran
Mentioned with praise in only two places
Mentioned together with
Prophets Ismail and Idris (Al-Anbya, 85)
His station
Among the good servants chosen by Allah

Story summary

Dhul-Kifl (peace be upon him) is a Prophet mentioned with praise in only two places in the Quran, among those who were patient and righteous. Allah mentions his name alongside chosen servants such as Ismail and Idris (peace be upon them). The Quran gives no extensive information about his life, so what matters most is his patience and righteousness.

Full story

  1. One of the patient

    Dhul-Kifl (peace be upon him) is mentioned in the Quran together with Ismail and Idris (peace be upon them). Allah says of all of them that "they were among the patient" and states that He admitted them into His mercy (Al-Anbya, 85-86).

    This brief praise shows that he was a servant who endured hardship throughout his life and fulfilled his responsibility faithfully. The meaning of his name too, one who takes on a duty, a portion, points to this patient service.

  2. A good servant chosen by Allah

    In Surah Sad, Allah mentions Ismail, Al-Yasa and Dhul-Kifl together and states that each of them was among "the good" (Sad, 48).

    The Quran gives no information about his people, his miracles, or the details of his life. For this reason it is not right to relate uncertain narrations about him as definite fact. What matters for us is that Allah praised him for his patience and righteousness.

In the Quran

Dhul-Kifl (peace be upon him) is among the Prophets whose name is mentioned in only two verses of the Quran: in Surah Al-Anbya (85-86) and Surah Sad (48). In both places his name appears alongside other Prophets, in a context of praise. Since the Quran does not disclose the details of his life, what we know about him is limited to the emphasis on his patience and righteousness.

Lessons and wisdom

  • What has value before Allah is not many words, but patience and righteousness.
  • Fulfilling faithfully the responsibility one has taken on is a great virtue.
  • One must refrain from relating invented details on matters about which little is known.

Sources

This page is based on Quran verses and authentic hadith sources.

  • QuranSurah Al-Anbya, 85

    This verse relates Ismail, Idris and Dhul-Kifl (peace be upon them) being counted among the patient.

  • QuranSurah Sad, 48

    This verse states that Ismail, Al-Yasa and Dhul-Kifl were among the good.

  • Classical sourceTDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, "Zülkifl"

    Referenced for the Quran's information about Prophet Dhul-Kifl and scholarly discussion.

Related Prophets

Other Prophets connected with this story.

Related dream interpretation

Yuxuda Peyğəmbər görmək

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about this Prophet.

  • Who was Prophet Dhul-Kifl?

    Dhul-Kifl (peace be upon him) is a Prophet mentioned with praise in the Quran among the patient and the righteous. His name appears only in Surah Al-Anbya (85) and Surah Sad (48).

  • Where is Prophet Dhul-Kifl mentioned in the Quran?

    His name appears in two places in the Quran: Surah Al-Anbya 85-86 and Surah Sad 48. In both places he is praised together with other Prophets.

  • What do we know about Prophet Dhul-Kifl?

    The Quran emphasizes his patience and righteousness but does not disclose the details of his life. For this reason it is not right to relate uncertain narrations about him as definite fact.