ذو الكفل
Also known as: Ezekiel (possibly in Judeo-Christian tradition), Bishir ibn Ayyub (according to some scholars)
Nation / People
People of the Levant or between Iraq and Syria
Period
After Musa, before the time of Dawud and Sulayman, according to some narrations
Lifespan
75 years according to some narrations
Burial Place
Al-Kifl in Iraq, where a site bears his name
Faithfulness to one's pledges and commitments, patience, and consistent righteousness.
أيوب
Ayyub (Job)
Father (according to some scholars)
ذو الكفل
Dhul-Kifl
Prophet (peace be upon him)
Family members named in the Quran and authentic Sunnah.
Father
Disputed – see note
The identity of Dhul-Kifl is one of the classical uncertainties of Islamic scholarship. Three main opinions are transmitted: (1) He is Bishr, a son of the Prophet Ayyub (Job), who succeeded his father as prophet – this identification is favoured by many classical mufassirs including some transmissions from Ibn Kathir. (2) He is the Biblical Ezekiel (Hizqil ibn Buzi), a prophet of the Babylonian exile – held by others. (3) He is Joshua (Yushaʿ ibn Nun), the successor of Musa – held by a minority. Because the Quran names him only twice (al-Anbiya 21:85 and Sad 38:48) alongside other prophets, without genealogy or biography, no father can be affirmed as certain in authentic sources. Whichever of the three identifications is accepted, no wife or children of Dhul-Kifl are named in any authentic Islamic source.
His name, Dhul-Kifl, means "the one of the pledge/guarantee/commitment". He is praised for his patience and steadfastness. His identity remains a matter of scholarly discussion; some associate him with Ezekiel or Elisha of the Israelite tradition.