ELEMENTS. Arabic al-ʿAnāṣiru ʾl-arbaʿah (العناصر الاربعة). “The four elements” of fire (nār), air (hawā), water (māʾ), and earth (arẓ), from which all creation mineral, animal, and vegetable is produced.
The respective properties of these elements are said to be as follows: Fire, hot and dry; air, hot and cold; water, cold and wet; earth, cold and dry. A knowledge of the properties of the four elements is required in the so-called science of Daʿwah. [[DAʿWAH].]
ELEPHANT, The year of. Arabic ʿĀmu ʾl-Fīl (عام الفيل). The year in which Muḥammad was born. Being the year in which Abrahatu ʾl-Ashram, an Abyssinian Christian and Viceroy of the King of Ṣanʿāʾ in Yaman marched with a large army and a number of elephants upon Makkah, with the intention of destroying the Kaʿbah. He was defeated and his army destroyed in so sudden a manner, as to give rise to the legend embodied in the CVth Sūrah of the Qurʾān, which is known as the Chapter of the Elephant.
Professor Palmer says it is conjectured that small-pox broke out amongst the army. [ASHABU ʾL-FIL.]
ELIJAH. Arabic Ilyās (الياس), Ilyāsīn (الياسين); Heb. אֵלִיָּהוּ; New Testament, Ἠλίας. A prophet mentioned in the following verses in the Qurʾān:—
[Sūrah xxxvii. 123]: “Verily Ilyās (Elias) was of the Apostles; and when he said to his people, ‘Will ye not fear, Do ye call upon Baʿl and leave the best of Creators, God your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers in the old time?’ But they called him a liar; verily, they shall surely be arraigned, save God’s sincere servants. And we left him amongst posterity. Peace upon Ilyāsīn (Elias) verily, thus do we reward those who do well; verily he was of our servants who believe.”
[Sūrah vi. 85]: “And Zachariah and John, and Jesus, and Ilyās, all righteous ones.”
Al-Baiẓāwī says, “It has been said that this Ilyās, is the same as Idrīs, prefather of Noah, whilst others say he was the son of Yāsīn and descended from Aaron, the brother of Moses.” [[IDRIS].]
ELISHA. Arabic al-Yasaʿ (اليسع). Heb. אֱלִישָׁע. Elisha is mentioned twice in the Qurʾān, under the name al-Yasaʿ.
[Sūrah xxxviii. 48]: “And remember Ishmael and Elisha, and Ẕū ʾl-kifl, for each was righteous.”