85 Preface وَزَكَرِيّا وَيَحيىٰ وَعيسىٰ وَإِلياسَ ۖ كُلٌّ مِنَ الصّالِحينَYusuf AliAnd Zakariya and Yahya1 and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous: The third group consists not of men of action, but Preachers of Truth, who led solitary lives. Their epithet is: “the Righteous.” They form a connected group round Jesus. Zakariya was the father of John the Baptist, the precursor of Jesus ( 3:37-41); and Jesus referred to John the Baptist as Elias: “this is Elias, which was to come” (Matt. 11:14); and Elias is said to have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the Mount (Matt. 17:3). Elias is the same as Elijah (Cf. 37:123). (R).