Who is al-Yasa‘ (peace be upon him)?

Praise be to Allah.

al-Yasa‘ (peace be upon him) was one of the Prophets of the Children of Israel; he was descended from Yoosuf ibn Ya‘qoob ibn Is-haaq ibn Ibraaheem al-Khaleel (peace be upon them all). 

Allah mentions him twice in His Book, where He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And Isma‘eel (Ishmael) and Al-Yasa‘ (Elisha), and Yoonus (Jonah) and Lout (Lot), and each one of them We preferred above the Alameen (mankind and jinns) (of their times)”

[al-An‘aam 6:86]

“And remember Isma‘il (Ishmael), Al-Yasa‘ (Elisha), and Dhul-Kifl (Isaiah), all are among the best”

[Saad 38:48]. 

It was said that he grew up under the care of Ilyaas (peace be upon him), and he hid with him in Jabal Qasiyoon. When Ilyaas was taken up to heaven, he left al-Yasa‘ as his successor among his people, and Allah appointed him as a Prophet after him. 

It was narrated from Qataadah that al-Hasan said: After Ilyaas came al-Yasa‘ (peace be upon them both), and he remained among his people for as long as Allah willed, calling them to Allah, and adhering to the path and teachings of Ilyaas, until Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, took his soul in death. End quote.

Narrated by Ibn Katheer in Qasas al-Anbiya’ (2/252) 

See also: Tareekh at-Tabari (1/462-464) and al-Muntazam by Ibn al-Jawzi (1/385). 

And it was said that one of the miracles by means of which Allah supported al-Yasa‘ was that he brought the dead back to life and healed the one born blind and the leper, and the river Jordan was dried up for him so that he walked across it, as is mentioned in Jewish sources. Allah knows best how sound that is. See: al-Jawaab as-Saheeh by Ibn Taymiyah (4/451-452) 

What is required of the Muslim is to believe in what is narrated soundly from the Prophets and Messengers, for they conveyed everything with which they were sent, in the correct manner as Allah commanded them. As for anything other than that, such as da‘eef (weak) reports and reports from Jewish sources (known as al-Israa’eeliyyaat), they cannot be fully trusted and cannot be quoted as evidence, but there is nothing wrong with learning some lessons from them, as long as they are not contrary to anything that is proven in the Qur’an and Sunnah. 

See also the answers to questions no. 22289 and 175000. 

And Allah knows best.