And Ismail, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot; each of these we distinguished over all the people.

Elisha, called al-Yasa' in the Quran's Arabic, was a prophet sent to the Children of Israel. In the history of Israel he was the disciple and successor of Elias (Elijah). The Quran does not tell his story in narrative form. It names him twice, both times in lists of chosen prophets, and what it says about him comes from the company he is placed in and the lessons drawn from those lists (6:86, 38:48).
The events of his life are known from the Hebrew Bible, not the Quran. He lived in the northern kingdom of Israel in the ninth century BCE. Elijah found him plowing a field and called him to follow, and Elisha served Elijah until Elijah was taken from him. Just before that, Elijah asked what he could do for him, and Elisha answered, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me" (2 Kings 2:9). He then carried on Elijah's mission among the Israelites, the same people Elijah had called away from the worship of Baal. The Quran Talk blog connects this "double portion" to the title Zal-Kifl, which it explains as "possessor of double portion," and notes that the Quran names Elisha and Zal-Kifl in the same verse. That link is the blog's suggestion. The Quran itself does not explain the title.
In Sura 6, Elisha comes in a long line of prophets that starts with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and runs through Noah, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elias. Of him and three others the Quran says: "And Ismail, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot; each of these we distinguished over all the people" (6:86). God says He chose and guided their ancestors, descendants and siblings "in a straight path" (6:87), and that these are "the ones to whom we have given the scripture, wisdom, and prophethood" (6:89).
In Sura 38 he appears right after Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who "were chosen, for they were among the most righteous" (38:47). Then comes the verse: "Remember Ismail, Elisha, and Zal-Kifl; among the most righteous" (38:48). The next verse draws the conclusion: "The righteous have deserved a wonderful destiny" (38:49).
The Quran draws three lessons from these lists. First, prophethood is God's guidance, given to people chosen for their righteousness (6:88, 38:47). Second, that rank protected no one from idolatry: "Had any of them fallen into idolatry, their works would have been nullified" (6:88). Even someone as honored as Elisha was saved by his devotion to God alone. Third, these prophets are a model to follow: "These are the ones guided by GOD; you shall be guided in their footsteps" (6:90). It follows that Elisha's place in the Quran is not a set of miracles or adventures. He is an example of a servant who held to God alone, was counted among the most righteous, and earned the destiny promised to the righteous.
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