Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq has stated there was a person named Ilya. He was a leader of four hundred people of The Israelites. The king of The Israelites fell in love with a woman of another community. She was an idol-worshipper. The king proposed to her. She said yes if he allowed her to bring her idol along with her and worship it. The king refused then he accepted her terms and married her and brought her with the idol. Another eight hundred people came with her with their idols. At that time Prophet Ilya came to the king and said, “Allah has made you a king with a long life and you have become disobedient to Allah.” The king did not care what he said. Ilya cursed him and prayed to Allah to let them be struck with famine for three years. The famine struck everywhere, they slaughtered their animals and ate them except one foal on which king was riding. The king’s minister was good, religious and a believer of Allah.
He was staying with Prophet Ilya along with his followers. Allah revealed to his Prophet to go to the king and ask him to repent and that Allah will forgive him. Prophet went to the king and gave him the message of Allah and said to him to obey him. The king argued and promised him he will obey him. Then the Prophet called all his followers. First he sacrificed an animal as offering, secondly he killed the king’s wife and burnt her idol. The king repented very much and became a true follower of Ilya. Allah the Merciful showered the rain and made them free from famine.