سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 259
أَوْ كَٱلَّذِى مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْىِۦ هَـٰذِهِ ٱللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ ٱللَّهُ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ ۖ قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثْتَ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامٍ فَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ ءَايَةً لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْعِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًا ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُۥ قَالَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿259﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Or like the one who passed by a town while it had tumbled over its roofs. He said: "Oh! How will Allâh ever bring it to life after its death?" So Allâh caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up (again). He said: "How long did you remain (dead)?" He (the man) said: "(Perhaps) I remained (dead) a day or part of a day". He said: "Nay, you have remained (dead) for a hundred years, look at your food and your drink, they show no change; and look at your donkey! And thus We have made of you a sign for the people. Look at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh". When this was clearly shown to him, he said, "I know (now) that Allâh is Able to do all things."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَوْ
aw
Or
كَٱلَّذِى
ka-alladhī
like the one who
مَرَّ
marra
passed
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
by
قَرْيَةٍۢ
qaryatin
a township
وَهِىَ
wahiya
and it
خَاوِيَةٌ
khāwiyatun
(had) overturned
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
عُرُوشِهَا
ʿurūshihā
its roofs
قَالَ
qāla
He said
أَنَّىٰ
annā
How
يُحْىِۦ
yuḥ'yī
(will) bring to life
هَـٰذِهِ
hādhihi
this (town)
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
بَعْدَ
baʿda
after
مَوْتِهَا ۖ
mawtihā
its death
فَأَمَاتَهُ
fa-amātahu
Then he was made to die
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
مِا۟ئَةَ
mi-ata
(for) a hundred
عَامٍۢ
ʿāmin
year(s)
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
بَعَثَهُۥ ۖ
baʿathahu
He raised him
قَالَ
qāla
He said
كَمْ
kam
How long
لَبِثْتَ ۖ
labith'ta
(have) you remained
قَالَ
qāla
He said
لَبِثْتُ
labith'tu
I remained
يَوْمًا
yawman
(for) a day
أَوْ
aw
or
بَعْضَ
baʿḍa
a part
يَوْمٍۢ ۖ
yawmin
(of) a day
قَالَ
qāla
He said
بَل
bal
Nay
لَّبِثْتَ
labith'ta
you (have) remained
مِا۟ئَةَ
mi-ata
one hundred
عَامٍۢ
ʿāmin
year(s)
فَٱنظُرْ
fa-unẓur
Then look
إِلَىٰ
ilā
at
طَعَامِكَ
ṭaʿāmika
your food
وَشَرَابِكَ
washarābika
and your drink
لَمْ
lam
(they did) not
يَتَسَنَّهْ ۖ
yatasannah
change with time
وَٱنظُرْ
wa-unẓur
and look
إِلَىٰ
ilā
at
حِمَارِكَ
ḥimārika
your donkey
وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ
walinajʿalaka
and We will make you
ءَايَةًۭ
āyatan
a sign
لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ
lilnnāsi
for the people
وَٱنظُرْ
wa-unẓur
And look
إِلَى
ilā
at
ٱلْعِظَامِ
l-ʿiẓāmi
the bones
كَيْفَ
kayfa
how
نُنشِزُهَا
nunshizuhā
We raise them
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
نَكْسُوهَا
naksūhā
We cover them
لَحْمًۭا ۚ
laḥman
(with) flesh
فَلَمَّا
falammā
Then when
تَبَيَّنَ
tabayyana
became clear
لَهُۥ
lahu
to him
قَالَ
qāla
he said
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
I know
أَنَّ
anna
that
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
(is) on
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
قَدِيرٌۭ
qadīrun
All-Powerful
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
259. 1. The phrase "Or like the one" is connected to the previous incident, and the meaning is that you did not look at the story of that person who passed by a town, just as you did not look at the previous incident. Who was this person? Many opinions have been narrated regarding this; the most famous is the name of Hazrat Uzair (علیہ السلام), which some companions and followers have accepted. And Allah knows best. In the previous incident (Hazrat Ibrahim علیہ السلام and Nimrod), the affirmation was of the Creator, that is, Allah Almighty, and in this second incident, the affirmation is of Allah Almighty's power to resurrect the dead, as Allah Almighty revived this person and his donkey after one hundred years, even his food and drink did not spoil. That same Allah Almighty will resurrect all humans on the Day of Resurrection; when He can revive after one hundred years, then reviving after thousands of years is not difficult for Him.
259. 2. It is said that when that mentioned person died, some part of the day had passed, and when he was revived, evening had not yet come. From this, he estimated that if I had come here yesterday, then one day has passed; if this happened today, then only a part of the day has passed. Whereas in reality, one hundred years had passed since his death.
259. 3. That is, I already had certainty, but now after witnessing with my own eyes, my certainty and knowledge have become even more firm and increased.
259. 2. It is said that when that mentioned person died, some part of the day had passed, and when he was revived, evening had not yet come. From this, he estimated that if I had come here yesterday, then one day has passed; if this happened today, then only a part of the day has passed. Whereas in reality, one hundred years had passed since his death.
259. 3. That is, I already had certainty, but now after witnessing with my own eyes, my certainty and knowledge have become even more firm and increased.
