سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 243
۞ أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ ٱلْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مُوتُوا۟ ثُمَّ أَحْيَـٰهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿243﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Did you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) not think of those who went forth from their homes in thousands, fearing death? Allâh said to them, "Die". And then He restored them to life. Truly, Allâh is full of bounty to mankind, but most men thank not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ أَلَمْ
alam
Did not
تَرَ
tara
you see
إِلَى
ilā
[to]
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
خَرَجُوا۟
kharajū
went out
مِن
min
from
دِيَـٰرِهِمْ
diyārihim
their homes
وَهُمْ
wahum
and they
أُلُوفٌ
ulūfun
(were in) thousands
حَذَرَ
ḥadhara
(in) fear
ٱلْمَوْتِ
l-mawti
(of) [the] death
فَقَالَ
faqāla
Then said
لَهُمُ
lahumu
to them
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
مُوتُوا۟
mūtū
Die
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
أَحْيَـٰهُمْ ۚ
aḥyāhum
He restored them to life
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَذُو
ladhū
(is) surely Possessor
فَضْلٍ
faḍlin
(of) bounty
عَلَى
ʿalā
for
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
[the] mankind
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
[and] but
أَكْثَرَ
akthara
most
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the people
لَا
lā
(are) not
يَشْكُرُونَ
yashkurūna
grateful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah243) ➊ This incident is from a previous nation, the details of which have not been mentioned in any Sahih hadith. These people, despite being in thousands, fled the city instead of confronting the enemy out of fear of being killed during an attack, or, when a plague broke out, instead of remaining patient with destiny, they left their homes to escape death. But they could not escape death by fleeing; rather, Allah imposed death upon all of them, then Allah showed mercy to them and brought them back to life. In the next verse (244), the command to fight in the way of Allah is being given. The wisdom in mentioning this incident before that command is that you should not shirk from jihad; death is in the hands of Allah, and you cannot avert it by avoiding or fleeing from jihad, nor can you escape destiny by going anywhere.
➋ This story is a definitive proof of the resurrection of bodies on the Day of Judgment.
➌ {اَلَمْ تَرَ:} Its literal meaning is "Have you not seen," but Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) interpreted it as: {”اَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ“} "Do you not know" [ بخاری، التفسیر، سورۃ « ألم تر» ، قبل ح : ۴۹۶۴ ] because ru’yah can be visual or of the heart; visual means to see, and of the heart means to know. See also the footnotes of Surah Al-Fil. This shows that at the time this verse was revealed, the story of these people was generally well-known and famous. Sometimes, to arouse interest in hearing something, the conversation is also started with {”اَلَمْ تَرَ“}.
➍ Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "When you hear that a plague has broken out in a land, do not go there, and when a plague breaks out in a land and you are present there, do not leave that place fleeing from it." [ بخاری، الطب، باب ما یذکر فی الطاعون : ۵۷۲۹ ]
➋ This story is a definitive proof of the resurrection of bodies on the Day of Judgment.
➌ {اَلَمْ تَرَ:} Its literal meaning is "Have you not seen," but Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) interpreted it as: {”اَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ“} "Do you not know" [ بخاری، التفسیر، سورۃ « ألم تر» ، قبل ح : ۴۹۶۴ ] because ru’yah can be visual or of the heart; visual means to see, and of the heart means to know. See also the footnotes of Surah Al-Fil. This shows that at the time this verse was revealed, the story of these people was generally well-known and famous. Sometimes, to arouse interest in hearing something, the conversation is also started with {”اَلَمْ تَرَ“}.
➍ Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "When you hear that a plague has broken out in a land, do not go there, and when a plague breaks out in a land and you are present there, do not leave that place fleeing from it." [ بخاری، الطب، باب ما یذکر فی الطاعون : ۵۷۲۹ ]
