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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
243. Have you not considered those who left their homes in thousands for fear of death? Allah said to them, "Die," (so they died on the way), then Allah revived them (because of the prayer of a prophet) [340]. And surely Allah is most gracious to people, but most people are not grateful.
[340]
The Death and Resurrection of the Israelites Who Fled in Fear of the Plague:
From this verse onward, the subject of jihad begins, and as a prelude, it is explained in this verse that life and death are only in the hands of Allah. The incident was that some people from the Israelites lived in a certain city. When a plague broke out there, due to the fear of dying from the plague, they packed up their belongings and, numbering in the thousands, left the city, thinking that in this way they would escape death. They had not even reached any destination when death overtook them on the way, and all of them died. It is possible that they died from the germs of the plague itself. They did not place their trust in Allah and showed cowardice; therefore, as a punishment, Allah Almighty put all of them to sleep in death, and if they had remained in their city trusting in Allah’s decree, it is possible that most of them would have been saved. Then, after some time, the Prophet Ezekiel, who was the third successor of Prophet Musa ؑ, passed by there, and seeing this situation, he prayed to Allah Almighty. So Allah, out of His mercy, granted them life again, and every person stood up saying
﴿ سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ اِلٰهَ الآَ أنْتَ﴾.
[340]
The Death and Resurrection of the Israelites Who Fled in Fear of the Plague:
From this verse onward, the subject of jihad begins, and as a prelude, it is explained in this verse that life and death are only in the hands of Allah. The incident was that some people from the Israelites lived in a certain city. When a plague broke out there, due to the fear of dying from the plague, they packed up their belongings and, numbering in the thousands, left the city, thinking that in this way they would escape death. They had not even reached any destination when death overtook them on the way, and all of them died. It is possible that they died from the germs of the plague itself. They did not place their trust in Allah and showed cowardice; therefore, as a punishment, Allah Almighty put all of them to sleep in death, and if they had remained in their city trusting in Allah’s decree, it is possible that most of them would have been saved. Then, after some time, the Prophet Ezekiel, who was the third successor of Prophet Musa ؑ, passed by there, and seeing this situation, he prayed to Allah Almighty. So Allah, out of His mercy, granted them life again, and every person stood up saying
﴿ سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ اِلٰهَ الآَ أنْتَ﴾.
