قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى:

Allah the Almighty says:

{أَوْ كَالَّذِي مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْيِي هَٰذِهِ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ اللَّهُ مِائَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ ۖ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ ۖ قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ}

{Or like the one who passed by a town and it had tumbled over its roofs. He said: "Oh! How will Allah ever bring it to life after its death?" So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up (again). He said: "How long did you remain (dead)?" He (the man)

قَالَ: {لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ}

said: "(Perhaps) I remained (dead) a day or part of a day". He said:

{قَالَ بَل لَّبِثتَ مِائَةَ عَامٍ فَانظُر إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ وَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ آيَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَانظُرْ إِلَى الْعِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًا ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ قَالَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ}، (البقرۃ، ٢٥٩)

"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 Allah is Able to do all things"}. (Al-Baqarah, 259)

وَ، {وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ ۖ يُضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَبْلُ ۚ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ ۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ}. (التوبۃ، ٣٠)

And, {And the Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allah's Curse be on them how they are deluded away from the truth!}. (At-Taubah, 30)

قال الحافظ أبو القاسم ابن عساكر: هو عُزَير بن جَرْوَة، أو ابن سُرَيْق بن عَدِيّة بن أيوب بن دَرْزْنَا بن عُزَى بن تَقْيِ بن أُسْبُع بن فِنْحَاس بن العَازِر بن هارون بن عِمران. ويقال أيضاً: عُزَير بن سَمْخَا. وتذكر بعض الروايات أن قبره موجود في دمشق. ثم روى الحافظ ابن عساكر عن أبي القاسم البغوي، عن داود بن عمرو، عن حِبَّان بن علي، عن محمد بن كُرَيب، عن أبيه، عن عبد الله بن عباس، قال: ما أدري أكان تُبَّعٌ لعيناً أم لا؟

Al-Hafiz Abu Al-Qasim Ibn 'Asakir said: He is 'Uzair Ibn Jarwah, or Ibn Suraiq Ibn 'Adiya Ibn Ayyub Ibn Darzna Ibn 'Ura Ibn Taqyi Ibn Usbu' Ibn Finhas Ibn EI- 'Azir Ibn Hamn Ibn 'Imran. Also, he is said to be 'Uzair Ibn Smkha. Some narrations state that his grave is located in Damascus. Then, Al-HafizIbn 'Asakir narrated on the authority of Abu Al-Qasim AI-Baghawi after Dawud Ibn `Amr after Hibban Ibn `Ali after Muhammad Ibn Kuraib after his father after `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas as saying: I do not know whether Tubba` was a cursed one or not?

وأنا لا أدري هل كان عُزَيْر نبيًّا أم لا؟ ثم روى مثله من حديث مؤمّل بن الحسن عن محمد بن إسحاق السّاجزي عن عبد الرزاق عن مَعْمر عن ابن أبي ذئب عن سعيد المَقْبُري عن أبي هريرة (رضي الله عنه).

And, I do not know whether `Uzair was a Prophet or not? Then, he narrated the like from the Hadith of Mu'amil Ibn Al-Hasan on the authority of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq As-Sajizi after `Abder Razzaq after Mu`amir after Ibn Abu Dhu'aib after Sa`id Al- Maqbaari on the authority of Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him).

ثم روى عن إسحاق بن بشر، وهو متروك، بعد جبير ومقاتل، بعد الضحاك، عن عبد الله بن عباس رضي الله عنه قال: كان عزير غلامًا صغيرًا من جملة من سباه بُختنصر. فلما بلغ أربعين سنة آتاه الله تعالى الحكمة، ولم يكن أحد أعلم منه بالتوراة، وذُكر في عداد الرسل والأنبياء حتى محا الله تعالى اسمه حين سأل عن القدر. (هذا الحديث ضعيف ومردود) والله أعلم! وروى إسحاق بن بشر عن سعيد، عن أبي عروبة، عن قتادة، عن الحسن، عن عبد الله بن سلام أن عزيرًا هو الرجل الذي أماته الله مائة عام ثم بعثه.

Then, he narrated from Ishaq Ibn Bishr -whom is rejected -after Jubair and Muqatil after Ad Dahha, on the authority of `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) as saying: `Uzair was -while a young boy -among those captivated by Bikhtinassar. When he was forty, Allah the Almighty granted him wisdom. And, none was more knowledgeable than he, pertaining to the Torah, and he was mentioned with the train of Messengers and Prophets till his name was erased by Allah the Almighty when he asked about the Divine Decree. (This Hadith is Weak and Rejected) and Allah knows best! Ishaq Ibn Bishr narrated after Sa`id after Abu `Urubah after Qatadah after Al-Hasan after `Abdullah Ibn Salam that `Uzair was the man whom Allah caused to die for a hundred years, then raised him up again.

قال ابن إسحاق بن بشر: حدثني سعيد بن بشير بعد وهب بن منبه:

Ibn Ishaq Ibn Bishr said: I was told by Sa`id Ibn Bashir after Wahb Ibn Munabih:

كان عُزَيرٌ رجلًا حكيمًا عابدًا تقيًّا. وذات يوم خرج ليتفقّد بعضَ أمواله، فلما فرغ مرّ بخربةٍ قد لفحته فيها الشمسُ المتوقّدة، فدخل تلك الخربة راكبًا على حماره. ونزل عن الحمار وهو يحمل سلّتين، إحداهما مملوءة بالتين والأخرى مملوءة بالعنب. فجلس وأخرج وعاءً عصر فيه العنبَ وأنقع فيه الخبزَ اليابس الذي كان معه. فأكل منه، ثم نام على ظهره، وأسند ساقيه إلى الحائط، وأخذ يحدّق في سقف البيت. فرأى عظامًا بالية، فقال: {أنَّى يُحيي هذه اللهُ بعد موتها؟}. ولم يكن يشكّ في قدرة الله على ذلك، وإنما قالها على سبيل التعجّب. فعند ذلك أرسل الله تعالى ملَكَ الموت فقبض روحه، فأماته الله مائةَ عام. وبعد مائة عام بعث الله تعالى إليه ملَكًا، فخلق قلبَه أولًا ليعيَه ويعقلَ به، ثم خلق عينيه ليُبصِر بهما ويرى كيف يُحيي الله تعالى الموتى.

`Uzair was a wise, pious worshipper. One day, he went out to look after some of his properties, when he finished he passed by a ruined place where he was scorched by the blazing sun. So, he entered that ruined place riding on his donkey. He got off the donkey holding two baskets, one full of figs and the other full of grapes. He sat down and brought out a bowl in which he squeezed the grapes and soaked the dried bread he had therein. He ate thereof and then slept on his back, relying his two legs against a wall and started to gaze at the ceiling of the house. He saw some decomposed bones and said: {Oh! How will Allah ever bring it to life after its death?} He did not doubt Allah's Omnipotence to do this, but he said it in exclamation. Upon this, Allah the Almighty sent the Angel of Death who seized his soul, and thus Allah caused him to die for a hundred years. And, after one hundred years, Allah the Almighty sent to him an Angel who first created his heart to make him heedful, then, he created his two eyes to enable him to see and realize how Allah the Almighty revive the death.

ثم أكمل الملَك خلقه مرةً أخرى وهو ينظر، ثم كسا عظامه باللحم والجلد والشعر، ثم نفخ فيه الروح. وهو في كل ذلك ينظر ويتابع بكامل انتباهه. فسأله الملَك قائلاً: {كم لبثتَ؟ قال:

Then, the Angel continued to complete his creation once more while he was looking. The, he clothed his bones with flesh, skin and hair. Then, he breathed the soul into him. All this while he is looking and perfectly heedful. The Angel asked him saying: {How long did you remain (dead)? He (the man) said:

ربما بقيتُ (ميتًا) يومًا أو بعض يوم، إذ أُميت في أول النهار ثم بُعث في آخره والشمس ما زالت في السماء؛ ولهذا قال: {أو بعض يوم} أي: ولم يكن ذلك يومًا كاملًا. فقال الملَك: {بل لبثتَ مائةَ عام، فانظر إلى طعامك وشرابك} أي: الخبز اليابس والعنب المعصور الذي لم يتغير ولم يفسد، {لم يتسنَّه} وكان التين والعنب لم يتغيرا أيضًا. وكأنه بدأ يُنكر الأمر في قلبه، فقال له الملَك: أتُنكر ما قلتُه لك؟ {وانظر إلى حمارك} فنظر إلى حماره فوجد عظامه قد تفككت وصارت أشلاء بالية. فدعا الملَك عظامَ الحمار فأجابت دعوته، واجتمعت من كل جانب حتى عادت كما كانت، و{عزير} ينظر إليها، فكساها اللحم والجلد والشعر. ثم نفخ فيه الملَك الروح، فنهض الحمار رافعًا أذنيه ورأسه نحو السماء، يظن أن الساعة قد قامت. وقد ذكر ذلك في قوله تعالى: {وانظر إلى حمارك، ولنجعلك آيةً للناس، وانظر إلى العظام كيف ننشزها ثم نكسوها لحمًا} ، وفي قوله: {فلما تبيَّن له قال أعلمُ أن الله على كل شيء قدير}. ثم ركب حماره وعاد إلى قريته، فبدا غريبًا عن أهلها، وبدوا هم غرباء عنه، حتى إنه لم يهتدِ إلى بيته بسهولة.

(Perhaps) I remained (dead) a day or part of a day} that he was caused to die in the afternoon and then was given life again by the end of day while the sun was still in the sky; that's why he said: {or part of a day} i.e. not even a whole day. The Angel said: {Nay, you have remained (dead) for a hundred years, look at your food and your drink} i.e. the dried bread and the squeezed grapes that did not alter or turn bad, {they show no change} , and the grapes and the figs did not change as well. As if he began to deny the matter by his heart, the Angel said: do you deny what I have said? {and look at your donkey!} he looked at his donkey and found his bones to be decomposed and became totally ruined. The Angel called upon the donkey's bones and they answered his call and gathered together from all directions till he was made one whole again –while 'Uzair was looking and he clothed them with flesh, skin and hair. Then, the Angel breathed life into it and it roused erecting his ears and head towards the sky thinking the Last Hour had come. That was stated in His Saying: {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}. And {When this was clearly shown to him, he said, I know (now) that Allah is Able to do all things} .Then, he rode on his donkey back to his village where he seemed unfamiliar to the people and the people looked unfamiliar to him. Even, he did not find his own house easily.

لَمَّا وَصَلَ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ وَجَدَ عَجُوزًا عَمْيَاءَ مُقْعَدَةً عُمْرُهَا مِائَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ سَنَةً. وَكَانَتْ خَادِمَةً مَمْلُوكَةً لَهُ فِي الْمَاضِي، وَكَانَ قَدْ تَرَكَهَا وَهِيَ فِي الْعِشْرِينَ مِنْ عُمْرِهَا فَقَطْ. فَسَأَلَهَا قَائِلًا: أَهَذَا بَيْتُ عُزَيْرٍ؟ فَقَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، هُوَ كَذَلِكَ. فَبَكَتْ وَقَالَتْ: لَا يَذْكُرُ أَحَدٌ عُزَيْرًا الْيَوْمَ أَبَدًا. فَأَخْبَرَهَا أَنَّهُ عُزَيْرٌ، وَأَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى أَمَاتَهُ مِائَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ مِنْ جَدِيدٍ. فَقَالَتْ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ! لَقَدْ فَقَدْنَا عُزَيْرًا مُنْذُ مِائَةِ عَامٍ وَلَمْ نَسْمَعْ عَنْهُ شَيْئًا قَطُّ. فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَنَا عُزَيْرٌ حَقًّا. فَقَالَتْ: كَانَ عُزَيْرٌ رَجُلًا تُسْتَجَابُ دَعَوَاتُهُ عِنْدَ اللهِ تَعَالَى، فَادْعُ اللهَ أَنْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ بَصَرِي لِأَنْظُرَ إِلَيْكَ، فَلَوْ كُنْتَ عُزَيْرًا لَعَرَفْتُكَ يَقِينًا.

When he reached the house, he found a crippled blind old woman at the age of one hundred twenty years old. She was a maid owned by him in the past and he left her while she was only twenty years old. He asked her saying: is this the house of 'Uzair? She said: Yes, it is. She wept and said: Today, no one ever remembers `Uzair. He told her that he was 'Uzair and Allah the Almighty caused me to die for one hundred years then He gave me life again. She said: Glory is to be to Allah! We lost 'Uzair one hundred years ago and never heard anything about him. He said: Verily, I am 'Uzair. She said: 'Uzair was a man whose supplications were acceptable by Allah the Almighty, so invoke Allah to return my sight to me to look at you, so if you were 'Uzair, I would certainly know you.

فدعا اللهَ تعالى حينئذٍ، ثم مسح على عينيها فعادت، وأخذ بيدها وقال: قومي بإذن الله! فقامت بإذن الله. فنظرت إليه وقالت: أشهد أنك عزير. ثم انطلقت إلى بني إسرائيل في مجالسهم ومجامعهم، وإلى ابنِ عُزير، وكان عمره نحو مائة وثمانية عشر عامًا، وإلى أبناءِ أبنائه، فنادتهم قائلةً: هذا عُزير قد عاد إليكم. فكذّبوها، فقالت: أنا فلانة، خادمتُكم.

Consequently, he invoked Allah the Almighty, then, he wiped over her eyes and they were recovered and took her by the hand and said: Stand up by the Leave of Allah! She stood up by the Leave of Allah. She looked at him and said: I bear witness that you are 'Uzair. Then, she set out for the Children of Israel in their meetings and gatherings and 'Uzair's son who was about one hundred and eighteen years old and his grandsons, and she called them saying: This is 'Uzair who came back to you. They belied her, but she said: I am so and so, your maid.

قال: إنه دعا الله لي فرد عليّ بصري ورجلي. وأضافت: يزعم أن الله أماته مائة عام ثم أحياه. فنهض الناس وذهبوا لينظروا إليه. فقال ابنه: كان لأبي خال أسود بين كتفيه. فكشف عن كتفيه فتبيّن لهم أنه عُزير. وقال بنو إسرائيل: كان عُزير الوحيد الذي حفظ التوراة كلها في قلبه، وأحرقها بختنصر، ولم يبقَ منها إلا ما يحفظه الرجال، فاكتبها لنا إن كنت العُزير الحق. وكان أبوه سروخا قد دفن التوراة في زمن بختنصر في مكان لا يعرفه أحد إلا عُزير. فذهب بهم إلى ذلك المكان فأخرجها، لكن للأسف كانت الصحف قد تعفنت وفسدت. فجلس تحت ظل شجرة، وجدّد لهم التوراة. وفي تلك الأثناء نزل نجمان من السماء ودخلا في فمه، فتذكّر نص التوراة كاملاً، فجددها لبني إسرائيل. ولذلك قال تعالى: {وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ} [التوبة: 30]. وقيل في أمر النجمين: إنهما جددا التوراة وكلّفا أمور بني إسرائيل. وقد جدّد لهم التوراة في أرض السواد. ويقال إن البلدة التي مات فيها تُسمى "سيرابادْ". قال عبد الله بن عباس رضي الله عنه: وكان كما قال الله تعالى: {وَجَعَلْنَاكَ آيَةً لِّلنَّاسِ} أي لبني إسرائيل. وكان مع أبنائه شابًّا بين شيوخ، فقد مات وهو ابن أربعين، وبُعث على تلك السن والحال. وقال عبد الله بن عباس: بُعث بعد زمن بختنصر. وروى ذلك أيضًا الحسن.

He invoked Allah for me and He recovered my eyesight and legs. She added: he claims that Allah caused him to die for one hundred years and then He gave him life again. The people rose up and went to look at him. His son said: my father had a black mole between his shoulders. He disclosed his shoulders and they realized that he was 'Uzair. The Children of Israel said: 'Uzair was the only one who committed the whole Torah to his heart and Bikhtinassar burnt it and nothing is left thereof but. what the men can remember, so (if you are the true 'Uzair) write it down for us. His father, Surukha buried the Torah during that era of Bikhrinassar in a place known to nobody but 'Uzair. Thus, he took them to that place and brought it out, but unfortunately, the papers were rotten and ruined. Consequently, he sat under the shade of a tree circulated by the Children of Israel and he renovated the Torah for them. At that time, two stars descended from the sky and entered into his mouth whereby he remembered the whole text of the Torah and thus renovated it to the Children of Israel. Thus, {The Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah}. (At-Taubah, 30) for the matter of the two stars, renovating the Torah and charging the affairs of the Children of Israel. He renovated the Torah for them in the land of As-Sawad. The town in which he died is said to be called "Sairabadh." 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: Thus he was as said by Allah the Almighty: {And thus We have made of you a sign for the people} i.e. for the Children of Israel. That he was with his sons a young man among old people for he died when he was only forty and was revived on the same age and status. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas said: he was resurrected after the time of Bikhtinassar. The same was related by Al-Hasan.

من المعلوم أن عُزَيْرًا كان من الأنبياء الذين أُرسلوا إلى بني إسرائيل؛ وقد جاء في الفترة بين داود وسليمان، وبين زكريا ويحيى. وفي زمانه لم يكن أحد من بني إسرائيل يحفظ التوراة، فألهمه الله تعالى أن يحفظها في قلبه، ثم تلاها على بني إسرائيل. قال وهب بن منبّه: أمر الله تعالى ملَكًا أن ينزل بنور ليقذفه في عُزَيْرٍ، فكان بذلك ينسخ التوراة حرفًا حرفًا حتى فرغ منها.

It is well known that 'Uzair was one of the Prophets sent to the Children of Israel; he came during the interval between Dawud and Sulaiman, and Zakariya and Yahya. At his time, none from among the Children of Israel happened to memorize the Torah, Allah the Almighty inspired him to commit it to his heart and then he recited it to the Children of Israel. Wahb Ibn Munabih said: Allah the Almighty ordered an Angel to descend with light to throw on 'Uzair .In doing this, he copied the Torah letter by letter till he was finished.

رَوَى ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ سَلَامٍ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللهِ

Ibn 'Asakir narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) that he asked' Abdullah Ibn Salam about Allah's Statement:

{قالت اليهود: عزيرٌ ابنُ الله}. (التوبة: 30) لماذا قالوا ذلك؟ ذكر ابنُ سلام أنَّ عزيرًا كتب التوراة من حفظه، وأنَّ اليهود قالوا إنَّ موسى لم يستطع أن يأتيهم بالتوراة إلا في كتاب، وأنَّ عزيرًا أتى بها دون كتاب. فقال بعضهم عندئذٍ: عزيرٌ ابنُ الله. ولهذا يقول كثيرٌ من العلماء: كان هناك انقطاعٌ في نقل التوراة في زمن عزير. وهذا مرجَّحٌ جدًّا إن لم يكن عزيرٌ نبيًّا، وهو القول الذي اعتمده عطاءُ بنُ أبي رباح والحسنُ البصري، وقد رواه إسحاقُ بنُ بشر عن مقاتلِ بنِ سليمانَ عن عطاءِ بنِ أبي رباحٍ قال: شهدت تلك الفترةُ تسعةَ أمور: بختنصر، وجنةُ صنعاء، وجنةُ سبأ، وأصحابُ الأخدود، وجاسوراء، وأصحابُ الكهف، وأصحابُ الفيل، وأنطاكيةُ، وتُبَّع.

{The Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah}. (At-Taubah, 30) why did they say so? Ibn Salam mentioned his ('Uzair's) writing down of the Torah out of his memory, and the saying of the Jews that Musa (Moses) could not get them the Torah but in a book, and that 'Uzair got it without a book. Thereupon, some of them said: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah. For this reason, many scholars say: there was a discontinuation pertaining to the transmission of the Torah at the time of 'Uzair. This is very likely if 'Uzair was not a Prophet which is adopted by 'Ata 'Ibn Abu Rabah and Al-Hasan Al-Basri, and that was narrated by Ishaq Ibn Bishr after Muqatil Ibn Sulaiman after 'Ata 'Ibn Abu Rabah as saying: that period witnessed nine things: Bikhtinassar, Sanaa garden, Saba' garden, Owners of the Ditch, Gasura, Owners of the Cave, Owners of the Elephant, Antioch, and Tubba'.

قال إسحاق بن بشر: حدثني سعيد عن قتادة عن الحسن قال: شهدت تلك المدة قضية عزير وبختنصر. وقد روي في صحيح مسلم أن رسول الله ﷺ