الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا 

وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمدًا عبده ورسوله .

Today Insha’Allah, we will examine verse 259 of Surat Al-Baqara to see if we can resolve its mystery from no sources, other than the Quran and authentic hadeath.   I don’t use any Tafseer that is based on stories from the bible because there is no way you can prove their truthfulness and if they are consistent with the Quran, what will be the value of referring to them since we have the Quran.  

 It is reported that Omar Ibn Al-Khattab said to the Prophet (PBUH):

عن جابر – رضي الله عنه – عن النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – حين أتاه عمر فقال : إنا نسمع أحاديث من يهود تعجبنا ، أفترى أن نكتب بعضها ؟ فقال : أمتهوكون أنتم كما تهوكت اليهود والنصارى ؟ ! لقد جئتكم بها بيضاء نقية ، ولو كان موسى حيا ما وسعه إلا اتباعي ” . ) أحمد ، والبيهقي)

“We hear talks from Jews that we like, do you agree that we write some of them

 And he said, “do you want to be the same as the Jews and Christians!” I came to you with a pure clear message, and if Moses was alive, he could not do anything but to follow me”.

Ibn Abbas (ابن عباس) said:  

عن عبيد الله بن عبد الله أن ابن عباس قال كيف تسألون أهل الكتاب عن شيء  وكتابكم الذي أنزل على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أحدث تقرءونه محضا لم يشب وقد حدثكم أن أهل الكتاب بدلوا كتاب الله وغيروه وكتبوا بأيديهم الكتاب وقالوا هو من عند الله ليشتروا به ثمنا قليلا ألا ينهاكم ما جاءكم من العلم عن مسألتهم لا والله ما رأينا منهم رجلا يسألكم عن الذي أنزل عليكم)  صحيح البخاري(“How can ask the people of the book for anything and the book that was revealed to the messenger of Allah (PBUH) is the most recent and your read it pure without any alternation and it informed you that the people of the book substituted and changed the book of Allah and they wrote the book with their hands and said it is from Allah to gain trifling price.  Didn’t the knowledge that came to you prohibited you from asking them”. 

But why one needs any other source than the Quran to explain what is in it since Allah said:

وَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ تِبۡيَـٰنً۬ا لِّكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ (٨٩)

We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for the Muslims. (Al-Nahl 16:89)

 وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ  )الأنعام(

There is not an animal in the earth, nor a bird flying on two wings, but they are nations like unto you. We have not neglected anything in the Book. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered. (Al-Ana’am 6:38)

As a reminder, I mentioned several times that it is my belief that in addition to providing us with guidance regarding the articles of belief and the basic elements of shariah (laws), Quran is an extremely important book in developing the intellectual capacity, analysis capability and logic superiority of Muslims.

The tools that the Quran identified to achieve this superior cognitive development starts with the command of 10 reading and then progresses to 2) “Tilawah” (تلاوة) (Understanding of the meanings and forward linkage), 3) “Tadabour“ (تدبر) (deep study and backward linkage), 4) “Tarteel” (ترتيل) (assembly of all verses related to the same subject to establish comprehensive picture), 5) “Dirasah” (دراسة) (serious study by breakdown every letter/word/ Ayat to analyze them) and ends with 6) “Tadhakur” (تذكر) (continuous reminder of past learnings)

As in some past talks, your role is being professors and I am serving as the student who is defending his master’s thesis and the subject is analysis of verse 259 of Surat Al-Baqarah to resolve its mystery and draw its main lesson for us.  Let us listen to the verse that is the subject of this thesis:

أَوۡ كَٱلَّذِى مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرۡيَةٍ۬ وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحۡىِۦ هَـٰذِهِ ٱللَّهُ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَا‌ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ ٱللَّهُ مِاْئَةَ عَامٍ۬ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ ۥ‌ۖ قَالَ ڪَمۡ لَبِثۡتَ‌ۖ قَالَ لَبِثۡتُ يَوۡمًا أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٍ۬‌ۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثۡتَ مِاْئَةَ عَامٍ۬ فَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمۡ يَتَسَنَّهۡ‌ۖ وَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجۡعَلَكَ ءَايَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ‌ۖ وَٱنظُرۡ إِلَى ٱلۡعِظَامِ ڪَيۡفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكۡسُوهَا لَحۡمً۬ا‌ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ ۥ قَالَ أَعۡلَمُ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (البَقَرَة٢٥٩)

Consider the example of the one who passed by a town and it is empty over its roofs. He said: “How will Allah give life to this after its death?” So, Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up. He was asked: “How long did you remain?” He said: “(Perhaps) I remained a day or part of a day”. He said: “No, you have remained for 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 mankind. Look at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh”. When this became clear to him, he said, “I know that Allah is Able to do all things.” (Al-Baqara 2:259)  

The verse gives us an account of:

1. A man who came on his donkey with his food and water to a town that was completely empty.
2. He wondered whether Allah will make alive again.
3. Allah made him die for 100 years and then raised him alive.
4. He was asked to look at his food and drinks found it as it was without any change.
5. He was also asked to look at his donkey and he found it standing as he left it.
6. Then He was asked to look at the bones that are partially buried and he witnessed how the bones start coming up and began to be covered by flesh and become alive.

(Note, he was asking to look 3 times.  Most commentators suggest that the donkey and the bones are the same, though the verse is clear that they are different by requiring separate looks that are separated by a phrase)

The thesis will start with hypothesis on who is this person who died for 100 years and then was raised up again and then collect the data from the Quran to prove the hypothesis?  As part of the analysis I’ll attempt to connect that the person to this empty town and its story of its people.  In addition will try to rationalize the importance of the donkey.

The Hypothesis is:  this person is Prophet Younes

Let me start by reviewing the account of Prophet Younes in the Quran:

1. Prophet Yunus name is mentioned 4 times (Al-Nisa Al-Ana’am, Yunus and Al-Saffat:

۞ إِنَّآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ كَمَآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ۬ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ‌ۚ وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَـٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَٱلۡأَسۡبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَـٰرُونَ وَسُلَيۡمَـٰنَ‌ۚ وَءَاتَيۡنَا دَاوُ ۥدَ زَبُورً۬ا (١٦٣)

“Surely, We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh (Noah) and the Prophets after him; and We revealed to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma‘il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya‘qub (Jacob), and Al-Asbat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya‘qub], Isa (Jesus), Ayyub (Job), Yunus (Jonah), Harun (Aaron), and Sulaiman (Solomon); and We gave the Zabur (Psalms) to Dawud (David).” (Al-Nisa 4:173)

وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ وَٱلۡيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطً۬ا‌ۚ وَڪُلاًّ۬ فَضَّلۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٨٦)

“And Ismail (Ishmael) and Al-Yas’a (Elisha), and Yunus (Jonah) and Lut (Lot), and all of them We gave favor above all people.” (Al-Ana’am 6:86)

Then the account in Surat Al-Saffat gives us more details:

وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ (١٣٩) إِذۡ أَبَقَ إِلَى ٱلۡفُلۡكِ ٱلۡمَشۡحُونِ (١٤٠) فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُدۡحَضِينَ (١٤١) فَٱلۡتَقَمَهُ ٱلۡحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ۬ (١٤٢) فَلَوۡلَآ أَنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسَبِّحِينَ (١٤٣) لَلَبِثَ فِى بَطۡنِهِۦۤ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ (١٤٤) ۞ فَنَبَذۡنَـٰهُ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ۬ (١٤٥) وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ شَجَرَةً۬ مِّن يَقۡطِينٍ۬ (١٤٦) وَأَرۡسَلۡنَـٰهُ إِلَىٰ مِاْئَةِ أَلۡفٍ أَوۡ يَزِيدُونَ (١٤٧) فَـَٔامَنُواْ فَمَتَّعۡنَـٰهُمۡ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬ (١٤٨)

“And, verily, Yunus (Jonah) was one of the Messengers (139) When he ran away toward the ship that was already loaded, (140) Then he participated in the cast lots, and he was among the losers, (141) Then the whale swallowed as and he had done an act worthy of blame. (142) Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, (143) He would have indeed remained inside its belly till the Day of Resurrection. (144) But We cast him ashore while he was sick, (145) And We caused a tree of gourd to grow over him. (146) And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more. (147) And they believed; so, We let them enjoy themselves for a while.” (Al-Saffat 37:139-148) 

From these verses, we can make the following 4 observations:

1. Prophet Younes was sent to a town to deliver the message of Allah and he faced strong rejection. Instead of being patient, he gave up and decided to leave and abandon his mission.
2. Allah punished him by having him swollen by a whale and then Allah saved him.
3. Allah sent him again for a mission to a town that have over 100,000 people.
4. The people of this town became believers and Allah made them enjoy their life for a while.

Questions: 

1. Was the town that Prophet Younes sent to after being saved from the belly of the whale the same town that he previously abandoned?
2. Allah says that after this town believed, Allah made them enjoy themselves for a while, does this mean that before Younes came to them, they were suffering somehow. Could this be the town that originally rejected Prophet Younes?

In verse 98 of Surat Younes we learn additional information about the town that Prophet Younes was sent to.  Allah says:

فَلَوۡلَا كَانَتۡ قَرۡيَةٌ ءَامَنَتۡ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَـٰنُہَآ إِلَّا قَوۡمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُواْ كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡہُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡخِزۡىِ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَتَّعۡنَـٰهُمۡ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬ (٩٨)

“Was there any town that believed, and its belief benefitted it? (The answer is none) – except the people of Yunus (Jonah); when they believed, We removed from them the punishment of humiliation in the worldly life, and let them enjoy themselves for a while.” (Yunus 10:98)

This verse suggests that the town that Prophet Younes was sent to was subjected to severe punishment and humiliation before they believed.  But when they believed, their punishment was alleviated and they lived in comfort and happiness for a while.

Based on verse 147 of the Surrat Al-Saffat (37), this town has over 100,000 people.

We need to keep in mind an observation regarding the number thousand in the Arabic language:

1. One thousand (1000) is “a’alf” (ألف)
2. Multiple of thousands between 3000 to 10,000 is “A’laaf” (ألاف) as in

 بَلَىٰٓ‌ۚ إِن تَصۡبِرُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ وَيَأۡتُوكُم مِّن فَوۡرِهِمۡ هَـٰذَا يُمۡدِدۡكُمۡ رَبُّكُم بِخَمۡسَةِ ءَالَـٰفٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ مُسَوِّمِينَ

“Yes, if you stay patience and have Taqwa , and the enemy comes rushing at you; your Lord will help you with five thousand angels having distinct marks.” (Al-Imran 3:125)

3. The large multiple of 1000’s is Uloof (أُلُوفٌ) that can be multiples of 10,000s (say 100,000 or even more). Note that Prophet Younes was sent to a town whose number exceeds 100,000.

If we examine the Quran, we note the term Uloof (أُلُوفٌ) is used in the Quran regarding the people of town that Allah punished by death and then came alive again, as Allah says in verse 243 of Surat Al-Baqara:

أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمۡ وَهُمۡ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مُوتُواْ ثُمَّ أَحۡيَـٰهُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَذُو فَضۡلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشۡڪُرُونَ (٢٤٣)

“Have you not seen those who let their homes while they were in tens of thousands, fearing death? Allah said to them, “Die”. And then He raised them alive. Truly, Allah is full of Bounty to mankind, but most of the people are not grateful.” (Al-Baqara 2:243)

Let us now summarize the observations from the different verses and try to link them by

Connecting the Dots

So, we see close link between the story of Prophet Younes and the man who went to this empty town suggesting that this man is Prophet Younes and this confirms the hypothesis. 

But we need to resolve one additional point and this is that almost all commentators suggest in the books for Tafseer that this man who died for 100 years and came alive is Uzair (عُزَيۡرٌ) (Erza) whose name came only once in the Quran in Surat Al-Tuba:

وَقَالَتِ ٱلۡيَهُودُ عُزَيۡرٌ ٱبۡنُ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَى ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ ذَٲلِكَ قَوۡلُهُم بِأَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ‌ۖ يُضَـٰهِـُٔونَ قَوۡلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ‌ۚ قَـٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَڪُونَ (التّوبَة٣٠)

And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of God, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of God. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved before. Allah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth! (Al-Tuba 9:30)

The Quran does not tell us who is Uzair.  Also, there is no authentic hadeath to tell us who he is.  But we can ask whether Uzair is a name of the person or a well-recognized attribute of the person and thus it is title/nick name.   Allah named several Prophets with names associated with one of their attributes such as Al-Maseeh (ٱلۡمَسِيحُ) referring to Prophet Isa, Dhi Al Aydi, the owner of might (دَاوُ ۥدَ ذَا ٱلۡأَيۡدِ‌ۖ )  (Sad 38:17), referring to Prophet Dawoud

To assess whether Uzair can be a nick name rather than areal name, we look at the divine legal system and it offers 3 types of punishments:

1. Retribution (القصاص) is punishment for crimes involving murders, assaults on limbs.
2. Hudud (الحدود) are divinely specified punishments for crimes such as adultery and robbery
3. Ta’zir (التعزير) is punishment for the purpose of disciplining for violations and sins that have no Hudud or the conditions of Hudud are not satisfied.

The punishment form Ta’zir (التعزير) and the name Uzair are derived from the root Uzr (عزر) meaning to punish. Uzair is the person who is subjected to punishment by the rule of Ta’zir (التعزير).  Since Prophet Yunis was punished by Allah for abandoning his original mission, this suggests that Uzair is Prophet Younes.

While Prophet Younes was punished by Allah because of his impatience, Allah gave him a very important lesson about patience and this was by the degree of his Donkey’s patience.  The donkey stood by him, his master, for 100 years without abandoning his position.  There is an interesting Hadeath that reinforces the idea of taking the donkey as example for patience. 

Abu Hurrirah (أبي هريرة) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

 قال رسول الله : «أما يخاف أحدكم إذا رفع رأسه من السجود قبل الإمام أن يحول الله رأسه رأس حمار».

“Shouldn’t one of you be afraid if he raised his head from Prostration before the imam that Allah converts his head into a head of donkey.”

Prophet Younes was set by Allah as example to all other prophets to ensure that they are patient in face of rejections.  Example is the instruction Allah gave to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH):

فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلۡحُوتِ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكۡظُومٌ۬ (٤٨) لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٲرَكَهُ ۥ نِعۡمَةٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٌ۬ (٤٩) فَٱجۡتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُ ۥ فَجَعَلَهُ ۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (القَلَم)

“Remain patient for the decree of your Lord, and be not like the companion of the whale, who cried while he was in despair. (48) Had it not been that favor from his Lord had reached him he would have been cast in the wilderness in disgrace. (49) But his Lord chose him and made him among the righteous.” (Al-Qalam 68:48-50)

The status of Prophet Younes

While Allah punished Prophet Younes and made him example to other Prophets, Allah honored him and decreed that he is of the righteous and there are several ahadeath that confirm the honorable status of Prophet Younes:

In hadeath Qudsi, the prophet (PBUH) said that Allah said:

عن أبي هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال يعني الله تبارك وتعالى لا ينبغي لعبد لي أن يقول أنا خير من يونس بن متى  )مسلم(

عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال يعني الله تبارك وتعالى «ما ينبغي لنبي أن يقول: إني خير من يونس بن متى»

“It is not befitting for any on my servants to say: I am better than Younes ibn Matta”.

“It is not befitting for a prophet to say: I am better than Younes ibn Matta.”

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

عن ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: ” لاَ يَنْبَغِي لِعَبْدٍ أَنْ يَقُولَ: أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى) البخاري(

عن أبو هريرة رضي الله أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : من قال: أنا خيرٌ من يونُسَ بنِ متَّى، فقد كَذَب ) البخاري (

“It is befitting for any servant to say:  I am better than Yousef ibn Matta.”

“Whoever says that I am better than Younes ibn Matta, he has surely lied.”

Now, it is time for you to vote whether I succeeded in my thesis defense and provides sufficient data and analysis to justify my hypothesis that the man mentions in verse 259 of Surat Al-Baqara is Prophet Younes.

أَوۡ كَٱلَّذِى مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرۡيَةٍ۬ وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحۡىِۦ هَـٰذِهِ ٱللَّهُ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَا‌ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ ٱللَّهُ مِاْئَةَ عَامٍ۬ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ ۥ‌ۖ قَالَ ڪَمۡ لَبِثۡتَ‌ۖ قَالَ لَبِثۡتُ يَوۡمًا أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٍ۬‌ۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثۡتَ مِاْئَةَ عَامٍ۬ فَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمۡ يَتَسَنَّهۡ‌ۖ وَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجۡعَلَكَ ءَايَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ‌ۖ وَٱنظُرۡ إِلَى ٱلۡعِظَامِ ڪَيۡفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكۡسُوهَا لَحۡمً۬ا‌ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ ۥ قَالَ أَعۡلَمُ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (البَقَرَة٢٥٩)

Consider the example of the one who passed by a town and it is empty over its roofs. He said: “How will Allah give life to this after its death?” So, Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up. He was asked: “How long did you remain?” He said: “(Perhaps) I remained a day or part of a day”. He said: “No, you have remained for 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 mankind. Look at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh”. When this became clear to him, he said, “I know that Allah is Able to do all things.” (Al-Baqara 2:259)

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