Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 243

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Have you not seen those who left their homes, while they were in thousands, to escape death? So, Allah said to them, “Be dead.” Then He raised them alive. Surely, Allah is gracious to people, but most of the people are not grateful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Have you ˹O Prophet˺ not seen those who fled their homes in the thousands for fear of death?[[ They fled in the wake of a plague or an enemy attack. ]] Allah said to them, “Die!” then He gave them life. Surely Allah is ever Bountiful to humanity, but most people are ungrateful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Have you not seen those who left their homes, while they were in thousands for fear of death? Then Allah said to them, “Die,” then He brought them back to life. For Allah is ever Gracious to people, but most people are ungrateful.

A. J. Arberry

Hast thou not regarded those who went forth from their habitations in their thousands fearful of death? God said to them, 'Die!' Then He gave them life. Truly God is bounteous to the people, but most of the people are not thankful.

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], consider those people who abandoned their homeland in fear of death, even though there were thousands of them. God said to them, ‘Die!’ and then brought them back to life again; God shows real favour to people, but most of them are ungrateful.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Bethinkest thou not of those Who Went forth from their habitations, and they were in their thousands, to escape death Then Allah said unto them: die and thereafter quickened them. Verily Allah is Gracious unto men; albeit most men give not thanks.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Didst thou not Turn by vision to those who abandoned their homes, though they were thousands (In number), for fear of death? Allah said to them; "Die"; Then He restored them to life. For Allah is full of bounty to mankind, but Most of them are ungrateful.

Abul Ala Maududi

Have you ever reflected upon the case of those who fled their homes for fear of death, and they were thousands in number? So Allah said to them, "Die"; then He again gave them life. Indeed Allah is bountiful to mankind, but most of the people are ungrateful.

Ahmed Ali

Have you never thought of men who went out of their homes as a measure of safety against death, and they were thousands, to whom God said: "Die," then restored them to life? Indeed God bestows His blessings on men; only most men are not grateful.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Did you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) not see those who left their homes, whereas they numbered in thousands, fearing death? So Allah said to them, “Die”; He then brought them back to life; indeed Allah is Most Munificent towards mankind, but most men are ungrateful.

Ali Quli Qarai

Have you not regarded those who left their homes in thousands, apprehensive of death, whereupon Allah said to them, ‘Die,’ then He revived them? Indeed Allah is gracious to mankind, but most people do not give thanks.

Ali Ünal

Do you not call to mind those who went forth from their habitations for fear of death even though they were in thousands? God said to them "Die!", then He restored them to life. Indeed God is gracious to humankind, but most of humankind do not give thanks.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Have you not considered the case of those (Israelites) who (in their exodus) fled from their homes (in Egypt with Moses) and they were (a congregation of) thousands, for fear of death? Then Allâh said to them, `Die´, (with the result that this generation perished while wandering in the wilderness for forty years). Then (from the next generation) He revived them, (and made them inherit the Promised land). Allâh is Munificent to people; but most of the people give (Him) no thanks.

English Literal

Do you not see/understand to those who got out from their homes/countries/tribes/places , and they are thousands , fearing/cautioning the death, so God said to them: "Die." Then He revived them. That God (is owner) of grace/favour/blessing on the people, and but most of the people do not thank/be grateful.

Faridul Haque

Did you (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) not see those who left their homes, whereas they numbered in thousands, fearing death? So Allah said to them, "Die"; He then brought them back to life; indeed Allah is Most Munificent towards mankind, but most men are ungrateful.

Hamid S. Aziz

Do you not look at those who left their homes by thousands, for fear of death; and Allah said to them "Die," and then He quickened them again? Verily Allah is Lord of Grace to men, but most men give no thanks.

Hilali & Khan

Did you (O Muhammad SAW) not think of those who went forth from their homes in thousands, fearing death? Allah said to them, "Die". And then He restored them to life. Truly, Allah is full of Bounty to mankind, but most men thank not.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Hast thou not considered those who went forth from their homes, and they were thousands, for fear of death. Then Allah said to them, Die. Then He gave them life. Surely Allah is Gracious to people, but most people are not grateful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Have you not considered those who went forth from their homes, for fear of death, and they were thousands, then Allah said to them, Die; again He gave them life; most surely Allah is Gracious to people, but most people are not grateful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Bethink thee (O Muhammad) of those of old, who went forth from their habitations in their thousands, fearing death, and Allah said unto them: Die; and then He brought them back to life. Lo! Allah is a Lord of Kindness to mankind, but most of mankind give not thanks.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), consider the thousands who left their homes for fear of death, who were then caused by God to die and brought back to life. God is generous to men but most people are not grateful.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Haven't you seen those who went out from their homes in their thousands cautious of death? Allah said to them: 'Die' and then He revived them. Surely, Allah is Bountiful to the people, but most people do not thank.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Did you (O Muhammad) not think of those who went forth from their homes in the thousands, fearing death Allah said to them, "Die". And then He restored them to life. Truly, Allah is full of bounty to mankind, but most men thank not.

Wahiduddin Khan

Have you not seen those who fled their homes in their thousands for fear of death, whereupon God said to them, "Die!" and later brought them back to life? Surely God is bountiful to mankind, but most of them are ungrateful.

Talal Itani

Have you not considered those who fled their homes, by the thousands, fearful of death? God said to them, “Die.” Then He revived them. God is Gracious towards the people, but most people are not appreciative.

Tafsir jalalayn

Have you not seen (an interrogative to provoke amazement and a longing to hear what will follow), that is, `Has your knowledge not attained', those thousands, four, eight, ten, thirty, forty or seventy thousand, who went forth from their habitations fearful of death? (hadhara'l-mawt; an object denoting reason). These were a people from among the Children of Israel who fled their homeland after it was afflicted with plague. God said to them, `Die!', and they did. Then He gave them life, after eight days or more, as a result of the supplication of their prophet Ezekiel (Hizql), and they lived on for a while with the effects of death still upon them, such that when they wore garments these turned into shrouds for the deceased; and this [phenomenon] remained with their descendants. Truly God is bounteous to people, such as when He gave life back to those just mentioned, but most people, that is, disbelievers, are not thankful. The purpose of mentioning the story of these people is to encourage believers to fight [in the way of God], which is why the following [statement] is supplemented to it;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Story of the Dead People

Allah says;

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَارِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ اللّهُ مُوتُواْ ثُمَّ أَحْيَاهُمْ

Did you (O Muhammad) not think of those who went forth from their homes in the thousands, fearing death Allah said to them, "Die". And then He restored them to life.

Ibn Abu Hatim related that Ibn Abbas said that;

these people mentioned herein, were the residents of a village called Dawardan.

Ali bin Asim said that;

they were from Dawardan, a village several miles away from Wasit (in Iraq).

In his Tafsir, Waki bin Jarrah said that Ibn Abbas commented,
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَارِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ
(Did you (O Muhammad) not think of those who went forth from their homes in thousands, fearing death),

that they were four thousand persons who escaped the plague (that broke out in their land).

They said, "We should go to a land that is free of death!"

When they reached a certain area, Allah said to them;
مُوتُواْ
("Die") and they all died.

Afterwards, one of the Prophets passed by them and supplicated to Allah to resurrect them and Allah brought them back to life. So, Allah stated;
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَارِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ
(Did you (O Muhammad) not think of those who went forth from their homes in the thousands, fearing death).

Furthermore, several scholars among the Salaf said that;

these people were the residents of a city during the time of the Children of Israel. The weather in their land did not suit them and an epidemic broke out. They fled their land fearing death and took refuge in the wilderness.

They later arrived at a fertile valley and they filled what is between its two sides. Then Allah sent two angels to them, one from the lower side and the other from the upper side of the valley. The angels screamed once and all the people died instantly, just as the death of one man.

They were later moved to a different place, where walls and graves were built around them. They all perished, and their bodies rotted and disintegrated. Long afterwards, one of the Prophets of the Children of Israel, whose name was Hizqil (Ezekiel), passed by them and asked Allah to bring them back to life by his hand.

Allah accepted his supplication and commanded him to say, "O rotted bones, Allah commands you to come together." The bones of every body were brought together. Allah then commanded him to say, "O bones, Allah commands you to be covered with flesh, nerves and skin." That also happened while Hizqil was watching. Allah then commanded him to say, "O souls, Allah commands you to return, each to the body that it used to inhabit."

They all came back to life, looked around and proclaimed, "All praise is due to You (O Allah!) and there is no deity worthy of worship except You."

Allah brought them back to life after they had perished long ago.

We should state that bringing these people back to life is a clear proof that physical resurrection shall occur on the Day of Resurrection. This is why Allah said;

إِنَّ اللّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ

Truly, Allah is full of bounty to mankind,

meaning, in that He shows them His great signs, sound proofs and clear evidences.

Yet,

وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ



but most men thank not.

as they do not thank Allah for what He has given them with in their worldly life and religious affairs.

The story of the dead people (above) also indicates that no caution can ever avert destiny and that there is no refuge from Allah, but to Allah Himself. These people departed from their land fleeing the epidemic and seeking to enjoy a long life. What they earned was the opposite of what they sought, as death came quickly and instantaneously and seized them all.

There is an authentic Hadith that Imam Ahmad reported that Abdullah bin Abbas said that;

Umar bin Al-Khattab once went to Ash-Sham (Syria). When he reached the area of Sargh, he was met by the commanders of the army;Abu Ubaydah bin Jarrah and his companions. They told him that the plague had broken out in Ash-Sham.

The Hadith then mentioned that Abdur-Rahman bin Awf, who was away attending to some of his affairs, came and said, "I have knowledge regarding this matter. I heard Allah's Messenger say;

إِذَا كَانَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلَ تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْه وإِذَا سَمِعتُمْ به بأَرْضٍ فَل تَقْدمُوا عَلَيْه

If it (the plague) breaks out in a land that you are in, do not leave that land to escape from it. If you hear about it in a land, do not enter it.
Umar then thanked Allah and went back.
This Hadith is also reported in the Sahihayn.
Abandoning Jihad does not alter Destiny

Allah said;

وَقَاتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ