Dead Coming to Life in the World

By: Ayatullah Shaheed Sayyid Abdul Husain Dastghaib

On several occasions the dead do come to life in this world also. Just look at the vegetable world. You observe in the spring season that the trees become alive after their death due to drying up. They once again get a fresh rooh or life. The earth which had died also becomes alive. Fa Yh Yee…Mautihaa (Surah Room: 30, V: 24)
On a number of occasions a dead man has also become alive again. People who had died had come to life through Isa (Jesus a.s.) and also impeccable Imams (a.s.). Some such events have been recorded in history and biography books we present here two events mentioned in the Holy Quran.

Hazrat Uzair (a.s.) Remained Dead For A Hundred Years

The Lord of the Universe has, in verse 259 of Surah Al-Baqarah, mentioned the story of Hazrat Uzair (a.s.). Av Kal ... Baa Sah.

The summary, cause of revelation and explanation of these verses is that Hazrat Uzair was one of the Prophets in Bani Israel. He had memorized the whole Torah by heart and also was a leader and teacher of Jews in Jerusalem. Once he was traveling on his donkey. He had some loaf (bread) and few grapes with him. When he reached a village wherein all its residents had died years ago and there was no sign of their life except their worn and torn bones. Hazrat Uzair threw a glance full of gloom and astonishment at those bones and exclaimed: Anna… meaning: How will God turn these torn and worn bones into living beings again? (This statement of Hazrat Uzair was only by way of wonder. He never doubted God's might and never denied Resurrection).

The Lord of the Universe, in order to make Hazrat Uzair (a.s.) understand that Resurrection might be an astonishing thing for him but for Him it is nothing strange or difficult, made him die instantly. So Hazrat Uzair (a.s.) remained in the condition of death for one hundred years. The bones of his donkey Ulaag (himaar) decayed. Of course what was wonderful to human eye was that grapes were fresh and sweet despite passing of such a long time. There was no change even in its colour!

God made Hazrat Uzair (a.s.) alive after one hundred years. An angel came to him in human form and asked him: How long have you remained here? He replied: For one day or a part of it. The angel: No, but you have stayed for a full period of a hundred years. Just look at your food. It has not at all decayed or deteriorated. (But) look at your donkey. Its bones have become rotten. Now you see what happens before your eyes and realize the Might of your Lord.
Hazrat Uzair (a.s.) saw that the particles of the decayed body of the ass began to move and instantly joined with one another, restructuring its legs and head and eyes and ears etc etc. The donkey soon got up. Then Almighty Lord said: See how We are able to recollect and reassemble the particles of the body of the donkey and to give it a new life. So understand that God is able to do everything.
When Hazrat Uzair (a.s.) returned to Bail Al Muqaddas (Jerusalem), there also he found a totally different scene. The city had been totally altered. None of the people known to him was found there. In a very astonished state of mind he knocked at the door of his house. People inside asked: Who is it? He said: It is I, Uzair. People rushed out and said: Are you joking? There is no trace of Uzair for the last one hundred years. Have you any of his signs of identification? (Hazrat Uzair was one of those whose prayer was answered by Almighty God). An old lady stepped further and said: If you are Uzair, then I am his aunt and I have become blind. Pray to God so that I may regain my eyesight.

Hazrat Uzair (a.s.) prayed to God Almighty and that lady could see again. Then both described what had happened during the past years. All understood what had happened and the story became a reminder for all.

Four Birds Whom God Made Alive After Dissection

Another event mentioned in the Holy Quran concerns Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s.). Once he submitted to Almighty God: My Lord! I want to see how do You make the dead alive, so that my heart may get satisfaction. Came the Command: Take four birds (four kinds viz. a crow, a cock, a dove, and a peacock). Slaughter them and dissect their bodies into pieces and mix up the pieces of all of them with one another. Then make four heaps of the said mixed up meat and put one heap each on four different hills. Then call up each one of the birds by their names. Every one of them will fly fast and come to you within no time. Waiz…Tair (Surah Baqarah: 2, V: 260).
It is mentioned in the commentry that Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s.) had held the heads of all the four birds in his hands and he was calling them one by one. Then he saw that the body particles (dissected portion) began to join with one another and to reform the bodies as they were re-assembled the head-less birds flew speedly towards their heads in the hands of Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s.). In order to check the accuracy, Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s.) tried to make the body of one bird join with the head of another but he could not succeed as every body was rushing towards its own head and finally got joined. All the four birds thus became alive.

Almighty Allah Has Power Over Everything

It is likely that some may think as to how many forms (due to change) might have been taken in the scattered particles of a dead body. How then it is possible for them to reassemble as before? But such thinking is only the result of ignoring the all-emcompassing power of Almighty Allah.

When we have learnt in the discussion about God's Oneness that God's knowledge covers everything and that not a single particles from the particles of each and everything is beyond His knowledge. He also has power of everyone and everything. After this there is no scope at all for any doubt about the fulfillment of His Wish. It is true that a dead body, after a long time, becomes scattered and also emanates foul smell and also becomes the food of ants and many other insects and that even if it does not go in the stomach of any animal it does turn into dust which also is swept far and wide by winds. Then it becomes the ingradients of wheat, barely, seeds and vegetables or is used up in house building materials. In any case it still remains in this world and by no means goes out of the all-emcompassing Knowledge of God. Then, at His Will, Almighty Allah recollects and reassembles them from wherever they may be an in which ever form they may be (rather they themselves get remixed at God's Comman). We have seen this in the story of Ibrahim (a.s.) and four birds. It is mentioned there that, as ordered by God, Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s.) had cut the birds in to pieces and then mixed up that meat. Then dividing the mixed meat into four heaps, he placed those heaps on four hills… In short, Almighty Allah knows each and every particle in the universe (His creation) even if they have changed forms on thousands of occasions. Likewise, He is also Able to reassemble them and to take them to the station (place) of either reward or punishment. (For removal of doubts regarding eater and eaten, refer to this marty's 80 questions.)

To show the Might of Allah and in order to prove that He can do whatever He likes and that He can do everything, we give below some examples as testimony to this truth.

Fire And Water Together

Al Lazee…Tooqidoon (Surah Ya Seen: 80) This means the same God will re-enliven these worn and torn bones Who has created fire from green tree for you. So, you ignite fire from the green tree.

The trees named Markh and Aqaar are such that if a branch is torn off from any of the two, waters, drips therefrom. One of the two is masculine and the other feminine in nature. Water drips from both. But when one is brushed against the other, it gives out fire. These two trees are considered very important in the Arab island. In old times there were no matchboxes. People used to obtain (ignite) fire with the help of the branches of these trees. How wonderful that if they remain apart they give out water but if they are brushed against one another they give out fire! How these two opposites have been placed in one and the same thing? If it is wet and has not yet become dry it should not emanate water. Scholars of science say that excepting the tree of Unnab, there is hidden fire in every other tree. Then such Mighty and Powerful creator cannot reassemble a dead body and put soul (life) in it again?

How Will The Powdered Bones Become Alive?

Wa Za Ra Ba…Aleem (Surah Ya Seen: 36, V: 78-79).

Once Ibne Abi Khalaf came to the Holy Prophet with an old bone in this hand. He was pressing and crushing it with his hand. When it all became powder he blew it off with his mouth and asked: Who will make this stuff alive? In the above verse, Almighty Creator of the universe, talks about this foolish and ignorant talking of this man and scolds him. God Almighty says: This man gives (shows) us an example but forgets his own creation. (O the one who takes such objections! You were nothing. God brought you into being after you were nothing; from non-existence to existence).

Only He will make them alive Who had created them first. He has knowledge of every creation. O Man! You also were nothing before and now you are something. The same powered elements of human body of faithful persons are like particles of gold, distinct from all other particles. When it rains, it sweeps aside the particles of dust and golden particles begin to shine out. Here there is no room for doubt. The elements of everybody's will be re-assembled by Almighty Allah through His Command.