The Story of the Flight of Bani Israel

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The Story about the dead of Bani IsraelThe first explanation is more correct

There is another example in Surah about this issue and it concerns a group that consisted of thousands of people who fled their houses in terror but could not save themselves despite having run away. They were all overtaken by death by the command of God who later returned them life. Verse 243 of Sarah Baqarah says:

“Did you not see those who fled their homes in thousands fearing death, then God said to them “Die!” and after that He restored them to life?”

According to the commentators this was a group from Bani Israel who fled their house from some epidemic like plague but died of the same disease after a short while. The Prophet of Bani Israel, “Ezekiel” passed that way and he prayed to God to restore them to life. So god restored their life as a proof against those who denied resurrection.

According to some traditions they lived in some part of Syria and sometimes plague used to spread among them.

The rich people who had resources whenever they saw such signs they left the city but the poor used to stay on and many of them died. Those who escaped used to be hale and hearty. So they decided that they would flee whenever such an epidemic occurred. They did this but none of them survived and all of them died because of God’s command. (1)

The abovementioned verse does not say that this restoration of life was to prove resurrection but the traditions that exist to explain the verse say that this exactly was the purpose.(2)

Here again we have to face the denying explanation of some so called enlightened commentators because this incident has a miraculous angle and we know that such things are difficult for some people to digest so they deny what the Qura’n says. They regarded it simply as an example of the life and death of a people which for them is only a sign of their success or failure.

They say that the verse speaks about a group of people who had lost their strength and determination and they were like dead people and then they rose from their stupor and again became a determined lot by the grace of God. (3)

We know that if we take such explanations as a part of the Qura’n then many of its truth will become deniable. Then everyone will create his own explanation of a clear verse and the Qura’n which is the guide for mankind will become a book of personal explanations and thoughts when it should be a guide for us to follow.

The “Tafsir bir Rai” that we are warned about is such an explanation and a person who gives such explanation has been likened to one who has fallen from the sky to the earth. Such explanations are excluded from the standard of sensible interpretations.

If these people feel the need to satisfy their materialistic thinking then they will never be satisfied with such things and if they want to deny the miracles then such things are not accepted by the followers and supporters of religion and even by those who oppose religion.

 


 

1. See Tafsir Majmaul Bayan, Tafsir Kabeer, Tafsir Nurus Saqlain for this verse
2. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan vol.1 page 347
3. Tafsir Al Minar vol.2 page 458

 

The Story about the dead of Bani IsraelThe first explanation is more correct
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