Story of Prophet Uzair alaihissalam

Prophet-Uzair-AS

Prophet Uzair alaihissalam was a pious and God-fearing. Uzair alaihissalam is mentioned int the Holy Quran in Surah Tawbah in which it is said that Jews honoured him as “the son of ALLAH SWT”.

The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allah,” while the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” Such is their baseless assertions, only parroting the words of earlier disbelievers. May Allah condemn them! How can they be deluded ˹from the truth? (Quran 9:30)

Prophet Uzair was a firm believer in ALLAH SWT and the book Taurat.
It is reported by Ibn Kathir that Uzair alaihissalam lived between the times of Prophet Sulaiman alaihissalam and Prophet Zakariah alaihissalam. He reminded the people of Israel about the forgotten laws of ALLAH SWT and taught them the teachings of Taurat.
Prophet Uzair alaihissalam is also identified as the man who slept for hundred years and got life after death.
One day, Uzair alaihissalam visited a town and saw that it was completely ruined and abandoned where all the inhabitants had been killed. He wondered: “Oh! How will Allah ever bring it to life after its death?” Uzair did not doubt Allah’s powers however he was thrilled of how resurrection would be affected in real.
He then dismounted his donkey and took shelter in a cave, bringing with him some dried bread and some fresh grapes which he then crushed to get some juice. He soaked the bread into the juice to soften it, as was the customary way of eating the bread during those days, and then fell asleep.

ALLAH SWT made Him dead or sleep for 100 years in the cave.
After passing a decade, Prophet Uzair alaihissalam was brought back to life by ALLAH SWT to make him understand how can HE bring everything back to life after death.
This incident is mentioned in the Holy Quran in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:259

Are you not aware of the one who passed by a city which was in ruins? He wondered, “How could Allah bring this back to life after its destruction?” So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years then brought him back to life. Allah asked, “How long have you remained in this state?” He replied, “Perhaps a day or part of a day.” Allah said, “No! You have remained here for a hundred years! Just look at your food and drink they have not spoiled. But now look at the remains of your donkey! And so We have made you into a sign for humanity. And look at the bones of the donkey, how We bring them together then clothe them with flesh!” When this was made clear to him, he declared, “˹Now I know that Allah is Most Capable of everything.”(Quran 2:259)

Prophet Uzair then rode his donkey back and entered his native place, however, nobody recognized him, nor did his household, except the maid, who was now an old woman. He then asked her: “Is this the house of Ezra?” She replied: “Yes, but the people have long forgotten Ezra.” He said: “I am Ezra, Allah had taken my life for one hundred years and has now returned it to me.” She said: “Ezra used to be answered when he prayed to Allah. Pray to cure me of blindness if you are Ezra.” He prayed for her and massaged her eyes and took her by the hand. “Get up by the power of Allah,” he said. The crippled woman stood up and walked; she opened her eyes and saw; her blindness was gone. She said: “I bear witness that you are Ezra.”

The old woman then ran to the people. Ezra’s son was one hundred eighteen years old now, and his children ‘s children now were lords of the assembly. She called out to them saying: “This is Ezra come to you.” But they accused her of lying. She said: “I am your old maid. He has just prayed to Allah for me, and here I am, walking and seeing.” The people stood up and looked at him. His son said: “My father had a mark between his shoulders, a black mole,” and they discovered it. They said: “None among us memorized the Torah since Nebuchadnezzar burned it, except Ezra; and there was only one copy of the Torah, which was hidden by Sarukha. He buried it in the days of Nebuchadnezzar in a place none but Ezra knows.” Ezra led the people to the hidden place and took out that copy of the Torah. Its leaves were rotted, and the book itself crumpled. Ezra sat under the shade of a tree surrounded by the children of Israel and copied out the Torah for them from that script. Henceforth, the Jews said that Ezra is the son of Allah, for two pieces of evidence which came down from Heaven and for his copying the Torah and for his fighting the cause of the Israelites. He had been copying the Torah for Ezekial in the land of darkness in the hermitage of Ezekiel. The village which was in ruins is said to be Sayrabadh. Ibn Abbas commanded: “So it is as Allah said: “We have made of you a sign for the people.” (Quran 2:259)

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