ONE AYAT A DAY
۞ اَلَمْ تَرَ اِلَى الَّذِيْنَ خَرَجُوْا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَهُمْ اُلُوْفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِۖ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ اللّٰهُ مُوْتُوْا ۗ ثُمَّ اَحْيَاهُمْ ۗ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَذُوْ فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُوْنَ
Alam tara ilal-lażīna kharajū min diyārihim wa hum ulūfun ḥażaral-maut(i), faqāla lahumullāhu mūtū, ṡumma aḥyāhum, inallāha lażū faḍlin ‘alan-nāsi wa lākinna akṡaran-nāsi lā yasykurūn(a).
Have you not considered those who left their homes in many thousands, fearing death? Allāh said to them, "Die"; then He restored them to life. And Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the people, but most of the people do not show gratitude.
The Story of the Dead PeopleIbn 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 دِيَـرِهِمْ 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 دِيَـرِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِr(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 va…