Refusal to Return (c. 530 BCE): When Ezra the Scribe commanded Jews to return from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the Second Temple, the Yemenite community reportedly refused, foreseeing a "Second Destruction." Legend says Ezra placed a herem (ban) on them, which is why some Yemenite Jews traditionally did not name their sons Ezra.
Yemenite "Refusal to Return" legend through the lens of Quranic eschatology and historical narrative.
1. The Prophecy of Two Destructions (Surah Al-Isra)
The strongest correlation between the Yemenite refusal (fear of a "Second Destruction") and the Quran is found in Surah Al-Isra (17:4–7).
The Decree: The Quran states that the Children of Israel were decreed to cause corruption twice and face two overwhelming punishments.
The Alignment: The First Destruction (Babylonian/Nebuchadnezzar) had already occurred. The Return under Ezra initiated the era of the Second Temple.
Analysis: The Yemenite prediction aligns with the Quranic fulfillment of the second punishment. By refusing to return, the Yemenite Jews essentially acknowledged the inevitability of the second prophecy mentioned in 17:7 ("If you do good, you do good for yourselves... And when the second promise came...").
2. The Figure of Ezra ('Uzair)
The Quran mentions Ezra ('Uzair) specifically in Surah At-Tawbah (9:30) regarding theological deviation, not political leadership.
The Verse: "The Jews say, 'Ezra is the son of Allah'..."
Analysis: The Quran critiques the excessive veneration of Ezra by the post-exilic community in Jerusalem.
Inference: If the Yemenite community refused Ezra’s authority, this aligns with an implicit rejection of the theological shifts occurring in Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, which the Quran later condemns as deviating from strict monotheism (Tawhid).
3. The Pattern of Refusal (Surah Al-Ma'idah)
The Quran establishes a historical archetype of Israelites refusing to enter the Holy Land, most notably under Musa (Moses).
The Parallel: In Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:21-26), the Israelites refuse entry fearing "tyrannical people," resulting in the 40-year wandering.
Analysis: While the Yemenite refusal is framed as "foresight" in their legend, Quranic precedent generally condemns refusing a Prophet's command to enter the Holy Land. However, if the command came from Ezra (a sage/prophet) but the refusal was based on protecting the faith from the prophesied "Second Corruption," the moral categorization becomes ambiguous.
4. The Concept of the Ban (Herem)
There is no Quranic corroboration for Ezra placing a curse on a specific tribe.
Quranic Curses: Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:78) mentions Israelites being cursed by the tongue of David and Jesus for disobedience, but does not attribute a curse to Ezra.
Naming Customs: The Quran does not regulate naming conventions regarding prophets, nor does it validate the Yemenite avoidance of the name "Ezra."
Summary Table
| Narrative Element | Quranic Correlation | Verdict |
| Foresight of Destruction | Surah Al-Isra 17:4-7 | High Alignment. The Quran confirms a destined "Second Destruction" (Roman, 70 CE) following the return. |
| Ezra's Authority | Surah At-Tawbah 9:30 | Theological Divergence. The Quran highlights theological corruption in Ezra's era, potentially validating a split. |
| Refusal to Enter | Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:21 | Archetypal Consistency. Refusal to enter the Holy Land is a recurring theme, though usually condemned as cowardice rather than foresight. |
The specific allusion to resurrection you are asking about is found in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:259).
While the Quran does not explicitly name the protagonist in this verse, classical Tafseer (exegesis) and Hadith traditions predominantly identify him as 'Uzair (Ezra). This narrative serves as a physical demonstration of how resurrection works, using a time-dilation phenomenon (100 years of death) as proof.
1. The Quranic Narrative (2:259)
The verse describes a man passing by a township that had "fallen into ruin" (empty of people, roofs collapsed). He asks, in wonder rather than doubt:
"How will Allah bring this to life after its death?"
The Divine Response:
The Death: Allah causes the man to die for 100 years.
The Revival: Allah resurrects him and asks, "How long have you remained?"
The Perception: The man replies, "A day or part of a day."
The Proof: Allah points out two conflicting realities to prove the miracle:
Preservation: His food and drink (figs and juice, according to tradition) had not spoiled after a century.
Decay & Reconstruction: His donkey had turned to dust and bones. Allah then reassembles the bones and clothes them with flesh before the man's eyes.
2. Tafseer & Tradition: Identifying Ezra
Most classical commentators (including Ibn Kathir, Al-Tabari, and Al-Qurtubi) identify this man as 'Uzair (Ezra), citing Athar (traditions) from companions like Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) and Ibn Abbas (RA).
The Context of Jerusalem: The "ruined town" is interpreted as Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) shortly after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar (Bukht Nassar).
The Timeline: The "100 years" corresponds to the period of the Babylonian Captivity and the subsequent desolation of Jerusalem before its rebuilding.
The Return: In these traditions, when Ezra returns to his people after 100 years, he is young (revived at the age he died, around 40), while his sons and contemporaries are now elderly or deceased. He proves his identity by reciting the Torah from memory—something no one else could do because the scrolls had been burned during the destruction.
3. The "Resurrection" Paradox
This story alludes to a specific type of resurrection unique to Ezra in Islamic tradition: The Resurrection of Knowledge.
Physical Resurrection: The revival of the donkey is the visual "how-to" of the Day of Judgment (Qiyamah).
Intellectual Resurrection: Because the Torah was lost/burned during the destruction, Ezra’s return serves as a resurrection of the text itself. By dictating it from memory, he "revives" the Law.
Note on Deviation: This miraculous revival of the Torah is often cited by Muslim theologians as the reason why some Israelites reportedly venerated him to the extreme (leading to the claim mentioned in Surah 9:30, "Ezra is the son of God").
4. Connection to Your Previous Inquiry (The Yemenite Refusal)
This story adds a fascinating layer to the Yemenite "Refusal to Return" you mentioned earlier.
If the Yemenite Jews believed a "Second Destruction" was inevitable, the Quranic story of Ezra (2:259) implicitly supports the trauma of the First Destruction. Ezra is the man who witnesses the total death of the city (Jerusalem) and requires a 100-year divine intervention to see it revived.
The Yemenite refusal can be seen as a refusal to participate in a "temporary resurrection" (the Second Temple era) that was destined to die again, whereas Ezra’s Quranic function was to bridge the gap between the two eras.
1. Linguistic Parallels: "The Second Corruption" vs. The Second Temple Timeline
The "Second Corruption" (al-karrata al-ukhra or wa'd al-akhirah) mentioned in Surah Al-Isra (17:7) contains precise linguistic markers that scholars and historians map to the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE.1
| Quranic Phrase (17:7) | Linguistic Meaning | Historical Parallel (Second Temple / 70 CE) |
"Wa'd al-Akhirah" (The promise of the latter/end) | Akhirah here implies the second of the two stated events. Linguistically, it suggests a finality to the specific era of "temple-centric" worship. | Corresponds to the Great Revolt (66–73 CE), which ended the Second Temple era. The use of "final" often denotes the end of Jewish sovereignty in the region for nearly two millennia (the Diaspora). |
"Yasu-u Wujuhakum" (To sadden/disfigure your faces) | The verb sa'a implies doing something that brings visible shame, grief, or physical marring to the face (the seat of dignity). | This parallels the Triumph of Titus. The Romans did not just defeat the Jews; they humiliated them. The Arch of Titus depicts the parading of the Menorah and captives, a literal "blackening of faces" (shame) before the world. |
"Wa Liyadkhulu al-Masjid" (And to enter the Masjid/Temple) | The use of al-Masjid (the place of prostration) rather than "the city" or "the land" is distinct. It specifies a violation of the sanctuary itself. | The Romans breached the walls and entered the Temple Mount, setting fire to the sanctuary. This distinguishes it from other sieges where only the city walls were breached. |
"Kama Dakhaluhu Awwala Marrah" (As they entered it the first time) | A linguistic link establishing a pattern. The "first time" refers to the Babylonian destruction (586 BCE). | Josephus (Jewish historian) noted the eerie parallel: the Second Temple was destroyed on Tisha B'Av, the exact same date the Babylonians destroyed the First Temple, fulfilling the "like the first time" description. |
"Wa Liyatabbiru... Tatbira" (And to destroy... with utter destruction) | The root Ta-Ba-Ra means to break into fragments, shatter, or pulverize. It is more severe than simple "ruin." | The Romans literally dismantled the Temple stone by stone to melt down the gold filigree that had melted into the cracks (fulfilling Jesus' prophecy in the Gospels: "not one stone will be left upon another"). |
2. The Tradition (Athar) of Ali ibn Abi Talib
The identification of the man in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:259) as Ezra ('Uzair) is strongly supported by a specific Athar (narration from a Companion) attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA).2
The Source:
This narration is recorded by classical exegetes, most notably Ibn Abi Hatim in his Tafseer and Ibn Jarir al-Tabari in Jami' al-Bayan.
The Text of the Tradition:
While the exact wording varies slightly between compilations, the core text reported from Ali is:
"In the verse 'Or like the one who passed by a township which had fallen into ruin...' (2:259), the man meant is 'Uzair (Ezra)."
Contextual Details from the Narrations:
The Setting: Ali (RA) and Ibn Abbas (RA) describe Ezra passing by Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) after Nebuchadnezzar (Bukht Nassar) had decimated it.
The Question: Ezra did not doubt Allah's power but was overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction (tatbira), asking "How?" out of bewilderment at the magnitude of reconstruction needed.
The Resurrection: The tradition emphasizes that Allah revived his eyes first, so he could consciously watch his body and the donkey being reassembled—bridging the gap between the "First Destruction" (which he saw) and the reconstruction (which he was brought back to lead/witness).
Connection to "Refusal to Return"
The Yemenite legend claims they foresaw the "Second Destruction."
Quranic Validation: The linguistic precision of 17:7 (tatbira, wa'd al-akhirah) confirms that the Second Destruction was indeed a divinely appointed inevitability, violent and total.
Ezra's Role: If Ezra is the man in 2:259 who saw the First Destruction, his return to Jerusalem was a divine miracle intended to restart the timeline for the "Second Promise." The Yemenites, by refusing him, effectively opted out of the cycle of "Construction $\rightarrow$ Corruption $\rightarrow$ Second Destruction" that Ezra was initiating.
Verse 2:259 – The Parable of Life After Death
2:259a:
أَوْ كَالَّذِي
Or like the one who (aw ka-lladhī, আও কাল্লাযী; a-w / আ-ও – or // aw // [Cognate: none] ; k-l-dh / ক-ল-ধ – like the one // ka-lladhī // [Cognate: none])
2:259b:
مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ
passed by a town (marra ʿalā qaryatin, মার্রা 'আলা ক্বারইয়াতিন; m-r-r / ম-র-র – to pass // marra // Cognate: Hebrew: mar "flow/drop"; q-r-y / ক-র-য় – village/town // qaryah // Cognate: Hebrew: qiryāh "city")
2:259c:
وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ
while it was fallen (wa-hiya khāwiyatun, ওয়াহিয়া খাউইয়াতুন; kh-w-y / খ-ও-য় – to be empty, fallen // khāwiyah // [Cognate: none])
2:259d:
عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا
upon its trellises/roofs (ʿalā ʿurūshihā, 'আলা 'উরোশিহা; ʿ-r-sh / আ-র-শ – structure, trellis, throne // ʿurūsh // Cognate: Hebrew: ʿeres "couch/bed")
2:259e:
قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْيِي
He said, "How will [Allah] give life (qāla annā yuḥyī, ক্বালা আন্না ইয়ুহ্য়ী; ḥ-y-y / হ-য়-য় – life // yuḥyī // Cognate: Hebrew: ḥāyāh "to live")
2:259f:
هَٰذِهِ اللَّهُ
to this, Allah (hādhthihi l-lahu, হাযিহিল লাহু; h-dh-h / হ-য-হ – this // hādhthihi // [Cognate: none])
2:259g:
بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا
after its death?" (baʿda mawtihā, বা'দা মাওতিহা; m-w-t / ম-ও-ত – death // mawt // Cognate: Hebrew: māwet "death")
2:259h:
فَأَمَاتَهُ اللَّهُ
So Allah made him die (fa-amātahu l-lahu, ফা-আমাতাহুল লাহু; m-w-t / ম-ও-ত – [recurrent root] // amāta // [Cognate: Hebrew: hēmīt "put to death"])
2:259i:
مِائَةَ عَامٍ
a hundred years (miʾata ʿāmin, মি'আতা 'আম; m-ʾ-y / ম-অ-য় – hundred // miʾah // Cognate: Hebrew: mēʾāh "hundred"; ʿ-w-m / আ-ও-ম – year // ʿām // [Cognate: none])
2:259j:
ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ
then He raised him. (thumma baʿathahu, ছুম্মা বা'আছাহু; b-ʿ-th / ব-আ-ছ – to raise, send, resurrect // baʿatha // [Cognate: none])
2:259k:
قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ
He said, "How long have you remained?" (qāla kam labithta, ক্বালা কাম লাবিছ্তা; l-b-th / ল-ব-ছ – to tarry, stay, remain // labithta // [Cognate: none])
2:259l:
قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا
He said, "I remained a day (qāla labithtu yawman, ক্বালা লাবিছ্তু ইয়াওমান; y-w-m / য়-ও-ম – day // yawm // Cognate: Hebrew: yōm "day")
2:259m:
أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ
or part of a day." (aw baʿḍa yawmin, আও বা'দ্বা ইয়াওমিন; b-ʿ-ḍ / ব-আ-দ্ব – some, part, gnat // baʿḍ // [Cognate: none])
2:259n:
قَالَ بَلْ لَبِثْتَ
He said, "Nay, you remained (qāla bal labithta, ক্বালা বাল্ লাবিছ্তা; [recurrent roots])
2:259o:
مِائَةَ عَامٍ
a hundred years. (miʾata ʿāmin, মি'আতা 'আম; [recurrent roots])
2:259p:
فَانْظُرْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ
So look at your food (fa-unẓur ilā ṭaʿāmika, ফান্-যুর ইলা ত্ব'আমিকা; n-ẓ-r / ন-য-র – to look, view // unẓur // Cognate: Hebrew: nāṭar "keep guard"; ṭ-ʿ-m / ত্ব-আ-ম – to taste, eat // ṭaʿām // Cognate: Hebrew: ṭaʿam "taste")
2:259q:
وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ
and your drink; it has not spoiled. (wa-sharābika lam yatasannah, ওয়া শারাবিকা লাম ইয়াতাসান্নাহ; sh-r-b / শ-র-ব – to drink // sharāb // Cognate: Hebrew: sārāph "beverage/syrup" (rare); s-n-h / স-ন-হ – year, to age/spoil // yatasannah // Cognate: Hebrew: shānāh "year")
2:259r:
وَانْظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ
And look at your donkey (wa-unẓur ilā ḥimārika, ওয়ান্যুর ইলা হিমারিকা; ḥ-m-r / হ-ম-র – donkey, red // ḥimār // Cognate: Hebrew: ḥamōr "donkey")
2:259s:
وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ آيَةً
and so We make you a sign (wa-li-najʿalaka āyatan, ওয়া লি-নাজ্'আলাকা আয়াতান; j-ʿ-l / জ-আ-ল – to make, place // najʿala // [Cognate: none]; ʾ-y-y / আ-য়-য় – sign, mark // āyah // Cognate: Hebrew: ōth "sign")
2:259t:
لِلنَّاسِ
for the people. (li-n-nāsi, লিন্-নাসি; n-w-s / ন-ও-স – commotion, people // nās // Cognate: Hebrew: ĕnōsh "mankind")
2:259u:
وَانْظُرْ إِلَى الْعِظَامِ
And look at the bones, (wa-unẓur ilā l-ʿiẓāmi, ওয়ান্যুর ইলাল 'ইযাম; ʿ-ẓ-m / আ-য-ম – bone, might // ʿiẓām // Cognate: Hebrew: ʿeṣem "bone")
2:259v:
كَيْفَ نُنْشِزُهَا
how We raise/assemble them (kayfa nunshizuhā, কাইফা নুনশিযুহা; n-sh-z / ন-শ-য – to rise, elevate, pile up // nunshizu // [Cognate: none])
2:259w:
ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًا
then We clothe them with flesh." (thumma naksūhā laḥman, ছুম্মা নাকসুহা লাহ্মা; k-s-w / ক-স-ও – to clothe // naksū // Cognate: Hebrew: kāsāh "to cover"; l-ḥ-m / ল-হ-ম – flesh, meat // laḥm // Cognate: Hebrew: leḥem "bread" [Semantic shift: staple food])
2:259x:
فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ
So when it became clear to him, (fa-lammā tabayyana lahu, ফা-লাম্মা তাবাইয়্যানা লাহু; b-y-n / ব-য়-ন – clear, separate // tabayyana // Cognate: Hebrew: bīn "discern/understand")
2:259y:
قَالَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ
he said, "I know that Allah (qāla aʿlamu anna l-laha, ক্বালা আ'লামু আন্নাল লাহা; ʿ-l-m / আ-ল-ম – to know // aʿlamu // Cognate: Hebrew: ʿōlām "eternity/world" [divergent semantics])
2:259z:
عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
is over all things Competent." (ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr, 'আলা কুল্লি শাই'ইন ক্বাদীর; q-d-r / ক-দ-র – power, measure // qadīr // [Cognate: none])
Linguistic Gloss:
Or like the one who passed by a town [qaryah: settlement/city, cognate Hebrew qiryāh], fallen on its roofs [ʿurūsh: structures/trellises, implying total ruin], (asking) "How will Allah revive this?" [istifhām: rhetorical questioning of possibility, not power]. So Allah made him die [amāta: causative death], then raised him [baʿatha: resurrection/waking]. Look at your food... not spoiled [lam yatasannah: lit. "has not seen the years pass" i.e., no rot], and look at the bones, how We raise them [nunshizuhā: lift/arrange into a skeleton], then clothe them with flesh [naksū + laḥm: draping the skeleton with muscle; cf. Hebrew leḥem shifted from "meat" to "bread" (staple)].
অর কাল্লাযী মার্রা 'আলা ক্বারইয়াতিন ওয়াহিয়া খাউইয়াতুন 'আলা 'উরোশিহা।
(ক-র-য়/ জনপদ; // cf. হিব্রু 'কিরইয়াহ' "শহর"; খ-ও-য়/ পতিত/শূন্য; আ-র-শ/ ছাদ/মাচা)।
ক্বালা আন্না ইয়ুহ্য়ী হাযিহিল লাহু বা'দা মাওতিহা।
(হ-য়-য়/ জীবিত করা; // cf. হিব্রু 'হায়াহ' "বাঁচা"; ম-ও-ত/ মৃত্যু; // cf. হিব্রু 'মাওয়েত')।
ফা-আমাতাহুল লাহু মি'আতা 'আম।
(ম-ও-ত/ মৃত্যু দেওয়া; ম-অ-য়/ শত; আ-ও-ম/ বছর)।
ছুম্মা বা'আছাহু, ক্বালা কাম লাবিছ্তা?
(ব-আ-ছ/ পুনরুত্থিত করা; ল-ব-ছ/ অবস্থান করা)।
ক্বালা লাবিছ্তু ইয়াওমান আও বা'দ্বা ইয়াওম।
(য়-ও-ম/ দিন; // cf. হিব্রু 'ইয়োম'; ব-আ-দ্ব/ কিছু অংশ)।
ক্বালা বাল্ লাবিছ্তা মি'আতা 'আম।
(পুনরাবৃত্তি: বাল্/ বরং; শত বছর)।
ফান্-যুর ইলা ত্ব'আমিকা ওয়া শারাবিকা লাম ইয়াতাসান্নাহ।
(ন-য-র/ দেখা; ত্ব-আ-ম/ খাদ্য; শ-র-ব/ পানীয়; স-ন-হ/ বছর অতিক্রান্ত হওয়া/পচে যাওয়া; // cf. হিব্রু 'শানাহ' "বছর")।
ওয়ান্যুর ইলা হিমারিকা, ওয়া লি-নাজ্'আলাকা আয়াতান লিন্-নাস।
(হ-ম-র/ গাধা; // cf. হিব্রু 'হামোর'; আ-য়-য়/ নিদর্শন; // cf. হিব্রু 'ওত')।
ওয়ান্যুর ইলাল 'ইযাম কাইফা নুনশিযুহা ছুম্মা নাকসুহা লাহ্মা।
(আ-য-ম/ হাড়; // cf. হিব্রু 'এতসেম'; ন-শ-য/ উঁচু করা/জোড়া লাগানো; ক-স-ও/ পরিধান করানো; ল-হ-ম/ গোশত; // cf. হিব্রু 'লেহেম' "রুটি")।
ফা-লাম্মা তাবাইয়্যানা লাহু ক্বালা আ'লামু আন্নাল লাহা 'আলা কুল্লি শাই'ইন ক্বাদীর।
(ব-য়-ন/ স্পষ্ট হওয়া; আ-ল-ম/ জানা; ক-দ-র/ ক্ষমতাবান)।
Tafsīr 2:259: The Empirical Evidence of Resurrection.
Classical exegetes (Ibn Kathīr, Wahb b. Munabbih) identify the traveler as Uzair (Ezra) or Jeremiah, grieving over the ruins of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) after the Babylonian destruction. His question was not of doubt, but wonderment at the method of restoration ("How will Allah revive...?"). Allah demonstrates power over Time (the chronon): the biological matter of the donkey decayed (natural time), while the food/drink remained fresh (suspended time), and the man slept for a century. This connects to 2:260 (Abraham asking "Show me how You give life"), 18:19 (Sleepers of the Cave losing track of time), and 30:19 (bringing living from dead). The Prophet ﷺ referenced Allah's power to resurrect in the hadith of the man who ordered his body burned (Bukhārī). Parallels Ezekiel 37:1-10 (The Valley of Dry Bones: "Prophesy to these bones... I will put breath in you") and Psalm 126 (Zion's restoration being like a dream).
Verse 2:260 – The Certainty of Abraham
2:260a:
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ
And when Abraham said, (wa-idh qāla Ibrāhīmu, ওয়া ইয ক্বালা ইব্রাহীমু; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to speak // qāla // Cognate: Hebrew: qōl "voice"; b-r-h-m / ব-র-হ-ম – [Non-Arabic Proper Noun] // Ibrāhīm // Cognate: Hebrew: Avrāhām "father of many")
2:260b:
رَبِّ أَرِنِي
"My Lord, show me (rabbi arinī, রাব্বি আরিনী; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – lord, master // rabb // Cognate: Hebrew: rav "great/master"; r-ʾ-y / র-অ-য় – to see/show // arinī // Cognate: Hebrew: rāʾāh "to see")
2:260c:
كَيْفَ تُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ
how You give life to the dead." (kayfa tuḥyī l-mawtā, কাইফা তুহ্য়ীল্ মাওতা; ḥ-y-y / হ-য়-য় – life // tuḥyī // Cognate: Hebrew: ḥāyāh "to live"; m-w-t / ম-ও-ত – death // mawtā // Cognate: Hebrew: māwet "death")
2:260d:
قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِن
He said, "Have you not believed?" (qāla a-wa-lam tuʾmin, ক্বালা আ-ওয়া-লাম তু'মিন; ʾ-m-n / অ-ম-ন – trust, faith // tuʾmin // Cognate: Hebrew: āmēn "verily/faith")
2:260e:
قَالَ بَلَىٰ
He said, "Yes, (qāla balā, ক্বালা বালা; b-l-y / ব-ল-য় – affirmative particle // balā // [Cognate: none])
2:260f:
وَلَٰكِن لِّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي
but that my heart may be satisfied." (wa-lākin li-yaṭmaʾinna qalbī, ওয়া লাকিন লি-ইয়াত্মা'ইন্না ক্বাল্বী; ṭ-m-n / ত্ব-ম-ন – to be calm, at rest // yaṭmaʾinna // Cognate: Hebrew: ṭāman "to hide/embed" [Semantic shift: settled]; q-l-b / ক-ল-ব – heart, turn // qalbī // [Cognate: none])
2:260g:
قَالَ فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً
He said, "Then take four (qāla fa-khudh arbaʿatan, ক্বালা ফা-খুয আরবা'আতান; ʾ-kh-dh / অ-খ-য – to take // khudh // Cognate: Hebrew: āḥaz "seize"; r-b-ʿ / র-ব-আ – four // arbaʿah // Cognate: Hebrew: arbaʿ "four")
2:260h:
مِّنَ الطَّيْرِ
of the birds (mina ṭ-ṭayri, মিনাত্ ত্বাইরি; ṭ-y-r / ত্ব-য়-র – to fly, bird // ṭayr // Cognate: Aramaic: ṭayrā "bird")
2:260i:
فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ
and incline them to you (fa-ṣurhunna ilayka, ফা-ছুরহুন্না ইলাইকা; ṣ-w-r / ছ-ও-র – to turn, incline, tame // ṣur // Cognate: Hebrew: ṣūr "rock/form" [Semantic divergence: Arabic implies shaping/bending])
2:260j:
ثُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلٍ
then place on every hill (thumma ijʿal ʿalā kulli jabalin, ছুম্মাজ্'আল 'আলা কুল্লি জাবালিন; j-ʿ-l / জ-আ-ল – to make, place // ijʿal // [Cognate: none]; j-b-l / জ-ব-ল – mountain, hill // jabal // Cognate: Syriac: gbīlā "formed thing/mountain")
2:260k:
مِّنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا
a portion of them. (min-hunna juzʾan, মিন্-হুন্না জুয্'আন; j-z-ʾ / জ-য-অ – part, portion // juzʾ // [Cognate: none])
2:260l:
ثُمَّ ادْعُهُنَّ
Then call them (thumma udʿuhunna, ছুম্মা উদ্-'উহুন্না; d-ʿ-w / দ-আ-ও – to call, pray // udʿu // [Cognate: none])
2:260m:
يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًا
they will come to you in haste. (yaʾtīnaka saʿyan, ইয়াতীনাকা সা'ইয়ান; ʾ-t-y / অ-ত-য় – to come // yaʾtīna // Cognate: Hebrew: ātāh "to come"; s-ʿ-y / স-আ-য় – to strive, run, hasten // saʿyan // Cognate: Hebrew: sāʿāh "storm/rush")
2:260n:
وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ
And know that Allah (wa-aʿlam anna l-laha, ওয়া আ'লাম আন্নাল লাহা; ʿ-l-m / আ-ল-ম – to know // aʿlam // Cognate: Hebrew: ʿōlām "world/eternity")
2:260o:
عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
is Exalted in Might, Wise." (ʿAzīzun Ḥakīm, 'আযীযুন হাকীম; ʿ-z-z / আ-য-য – might, strength // ʿazīz // Cognate: Hebrew: ʿezūz "strength"; ḥ-k-m / হ-ক-ম – wisdom, judgment // ḥakīm // Cognate: Hebrew: ḥākhām "wise")
Linguistic Gloss:
"Show me how You give life" [arinī: request for visual demonstration, muʿāyanah]. "Have you not believed?" [istifhām taqrīrī: rhetorical confirmation, not doubt]. "Yes, but for my heart to be satisfied" [li-yaṭmaʾinna: from ṭum'nīnah, tranquility/settling; seeking transition from 'ilm al-yaqīn (intellectual certainty) to 'ayn al-yaqīn (visual certainty)]. "Incline them to you" [ṣurhunna: lit. "bend them/turn them" implies taming/training so they recognize the call, or cutting them (per some exegetes based on juz' "portion" following)]. "They will come hastening" [saʿyan: moving quickly/striving, proving total restoration of life and motor function].
ওয়া ইয ক্বালা ইব্রাহীমু: রাব্বি আরিনী কাইফা তুহ্য়ীল্ মাওতা।
(ব-র-হ-ম/ ইব্রাহীম; র-অ-য়/ দেখানো; // cf. হিব্রু 'রাআহ' "দেখা")।
ক্বালা আ-ওয়া-লাম তু'মিন? ক্বালা বালা, ওয়া লাকিন লি-ইয়াত্মা'ইন্না ক্বাল্বী।
(অ-ম-ন/ বিশ্বাস করা; // cf. হিব্রু 'আমেন'; ত্ব-ম-ন/ প্রশান্ত হওয়া; ক-ল-ব/ হৃদয়)।
ক্বালা ফা-খুয আরবা'আতান মিনাত্ ত্বাইরি ফা-ছুরহুন্না ইলাইকা।
(অ-খ-য/ গ্রহণ করা; // cf. হিব্রু 'আহায'; র-ব-আ/ চার; // cf. হিব্রু 'আরবা'; ত্ব-য়-র/ পাখি; ছ-ও-র/ অনুগত করা/টুকরো করা)।
ছুম্মাজ্'আল 'আলা কুল্লি জাবালিন মিন্-হুন্না জুয্'আন।
(জ-ব-ল/ পাহাড়; জ-য-অ/ অংশ)।
ছুম্মা উদ্-'উহুন্না ইয়াতীনাকা সা'ইয়ান।
(দ-আ-ও/ ডাকা; স-আ-য়/ দ্রুত আসা/দৌড়ানো)।
ওয়া আ'লাম আন্নাল লাহা 'আযীযুন হাকীম।
(আ-য-য/ মহাপরাক্রমশালী; হ-ক-ম/ প্রজ্ঞাময়; // cf. হিব্রু 'হাখাম')।
Tafsīr 2:260: The Geometry of Resurrection.
This verse establishes the distinction between Iman (Faith) and Iṭmiʾnān (Tranquility/Complete Assurance). Ibn Kathīr clarifies that Abraham did not doubt Allah's power; rather, he sought the honor of witnessing the kayfiyyah (modality/process). The instruction to "incline/tame" (ṣurhunna) the birds before placing their parts on separate hills emphasizes that the reconstruction was specific to those exact birds—they returned to the master who called them.
Biblical Parallel: This event mirrors the "Covenant of the Pieces" in Genesis 15:9-11, where Abraham cuts a heifer, goat, and ram (but not the birds) to seal a covenant, and a divine fire passes between them. The Qur'ān repurposes the imagery of divided animals not for a covenant, but for an empirical demonstration of Resurrection (Ba'th). The birds flying back connects to the concept of resurrection being a "regathering" (hashr) at the Divine Call. The Prophet ﷺ referenced this type of certainty when saying, "Hearing is not like seeing" (Musnad Aḥmad).
Verse in Bengali Script (Summary)
বিসমিল্লাহির রাহমানির রাহীম।
২: ২৬০. ওয়া ইয ক্বালা ইব্রাহীমু: রাব্বি আরিনী কাইফা তুহ্য়ীল্ মাওতা। ক্বালা আ-ওয়া-লাম তু'মিন? ক্বালা বালা, ওয়া লাকিন লি-ইয়াত্মা'ইন্না ক্বাল্বী। ক্বালা ফা-খুয আরবা'আতান মিনাত্ ত্বাইরি ফা-ছুরহুন্না ইলাইকা, ছুম্মাজ্'আল 'আলা কুল্লি জাবালিন মিন্-হুন্না জুয্'আন; ছুম্মা উদ্-'উহুন্না ইয়াতীনাকা সা'ইয়ান। ওয়া আ'লাম আন্নাল লাহা 'আযীযুন হাকীম।
(ক্বালা/ বললেন; আরিনী/ আমাকে দেখান; তুহ্য়ী/ আপনি জীবিত করেন; মাওতা/ মৃত; তু'মিন/ তুমি বিশ্বাস কর; বালা/ অবশ্যই (হ্যাঁ); ক্বালবী/ আমার হৃদয়; খুয/ নাও; আরবা'আতান/ চারটি; ত্বাইর/ পাখি; জাবাল/ পাহাড়; জুয্'আন/ অংশ; সা'ইয়ান/ দ্রুতগীতে; হাকীম/ প্রজ্ঞাময়)।