Or such as he who passed by a city that was all in ruins to its roofs he said “How shall God give life to this now that it is deadḍ” So God made him die for a hundred years then he raised him up; He said “How long have you tarriedḍ”; he said “I have tarried a day or part of a day”; He said “Nay you have tarried a hundred years. Look at your food and drink it has not spoiled; and look at your donkey so that We would make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones how We shall set them up and then clothe them with flesh.” So when it was made clear to him he said “I know that God has power over all things.” This was not a question of denial a matter of ignorance or an indication of doubt in divine power for this report is about Ezra ʿUzayr the prophet عليه السلام and it is not possible for the prophets [عليه السلام] to doubt or be ignorant. Rather it was a question of wondering about something extraordinary. In this conversation [Ezra] wanted to be more certain so God showed him that within his [own body] by making him die and then bringing him to life and then reviving his donkey while he watched and he became more and more certain. Asking for certainty from God and using the tactic of pos- ing difficulties are practices of those who are curious to know. Because of that God excused Ezra in this conversation and the increased certainty he sought was made possible for him. Then he said “I know that God has power over all things” in giving life and causing death that is “My knowl- edge has been increased by what I saw. He showed me weighty signs which increased my certainty.” His food and drink did not change in this long period even as his donkey died and his bones decayed.
