Bukhtanasar, the tyrannical pagan ruler, had destroyed the city of Al-Quds and several of its adjoining villages. When a man named Uzayr saw his village, he was really sad. The village was in ruins, and no one was in sight. Uzayr said, in despair, “Oh! How will Allah ever bring it to life after its death?” So, Allah took away the soul of Uzayr for a hundred years, and after that period of time, gave him life again.
Seventy years after the death of Uzayr, the city of Al-Quds and all the villages within it were rebuilt. This was because Bukhtanasar had passed away peacefully in his sleep. The Israilites moved back to Al-Quds and made it their capital. Thirty years after the rebuilding and repopulation of the city, Allah resurrected Uzayr. Allah resurrected his eyes firstly, so that he could witness what Allah was doing to him, and how Allah brings life back to his body. When he was fully resurrected, Allah sent down an Angel, who asked him, “How long did you remain dead?” Uzayr replied, “Perhaps, I remained dead for a day, or maybe part of a day.” Allah then told Uzayr, “Nay, you have remained dead for a hundred years, look at your food and your drink, they show no change.” Uzayr looked at the food he had brought with him, such as figs and grapes. They were not rotten or spoilt!
Allah then returned Uzayr's donkey to life. Uzayr observed, as Allah sent a wind that collected the bones of his donkey, which were scattered all around him to his right and left, from all over the area. Allah then brought every bone to its place, until they formed a full skeleton of a donkey. Allah then covered these bones with organs, flesh, nerves, veins and skin. Allah sent an angel who blew life in the nostrils of the donkey, and the donkey started to bray by Allah’s leave. All this occurred while Uzayr was watching.
Uzayr was amazed, and he said, “I know now, that Allah is able to do all things!” He then rode on his donkey and entered his native place, but the people did not recognize him, nor did his household, except the maid, now an old woman. He asked her: “Is this the house of Uzayr?” She said: “Yes, but the people have long forgotten him.” He said: “I am Uzayr, Allah had taken my life for a hundred years and has now returned it to me.” She said, “Uzayr used to be answered when he prayed to Allah. Pray to cure me of blindness if you are truly Uzayr.” He prayed for her and massaged her eyes and took her by the hand. “Stand 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 indeed Ezra.”
Uzayr then met with the new generation of Israilites. At first, they did not believe him, until the maid affirmed that it was him. They said: “None amongst us memorized the Tawrah since Bukhtanasar burned it, except Uzayr; and there was only one copy of the Tawrah, which was hidden by Sarukha. He buried it in the days of Bukhtanasar, in a place none but Uzayr knows.” Uzayr led the people to the hidden place and took out that copy of the Tawrah. The book itself was very ruined.
Fortunately, Uzayr had memorized the whole Tawrah, so he copied it down on a new scripture. But after Uzayr had finally died, the Jews said that Uzayr is the son of Allah, because of his ability to memorize the whole Tawrah and copy it down. And Allah says in verse 259 of Surah al-Baqarah, “We have made of you a sign for the people.”
Source:
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, on Surah al-Baqarah verse 259
Qassas al-Anbiya by Imam Ibn Kathir
Note: This story is extremely similar to the story of Prophet Aramaya, which can be found here. There are a few differences though, like the history of Al-Quds after it was rebuilt. The ending of the stories are entirely different as well.
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