Prophet Hizqeel (Ezekiel)
6th century BCE (Babylonian exile; traditional identification with Ezekiel).
Hizqeel (Ezekiel) is the prophet identified with the one shown the resurrection of the dead. According to Ibn 'Abbas, the place was called Damardan; its people were inflicted with plague, so they fled, while a group who remained perished. The Angel of Death called to the survivors "Die you all" and they perished. After a long time the prophet Ezekiel passed by and stood wondering over them, twisting his jaws and fingers. Allah revealed: "Do you want Me to show you how I bring them back to life?" He said: "Yes." A voice said: "Call: O you bones, Allah commands you to gather up." The bones flew one to the other until they became skeletons. Then he was to call them to put on flesh and blood and the clothes in which they had died; then to rise. They rose and said: "Blessed are You, O Lord, and all praise is Yours." Ibn 'Abbas said the resurrected were four thousand; Ibn Salih said nine thousand. After him the Israelites deviated and worshipped idols including Ba'l, so Allah sent Elyas.
"Did you not think of those who went forth from their homes in thousands, fearing death? Allah said to them: Die. And then He restored them to life. Truly Allah is full of bounty to mankind." (Al-Baqarah 2:243) Muhammad ibn Ishaq stated that when Allah took Joshua (Kalih ibn Yofra), Ezekiel ibn Buzi succeeded him as prophet to the Israelites. The people had fled from Palestine for fear of the plague and settled on a plateau. Allah said to them: "Die you all," and they all perished. Centuries passed; then Ezekiel, passing by, stopped over them wondering. There came a voice: "Do you want Allah to resurrect them while you watch?" He said: "Yes." He was commanded to call those bones to join one to the other and to be covered with flesh. He called them by the power of Allah and the people arose and glorified Allah in one voice.
In this story
- Those who went forth fearing death (Al-Baqarah 2:243)
- The resurrection at Damardan (Ibn 'Abbas)
- After Ezekiel
Where the Quran tells it
- Al-Baqarah 2:243
- Al-Baqarah 2:259