Parable of the hamlet in ruins verse 2:259

[Ali Ziyad]

Assalam Alaikum.   The Qur'anic verse reads:
Or [consider such an example] as the one who passed by a hamlet which had fallen into ruin. He said, "How will Allah bring this to life after its death?" So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years; then He revived him. He said, "How long have you remained?" The man said, "I have remained a day or part of a day." He said, "Rather, you have remained one hundred years. Look at your food and your drink; it has not changed with time. And look at your donkey; and We will make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones [of this donkey] - how We raise them and then We cover them with flesh." And when it became clear to him, he said, "I know that Allah is over all things competent."—  Qur'an, Surah 2 (Al-Baqara), ayah 259.

In this verse God Almighty tells us the incident where a man whom God caused to die was brought back to life by Him after one hundred years.  The donkey he was riding on was also made to die. When God raised the man up to life, God showed him how the donkey had turned into bones and then raised to life as well. But the man’s food was still fine after hundred years.  My question is, how would the unaffected food prove to the man that he was asleep (dead) for hundred years?  The verse about the food says “Look at your food and your drink; it has not changed with time.”  I first thought “it has not changed ..” is a misprint.  But I checked all translations of this verse and all say the same.  Can you kindly clarify what this means.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Walaikum As Salam.  Yes of course this can be clarified, Alhumdulilah.  That part of Verse 2:259 which you referred to is not a misprint.  It’s precisely what Allah means.

In this parable Allah tells us about a man travelling on his donkey with some food, passing by a village that was abandoned, in ruins and lifeless.  As the man was a skeptic, he wondered how Allah would bring life to this village again, leading to the question, how would Allah resurrect the dead on the Day of Judgement?  Subsequently, Allah showed His portent by causing the man to die and then revived him. The donkey’s remains had turned into bones and Allah brought it back to life in front of the man.  The food that did not rot was yet another portent of Allah shown to the man to prove that Allah can do whatever He wishes.  Normally it is impossible to imagine that food can ever stay fresh for 100 years. Yet, with Allah’s unlimited Power and Ability, nothing is impossible. Thus, Allah caused death and life to the man and his donkey over a period of 100 years, but caused the food to stay fresh for 100 years, all miracles that can only be performed by Allah and none else.  This parable demonstrates the Divine Power of  “Kun Faya Kun” (‘Be’ and it is).


Related post for reference:

Visions of Ezekiel - What does the Quran say about it?

[Ali Ziyad]

Okay, I follow it now.  Thank you very much sister.  I wouldn't be able to understand as well without your explanation.