ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Shi'ite Creed Concerning Resurrection (Raj'a) Says the Shaykh Abu Ja'far: Our belief concerning resurrection (Raj'a)[^1] is that it is a fact. Verily Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, has said in His Mighty Book: “Bethink thou (O Muhammad) of those of old, who went forth from their habitations in their thousands, [^2] fearing death, and Allah said unto them: Die, and then He brought them back to life” (Qur'an 2:243) .

These people were the residents of 70,000 houses, and they were visited by the plague each year. The rich, on account of their opulence, used to go out; while the poor would remain on account of their poverty. So the plague used to attack lightly those that went; while it raged severely among those that remained. Now those that remained would say: If only we had departed, surely the plague would not have come upon us.

And those that went would say: Had we stayed, it would have attacked us, even as it has attacked them. So they all agreed to depart from their houses collectively when the time of the plague was nigh. Then they all went out and camped on the banks (of a river).[^3] And when they had put down their belongings, Allah cried to them: Die, and they perished, one and all. And the passers-by swept them off from the road, and they remained in that condition as long as Allah willed.

One of the prophets of Israel named Jeremiah passed by them. He said: If Thou willest, O my Lord, Thou couldst revivify, them so that they may inhabit Thy cities,[^4] and beget Thy slaves, and worship Thee with those who worship Thee. And Allah through a revelation asked him: Do you wish that for your sake I should bring them back to life ? The Prophet said: Yes, O my Lord. So Allah revivified them for his sake and sent them with him.

Now these people died and returned to the world and (again) they died at their appointed time. Allah says: “Or (bethink thee of) the like of him (the Prophet Ezra) who, by passing a township which had fallen in utter ruin, [^5] exclaimed, How shall Allah give life to this city, after it has been dead? And Allah caused him to die (for the space of) a hundred years, and then brought him back to life. Allah said: How long hast thou tarried? He (the man) said I have tarried a day or a part of a day.

He said: Nay, but thou hast tarried for a hundred years. Just look at thy food and drink, they have not rotted! And look at thine ass!