God and Time & The Example of 100 years (2:259)
Quran Talk Blog · Article · February 16, 2015
Lesson About Death*
2:259 Consider the one who passed by a ghost town and wondered, “How can GOD revive this after it had died?” GOD then put him to death for a hundred years, then resurrected him. He said, “How long have you stayed here?” He said, “I have been here a day, or part of the day.” He said, “No! You have been here a hundred years. Yet, look at your food and drink; they did not spoil. Look at your donkey – we thus render you a lesson for the people. Now, note how we construct the bones, then cover them with flesh.” When he realized what had happened, he said, “Now I know that GOD is Omnipotent.”
*2:259 The lesson we learn here is that the period of death – only the unrighteous die; the righteous go straight to Heaven – passes like one day (see 18:19 -25 and Appendix 17).