Dead Man Revived

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “A party of the Bani Israil set out on a journey. They came to one of their several graveyards in the course of their journey and said to one another, ‘If we should offer two Rakaat Salat and supplicate Allah, The One Full of Glory, perhaps He will revive one of the dead men for us and bring him out that we may ask him about death.’”

“They did what they had suggested. Meanwhile, from one of the graves, a man raised his head. He was wheat-coloured and between his eyes there was a mark of prostration. He addressed these people saying, ‘O you there! What do you intend with me? (Why have you gotten me revived?) I have been dead for the past one hundred years and the fever of death has not yet cooled on me. It is there till now! Pray to Allah, the Glorious, the Majestic, that He may return me to as I was.’” [Ahmad]

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is able to bring the dead to life anytime, but He has set the principle that He will not revive them before the Day of Resurrection. However, there have been instances of the dead being resurrected on the request of a Prophet or pious person so that the living may take a lesson from it.

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) described the resurrected man as having the marks of prostration on his forehead. In other words, he was regular in offering Salat and obedient to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) when he lived on earth. When he was restored to life he expressed displeasure on being brought back to life for despite his having been dead for a hundred years the heat of death had not entirely cooled. This shows that the severity of death lasts for a long period of time. May Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) preserve all believers from the severity of death and the agony of the final moments of life! May He grant us comfort in this world and in the Hereafter and let out graves be gardens of Paradise for us. Aameen!
 
This hadith also tells us that before doing anything important we should offer two Rakaat Salat and make a supplication to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). This is Mustahabb and it will invite the mercy and blessings of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) on what we do. The blessings through Salat ensure goodness in all our affairs and they become accomplished easily. This is why Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) commands believers: “O you who believe! Seek help in perseverance and prayer.” [Quran 2:153]