The verse refers to an episode of a group of ancient people, who wanted to escape their fate and death either by JAHÄD in the battle-field, or by pestilence, but they were caught by the same plague by God's will when they made sure that they were safe and secure:

      ``Did you not see those who left their homes, in thousands for fear of death, and Allah said to them `Die you All.' Then Allah restored them to life once again?'' To teach a lesson to those who may take lesson of such incidents.

      The phrase: ``ALLAH RESTORED THEM TO LIFE'' denotes their resurrection which occured by the prayer of a prophet named EZEKIEL or HAZGHIYÄL.

      The verse ends in a mention of God's Grace and bounties to mankind saying: (HE RESTORED THEM TO LIFE BECAUSE) Allah is bountiful to mankind, but most of them are not thankful.''

      SHAIKH SADUQ the famous SHIITE scholar has taken this verse to reason for believing that; before the Day of Doom, there is also resurrection for groups of mankind.

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      (The incident of the valley of dry bones and the prayer OF EZEKIEL in the old tastements is as follows:

      ``I felt the powerful presense of the Lord, when His spirit took me down in a valley where it was covered with very many bones of men! I asked myself can ever these bones come back to life? God answered me: `O, Mortal Man! Tell the bones to listen to the word of God; That I am going to put breath into you and bring you back into life! I will give you sinews and muscles, and cover you again with skins, then you will know that I am the Lord your Creator God.'

      While I was telling the bones what the Lord said to them, I heard a rattling noise, and the bones began to join together! While I watched; the bones covered with sinews and muscles, and then with skin, but there was no breath in the bodies! Then the Lord said to me: ``Mortal Man!'' Tell the wind that the SOVEREIGN LORD. Commands you to come from every direction, to breath in these dead bodies, and bring them back to life. I prophesied as I had been told and bodies came to life and stood up. There were enough of them to form an army. Then God said to me: ``Tell the people of Israel that they are like these bones. I the Sovereign Lord am going to open their graves and take them out so that they will know that I am their Lord God.   From: O.T. EZEKIEL - 37:1-14   TRANSLATOR'S NOTE)