Once, a priest sent four questions to Sayyidina Umar (RA).He demanded that the answers be given from divine books only viz. Taurah, Injeel, Zaboor, Qur’aan. Here are the questions.
1. First question: Who are the twins that were born of the same mother on the same day and died on the same day,but the one was a hundred years elder than the other? In fact, is this at all possible?
2. Second question: Which surface of the earth was exposed to the sun once only and till doomsday, it will not be exposed again?
3. Third question: Which grave was mobile and had in it a living corpse? Being mobile, it took its occupant from place to place? Eventually,the “living corpse” left its grave, and lived a normal life.
4. Fourth question: Which is the prisoner that doesn’t breathe yet remains alive?
On reading these questions, Sayyidina umar (RA) requested Sayyidina Ibne Abbas (RA) to answer the questions.
Here are his answers:
I begin in the name of Allah, Most Kind, Most Merciful.
Answer to question 1:
Dear priest, with regards to the twins, one of them was Allah’s beloved messenger, Uzair (AS) and the other his brother.
Their birth and death were on the same day. But during the course of life, Allah gave Uzair (AS) death for a hundred years before making him alive again. After becoming alive, Uzair (AS) lived with his family for some time. Then both, he and his brother, died on the same day. Thus his brother lived one hundred years more than Uzair (AS).
Answer to question 2:
The surface of the earth that was exposed to the sun just once and will not be exposed again till the last day, is that part of the river nile which became a temporary pathway for Sayyidina Moosa (AS) and his followers when firown was in pursuit. As commanded by Allah, Moosa (AS) struck the water with his staff. The water gave way and a path appeared. It is this piece of land that was exposed to the sun. Firown and his army followed them into the river. As soon as Moosa (AS) and his followers cleared the river, it resumed its flow, drowning firown and his people.
Answer to question 3:
The mobile grave with its living corpse was the fish that swallowed Sayyidina Yoonus (AS) and swam here and there. But Yoonus (AS) left its belly and lived for some time before dying a natural death.
Answer to question 4:
The prisoner that does not breathe in its prison yet lives, is the unborn baby in its mothers womb.
On reading these answers, the priest was awestruck. he exclaimed that it seems that even today the Prophet of the Muslims is amongst them, for none other that a prophet can answer these questions.
Extracted from the book: WIT, WISDOM & HUMOUR(PART 1) by HAZRAT MOULANA AHMAD MUHAMMAD HATHURANI (RA)