[Machine] About this, their souls are like green birds, with hanging lanterns in the Throne, roaming wherever they want, then they return to their lanterns. While they are in this state, their Lord looks at them and asks, "What do you desire?" They reply, "We do not desire anything, for we are in Paradise, roaming wherever we please." When they realize that they have to ask for something, they say, "Our souls should be returned to our bodies, so that we may fight in the cause of Allah and be killed again." When He sees that they do not ask for anything else, He leaves them to their statement. This is mentioned in the narration of Abu Abdullah and in the narration of Al-Muqri. We asked Abdullah bin Mas'ud about the meaning of this verse, "And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, rejoicing." (Quran, 3:169) He said, "Indeed, we have asked about that, then its meaning was mentioned to us."  

عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ كَطَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ لَهَا قَنَادِيلُ مُعَلَّقَةٌ فِي الْعَرْشِ تَسْرَحُ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ ثُمَّ تَأْوِي إِلَى قَنَادِيلِهَا فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِذِ اطَّلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ اطِّلَاعَةً فَيَقُولُ مَا تَشْتَهُونَ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ وَمَا نَشْتَهِي وَنَحْنُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ نَسْرَحُ حَيْثُ شِئْنَا فَإِذَا رَأَوْا أَنْ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلُوا قَالُوا تُرَدُّ أَرْوَاحُنَا فِي أَجْسَادِنَا فَنُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ فَنُقْتَلُ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى فَإِذَا رَأَى أَنْ لَا يَسْأَلُوهُ شَيْئًا تَرَكَهُمْ لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ الْمُقْرِئِ قَالَ سَأَلْنَا عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ ؓ عَنْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ {وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ فَرِحِينَ} [آل عمران 170] قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّا قَدْ سَأَلْنَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مَعْنَاهُ