Q. Salam Rabbi. The name for Uzayir in all the manuscripts is
عزير بن مروه (Uzayir bin Marwah). Maybe you have some idea as to who this
individual was?
A. wa aleikum salaam wa rahmatullah
I think Uzayir was Nehemiah ben Hushiel. According to tentative
reconstruction, Hushiel was the 35th exilarch, son of Hofnai 32nd Exilarch, son
of Ahunai [Huna-Mar II] son of Mar Zutra II who was crucified by Persian king
in 520CE. This provides several "Mar" that could potentially
have something to do with Marwa.
I propose that Nehemiah ben Hushiel of Jewish apocalyptic
literature was the same as the Persian governor appointed over Jerusalem
recorded by Sebeos.
I believe that he was called "son of God" because he
was an Exilarch, descendant of David "ben David", who's grandfather
was crucified. He was thought to be the Messiah. When the Persians invaded in
614 CE and many Christians converted to Judaism. I speculate that they took
Nehemiah to be the "Christ".
Uzrair (Ezra) is the Hebrew equivalent of Aramaic Sayyid. A
common appellation of the Exilarch was Sayidna ben David, which would be Ezra
son of David.
Sayid means "helper" in Aramaic.
Ezra means "helper" in Hebrew
Ezra and Uzayir are same linguistically
The appellation Uzayr as son of God would make sense if it was a
reference to someone believed to be the messiah. I speculate that such a
dramatic event as a Jewish Messianic claimant being made governor of Jerusalem
in 614CE would explain why it features so prominently in the Qur'an, yet all
trace disappeared quickly afterward.
