What is "uzair"

Uzair - most often identified with the Judeo-Christian Ezra (, ) - is a figure mentioned in the Qur'an, in the verse , which states that he was revered by the Jews as "the son of God". Jews do not agree with this statement. Historically, Muslim scholars have interpreted this verse as referring to a small group of Jews making such a reverence.

Uzair lived between the times of King Solomon and the time of Zachariah, father of John the Baptist. Although not explicitly mentioned in the Quran among the prophets, Uzair is considered as one by some Muslim scholars, based on Islamic traditions. On the other hand, Muslim scholars such as Mutahhar al-Maqdisi and Djuwayni and notably Ibn Hazm and al-Samaw'al accused Uzair (or one of his disciples) of falsification of the Torah. Several sources state that the Qur'an refers to Jews who began to call Uzair a "son of God" due to his religious achievements.

Gordon Darnell Newby states it may due to misunderstanding of Uzairs's position in the Jewish faith as a Bene Elohim. Other Western scholars, relying on exegetical material from Ibn Abbas and Ibn Qutaybah, consider Uzair not to be Uzair but Azariah, mentioned in the Book of Daniel as Abednego.