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Ayah
Word by Word
أَءِذَا
What! When
مِتۡنَا
we die
وَكُنَّا
and have become
تُرَابٗاۖ
dust
ذَٰلِكَ
That
رَجۡعُۢ
(is) a return
بَعِيدٞ
far
أَءِذَا
What! When
مِتۡنَا
we die
وَكُنَّا
and have become
تُرَابٗاۖ
dust
ذَٰلِكَ
That
رَجۡعُۢ
(is) a return
بَعِيدٞ
far
Translation
"What! When we die and become dust, (shall we live again?) That is a (sort of) return far (from our understanding)."
Tafsir
What! (read a-idhaa pronouncing both hamzas, or not pronouncing the second, but inserting an alif between the two in both cases) When we are dead and have become dust?, shall we return [to life]? That is a farfetched return!', [an event that is] extremely remote.
Tafsir of Surah Qaaf
Allah swears:
ق وَالۡقُرۡانِ الۡمَجِيدِ
Qaf, By the Glorious Qur'an.
Qaf, which is one of the letters of the alphabet that are mentioned in the beginning of some Surahs, such as,
ص
(Sad) (38:1),
ن
(Nun) (68:1),
الم
(Alif Lam Mim) (2:1),
حم
(Ha Mim) (40:1), and
طس
(Ta Sin) (28:1) and etc.,
Mujahid and several others said this.
We also discussed this in the beginning of the explanation of Surah Al-Baqarah, and therefore, it is not necessary to repeat it here.
The Disbelievers wonder at the Message and Resurrection Allah said,
Allah swears:
وَالۡقُرۡانِ الۡمَجِيدِ
By the Glorious Qur'an.
means by the Honorable and Great Qur'an, which,
لااَّ يَأۡتِيهِ الۡبَـطِلُ مِن بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَلَا مِنۡ خَلۡفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنۡ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ
Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it:(it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise. (41:42)
The subject of the oath contained in this Ayah is specified afterwards, even though it does not appear by word, emphasizing Prophethood, resurrection and affirming that they are true.
There are similar kinds of oaths in the Qur'an, whose subject is included in the meaning but not by word, such as,
ص وَالۡقُرۡءَانِ ذِى الذِّكۡرِ
بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ فِى عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ
Sad. By the Qur'an full of reminding. Nay, those who disbelieve are in false pride and opposition. (38:1-2)
Allah said here,
ق وَالۡقُرۡانِ الۡمَجِيدِ
بَلۡ عَجِبُوا أَن جَاءهُمۡ مُنذِرٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ فَقَالَ الۡكَافِرُونَ هَذَا شَيۡءٌ عَجِيبٌ
Qaf. By the Glorious Qur'an. Nay, they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves. So the disbelievers say:This is a strange thing!
They wondered at the wisdom behind sending a Messenger who is a human being. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said in another Ayah
أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنۡ أَوۡحَيۡنَأ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَنۡ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ
Is it a wonder for mankind that We have sent Our revelation to a man from among themselves (saying):Warn mankind. (10:2),
meaning, this is not strange, for Allah chooses Messengers from angels and humans.
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored mentioned that the disbelievers also wondered about the Resurrection and discounted its coming,
أَيِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا ذَلِكَ رَجۡعٌ بَعِيدٌ
When we are dead and have become dust. That is a far return.
They said, `after we die, disintegrate, with our organs torn apart and we become dust, how can we be brought back to our original shape and bodies,'
ذَلِكَ رَجۡعٌ بَعِيدٌ
(That is a far return). `it is not likely that it will ever occur.'
They thought that Resurrection was far from happening and will never occur.
Allah the Exalted responded to their statement by saying
قَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا مَا تَنقُصُ الاَۡرۡضُ مِنۡهُمۡ
We know that which the earth takes of them.
meaning, `We know what the earth consumes of their dead bodies.' Where and how the bodies disintegrated, what they turned into and how they have become, all of this is never absent from Allah's knowledge.
وَعِندَنَا كِتَابٌ حَفِيظٌ
and with Us is a Book preserved,
`that keeps all records. Therefore, Our knowledge is encompassing and the Book of decrees has everything precisely recorded in it.
Al-`Awfi narrated that Abdullah bin Abbas commented on the statement of Allah the Exalted,
قَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا مَا تَنقُصُ الاَۡرۡضُ مِنۡهُمۡ
(We know that which the earth takes of them),
It refers to what the earth consumes of their flesh, skin, bones and hair.
A similar view was recorded from Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and several others.
Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, explained the reason behind their disbelief, rebellion and discounting the possibility of what is truly possible,
بَلۡ كَذَّبُوا بِالۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءهُمۡ فَهُمۡ فِي أَمۡرٍ مَّرِيجٍ
Nay, but they have denied the truth when it has come to them, so they are in a Marij state.
This is the state of all those who defy the Truth:whatever they say and utter after denying the Truth, is utterly false.
Marij means, in disarray, in a confused state and defying the characteristics of the Truth.
Allah the Exalted said in other Ayah,
إِنَّكُمۡ لَفِى قَوۡلٍ مُّخۡتَلِفٍ
يُوۡفَكُ عَنۡهُ مَنۡ أُفِكَ
Certainly, you have different ideas. Turned aside therefrom is he who is turned aside. (51:8-9)
Allah's Power and Ability over what is Greater than Resurrection
Allah the Exalted notifies the servants of His infinite power, which He demonstrated by creating what is bigger than that which they wondered about and whose possibility they discount,
أَفَلَمۡ يَنظُرُوا إِلَى السَّمَاء
فَوۡقَهُمۡ كَيۡفَ بَنَيۡنَاهَا وَزَيَّنَّاهَا
Have they not looked at the heaven above them, how We have made it and adorned it, (with lamps);
وَمَا لَهَا مِن فُرُوجٍ
and there are no Furuj in it.
i.e., clefts, according to Mujahid.
Others said that Furuj means, rifts, or cracks.
All these meanings are close to one another.
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,
الَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبۡعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقًا مَّا تَرَى فِى خَلۡقِ الرَّحۡمَـنِ مِن تَفَـوُتٍ فَارۡجِعِ الۡبَصَرَ هَلۡ تَرَى مِن فُطُورٍ
ثُمَّ اۡرجِعِ البَصَرَ كَرَّتَيۡنِ يَنقَلِبۡ إِلَيۡكَ البَصَرُ خَاسِيًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ
Who has created the seven heavens one above another; you can see no fault in the creation of the Most Gracious. Then look again:Can you see any rifts Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn out. (67:3-4)
fatigued, unable to discover any imperfection or shortcomings.
The statement of Allah the Exalted, the Blessed
وَالاۡاَرۡضَ مَدَدۡنَاهَا
And the earth! We have spread it out,
means, `We made it spacious and spread it out,'
وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ
and set thereon Rawasi standing firm.
which are the mountains to save the earth from shaking along with its inhabitants,
وَأَنبَتۡنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوۡجٍ بَهِيجٍ
and We planted in it every lovely (Bahij) pair.
(every kind and species of plant, fruit and vegetation),
وَمِن كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ
And of everything We have created pairs that you may reflect. (51:49)
Allah's saying `Bahij', meaning a beautiful scene,
تَبۡصِرَةً وَذِكۡرَى لِكُلِّ عَبۡدٍ مُّنِيبٍ
An insight and a Reminder for every servant who turns to Allah in repentance.
Allah says that observing the creation of the heavens and earth and all the great things that He has placed in them provides insight, proof and a lesson for every penitent servant who submits in humbleness and repentance to Allah feeling fear, in awe of Him.
Allah the Exalted said
وَنَزَّلۡنَا مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء مُّبَارَكًا
And We send down blessed water from the sky, (meaning beneficial),
فَأَنبَتۡنَا بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ
then We produce therewith Jannat,
means special and public parks, gardens, etc.
وَحَبَّ الۡحَصِيدِ
and grain that are reaped,
(grains that are harvested for food and for storage for later use)
وَالنَّخۡلَ بَاسِقَاتٍ
And date palms Basiqat,
meaning, tall and high, according to the explanation reported from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and As-Suddi.
Allah said,
لَّهَا طَلۡعٌ نَّضِيدٌ
with arranged clusters.
means, producing fruits arranged in clusters
رِزۡقًا لِّلۡعِبَادِ
A provision for (Allah's) servants. (for (Allah's) creation),
وَأَحۡيَيۡنَا بِهِ بَلۡدَةً مَّيۡتًا
And We give life therewith to a dead land.
this is the land that was barren. However, when rain falls upon it, it is stirred to life; it swells and produces all of the lovely pairs such as flowers and the like -- amazing on account of their beauty. All of this comes into existence after the land was without greenery, yet it was stirred back to life and became green. Indeed, this should provide proof of Resurrection after death and disintegration; thus Allah resurrects the dead. This sign of Allah's ability that is seen and witnessed is greater than the denial of those who discount the possibility of Resurrection. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said in other Ayat,
لَخَلۡقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ أَكۡـبَرُ مِنۡ خَلۡقِ النَّاسِ
The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; (40:57),
and,
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاۡ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ وَلَمۡ يَعۡىَ بِخَلۡقِهِنَّ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحۡىِ الۡمَوۡتَى بَلَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead. Yes, He surely is Able to do all things. (46:33)
and,
وَمِنۡ ءَايَـتِهِ أَنَّكَ تَرَى الاٌّرۡضَ خَـشِعَةً فَإِذَا أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهَا الۡمَأءَ اهۡتَزَّتۡ وَرَبَتۡ إِنَّ الَّذِى أَحۡيَـهَا لَمُحۡىِ الۡمَوۡتَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيرٌ
And among His signs (is this), that you see the earth barren; but when We send down water to it, it is stirred to life and growth. Verily, He Who gives it life, surely is able to give life to the dead. Indeed He is Able to do all things. (41:39)
كَذَلِكَ الۡخُرُوجُ
Thus will be the Resurrection.
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