Tafsir of Surah As-Saffat - Verse 14

The Certainty of Life after Death

Allah says: `Ask these people, those who deny the resurrection, which is harder to create Are they more difficult to create or the heavens, the earth, the angels, devils, the mighty creatures -- everything in between them' Ibn Mas`ud said that they admitted that these things were harder to create than they were. If this is the case, then why do they deny the resurrection, when they see things that are greater than that which they deny As Allah says:

لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not) (40:57) Then Allah explains that they were created from something weak, as He says:

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُم مِّن طِينٍ لاَّزِبٍ

(Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.) Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak said, "This is the useful kind of mud which sticks to itself." Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and `Ikrimah said, "It is sticky and useful." Qatadah said, "It is that which sticks to the hand."

بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخُرُونَ

(Nay, you wondered while they mock.) means, `you were astounded, O Muhammad, at these people who denied the resurrection whilst you were certain that it is true, when they disbelieved in what Allah told you of this wondrous matter, which is the re-creation of their bodies after they have disintegrated. They oppose what you say because of their intense disbelief and they make fun of what you tell them about that.' Qatadah said, "Muhammad was astounded by the mockery of the misguided ones among the sons of Adam."

وَإِذَا رَأَوْاْ ءَايَةً

(And when they see an Ayah) means, clear evidence and proof,

يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ

(they mock at it.) Mujahid and Qatadah said, "They make fun of it."

وَقَالُواْ إِن هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(And they say: "This is nothing but evident magic!") means, `this that you have brought is nothing but plain magic.'

أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً وَعِظَـماً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ - أَوَ ءَابَآؤُنَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ

(When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we (then) verily be resurrected And also our fathers of old) They thought that this was unlikely to happen, and they did not believe it.

قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَخِرُونَ

(Say: "Yes, and you shall then be humiliated".) means, `tell them, O Muhammad: Yes, you will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection, after you have become dust and bones, and you will be humiliated,' i.e., put to shame before His great might. This is like the Ayat:

وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَخِرِينَ

(And all shall come to Him, humbled) (27:87), and

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ

(Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!) (40:60) Then Allah says:

فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ

(It will be a single Zajrah, and behold, they will be staring!) means, it will be a single command from Allah, He will call them once to come forth from the earth, then they will be standing before Him, staring at the horrors of the Day of Resurrection. And Allah knows best.

As for reported proofs, their reaction is: وَإِذَا رَ‌أَوْا آيَةً يَسْتَسْخِرُ‌ونَ (And when they see a sign, they make a fun of it - 37:14). It means if they see a miracle that confirms the veracity of his prophethood, and the belief in 'Akhirah ultimately, they ridicule even something so serious and dismiss it by saying that it was nothing but clear magic. Why would they so scoff and jeer? Did they have some basis, some argument in support?

They did and it was: أَإِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَ‌ابًا وَعِظَامًا أَإِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ أَوَآبَاؤُنَا الْأَوَّلُونَ (Is it when we have died and become dust and bones, that we shall be raised again, and even our fathers of a foretime?"- 16-17). In other words, the problem of comprehension that confronted them was as to how in the world could they - once they and their forefathers had become dust and bones - be brought back to life all over again. They were really not willing to admit any proof in this matter, neither that of reason nor that of miracle. Allah Ta’ ala has chosen to answer their question in a single sentence at the end in the words: قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَاخِرُ‌ونَ (Say, "Yes - and you shall be disgraced (too) !" - 37:18)

Outwardly, this is a dismissive answer, as is usually given to rigid people. But, a little deliberation would reveal that it happens to be a full-fledged argument as well. Imam Razi has explained it in Tafsir Kabir. He says: By the rational proof of resurrection given earlier, it already stands established that the rising of human beings once again after death is not something impossible. Then, the rule is that the physical happening of anything rationally possible can be proved on the authority of the statement of someone who is harbinger of nothing but the truth. So, once this much is settled that rising again is possible, then, should some true prophet of Allah simply say thereafter: 'Yes, you shall definitely-rise again," this will be an absolute proof that the said event is bound to happen.

The universe as we observe from the earth is so complicated and so extensive that the re-creation of human beings in the next world appears to be a work of comparatively smaller magnitude. A greater specimen of the creative power of the Creator is before us, then why should it be impossible for that Creator to engage in creation on a lesser scale? On analysing the human body, it appears that it is a combination of earthly components. Man is made up of substances found on earth, such as water, calcium, iron, sodium, etc. All these are found in our world in abundance, then by utilising the same elements from which He once created human beings, can He not re-create man?