Surah Al Hajj Tafseer

Evidence of the Resurrection in the creation of Man and of Plants

When Allah speaks of disbelief in the Resurrection, He also mentions the evidence of His power and ability to resurrect that is evident from the way He initiates creation.

Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِّنَ الْبَعْثِ

O mankind!

If you are in doubt about the Resurrection,

which means the time when souls and bodies will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection,

فَإِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ

then verily, We have created you from dust,

meaning, `you were originally created from dust', which is what Adam, peace be upon him, was created from.

ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ

then from a Nutfah,

meaning,

ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِن سُلَلَةٍ مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ

then He made his offspring from semen of despised water. (32:8)

The Development of the Nutfah and Embryo in the Womb

Allah says:

ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ مِن مُّضْغَةٍ

then from a clot then from a little lump of flesh,

if the Nutfah establishes itself in the woman's womb, it stays like that for forty days, then more material is added to it and it changes into a red clot, by the leave of Allah, and it remains like that for forty days.

Then it changes and becomes a lump of flesh, like a piece of meat with no form or shape. Then it starts to take on a form and shape, developing a head, arms, chest, stomach, thighs, legs, feet and all its members.

Sometimes a woman miscarries before the fetus is formed and sometimes she miscarries after it has formed. As Allah says:

ثُمَّ مِن مُّضْغَةٍ

مُّخَلَّقَةٍ وَغَيْرِ مُخَلَّقَةٍ

then from a little lump of flesh -- some formed and some unformed,

meaning, as you see.

لِّنُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَنُقِرُّ فِي الاَْرْحَامِ مَا نَشَاء إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى

that We may make (it) clear to you. And We cause whom We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed term,

meaning that sometimes the fetus remains in the womb and is not miscarried.

Mujahid said about the ayah,

مُّخَلَّقَةٍ وَغَيْرِ مُخَلَّقَةٍ

(some formed and some unformed),

"This means the miscarried fetus, formed or unformed. When forty days have passed of it being a lump of flesh, then Allah sends an angel to it who breathes the soul into it and forms it as Allah wills, handsome or ugly, male or female. He then writes its provision, its allotted length of life and whether it is to be one of the blessed or the wretched."

It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Mas`ud said,

"The Messenger of Allah, who is the true and truly inspired one, told us:

إِنَّ خَلْقَ أَحَدِكُمْ يُجْمَعُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ يَكُونُ عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ اللهُ إِلَيْهِ الْمَلَكَ فَيُوْمَرُ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ بِكَتْبِ رِزْقِهِ وَعَمَلِهِ وَأَجَلِهِ وَشَقِيٌّ أَوْ سَعِيدٌ ثُمَّ يُنْفَخُ فِيهِ الرُّوح

Every one of you is collected in the womb of his mother for the first forty days, and then he becomes a clot for another forty days, and then a lump of flesh for another forty days. Then Allah sends an angel to write four words:He writes his provision, his deeds, his life span, and whether he will be blessed or wretched. Then he blows the soul into him."

Man's Development from Infancy to Old Age

His saying;

ثُمَّ نُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلً

then We bring you out as infants,

means, weak in his body, hearing, sight, senses, stamina and mind.

Then Allah gives him strength, gradually and causes his parents to treat him with tender kindness night and day.

Allah says:

ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوا أَشُدَّكُمْ

then (give you growth) that you may reach your age of full strength.

meaning, his strength increases until he reaches the vitality and handsomeness of youth.

وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّى

And among you there is he who dies,

means, when he is young and strong.

وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ

and among you there is he who is brought back to the miserable old age,

meaning advanced old age with its weakness in mind and body, in steady decline in comprehension, and disability to grasp.

As Allah says:

لِكَيْلَ يَعْلَمَ مِن بَعْدِ عِلْمٍ شَيْيًا

so that he knows nothing after having known.

اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفاً وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَأءُ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْقَدِيرُ

Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after strength gave (you) weakness and grey hair. He creates what He wills. And it is He Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful. (30:54)

Another Parable of the Resurrection from Plants

Allah says:

وَتَرَى الاَْرْضَ هَامِدَةً

And you see the earth Hamidatan,

This is another sign of the power of Allah to bring the dead back to life, just as He brings the dead, barren earth back to life, the lifeless earth in which nothing grows.

Qatadah said,

"This means, the eroded, dusty earth."

As-Suddi said,

"Dead."

فَإِذَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاء اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ وَأَنبَتَتْ مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَهِيجٍ

but when We send down water on it, it is stirred (to life), and it swells and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth).

When Allah sends the rain upon it, it is stirred to life, that is, vegetation begins to grow and it comes alive after it was dead. Then it rises after the soil had settled, then it puts forth its different kinds of fruit and crops with all their varied colours, tastes, fragrances, shapes and benefits.

Allah says:

وَأَنبَتَتْ مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَهِيجٍ

and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth).

meaning, beautiful in appearance and with delightful fragrances