Author: Abu Ayesha
Resurrection After Death (part three)
Resurrection from the Perspective of the Quran
The importance and necessity of the subject of resurrection are given great attention in the verses of the Noble Quran. More than one quarter of the verses of the Quran deal with resurrection, and scarcely any surah can be found in which there is no mention of resurrection and life after death. It may even be difficult to find a single page of the Quran without some reference to matters related to resurrection. These verses emphasize its significance in human life through various expressions. Most of these surahs were revealed in Makkah al-Mukarramah at the beginning of the mission of Muhammad (PBUH), which indicates the extraordinary importance of the issue of resurrection from the perspective of the Quran and the Messenger of Islam (PBUH).
The Noble Messenger (PBUH) laid the foundations of Islam in Makkah al-Mu‘azzamah, and for this purpose he sought assistance through strengthening belief in resurrection. Therefore, the verses revealed in Makkah—since they were meant to consolidate the foundations of Islam—mostly deal with resurrection, the Day of Judgment, Paradise and Hell, or describe the punishments of Hell, or portray the scenes of the gathering and disgrace on the Day of Resurrection. It was in presenting this very issue and explaining these beliefs that the Noble Messenger of Islam (PBUH) endured severe hardships and painful persecutions from the polytheists, just as other divine prophets (Peace be upon them) were subjected to many accusations, to the extent that he was even called mad. [1]
The Noble Quran refers to this matter in verses 7 and 8 of Surah Saba’ and says: «وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَلْ نَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ إِذَا مُزِّقْتُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّكُمْ لَفِي خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَمْ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ۚ بَلِ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ فِي الْعَذَابِ وَالضَّلَالِ الْبَعِيدِ [2] » Translation: “And those who disbelieved said: ‘Shall we point you to a man who informs you that when you have been completely torn to pieces, you will indeed be in a new creation? Has he fabricated a lie against Allah, or is there madness in him?’ Rather, those who do not believe in the Hereafter are in punishment and far astray.”)
In many other verses as well, reference is made to the disbelief of the disbelievers and polytheists of the time of the Noble Messenger of Allah (PBUH) regarding the issue of resurrection and rising after death. Allah the Exalted says in other verses: «وَإِذَا رَأَوْا آيَةً يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ وَقَالُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ أَإِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَإِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ أَوَآبَاؤُنَا الْأَوَّلُونَ [3] » Translation: “And when they see a sign, they ridicule it, and they say: ‘This is nothing but clear magic. When we have died and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be resurrected? And also, our forefathers?’”
At times it happened that some of the deniers would take a decayed bone in their hands, crush it in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and mockingly and astonishingly ask: «وضرب لنا مثلا ونسي خلقه قال من یحیي العظام وهي رمیم قل یحییها الذي أنشاها أول مرة وهو بکل خلق علیم [4] » Translation: “And he strikes for Us an example and forgets his own creation. He says: ‘Who will give life to these bones when they are decayed?’ Say: ‘He will give them life Who produced them the first time, and He is Knowing of every creation.’”
In any case, this obstinacy and stubborn resistance to the call of the Messenger of Islam (PBUH) and the presentation of the issue of resurrection reached the point that they explicitly denied resurrection and rising after death and said: «إن هی إلا حیاتنا الدنیا نموت ونحیا وما نحن بمبعوثین [5] » Translation: “There is nothing but our worldly life; we die and we live, and we shall not be resurrected.”
Belief in the resurrection of the servants for reckoning and recompense is one of the principles of faith and denying and rejecting it amounts to denial of Allah the Exalted and disbelief in Him.
Allah the Exalted says regarding this: «بل کذبوا بالساعة وأعتدنا لمن کذب بالساعة سعیرا [6] » Translation: “Rather, they have denied the Hour, and We have prepared for those who deny the Hour a blazing fire.”
Allah the Exalted has mentioned resurrection and rising after death in many verses, among them: «یا أیها الناس إن کنتم في ریب من البعث فإنا خلقناکم من تراب ثم من نطفة [7] …» Translation: “O people! If you are in doubt about the resurrection, then indeed We created you from dust, then from a drop…”
And in another place, He says: «یخرج الحي من المیت ویخرج المیت من الحي ویحیي الأرض بعد موتها وکذلک تخرجون [8] » Translation: “He brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living, and He revives the earth after its death; and thus, you will be brought forth.”
To be continued…
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References:
- [Makki, Dr. Majd, A Complete Collection of the Beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah, translated by. Fayz Muhammad Baluch, vol. 2, p. 635, 1394 SH]
- [Surah Saba’: 7–8]
- [Surah As-Saffat: 14–17]
- [Surah Ya-Sin: 78–79]
- [Surah Al-Mu’minun: 37]
- [Surah Al-Furqan: 11]
- [Surah Al-Hajj: 5]
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[Surah Ar-Rum: 19]
