The Event, The Inevitable, That Which is Coming — Verse 62

For verily you have known the first creation al-nashā’ata a variant reading has al-nash’ata why then will you not remember? tadhakkarūna the original second tā’ of tatadhakkarūna has been assimilated with the dhāl.

ولقد علمتم أن الله أنشأكم النشأة الأولى ولم تكونوا شيئًا، فهلا تذكَّرون قدرة الله على إنشائكم مرة أخرى.

ثم قال تعالى "ولقد علمتم النشأة الأولى فلولا تذكرون" أي قد علمتم أن الله أنشأكم بعد أن لم تكونوا شيئا مذكورا فخلقكم وجعل لكم السمع والأبصار والأفئدة فهلا تتذكرون وتعرفون أن الذي قدر على هذه النشأة وهي البداءة قادر على النشأة الأخرى وهي الإعادة بطريق الأولى والأخرى كما قال تعالى "وهو الذي يبدأ الخلق ثم يعيده وهو أهون عليه" وقال تعالى "أو لا يذكر الإنسان أنا خلقناه من قبل ولم يك شيئا" "أو لم ير الإنسان أنا خلقناه من نطفة فإذا هو خصيم مبين وضرب لنا مثلا ونسي خلقه قال من يحيى العظام وهي رميم قل يحييها الذي أنشأها أول مرة وهو بكل خلق عليم" وقال تعالى "أيحسب الإنسان أن يترك سدى ألم يك نطفة من مني يمنى ثم كان علقة فخلق فسوى فجعل منه الزوجين الذكر والأنثى أليس ذلك بقادر على أن يحيى الموتى".

ثم لفت - سبحانه - أنظارهم إلى ما يعلمونه من حالهم فقال : ( وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النشأة الأولى فَلَوْلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ ) .أى : والله لقد علمتم النشأة الأولى من خلقكم ، حيث أوجدناكم من نطفة فعلقة فمضغة . . فهلا تذكرتم ذلك وعقلتموه ، وعرفتم أن من قدر على خلقكم ولم تكونوا شيئا مذكورا . . . قادر على إعادتكم إلى الحياة مرة أخرى؟فالمقصود بهذه الآيات الكريمة إقامة الأدلة الساطعة ، على إمكانية البعث وعلى أن من قدر على خلق الإنسان مع العدم قادر على إعادته .قال القرطبى : وفى الخبر : عجبا كل العجب للمكذب بالنشأة الأخرى ، وهو يرى النشأة الأولى . وعجبا للمصدق بالنشأة الآخرة ، وهو لا يسعى لدار القرار .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الأُولَى فَلَوْلا تَذَكَّرُونَ (62)يقول تعالى ذكره: ولقد علمتم أيها الناس الإحداثة الأولى التي أحدثناكموها، ولم تكونوا من قبل ذلك شيئًا.وبنحو الذين قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء جميعا، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، في قوله: (النَّشْأَةَ الأولَى ) قال: إذ لم تكونوا شيئًا.حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: (وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الأولَى ) يعني خلق آدم لستَ سائلا أحدًا من الخلق إلا أنبأك أن الله خلق آدم من طين.حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا ابن ثور، عن معمر، عن قتادة (وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الأولَى ) قال: هو خلق آدم.حدثني محمد بن موسى الحرسي، قال: ثنا جعفر بن سليمان، قال: سمعت أبا عمران الجوني يقرأ هذه الآية (وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الأولَى ) قال: هو خلق آدم.وقوله: (فَلَوْلا تَذَكَّرُونَ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: فهلا تذكرون أيها الناس، فتعلموا أن الذي أنشأكم النشأة الأولى، ولم تكونوا شيئا، لا يتعذّر عليه أن يعيدكم من بعد مماتكم وفنائكم أحياء.

( ولقد علمتم النشأة الأولى ) الخلقة الأولى ولم تكونوا شيئا .( فلولا تذكرون ) أني قادر على إعادتكم كما قدرت على إبدائكم .

وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَى فَلَوْلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ (62(أعقب دليل إمكان البعث المستند للتنبيه على صلاحية القدرة الإِلهية لذلك ولسد منافذ الشبهة بدليل من قياس التمثيل ، وهو تشبيه النشأة الثانية بالنشأة الأولى المعلومة عندهم بالضرورة ، فنبهوا ليقيسوا عليها النشأة الثانية في أنها إنشاء من أثر قدرة الله وعلمه ، وفي أنهم لا يحيطون علماً بدقائق حصولها .فالعلم المنفي في قوله : { فيما لا تعلمون } [ الواقعة : 61 ] ، هو العلم التفصيلي ، والعلم المثبت في قوله : { ولقد علمتم النشأة الأولى } هو العلم الإجمالي ، والإجمالي كاففٍ في الدلالة على التفصيلي إذ لا أثر للتفصيل في الاعتقاد .وفي المقابلة بين قوله : { في ما لا تعلمون } [ الواقعة : 61 ] بقوله : { ولقد علمتم } محسّن الطباق .ولما كان علمهم بالنشأة الأولى كافياً لهم في إبطال إحالتهم النشأة الثانية رتب عليه من التوبيخ ما لم يرتب مثله على قوله : { وما نحن بمسبوقين على أن نبدل أمثالكم وننشئكم في ما لا تعلمون } [ الواقعة : 60 ، 61 ] فقال : { فلولا تذكرون } ، أي هلا تذكرتم بذلك فأمسكتم عن الجحد ، وهذا تجهيل لهم في تركهم قياس الأشباه على أشباهها ، ومثله قوله آنفاً : { نحن خلقناكم فلولا تصدقون } [ الواقعة : 57 ] .وجيء بالمضارع في قوله : { تذكرون } للتنبيه على أن باب التذكر مفتوح فإن فاتهم التذكر فيما مضى فليتداركوه الآن .وقرأ الجمهور { النشأة } بسكون الشين تليها همزة مفتوحة مصدر نشأ على وزن المرة وهي مرة للجنس . وقرأه ابن كثير وأبو عمرو وحده بفتح الشين بعدها ألف تليها همزة ، وهو مصدر على وزن الفَعَالة على غير قياس ، وقد تقدم في سورة العنكبوت .

أحالهم الله تعالى على الاستدلال بالنشأة الأولى على النشأة الأخرى، فقال: { وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَى فَلَوْلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ } أن القادر على ابتداء خلقكم، قادر على إعادتكم.

قوله تعالى : ولقد علمتم النشأة الأولى أي : إذ خلقتم من نطفة ثم من علقة ثم من مضغة ولم تكونوا شيئا ، عن مجاهد وغيره . قتادة والضحاك : يعني خلق آدم عليه السلام .[ ص: 197 ] فلولا تذكرون أي : فهلا تذكرون . وفي الخبر : عجبا كل العجب للمكذب بالنشأة الأخرى وهو يرى النشأة الأولى ، وعجبا للمصدق بالنشأة الآخرة وهو لا يسعى لدار القرار . وقراءة العامة النشأة بالقصر . وقرأ مجاهد والحسن وابن كثير وأبو عمرو : " النشاءة " بالمد ، وقد مضى في ( العنكبوت ) بيانه .

For one who ponders over these events, there are countless lessons. In them there is proof of a second life after the present life. Similarly, there is a sure indication in them that He who has given things can also take them away. Then, there is the example of water. Reservoirs of water are mostly found here in the shape of seas containing salt water. About 98 percent of the water is found in seas and one tenth of its volume is made up of salt. It is a miracle of God’s law that when water vapour rises from the sea, pure water rises and the salt is left below. The fact is that the system of rain is a huge universal desalination process. Had this natural arrangement not been in place, all of the water in the world would have been brackish just like sea water. The snow on mountain peaks, the water flowing in rivers would all have been extremely salty. In spite of the vast stores of water on the earth, the non-availability of fresh water would have presented an insurmountable problem for humanity. If man gave this matter consideration, his heart would be full of praises for God.

Proof of the occurrence of the Day of Resurrection Thus far the Surah dealt with three categories of people on the Plain of Hashr (Gathering.) The verses so far described the reward and punishment of these three groups. The current set of verses warn the deviant skeptics and atheists who completely deny the Day of Judgment and life after death, or set up partners to Allah in His worship. The verses purport to tear down the curtain of negligence and ignorance that has kept man in the dark. Whatever exists, or is coming into existence at the present time, or will come into existence in the future in this cosmic world is as a result of the creative power of Allah. He brings them into existence, retains them and makes them subservient to man. The apparent causes of these events act as veils over Reality. Had these veils been removed and man is able to witness the creation of these things directly without the mediation of these apparent causes, he will be forced to believe in Allah. However, Allah has made this world a venue of test. Therefore, whatever comes into existence comes under the veils of causes. Allah has, with His encompassing power and consummate wisdom, created a strong connection or relation between 'causes' and 'effects'. Wherever and whenever a secondary cause occurs, the effect necessarily follows. A casual observer assigns to every 'effect' a 'secondary or extrinsic cause', thus straying into the philosophy of 'causes' and 'effects'. Man does not seem to realize that the whole system of cause and effect ends with Allah. He is the First or Primary or Intrinsic Cause or Cause of all causes [ musabbib-ul-asbab ]. It was explained earlier in Surah An-Najm that a natural order of cause and effect pervades the entire universe. Every cause, which is not itself primary, is traceable to some other cause, and this to another and so on. But as the series of cause and effect in our finite world cannot be indefinite, it must terminate at some point. The Final Cause is, therefore, the Author of the universe. It is this Final Cause towards which the present verses call our attention. نَحْنُ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ فَلَوْلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ أَفَرَ‌أَيْتُم مَّا تُمْنُونَ أَأَنتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْخَالِقُونَ (We have created you; then why do you not appreciate it as true? So, tell Me about the semen you drop [ in the wombs ]: Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator?...56:57-59). With verse 57 begins a series of arguments in support of Allah's Oneness and His power to raise the dead. The first argument in the current verse is taken from the very subtle and wonderful phenomenon of man's birth, starting with a drop of semen and developing into a full-fledged human being - the crown of all creation. Humans stop at thinking that male-female cohabitation in the process of their creation is the ultimate or real cause. Therefore, the Qur'an poses the question to them in verse [ 58]: أَفَرَ‌أَيْتُم مَّا تُمْنُونَ أَأَنتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْخَالِقُونَ 'So, tell Me about the semen you drop [ in the wombs ]: Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator? In other words, a male plays a very insignificant biological role in the birth of a child in that he delivers a drop of microscopic semen in the womb of a female to combine with the microscopic ovum. Once this is done, it goes through several stages of growth and development without anyone, besides Allah, knowing what is happening. Eventually it forms into a foetus with a bone-structure. The skeleton is then clothed with flesh and skin. The soul is infused into it and the little universe [ microcosm ] comes into being with various systems: The nutritive and digestive system, the blood and the circulatory system, a system of human senses [ sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste ] and communication and the ability to think and understand. Man thus becomes a moving factory, and in none of these biological processes he has any say. Neither of the parents [ especially the mother in whose womb all this is taking place ] knows whether the child is a boy or a girl, until it is born. The question is: Who creates the child in the womb of the mother, creation after creation, within three darknesses [ i.e. the darkness of belly, the darkness of womb and the darkness of amniotic membrane ]? Who made it beautiful, gave it the power of hearing and sight? Who bestowed on it the faculty of thinking and comprehension? Only mentally blind person will fail to exclaim: "Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators!" The forthcoming verses [ 60 and 61] نَحْنُ قَدَّرْ‌نَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ ﴿60﴾ عَلَىٰ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ أَمْثَالَكُمْ وَنُنشِئَكُمْ فِي مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿61﴾ "We have appointed (the times of) death among you, and We cannot be frustrated from replacing you with others like you, and creating you [ afresh ] in that [ form ] which you do not know....56:60-61]." 'Death' is the end of all physical life. This is the eternal law of Allah from which there is no escape. Allah pre-determines the time of human death. Man has no choice in the matter of death which frees the human soul from the fetters and shackles of its physical habitat. Allah has pre-designated a particular point in time up to which he could live. But one should not remain lulled into a fancy that he would continue to enjoy power and his free will. Allah has the power to eliminate him any time, and create another people in his place. This is the import of the words, نَحْنُ قَدَّرْ‌نَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ ﴿60﴾ عَلَىٰ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ أَمْثَالَكُمْ "We have appointed (the times of) death among you, and We cannot be frustrated from replacing you with others like you," The concluding part of verse [ 61] وَنُنشِئَكُمْ فِي مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ '...and creating you (afresh) in that (form) which you do not know" implies that 'Allah has the power to reshape you in a form unknown to you at the moment.' It may happen either by one's turning into dust after death, or by his being metamorphosed into an animal shape as it happened in the past nations, some turned into monkeys and others into swine by way of punishment. It is also possible that they might be transformed into stones or minerals. Creation of Plants, Sending down of Rain and Creation of Fire are Proof of Allah's Oneness After referring to the birth of man from very insignificant beginning, the Surah, from verse [ 63] onwards, proceeds to give a brief account of things upon which man's life on earth depends. There are three principal things upon which man's life in this world depends - food, water and fire. The first thing is food to which verse [ 63] refers.

(And verily ye know) O people of Mecca (the first creation) in the wombs of mothers; and it is also said: the creation of Adam. (Why, then, do ye not reflect) upon the first creation and thus believe in the second creation?

Proof that Resurrection will occur Allah asserts that Resurrection will occur and refutes the misguided atheists who deny it, those who said, أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً وَعِظَـماً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ (When we die and become dust and bones, shall we then indeed be resurrected) 56:47 They said this statement in denial and discounting Resurrection. Allah the Exalted said, نَحْنُ خَلَقْنَـكُمْ (We created you,) meaning, `We have created you after you were nothing. Therefore, is not that Who is able to start the creation, more able to bring it back' Allah's statement, فَلَوْلاَ تُصَدِّقُونَ (then why do you believe not) `why do you not then believe in Resurrection' Then Allah said, while bringing forth evidence that Resurrection occurs, أَفَرَءَيْتُمْ مَّا تُمْنُونَ - أَءَنتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُ أَم نَحْنُ الْخَـلِقُونَ (Do you not see the semen you emit. Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator) meaning, `do you make the semen remain in the wombs and create life from it therein, stage after stage Or is Allah the One Who does all this' Allah said, نَحْنُ قَدَّرْنَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ (We have decreed death to you all,) meaning, `We made death exist between you.' Ad-Dahhak commented, "Allah made the residents of the heavens and earth equal with regards to death." Allah said, وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ (and We are not outstripped,) meaning, `We are never unable,' عَلَى أَن نُّبَدِّلَ أَمْثَـلَكُمْ (To transfigure you), meaning, `to change your current shapes, on the Day of Resurrection,' وَنُنشِئَكُمْ فِى مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ (and create you in that you know not.) meaning, `out of shapes and forms.' Allah the Exalted said, وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الاٍّولَى فَلَوْلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ (And indeed, you have already known the first form of creation, why then do you not remember) meaning, `you know that Allah has created you after you were nothing. He created you and gave you hearing, sight and hearts. Will you not then remember and take heed that He Who is able to create you in the beginning is more able to bring you back and resurrect you to life anew' Allah the Exalted said in other Ayat, وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ (And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; and this is easier for Him.)(30:27), أَوَلاَ يَذْكُرُ إلإِنْسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ يَكُ شَيْئاً (Does not man remember that We created him before, while he was nothing)(19:67), أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الإِنسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مٌّبِينٌ - وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحىِ الْعِظَـمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ - قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِى أَنشَأَهَآ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ (Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet behold he (stands forth) as an open opponent. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: " Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust" Say: "He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation.")(36:77-79), and, أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى - أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِّن مَّنِىٍّ يُمْنَى - ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى - فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالاٍّنثَى - أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى (Does man think that he will be left neglected Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted Then he became an `Alaqah (a clot); then shaped and fashioned in due proportion. And made of him two sexes, male and female. Is not He able to give life to the dead)(75:36-40)