Mushaf View — Surah 36 36:33

Proof of the Creator of the Universe and of Life after Death
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says:
وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ
(And a sign for them) means, evidence for them of the existence of the Creator and His perfect power and ability to resurrect the dead,
الاٌّرْضُ الْمَيْتَةُ
(is the dead land.) means, when it is dead and arid, with no vegetation, then Allah sends water upon it, it is stirred (to life), and it swells and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth). Allah says:
أَحْيَيْنَـهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبّاً فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ
(We give it life, and We bring forth from it grains, so that they eat thereof.) meaning, `We have made it a provision for them and their cattle.'
وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـبٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْعُيُونِ
(And We have made therein gardens of date palms and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein.) means, `We have created therein rivers which flow to the places where they are needed, so that they may eat of their fruits.' When Allah reminds them of the blessing that He bestows upon His creation by creating crops and plants, He mentions the different types and kinds of fruits. Allah says:
وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ
(and their hands made it not.) means, all of that could only come about by the mercy of Allah towards them, not by their own efforts and labor and strength. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas and Qatadah. Allah says:
أَفَلاَ يَشْكُرُونَ
(Will they not then give thanks) meaning, will they not then give thanks for the innumerable blessings that He has bestowed upon them. Ibn Jarir, however, understood the word Ma to mean Alladhi (i.e., a relative pronoun). In this case the meaning of the Ayah would be that they eat from the fruits provided by Allah's bounty and from what their own hands have done, i.e., by planting the seeds and tending the plants. Ibn Jarir mentioned other possible interpretations in his Tafsir, but this is the interpretation that he favored. This interpretation also fits with the recitation of Ibn Mas`ud: (لِيَأْكُلُوا مِنْ ثَمَرِهِ وَمِمَّا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ) (So that they may eat of the fruit thereof -- and from what their own hands have done.) Then Allah says:
سُبْحَـنَ الَّذِى خَلَق الاٌّزْوَجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الاٌّرْضُ
(Glory be to Him Who has created all the pairs of that which the earth produces,) meaning, of crops and fruits and plants.
وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ
(as well as of their own (human) kind, ) means, He made them into male and female.
وَمِمَّا لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
(and of that which they know not.) means, different kinds of creatures of which they know nothing. This is like the Ayah:
وَمِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقْنَا زَوْجَيْنِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
(And of everything We have created pairs, that you may remember.) (51:49)

(A token) a sign and admonition (unto them) unto the people of Mecca (is the dead earth) the earth which has no vegetation. (We revive it) by means of the rain, (and We bring forth from it grain) all types of grain (so that they eat thereof;

And a sign for them of the truth of resurrection wa-āyatun lahum is a preceding predicate is the dead earth read maytatu or mayyitatu which We revive with water ahyaynāhā is the subject and out of which We bring forth grain such as wheat so that they eat thereof;

Commentary
Most of the subjects taken up in Surah Ya Sin related to signs of Divine power and the rewards and favors bestowed on human beings. These have been harnessed to prove that there is a life hereafter and that people need to be firm in their belief in being raised again and having to face the Day of Judgment. In the verse cited above, the Divine signs pointed to are, on one hand, clear proofs of His perfect power, while on the other, they serve as mirrors of particular rewards and favors of Allah Ta’ ala bestowed on human beings and the rest of creatures. In this, lie unusual lessons of wisdom.

The accumulation of fertile soil on the surface of the earth; the provision of water, sun and air and the potential in the seed to germinate and grow—these and other such innumerable known and unknown factors combine to produce the food-grains, fruits and vegetables which nourish human beings. This entire system of nature is not the handiwork of man. Its existence and sustenance clearly illustrate the grace of the Creator. Thoughtfully pondering over these facts would overwhelm man with gratitude towards God. Studies show that the ‘principle of pairing’ is in operation in all the things of this world. When the system of this universe is based on the principle that all objects achieve completion by way of pairing, the present world by this logic should also have its counterpart. This crucial insight establishes the possibility of a Hereafter.