Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Al-'Ankabut 29:19–25
29:19–25Page 398
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ كَيۡفَ يُبۡدِئُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٞ ١٩
Have they not considered how Allāh begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed that, for Allāh, is easy.
قُلۡ سِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ بَدَأَ ٱلۡخَلۡقَۚ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ يُنشِئُ ٱلنَّشۡأَةَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ٢٠
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allāh will produce the final creation [i.e., development]. Indeed Allāh, over all things, is competent."
يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرۡحَمُ مَن يَشَآءُۖ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُقۡلَبُونَ ٢١
He punishes whom He wills and has mercy upon whom He wills, and to Him you will be returned.
وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعۡجِزِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِۖ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا نَصِيرٖ ٢٢
And you will not cause failure [to Allāh] upon the earth or in the heaven. And you have not other than Allāh any protector or any helper.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِقَآئِهِۦٓ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَئِسُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَتِي وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ ٢٣
And the ones who disbelieve in the signs of Allāh and the meeting with Him - those have despaired of My mercy, and they will have a painful punishment.
فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُواْ ٱقۡتُلُوهُ أَوۡ حَرِّقُوهُ فَأَنجَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٢٤
And the answer of his [i.e., Abraham's] people was not but that they said, "Kill him or burn him," but Allāh saved him from the fire. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱتَّخَذۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡثَٰنٗا مَّوَدَّةَ بَيۡنِكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ ثُمَّ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ يَكۡفُرُ بَعۡضُكُم بِبَعۡضٖ وَيَلۡعَنُ بَعۡضُكُم بَعۡضٗا وَمَأۡوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ ٢٥
And [Abraham] said, "You have only taken, other than Allāh, idols as [a bond of] affection among you in worldly life. Then on the Day of Resurrection you will deny one another and curse one another, and your refuge will be the Fire, and you will not have any helpers."
Commentary
The infidels of Makkah believed that it is Allah who has created the whole universe, but they deemed it impossible that the people will be resurrected after they once die. The present verses have described the fallacy of their view. It is stated that repeating the process of creation is much easier than its origination. It is strange that these infidels do believe that Allah has originated the creation, but they deny His power to do it again, while the latter is easier than the former. Then verse 20 has induced them to look around them to appreciate the splendors of the creation, so that they may apprehend that the One who has originated this marvelous creation can easily repeat the process. After establishing the Resurrection, the last three verses describe the punishment for those who deny it.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences