Translation:
Why not reflect on (the behavior of ) the person who argued with Abraham regarding God since God gave him the kingdom. When Abraham said, “My Sustainer gives life and causes death,” this person replied, “I (also) cause life and death.” Abraham then said, “Surely God makes the sun rise from the East, so could you make it rise from the West,” and then the other person was confounded in his denial of God. And God does not guide people who do wrong deliberately.142
Or, (think) of the person who was passing by a town whose houses had fallen in on their roofs (possibly due to an earthquake or neglect) and said, “How could God bring them all back to life after their death?” So God caused him to die for a hundred years and then raised him back to life and asked, “How long have you remained in that condition?” He said, “A day or part of a day!” God said, “No, you had passed a hundred years; yet, look at your food and drink—they do not show the sign of years passing by, and look at your donkey! We have made him a sign for men (to understand).
You should look at the bones (e.g., human skeletons) and see how We arrange them together and then cover them with flesh.” Then it became clear to him, and he said, “Now I know that God has power over all things.”
Interpretation:
142 God gave examples in which people questioned His being the Creator and His power of creation, death, and maintenance of the universe. In the first case, the king was arrogant and defiant of God’s power, wanted to compete with God, and was made to realize very quickly that he had limitations on what he could do, despite his having been assigned kingship in this world. In the second case there appeared to be a genuine desire to understand how God is able to give life to the dead, and God took the time to demonstrate to him how He does that, which brought the person to acknowledge God’s power. In the first case, even though the man was confounded, he did not accept the truth about God, whereas the man in the second case did come to his senses and accept the truth about God. This is a great example of when guidance is not always accepted even when it is made clear. This is also an example of how God is ever willing to prove His case through arguments and rational explanations, yet some
Muslim scholars and individuals think that reason and intellect play no role in the reli-
gious thought process and that acceptance of God’s guidance is based on blind faith.
Reflection:
It is important for us to reflect on the power of God. Everyday affairs such as life and death and the rising and setting of the sun are testimonies to God’s power and elaborate plan for our existence and accountability. Nature is the mirror in which we see the face and shadow of God. God cannot be seen as we see other things that exist, but God’s presence can be felt in every act of creation in every day, every season, and every corner of our planet (not to mention the universe). Whether we look at a beautiful rose that came out of a thorny branch or an apple that makes our mouth water, acknowledge a sudden inspiration that flashes across our preoccupied mind, or reflect on the tiny cell that eventually turns into a human being, we are pointed to the creative process established by God.
Action:
It is only a responsible act that we acknowledge the greatness of God and His supremacy and lead our lives in ways that He would like us to lead. We have choices to make in life, and we need to be prompt in taking the appropriate actions once God’s guidance becomes clear to us; otherwise, the Devil will always find ways to
delay our choices and cause us to linger in a state of disbelief and lack of commitment. For many of us, the right thoughts come and the emotions to act on those thoughts are felt as well, but the majority of us fail to act and follow through on those thoughts and emotions.