Translation
[On Resurrection Day, God will say]: “You have come back to Us (God) one by one, just as We created you in the first instance, and you have left behind all that We gave you [in your earthly life]. We also do not see your intermediaries with you now whom you had asserted to be partners with God for your sake. Now the bond that you imagined with your intermediaries has been lost, and such relationships have failed you.” 344
It is God Who enables grains and seed kernels to germinate. He brings back life from the dead, and He causes death to those who are living. This is your God; how is it that you turn away from such truth? He is the One Who makes the dawn to appear, the night for rest, the sun and the moon to follow prescribed courses. These are the determinations [taqdiru] from God—the Mighty, the Knowing. He it is Who placed the stars so that you may find ways in the darkness on land and sea. We have thus detailed the messages and signs for people who wish to seek knowledge. He it is Who brought you forth from a single soul and defined for you a term limit and a place to rest. This is how, again, We have detailed the messages and signs for those who wish to know the truth.
It is He Who rains down water from the clouds and causes such water to bring out new growth in all living plants (and vegetation), turn those into lush green foliage, and then produce flowers and grains in clusters, dates from the spathe of date-palm in dense clusters hanging low, and gardens full of grapes, olives, and pomegranates—all alike, yet different. Look at the fruits—how they come forth and ripen. This is how We detail the message for those who wish to believe! 345
Interpretation
344 Throughout the Qur’an, God helps us to visualize and comprehend the notion of creation, accountability, and Afterlife. Such narrative is also aimed at debunking the notion of intermediaries that some religious groups or sects within larger religious groups have come to establish and practice—such intermediary and practices negates the notion of the Oneness of God and the absence of any other entity that has any share in divinity. Each of us comes to this earth alone and one at a time, as we all know and can see. God gifts us with parents; communal support; water to drink; air to breathe; fruits and grains coming from the earth; resources embedded in the earth’s crust; light from the distant sun; an atmospheric shield to protect us; and, above all, His own spirit, the capacity to think, acquire knowledge, and make informed and wise decisions to lead our lives. We have a defined life span and a place and an endowment to grow, mature, and eventually die. Such realities should make any person who wishes to reflect seek to understand and be inclined to accept the truth to become a believer in God and develop consciousness that leads to a constant drive and endeavor to better himself or herself and our way of life on this planet for everyone.
345 God is the source of all creation, and we see it every day with our own eyes, yet we fail to reflect, appreciate, and acknowledge it—the cycle of cloud and rain; the seasonal changes with plants and vegetation bursting forth with foliage, flowers, and fruits; the placement of the sun and the moon to give us light and measure our days; the cycle of day and night so we can rest and rejuvenate; the placement of distant stars so that we can find our way not only on earth but also reference our cosmic presence in the vast universe. The incredible diversity of life, flora, and fauna on this planet is awe inspiring and humbling for any human being who takes the time to reflect and explore deep within himself or herself to find meaning and purpose. (see also 21:30).
The ultimate cycle of life and death that each one of us experiences is a further reminder that each one of us has a time-bound gift and an opportunity to explore and accept the truth about God, His creation, and the life that defines our existence and purpose. Not taking on that spiritual journey in our lifetime, not being able to find that purpose that defines our existence, and not shaping our activities and conduct in alignment with such realities are the sources of ultimate failure for a human being, given that we have been gifted with all that is needed to fulfill that purpose within ourselves and the universe in which we have been placed.
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REFLECTION
Our lives, the planet earth with its life-supporting construct, the solar system creating the balance and light, and the expanding universe—all are sources of deeper reflections that have inspired human beings in all ages and will continue to do so as long as we continue to exist.
ACTION
A vision for our existence, a mission for our life, and persistent activism to align ourselves with the realities of creation, our existence, and the betterment of the human condition are things we all need to be deeply attached to as favored creations of God. We need to do this with knowledge, with heart, with humility, and with genuine openness to each and every human being who walks on this earth along with each one of us.
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Key Arabic Terms
101: takdir (determinations, measurement, outcome)
102: qawme yalamuna, qawme yafqahuna, qawme yu’minuna (people of knowledge, people of insight,
people of faith)
103: mustaquarrun (term limit) and mustawda’un (resting place)