وَكَانُوا۟ يَقُولُونَ أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ 47
Translations
And they used to say, "When we die and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?
Transliteration
Wa kanu yaquluna ai-iza mitna wa kunna turaban wa izaman ai-inna lamab'uthun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents the objection of the disbelievers who mockingly question the possibility of resurrection after death and decomposition into dust and bones. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse illustrates the spiritual blindness and logical inconsistency of those who deny the afterlife, despite witnessing Allah's creation and power in the present world. The rhetorical question expresses their arrogant disbelief that such a complete reconstruction of the human body is possible after complete destruction.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Waqi'ah, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes the certainty of the Day of Judgment and resurrection. The broader context addresses the Meccan polytheists' denial of resurrection, which was one of their primary objections to the Prophet's message. This specific verse captures their dismissive attitude toward the afterlife as something logically impossible.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The example of those who deny the Ayat of Allah is like the example of the beast upon which the skin has grown over the eyes' (Sahih Bukhari 4:56:689). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized that Allah has power over all things, including resurrection: 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger' (Sahih Muslim 1:1).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that doubting Allah's power to resurrect us is illogical given that He created us from nothing in the first place; it encourages us to reflect on our own creation as evidence of Allah's ability to restore us. For modern readers, it serves as a humbling reminder to examine and overcome our own doubts about matters of faith through reason and observation of divine signs.
Related Ayahs
۞ وَإِن تَعْجَبْ فَعَجَبٌ قَوْلُهُمْ أَءِذَا كُنَّا تُرَٰبًا أَءِنَّا لَفِى خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْأَغْلَـٰلُ فِىٓ أَعْنَاقِهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
And if you are astonished, [O Muḥammad] - then astonishing is their saying, "When we are dust, will we indeed be [brought] into a new creation?" Those are the ones who have disbelieved in their Lord, and those will have shackles upon their necks, and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
ذَٰلِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَقَالُوٓا۟ أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَـٰمًا وَرُفَـٰتًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقًا جَدِيدًا
That is their recompense because they disbelieved in Our verses and said, "When we are bones and crumbled particles, will we [truly] be resurrected [in] a new creation?"
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَءِذَا كُنَّا تُرَٰبًا وَءَابَآؤُنَآ أَئِنَّا لَمُخْرَجُونَ
And those who disbelieve say, "When we have become dust as well as our forefathers, will we indeed be brought out [of the graves]?
أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَدِينُونَ
That when we have died and become dust and bones, we will indeed be recompensed?'"