أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَدِينُونَ 53
Translations
That when we have died and become dust and bones, we will indeed be recompensed?'"
Transliteration
A-in-na mita-na wa-kunna tu-raban wa-'izaman a-inna-na la-madinun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents the disbelievers' rhetorical question expressing their denial of resurrection and the Day of Judgment. They mock the concept that after death, when their bodies have decomposed into dust and bones, they will be brought back to life and held accountable for their deeds. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this reflects the arrogance and obstinate rejection of the Hereafter by those who deny Allah's power, emphasizing that disbelievers used this argument to ridicule the believers' faith in resurrection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah As-Saffat, which addresses the fundamental beliefs of Islamic theology. The broader context of the surah (verses 35-57) presents various arguments of disbelievers against resurrection, making this ayah part of Allah's refutation of their false reasoning and denial of the afterlife.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The Hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West, and when it does and the people see it, all of them will believe, but that will be the time when belief will be of no benefit.' (Sahih Bukhari 4636). This hadith relates to the certainty of resurrection despite people's denial.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that skepticism about resurrection often stems from human arrogance and limited understanding of divine power, not from logical impossibility. For modern readers, it serves as a call to firm conviction in the Hereafter and a warning against following those who mock fundamental Islamic beliefs.
Related Ayahs
وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ كَأَن لَّمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّنَ ٱلنَّهَارِ يَتَعَارَفُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ قَدْ خَسِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِلِقَآءِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُهْتَدِينَ
And on the Day when He will gather them, [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] but an hour of the day, [and] they will know each other. Those will have lost who denied the meeting with Allāh and were not guided.
۞ 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.
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]?
وَكَانُوا۟ يَقُولُونَ أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ
And they used to say, "When we die and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?