وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ مَن يُحْىِ ٱلْعِظَـٰمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ 78
Translations
And he presents for Us an example and forgets his [own] creation. He says, "Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?"
Transliteration
Wa-daraba lana mathalan wa-nasiya khalqahu, qala man yuhyi al-'itham wa-hiya ramim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to a disbeliever who denied resurrection by posing a rhetorical challenge: 'Who can bring back to life bones that have decayed into dust?' The person forgot his own creation from nothing, which is an even greater miracle than resurrection. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this denial stems from arrogance and heedlessness of Allah's original creative power. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the one who created humans from a single drop of sperm can certainly resurrect them, making the denial logically inconsistent.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ya-Sin, a Meccan chapter focused on refuting disbelievers' objections to the Qur'an and resurrection. The broader context (verses 77-82) addresses the disbeliever's mockery of the resurrection, presenting his denial as stemming from forgetfulness of Allah's creative ability. This is part of the surah's overall theme of establishing tawhid (monotheism) and accountability on the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The example of the believer is like a standing grain; the wind bends it but it does not break.' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, Surah Ya-Sin is known as the 'heart of the Qur'an,' and the Prophet encouraged its recitation for various spiritual benefits (Jami' at-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to reflect deeply on our own creation as evidence of Allah's ability to resurrect us, and to be aware of how heedlessness can blind us to truth even when surrounded by clear signs. For modern readers, it is a reminder that dismissing resurrection requires us to deny the very power that created us in the first place.