Tafsir of Ghafir 40:67

"It is He who created you from dust" (contained within the creation of Adam, peace be upon him, from it, according to what has already been verified).

"Then from a drop" (meaning, He then created you in a detailed manner from a drop, that is, from semen).

"Then from a clinging clot" (a piece of congealed blood).

"Then He brings you out as a child" (meaning, as children. It is a collective noun that applies to both a small and a large number. In Al-Misbah, Ibn al-Anbari said: "The word tifl (child) is used in a single form for the masculine, feminine, and plural; and agreement in number is also permissible." It is said that it was brought in the singular form based on the interpretation of the creation of each individual of this species, then He brings out each individual as a child).

"Then that you may reach your maturity" (the lam [of purpose] here is connected to an omitted verb, the estimation of which is: "then He sustains you so that you may reach." This omitted phrase is conjoined to "brings you out"). It is also permissible for "that you may reach" to be conjoined to an implied cause for "He brings you out," as if it were said: "Then He brings you out so that you may grow little by little, then that you may reach your maturity and perfection in strength and intellect." The same discourse applies to His saying, the Exalted: "Then that you may become elders." Conjoining it to "that you may reach" is also permissible. Ibn Kathir, Ibn Dhakwan, Abu Bakr, Hamza, and al-Kisa'i recited shuyukh (elders) with a kasra on the shin. It has also been recited as shaykhan (singular), similar to His saying, the Exalted: "as a child."

"And among you is he who is taken in death before [that]" (meaning, before reaching old age, after reaching maturity, or even before that).

"And that you may reach a specified term" (This is connected to a verb implied after it, meaning: "and so that you may reach a specified term," which is the Day of Resurrection). This is through the act of that creation from dust and the stages that follow it; it is a conjunction to "He created you." The intended meaning of the Day of Resurrection is the recompense therein, for creation was not brought into being except to worship and subsequently reach the recompense. The interpretation of the "specified term" as such is narrated from al-Hasan. Some have said: "It is the day of death," but this is countered by the fact that the time of death is understood from the mention of being taken in death prior to it. Therefore, the former is better in interpretation, as previously explained. The approach of al-Zamakhshari appears to favor this, as clarified in al-Kashf.

"And that you might reason" (and so that you might understand the various forms of wisdom and lessons contained in those transitions through stages).

Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Ibn Jurayj that he said: "Meaning, so that you might understand from your Lord that He will resurrect you just as He made you die."