Surah As-Saffat (The Arrangers in Rank): Verse 11

Section 1: Context and Structure (Nathm)

Issue 1: Establishing the Order (Nathm)

We have previously established that the ultimate purpose of this noble Book is to affirm the four fundamental principles:

1. Divinity (Uluhiyyah)
2. The Hereafter (Ma'ad)
3. Prophethood (Nubuwwah)
4. Affirmation of Divine Decree and Predestination (Qada' wa Qadar).

Concerning this Surah, the Almighty began by affirming what indicates the existence and unity of the Creator: the creation of the heavens, the earth, and everything between them, and the creation of the easts and wests. After concluding the discussion on this topic, He followed it up by affirming the necessity of believing in the Resurrection (Hashr) and the Afterlife (Nashr).

The discussion regarding the Resurrection involves two aspects:

1. Affirming its rational possibility (jawaz 'aqli).
2. Affirming its actual occurrence (wuqu') by God.

The proof for something being possible occurs in two ways:

First Way: Arguing that if God is capable of creating something more difficult, arduous, and severe, then He must certainly be capable of creating the lesser thing (Resurrection).

Second Way: Arguing that if God created something in one state, and the Creator and the recipient (the created being) remain unchanged, then the power to create it must persist in the second state.

The Almighty mentioned both these paths to demonstrate that believing in the Resurrection and the Hereafter is a possible and conceivable matter.

The First Path: Superior Creation

This is indicated by His saying: {Ask them [O Muhammad], are they of a more severe creation, or are those [other creations] we have created?} (37:11).

The meaning is as if the Almighty is saying: Ask, O Muhammad, those deniers: Are they of a more severe creation than the creation of the heavens, the earth, and what is between them, the creation of the easts and wests, and the creation of the devils who ascend to the heavens?

Undoubtedly, they admit that the creation of these latter things is more arduous and severe than the creation of human bodies (for the Resurrection). Since it has been proven through the arguments establishing Monotheism that He is capable of creating this more difficult category, then His capability to restore life to these bodies is even more primary and evident.

A parallel to this proof is found in His saying at the end of Surah Ya-Sin: {Is not He who created the heavens and the earth capable of creating [even] their likeness?} (36:81), and His saying: {The creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind} (40:57).

The Second Path: Persistence of Potentiality and Power

This is indicated by His saying: {Indeed, We created them from clinging clay} (37:12).

The meaning is that these bodies possess the potentiality for life. If they were not capable of receiving life, they would not have become alive in the first instance. God Almighty is capable of creating this life within these bodies. If He were not capable of this, life would not have occurred the first time.

There is no doubt that the potentiality of those bodies remains, and the power of God Almighty remains, because this potentiality and this power are inherent, essential attributes (sifat dhatiyyah); thus, their cessation is impossible.

Therefore, through these two paths, it is established that believing in the Resurrection and the Hereafter is a possible matter.

After demonstrating the possibility of this matter through these two ways, the Almighty clarified its actual occurrence by saying: {Say, "Yes, and you will be humbled"} (37:18).

This is because the truthfulness of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been established due to the appearance of miracles. When a truthful person informs about a matter that is rationally possible, acknowledging its occurrence becomes obligatory. This is the excellent structure (taqrir nathm) of this verse. And Allah knows best.

Section 2: Interpretation of the Verse's Terms

Issue 2: Interpretation of the Verse's Words

This means: Since the evidence has conclusively proven that He is the Creator of the heavens, the earth, and what is between them, then ask these deniers and say to them: {Are they of a more severe creation, or those things [mentioned previously]}?

It is not narrated that they admitted the creation of those things was more difficult because the difficulty of that creation is self-evident, requiring no explicit narration of their admission.

This means: Since We were capable of creating life within their beings initially, We must remain capable of creating life within them a second time, because We have established that the state of the recipient (the body) and the state of the Creator are incapable of change (in terms of their essential attributes).

Another Subtle Point: The people questioned how a human being could originate without semen (nutfah) or parents. It is as if they were told: Since you affirm the origination of the universe and admit that the heavens, the earth, and what is between them came into existence only through God's creation and formation, then you must also admit that the first human originated without parents. If you comprehend and admit this, then your objection—"How does man originate without semen and without parents?"—is nullified.

Furthermore, it is widely known among the majority that Adam was created from clinging clay (tin lazib). How could the One capable of creating life in clinging clay be incapable of restoring life to these existing beings?

The manner of creation from clinging clay is mentioned in the preceding Surah. Note that this line of reasoning is sound if we interpret {Indeed, We created them from clinging clay} to mean: We created their father, Adam, from clinging clay.

Other Interpretations: Another view is that it means: We created every human being from clinging clay. The reasoning is as follows: Animals originate from semen and menstrual blood. Semen originates from blood, and blood originates from nourishment. Nourishment is either animal-based or plant-based. The origin of the animal that becomes nourishment involves the same debate regarding its generation as the human being. Thus, it is established that the origin of all nourishment is the plant. Plants originate from the mixture of earth and water, which is clinging clay (tin lazib). If this is the case, it becomes clear that all creation originates from clinging clay.

If this is established, we say: The components that form this clinging clay are capable of receiving life, and God Almighty is capable of creating that life. This potentiality and this power are necessarily eternal (wajib al-baqa'). Therefore, this soundness (of capability) must persist at all times. These are clear and manifest proofs.

Linguistic Note on Lazib (لازب): Lazib means "adhering" (lasiq). It is also said to mean "viscous" (lazij) or "hard/firm" (hatid). Most linguists hold that the Bā’ (ب) in lazib is a substitute for the Mīm (م), as one says lazib and lazim (adhering/sticking).

Then the Almighty said: