The Sovereignty (Al-Mulk): (24) Say, "It is He Who..."

Know that the Almighty first used the states of animals as evidence, then the attributes of humankind—namely, hearing, sight, and intellect—and thirdly, the creation of their essence, which is His statement: {It is He Who has brought you forth in the earth} (Al-Mulk: 24).

The Scholastics (Mutakallimun) used this verse as proof that humankind is not a pure essence devoid of spatial location (tahayyuz) and quantity, as the Philosophers and a group of Muslims claim. This is because He said: {It is He Who has brought you forth in the earth}, which necessitates that humankind is a localized body (jism).

Know that the commencement of these proofs was to establish the validity of resurrection and revival (Hashr and Nashr), in order to affirm what He claimed regarding the trial in His statement: {that He may test you as to which of you is best in deed. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving} (Al-Mulk: 2).

To establish this objective, He mentioned several lines of evidence demonstrating His Power, concluding them with: {It is He Who has brought you forth in the earth}. Since the power to create initially implies the power to restore, He immediately followed it with: {And to Him you will be gathered}. Thus, He clarified that all the preceding proofs were intended to establish this ultimate goal.

Know that when the Almighty commanded the Prophet (peace be upon him) to warn them of God's punishment, He recounted two things about the disbelievers. The first was that they demanded the specification of the time [of the punishment]:

{And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"} (Al-Mulk: 25).