In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

57- It was We who created you (nahnu khalaqna-kum). Will you then not admit the truth?

58- Have you seen (ra’aytum) that which you emit (sperm)?

59- Do you create it, or are We the Creator (takhluquna-hu)?

60- We ordained death among you. Nothing prevents Us

61- from changing your forms and re-creating you in a way unknown to you.

62- And surely you already know the first creation. Why, then, do you not reflect (tadhakkur)?

63- Have you considered that which you cultivate?

64- Is it you who make them grow (zira?a) or Us?

65- If We wished, We surely could transform it to dust. Then you would be dumbfounded,

66- [saying], “We are burdened with debt

67- and have been deprived.”

68- Have you observed the water that you drink?

69- Was it you who brought it down from the rain-cloud (muzun), or Us?

70- If We wanted to We could have made it bitter, so will you not be thankful?

71- Consider the fire you kindle;

72- Is it you who made the wood for it grow, or Us?

73- We made it a reminder and a comfort for the dwellers in the wilderness (muqwin).

74- Therefore [O Muhammad], glorify (fa sabbih) the name (ism) of your Lord, the Great.

75- I swear not (la uqsimu) [or, I emphatically do swear] by the position (mawaqi?) of the stars.

76- Indeed it is a mighty oath, if you only knew.

77- That this is truly a noble (karim) Qur’an,

78- in a Book well-guarded

79- that none shall touch, except the purified.

80- A revelation (tanzil) from the Lord of the worlds.

81- Do you then take this message (al-hadith) so lightly (or hold in contempt) (mud-hinun)?

82- And make your living by repudiating it?

83- When the soul of a dying person comes up to this throat

84- while you are looking on –

85- though We are closer to him than you, even if you do not see.

86- Why, then, if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense,

87- [do you not] bring back the soul, if you are truthful?

88- If he [the dying person] is one of those who will be brought near to God (muqarribin),

89- then he will have rest, ease, and a garden of bliss.

90- If he is one of the companions of the right-hand,

91- then (a greeting) of “Peace be unto you” (will be conveyed) to you (ka) from the companions of the right-hand.

92- But if he is one of those who denied the truth and went astray,

93- then he will be welcomed with boiling water

94- and roast in hellfire.

95- This is the certain truth.

96- Therefore, glorify (fa sabbih) the name (ism) of your Lord, the Great.

[56:57] It was We who created you (nahnu khalaqnā-kum).Will you then not admit the truth?
Here, God uses “We”(nahnu) to emphasize that He alone is the Creator. Now, if someone has made something once, making it again should be somewhat easier. After all, it seems obvious that a carpenter would find iteasier tomake the same table a second time. Notice how God begins by presenting an argument drawn from our everyday experiences.

[56:58] Have you seen (ra’aytum) that which you emit (sperm)?
When God says a raʾaytum (lit. have you seen?) this does not mean to see with one’s eyes, but to pay close attention and reflect upon something. Have you considered the origins from which your life began? Have you thought about the sperm that joins with the ovum and settles in the uterus?

[56:59] Do you create it, or are We the Creator (takhluqūna-hu)?
Are you or We continuously creating it? Notice that takhluqūna-hu is a present-tense verb, as that tense signifies continuity. We know that a man can release as many as 500 sperm each time he engages in sexual intercourse. Amazingly, only one sperm is needed to fertilize the ovum and create a zygote, the single cellthat will multiply into all of the other cells that make a person’s heart, lungs, bones, skin, muscles, and every other kind of cell in the body. Who determined this process of cell division? Throughout the fetus’ formation, from the moment of conception until its final development, it is a new creation at every stage. From an insignificant drop, less than a square centimeter in size that contains the repository of all of the information necessary to produce a fullyformed human being, until this drop becomes a fully-developed embryo – God asks the deniers if they are the ones who guide this process. This process of creation, which represents the genesis of a living being, is one of the greatest indicators of the existence of a single all-powerful all-wise creator.

[56:60] We ordained death among you. Nothing prevents Us

[56:61] from changing your forms and re-creating you in a way unknown to you.
We have allotted a specific amount of time to you. Your life consists of a program that is being implemented stage by stage. If there were no death, we would live here forever. Why does God set a particular time and duration for this life before ordaining death? Does this not show that this fleeting worldly existence cannot be the ultimate reason for our being?
“Nothing prevents Us,” that is to say, removing the limitations placed on our lifespan so that wecan live forever and prevent later generations from taking our place.Nothing can prevent Us from re-creating humanity in a new form and in another world that is totally unknown to you.In other words,God has determined that human beings must follow these stages of development before being given a new life in a new and different form.

[56:62] And surely you already know the first creation. Why, then, do you not reflect (tadhakkur)?
The “first creation” refers to our life here.We were brought into existence here, having never existed before,so reflect on this reality, wake up from your slumber, and learn something from this? Today, when advances in the science of genetics have revealed our world’s magnificence and shed light upon how humanity came into existence, why should people remain heedless? After everything we have learned and discovered, why do we still cling to our denial? Tadhakkur literally means “remembrance,” as opposed to “forgetting” (nisyān). Why do we forget and neglect the question of where we came from, as well as refuse to believe that God can resurrect us?
Therefore, this chapter’s first argument advanced against those who deny the Resurrection is that since God originally created the cosmos, doing so a second time should be even easier.The second argument is that the stages of human developmentfrom conception to birth prove the existence of an all-powerful and all-wise creator. An embryo is in a constant state of being created. Is it not amazing to think that a single gram of our DNA has several million lines of code stored within it?
The third argument is that the phenomenon of death shows that we were not created to remain here forever, that there must be some transcendental reason for our life. As Rumi says:“Which seed was buried in the ground and did not grow? / Why suppose that the seed of humanity would be any different?”
Every buried seed contains all of the genetic information required to grow an “adult” plant. It sprouts forth and grows when spring comes. We witness this all around us because this world (i.e., the “first creation), in all of its complexity andbeauty, everywhere presents models and examples that can help us understand the nature of the Resurrection. Atheists and materialists say that there is no need for a creator because this world has always been and will always be here, and that whatever has, is, and will exist has randomly emerged from the blind, impersonal forces governing the cosmos. However, in the words of Rumi, the fragrance of the rose comes in spring whether you can smell it or not. The world is filled with the fragrance of thetruth that a creator causes things to die and be reborn. The light of this reality, like the scent of that rose, fills every corner of the cosmos and displays the existence of a cosmic creator and sustainer to those with insight.

[56:63] Have you considered that which you cultivate?
Have you paid close attention to what you sow and plough? Farmers bury seeds or plants seedlings. That is their only role, for they have no power to will to makethese plants to grow. Just like the seed planted in the womb – it is beyond our power to transform it into a human being.

[56:64] Is it you who make them grow (zirāʿa) or Us?
Zirāʿameans to bring forth and raise-up, to cause something to grow. We might call a farmer a “grower,” but is it really a human being who does this? Just like the embryo is in a constant state of becoming, transforming step by step into a full-fledged human being. Whatever else we bury in the soil will gradually decompose and be destroyed, so why do the seeds that we plant grow into a tree instead of decomposing?
If you plant wheat seeds, you can turn them into bread. But if you “plant” bread, it will rot away to nothing. What accounts for these different results? Do you have any idea what power of life is contained within that tiny seed? Some plants will even break through asphalt and concrete to reach the sun’s nourishing rays. Whose hand brings forth such seeds, and fromwhere do they obtain their power? Do we do this, or does He? The Qur’an sometimes mentions the natural laws and systems that God has set in motion, one of which is the potential for growth that lies dormant in the soil. He says:

[56:65] If We wished, We surely could transform it to dust.Then you would be dumbfounded,

[56:66] [saying], “We are burdened with debt

[56:67] and have been deprived.”
If God’s will – meaning His laws – were any different, the seed would have shriveled and died instead of growing into a green and healthy plant. Elsewhere God says: “The good land, its vegetation comes out by the permission of its Lord” (7:58). In other words, anyseeds planted in clean, pure, andunpolluted soil will produce plants that will sprout and become verdant by their Lord’s will, because this is one of His natural laws. If this were to happen only sometimes,only certain parts of the world would be green. Then, humanity would have said: “Indeed we have suffered loss.Rather, we have been deprived of our expected benefit,”forall of its efforts and labors would have come to naught. So why, when we feel confident about relying upon these natural laws for our continued existence and when we benefit from them so abundantly, do we not see these asblessings worthy of our gratitude? Is the natural order itself not enough to provethat an all-powerful and all-wise creator exists?

[56:68] Have you observed the water thatyou drink?
Notice how simple and straightforward all of these examples are. No one needs to have studied or earned a degree to understand them.

[56:69] Was it you who brought it down from the rain-cloud (muzun), or Us?
Muzunmeans rain-laden clouds. God employs “We/Us”for all of the laws and systems that He created and set in motion. Here it refers to the water cycle:Water evaporates from Earth’s bodies of water due to the Sun’s heat and forms into a cloud.Wind, which is caused by variations in air pressure, moves the cloud to dry land.When the air around the cloud cools, the water vapor condenses into rainthat falls upon Earth as pure water. And yet the water in the seas and oceans had been bitter and salty.Is this not worthy of reflection?
Chapter 51 opens with the oath “By that which scatters” (51:1),the winds that take up moisture from the planet’s bodies of water; “By the laden bearers” (51:2), the clouds that carry millions of tons of rain to the planet’s surface; “By the gentle movers” (51:3), an oath by the forces of nature (i.e.,the wind – a symbol of weakness – that calmly carries all of that rain to the thirsty land); and finally “By those who distribute (blessings) by His command”(51:4) to those who divide and spread out (i.e., the sustenance that rain provides and the life it gives to a dead and dry land).
Atmospheric precipitation is a constant variable:The soil will be waterlogged if the rain is severe; if it is light, then the moisture will evaporate back into the air. Therefore rain, like everything else, has a precise measure and determination. If we pay attention to the water we drink, we will see many different factors combined together to bring us this refreshment. These springs and rivers have flowed continuously for millions of years, even though the sources of virtually all fresh water are the seas and oceans, whose watersare salty and bitter. These two waters are constantly mixing together, and yet one is always salty and the other is always fresh.

[56:70] If We wanted to We could have made it bitter, so will you not be thankful?
God could have willed that the natural laws make rain so bitter and salty that it would be undrinkable. So why do we not acknowledge and give thanks for this blessing, or ask from where these laws that provide us with fresh and drinkable water come?
And then another proof:

[56:71] Consider the fire you kindle;

[56:72] Is it you who made the wood for it grow, or Us?
Here, God again uses “Us,” which signifies the complete system of divine laws and the natural order. This tree, which drew energy from the sunlight for decades, grew talland stored the energy as carbon in its trunk and branches. Its bark and wood are nothing but an accumulation of carbon, another kind of resurrection, thatno one notices until they are used for fuel. Then, all of that stored-up energy is released in a brilliant blaze. The Qur’an asks by whose command this process occurs.Has not God’s guidance and power alone allowed the tree to store up so much energy before people burn it up in a single hour to get some heat and light?

[56:73] We made it a reminder and a comfort for the dwellers in the wilderness (muqwīn).
God made these blessings a reminder for you and intended their energy to meet your needs for light, heat, and fuel for cooking. From this fire you can gain knowledge and find a way to God. This is a provision for the muqwīn,one of those words that has opposite meanings: poor nomadic desert-dwellers who need fire for cooking and keeping warm, and the mighty ones. In the latter sense, this fire can refer to all forms of heat energy used in areas such as industry. For example, factory machines, ships, and railway locomotives all over the world were driven by fire-powered steam engines for over a century. Where did this energy come from? Today, many sources of energy are combined together. In fact, the energy produced by heat is arguably the cheapest form of energy, but just look at its tremendous effect upon human life and civilization.
In chapter 36, God points out the blessing of the energy released by burning wood: “He, who made for you fire out of the green tree…” (36:80). Fire and water are opposites, so is it not amazing that the green tree – something filled with water – is used to produce fire?
These are the Qur’an’s arguments for God’s existence. These days, we tend to imagine that every such argument must be complex and philosophical. However, the Qur’an never mentions the need to “prove” His existence or that we need to believe (in the sense of iʿtiqād) in Him. But even thoughiʿtiqādnever appears in the Qur’anic text, we say that people need to believe in God. Iʿtiqād is derived from the root ʿ-Q-D, meaning to tie a knot, such as when two persons “tie the knot” of marriage, a technical term coined by philosophers and theologians. In reality, “What do you believe in?” is another way of asking what [ideas] are you tied to and what is bound to you? But these are man-made terms. The Qur’an does not ask us to “believe”but to haveīmān, to enter and then reach the place of divine safety. Those who haveīmān(i.e., a muʾminūn) are protected from the words and deeds of others.
Therefore, if we wish to reachcertainty of God’s existence we do not need to devise scientific or technical arguments, but only to look at the natural order with a clear and unbiased gaze. Look at semen, dust, fire, and water… these things alone are enough to convince you that God exists.

[56:74] Therefore [O Muhammad], glorify (fa sabbih) the name (ism) of your Lord, the Great.
The conjunction fa (so) in fa sabbih is used to introduce a conclusion based on what came before it, namely, “therefore” or “that being the case.” So, when observers consider the energies of the cosmos, the plant kingdom, the wonders of genetics, and the amazing series of phenomena that supply us with water, they will naturally become aware of God’s greatness.
Ism here refers to a quality or an attribute,as opposed to a literal name. Thus, recall thatRabb (Lord)signifies the great divine lordship, governance, and direction in the cosmos.Allāhrefers to the divine essence (dhāt), the object of worship that His servants venerate and adore, whereasRabbis the master and director, the one with absolute power and authority. In sum, this verse is asking us to see who is the Lord of this cosmos, what kind of being governs this world, and what awesome lordship is at work in this created universe that contains something amazing no matter where we look.
Sabbih means to declare your Lord free of blemish or deficiency. We can always find shortcomings when we look at what human beings have made, but not with anything that God has created.

[56:75] I swear not (lā uqsimu) [or, I emphatically do swear] by the position (mawāqiʿ) of the stars.

[56:76] Indeed it is a mighty oath, if you only knew.
All of the examples mentioned above have been taken from the world around you. These examples that you can see and touch are sufficient, so I [God] do not need to swear by the heavens, of which you have no knowledge. Moreover, God does not swear by this event, even though it is worthy of such an honor.However, some commentators of the Qur’an have taken the lā in lā uqsimu (I emphatically do swear) to signify emphasis in the form of an apophasis rather than negation, and therefore serve to affirm the oath. The mawāqiʿ (falling places) of the stars signifies that they have finally reached the end of their lives. Today, we understand to some extent what a great event a supernova is.
However, the central question here is what are all these oaths for?

[56:77] That this is truly a noble (karīm) Qur’an,
All of these oaths were taken for this reason. The wonders of the fetus, the soil and the plant kingdom, the energy released by fire, the water cycle, and all the wonders of the heavens, the death and rebirth of stars – all of these amazing phenomena were invoked to testify to the fact that this Qur’an is a noble book. All of these are no more than preliminary steps laid out for us so that we would believe in this one truth:This scripture is not the product of a human mind. That this book is karīm means that it is more exalted and more precious than what we can imagine.

[56:78] in a Book well-guarded
The source of this Qur’an is preserved somewhere in the Mother Book (umm al-kitāb).The origin of its laws and ordinances are with God, and thus flow from Him. As the Qur’an’s source, God’s infinite knowledge, is beyond human comprehension,a small fraction of it was sent down in an understandable format that addresseshumanity’s needs.

[56:79] that none shall touch, except the purified.
Only those who have purified their souls and protected themselves from the evil of Satan’s corrupting insinuations can hope to attain the meaning of this scripture’s message. Those who say that this verse states that one can touch the Qur’an only after performing the ritual ablution (wudū’) are correct; however, this is onlyits literal reading. Of course we must handle the Book of God with respect, but such an understanding gives rise to various questions, such as: Does anyone who has performed wudū’automatically gain access to its innermost meanings? Does everyone who touches its pages understand its spirit? Is everyone who masters its associated sciences and arts a master of its deepest meanings? No, forwe will never reach its essence until we purify ourselves.
Nowhere does the Qur’an say that it will guide those who memorize, recite, or study it or the scholars of religion. On the contrary, it says: “That is the Book in which, no doubt, there is a guidance for the pious (muttaqīn)” (2:2),those who can control themselves and resisttheir desires. Therefore, even if themorally polluted have memorized and studied the Qur’an in depth, they willreceive no divine guidance from it. They can only use it to pursue worldly ends by manipulating those who are deceived by appearances. Have we not seen this again and again? Religion and spirituality can be both a source of guidance as well as a cause for someone going astray and/or leading others astray.As Rūmī has said:
Just as some are led astray by the Qur’an / others fall into a well by pulling the rope,
It is not the rope’s fault, O petulant one / that youlacked the sense not to lean over.
Therefore, until one starts the process of self-purification and resolves to escape the snares of this world, the Qur’an will be ofno help. Only those who love purity and want to cleanse their souls can become familiar with this book. This verse uses “touch” to indicate this intimate familiarity, for this particular word means to unite with it and make it part of oneself. But if people still retain some selfishness, arrogance, and other diseases of the soul, how can they possibly hope to kindle the light of the Qur’an in their heart?

[56:80] A revelation (tanzīl) from the Lord of the worlds.
Tanzīlindicates that the Qur’an has been sent down in a form that human beings – God’s “children” – can understand. We do the same thing with our own children. “The Lord of the Worlds” (Rabb-ul-ʿĀlamīn) means the one who is master over all the worlds, the one who guides all of this world’s inhabitants, and wants to educate us. This is why He makes these teachings comprehensible to the human mind.

[56:81] Do you then take this message (al-hadīth) so lightly (or hold in contempt)(mud-hinūn)?
Hadīth (discourse) means a fresh speech or a new matter. Hādithah, “a sudden occurrence,” also comes from this root. Mud-hinūn (to take lightly) comes from the root M-D-N, which literally means to oil or grease, because both of thesereduce hardness and friction.The Qur’an actually uses this term for those people who do not take this important matter seriously. God told the Israelites to “hold fast to what We have given you” (2:63). However, this does not mean to grasp it tightly, but to take it seriously. God says of them: “The example of those who were charged with the Torah, then failed to carry it, is that of an ass carrying books” (62:5).This comparison is self-explanatory:Just possessing the scripture is not enough, for it must become part of you so that your heart and soul can implement its teachings in your life. Sadly, it is all too easy to see the parallels between this description and how contemporary Muslims treat their heavenly book, forgetting thatit presents all these accounts of previous nations only to remind us and teach us about the truth.

[56:82] And make your living by repudiating it?
The only benefit you derive from this book is your denial of it. Your days are empty of the great blessing it contains.

[56:83] When the soul of a dying person comes up to this throat

[56:84] while you are looking on –
So why do you look this way and that, hoping that someone will save you when you are on your deathbed and feel your life slipping away? A hospital patient on the threshold of death, despite all of the surrounding advanced medical devices and equipment as well as loved ones, looks around desperately and hopesto somehow be rescued. What do you say about this, then?

[56:85] though We are closer to him than you, even if you do not see.
Must you really be onthe point of death before you believe? Do you not see that God is closer to you than anyone else or even your own soul until it is too late?

[56:86] Why, then, if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense,

[56:87] [do you not]bring back the soul, if you are truthful?
If you think you will not be held accountable for your deeds, that there is no judgement and recompense for your actions, then why (if you are right) don’t you bring someone back to life or delay his/her fate? Aren’t you the one in charge? Obviously you cannot do this because, whether you like it or not, you know that there is a Master to whose laws everyone is subject.

[56:88] If he [the dying person]is one of those who will be brought near to God(muqarribīn),

[56:89] then he will have rest, ease, and a garden of bliss.
Of course the promise given here is a similitude. When someone is choking and cannot breathe, catching even a single breath gives him/her a feeling of great relief and comfort. These are part of God’s mercy and forgiveness that He directs toward the believer.
In Nahj-ul-Balāghah, Imam Ali describes those whose hearts are awake as those “who breathe the air of God’s forgiveness through calling out to Him.” Inhaling air makes us feel at rest. But we need more than oxygen to live, we must inhale even more important things into our souls. This verse says that the truly happy ones are those who, as they are dying, breathe in the scent of paradise that is filled with God’s blessings.
“Rest,” “ease,” “abundance,” and “a garden of bliss” are in the indefinite form because we have no clue as to what awaits us as long as we live in this world.

[56:90] If he is one of the companions of the right-hand,

[56:91]then (a greeting) of “Peace be unto you” (will be conveyed) to you (ka) from the companions of the right-hand.
It appears that verses 90 and 91 aregreetings of peace for you from the “people of the right-hand.”The inhabitants of paradise give this greeting and send salutations to anyone who enters, namely, toward the “people of the right-hand.” It is also possible that ka (you) refers to the Prophet, in which case the “people of the right-hand” send peace upon him out of gratitude for his conveyance of the divine message, the source of their happiness.

[56:92] But if he is one of those who denied the truth and went astray,

[56:93] then he will be welcomed with boiling water

[56:94] and roast in hellfire.
These punishments are the fate of those who denied these words, prevented others from following the truth, and stubbornly clung to falsehood. Obviously, such punishments are the outcome of their own deeds put into a form that we can understand, for how can we possibly understand what it means to be deprived of God’s mercy?

[56:95]This is the certain truth.
There is no doubt that this speech is not a joke, but rather absolute truth. God does not want to scare us as though we were children. All He is doing is explaining the reality of the matter.
God is neither antagonistic toward His servants, nor does He want to send them to hell. The punishments and torments described here are part of the natural order of cause and effect.Just as we will suffer greatly if we eat poisoned food, so will the erroneous beliefs that we allow into our hearts, those that poison our soul,will one day most definitely have negative consequences.
Parents do their best to make sure their children are eating well. Should they not show just as much care for their moral growth, spiritual diet, and psychological wellbeing as well as who their friends are, how they treat others,andwhat they are learning? After all, false beliefs and erroneous ideas are even more harmful than poor physical nourishment. Sadly, we usually focus on external appearances and neglect inner realities. Even though we may have experienced suffering here and may even have acclimatized our souls to it, we have no idea what endless misery awaits us in the next world because of what we did here.

[56:96] Therefore, glorify (fa sabbih) the name (ism) of your Lord, the Great.
Those who follow the truth do not share the same fate as those who follow falsehood. When this verse was revealed, the Prophet told his followers: “Recite this when bowing in prayer: ‘Glory to My Lord, the Most-High, and His is the praise.’”
In summary, having identified various elements of the natural world – semen, dust, fire, water, and the magnificence of the cosmic order –as well the greatness of the scripture that has been sent down, this chapter then speaks about the dangers we face and the importance of our fate in the next world. According to the late Ayatollah Mahmūd Tāleghānī (d. 1979), when we bow in prayer we close our eyes to half the world, acknowledge the greatness of the cosmos, and exalt the One who created it.When we prostrate and place our foreheads on the ground, we close our eyes to the rest of the world and turn away from the world,knowing that one day we too will become dust. Then we say: “Glory to my Lord, the Most-High, and His is the praise.”
The cosmos is like a huge grand and superior mansion, the value of which increases because of its high quality architecture and decoration. When we bow in prayer we glorify God with His quality of grandeur, and when we prostrate we praise the power He has over His creation. So what sadness can there be in our lives when we live in a world where everything is beautiful, good, and without flaw or blemish? Who would be sad in these conditions? All things considered, is not the best course we can take to place our trust in God and hand our affairs over to Him?
“Glorified is your Lord.The Lord of Majesty is far above that which they attribute to Him. Peace be upon the messengers. All praise is due to God, the Lord of the worlds” (37:180-82).

Translator: Alexander Hainy (Khaleeli)
Editor: Hamid Mavani