HOW THE QUR’AN DEALS WITH THE RESURRECTION

All the arguments put forward above are derived from the Holy Qur’an. In addition, the Qur’an, which assigns much room to the Resurrection, introduces it by giving examples from the world or making analogies between it and God’s universal acts in the world. Examples are given below:

God’s universal acts point to the Resurrection. The Qur’an argues for the Resurrection. To impress upon our hearts the wonder of what the Almighty will accomplish in the Hereafter, and to prepare our minds to accept and understand it, the Qur’an presents the wonder of what He accomplishes here. It gives examples of God’s comprehensive acts in the macro-cosmos and, at times, presents His overall disposal of the macro-, normo-, and micro-cosmoses (the universe, humanity, and atoms, respectively).

For example, the following Qur’anic verses stress God’s Power and, by mentioning specific instances of It, call us to have conviction in our meeting with Him in the Hereafter:

God is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see, then He established Himself upon the Throne (of authority; having shaped the universe and made it dependent upon certain laws, He exercises His absolute authority over it), and subjected the sun and the moon (to His command); each runs (its course) for an appointed term. He regulates all affairs, expounding the signs, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord. (13:2)

Have they not seen that God, Who created the heavens and the earth and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Surely He is All-Powerful over everything. (46:33)

The first origination of the universe and humanity indicate their second origination. The Qur’an presents the phenomenon of the universe’s creation, which it defines as the first origination (56:62), while describing the raising of the dead as the second origination (53:47), to prove the Resurrection. It also directs our attention to our own origin, arguing:

You see how you progressed—from a drop of sperm to a drop of blood, to a blood clot suspended on the wall of the womb, from a suspended blood clot to a formless lump of flesh, and from a formless lump of flesh to human form—how, then, can you deny your second creation? It is just the same as the first, or even easier (for God to accomplish). (22:5; 23:13–16)

The Qur’an makes analogies between the Resurrection and God’s deeds in this world, and sometimes alludes to His deeds in the future and in the Hereafter, in such a way that we can become convinced of that which we cannot fully understand. It also shows similar events here and compares them to the Resurrection. One example is as follows:

Has man not considered that We have created him from (so slight a beginning as) a drop of (seminal) fluid? Yet, he turns into an open, fierce adversary (selfishly disputing against the truth). And he coins a comparison for Us, having forgotten his own origin and creation, saying, ‘Who will give life to these bones when they have rotted away?” Say: “He Who produced them in the first instance will give them life. He has full knowledge of every (form and mode and possibility of) creation (and of everything He has created, He knows every detail in every dimension of time and space).” He Who has made for you fire from the green tree, and see, you kindle fire with it. Is not He Who has created the heavens and the earth able to create (from rotten bones) the like of them (whose bones have rotted under the ground)? Surely He is; He is the Supreme Creator, the All-Knowing. (36:77–81)

The Qur’an likens the universe to a book unfolded. At the end of time, its destruction will be as easy for God as rolling up a scroll. As He unfolded it at the beginning, He will roll it up and, manifesting His absolute Power without any material cause, will re-create it in a much better and different form:

On that day We shall roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books. As We originated the first creation, so We will bring it forth again. It is a promise (binding) upon Us. Truly We will fulfill it (as We promised it). (21:104)

The Qur’an likens the Resurrection to reviving soil in spring following its death in winter, and mentions how God disposes of atoms and molecules while creating us in stages. Dried-up pieces of wood blossom and yield leaves and fruits similar, but not identical, to those that existed in previous years. Innumerable seeds that have fallen into soil now begin to germinate and grow into different plants without confusion. God’s raising the dead on the Day of Judgment will be like this:

Among His signs is that you see the soil dry and barren; and when We send down rain on it, it stirs to life and swells. Surely God Who gives the dead soil life will raise the dead also to life. Indeed, He has power over all things. (41:39)

…. You sometimes see the soil dry and barren. But when We pour down rain on it, it trembles, and swells, and grows of every pleasant pair. That is so because God is the Truth, and He it is Who gives life to the dead, and He is powerful over all things. (22:5-6)

Look at the prints of God’s Mercy: how He gives life to the soil after its death. Lo! He verily is the Reviver of the dead (in the same way), and He is able to do all things. (30:50)

God has brought you forth from the soil like a plant. And to the soil He will restore you. Then He will bring you back fresh. (71:17–18)

Especially in suras 81, 82, and 84, the All-Mighty alludes to the Resurrection and its attendant vast revolutions. Due to what we have seen here, such as seasonal changes, we can formulate an analogy that will help us understand and then, with awe in our hearts, accept the Resurrection and the vast events that will follow it.

As giving even the general meaning of these three suras would take a great deal of time, let us take one verse: When the pages are spread out (81:10). This implies that during the Resurrection, everyone’s deeds will be revealed in the form of a “book,” which we call “the record of deeds.”

At first, this strikes us as strange and incomprehensible. But as the sura indicates, just as the renewal of spring parallels another resurrection, “spreading out the pages” has a very clear parallel. Every fruit-bearing tree and flowering plant has its own properties, functions, and deeds. Its deeds and life record are inscribed in each seed that will emerge next spring. These new trees or flowers offer an eloquent exposition of the original tree’s or flower’s life and deeds. That is, every fully-grown tree or plant is the developed form of its seed, which exposes its full content. This is perfectly analogous with the Qur’an’s declaration, When the pages are spread out, which denotes that everyone’s deeds will be revealed to them in the Hereafter.

In many verses, the Qur’an warns us that we were created to achieve specific goals, not to do whatever we want. As we are responsible beings, whatever we do is recorded. Our creation from a drop of fluid through several stages, the utmost care shown for our creation and the importance attached to us, demonstrate that we have great responsibilities. After death, we will be called to account for our lives. In addition, our creation through stages is a manifest evidence for God’s Power, Who raises the dead to life.

Does man think he will be left to himself uncontrolled (without purpose)? Was he not a drop of fluid which gushed forth? Then he became a clinging clot; then He shaped and fashioned, and made of him a pair, the male and female. Is He then not able to raise the dead to life? (75:36–40)10

Gulen, Muhammed Fethullah. The Essentials of the Islamic Faith. The Light, Inc. 2005.