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wa-ʾin taʿjab fa-ʿajabun qawluhum ʾa-ʾidhā kunnā turāban ʾa-ʾinnā la-fī khalqin jadīdin ʾulāʾika lladhīna kafarū bi-rabbihim wa-ʾulāʾika l-ʾaghlālu fī ʾaʿnāqihim wa-ʾulāʾika ʾaṣḥābu n-nāri hum fīhā khālidūna
If you are to wonder [at anything], then wonderful is their remark, ‘When we have become dust, shall we be [ushered] into a new creation?’ They are the ones who defy their Lord; they shall have iron collars around their necks, they shall be the inhabitants of the Fire, and they shall remain in it [forever].
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Ar-Ra‘d – Verse 5
5. “And if you do wonder, then wondrous is their sayings: ‘ What, when we turn into dust, Will we then surly be in a new creation?’ They are those who disbelieve in their Lord and these shall have chains on their necks, and they are the people of the Fire, abiding therein for ever.’”
Addressing the Prophet (S), this verse implies that he should not be amazed at the denial of the prophecy by the people, for they are also astonished at Allah’s power in transforming the dead back into life and do not believe it. The unbelievers in the Resurrection have not provided any proof for the impossibility of resurrection and they only consider its occurrence as remote. On the contrary, besides mentioning Allah’s Justice and Wisdom, which necessitates the existence of the Hereafter, the Qur’an has reiterated on many occasions and has provided answers to this denial.
The verse says:
“And if you do wonder, then wondrous is their sayings: ‘What, when we turn into dust, Will we then surly be in a new creation?’ They are those who disbelieve in their Lord and these shall have chains on their necks, and they are the people of the Fire, abiding therein for ever.’”
On one occasion it implies that if they were in doubt as to the advent of the Hereafter, they would remember their original creation and as to how Allah created them out of earth and sperm.16 Elsewhere, it commands the Prophet (S) to tell his people that: He Who originally created them will also recreate them in the Resurrection Day, and there is no room for any astonishment.17 Therefore, the denial and refutation of resurrection means the negation of Allah’s power, His Justice, as well as His Wisdom which implies profanity and paganism.
Such a person, who negates resurrection, will be involved with superstition and ignorance as his entire outlook centers around worldly aims and is entangled with material benefits and selfishness, and he will also be held in the chains of the Divine punishment in the Hereafter.
Footnotes
“O’ people! If you are in doubt about the raising, then surely We created you from dust, then from a small seed, then from a clot, then from a lump of flesh, complete in make and incomplete, that We may make clear to you; and We cause what We please to stay in the wombs till an appointed time, then We bring you forth as babies, then that you may attain your maturity; and of you is he who is caused to die, and of you is he who is brought back to the worst part of life, so that after having knowledge he does not know anything; and you see the earth sterile land, but when We send down on it the water, it stirs and swells and brings forth of every kind a beautiful herbage.”