Surah 22. Al-Hajj, Ayah 5
| يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِنَ الْبَعْثِ فَإِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ مُضْغَةٍ مُخَلَّقَةٍ وَغَيْرِ مُخَلَّقَةٍ لِنُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ ۚ وَنُقِرُّ فِي الْأَرْحَامِ مَا نَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى ثُمَّ نُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوا أَشُدَّكُمْ ۖ وَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُتَوَفَّىٰ وَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْلَا يَعْلَمَ مِنْ بَعْدِ عِلْمٍ شَيْئًا ۚ وَتَرَى الْأَرْضَ هَامِدَةً فَإِذَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ وَأَنْبَتَتْ مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَهِيجٍ |
| Asad | : | O MEN! If you are in doubt as to the [truth of] resurrection, [remember that,] verily, We have created [every one of] you out of dust, then out of a drop of sperm, then out of a germ-cell, then out of an embryonic lump complete [in itself] and yet incomplete,4 so that We might make [your origin] clear unto you. And whatever We will [to be born] We cause to rest in the [mothers'] wombs for a term set [by Us], and then We bring you forth as infants and [allow you to live] so that [some of] you might attain to maturity: for among you are such as are caused to die [in childhood], just as many a one of you is reduced in old age to a most abject state, ceasing to know anything of what he once knew so well.5 And [if, O man, thou art still in doubt as to resurrection, consider this:] thou canst see the earth dry and lifeless - and [suddenly,] when We send down waters upon it, it stirs and swells and puts forth every kind of lovely plant! |
| Malik | : | O mankind! If you doubt that there is life after death remember that We first created you from dust, then from a sperm, then from a leech- like mass, then from a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, so that We may manifest to you Our power. We cause to remain in the womb whom We wish for an appointed term, and then We bring you forth as infants; then We nourish you so that you may reach your age of full strength. There are some of you who die young and some who live on to their abject old age when all that they once knew they know no more. You sometimes see the land dry and barren; but no sooner do We pour down rain upon it then it begins to stir and swell, putting forth every kind of beautiful growth in pairs. |
| Pickthall | : | O mankind! if ye are in doubt concerning the Resurrection, then lo! We have created you from dust, then from a drop of seed, then from a clot, then from a little lump of flesh shapely and shapeless, that We may make (it) clean for you. And We cause what We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed time, and afterward We bring you forth as infants, then (give you growth) that ye attain your full strength. And among you there is he who dieth (young), and among you there is he who is brought back to the most abject time of life, so that, after knowledge, he knoweth naught. And thou (Muhammad) seest the earth barren, but when We send down water thereon, it doth thrill and swell and put forth every lovely kind (of growth). |
| Yusuf Ali | : | O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection (consider) that We created you out of dust then out of sperm then out of a leech-like clot then out a morsel of flesh partly formed and partly unformed in order that We may manifest (Our Power) to you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term then do We bring you out as babes then (foster you) that ye may reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called to die and some are sent back to the feeblest old age so that they know nothing after having known (much). And (further) thou seest the earth barren and lifeless but when We pour down rain on it it is stirred (to life) it swells and it puts forth every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs). 2773 2774 2775 2776 2777 |
| Transliteration | : | yaa 'ayyuhaa an- naas 'in kuntum fe rayb min al- bacth fa- 'in(na) -naa khalaqnaa -kum min turaab thumma min nut.fah thumma min calaqah thumma min mud.ghah mukhallaqah wa- ghayr mukhallaqah li- nubayyin la- -kum wa- nuqirr fe al- arh.aam maa nashaa' 'ilaa 'ajal musamma(n) thumma nukhrij -kum t.ifl(an) thumma li- tablugho ashudd -kum wa- min -kum man yutawaffaa wa- min -kum man yuradd 'ilaa ardhal al- cumur li- kay laa yaclam min bacdi cilm shay'(an) wa- taraa al- 'ard. haamidah fa- 'idhaa anzalnaa calay -haa al- maa' ihtazzat wa- rabat wa- anbatat min kull zawj bahej |
Note - 4This rendering conforms with the interpretation of the
phrase mukhallaqah wa-ghayr mukhallaqah by Ibn 'Abbas and
Qatadah (the latter quoted by Tabari and the former by
Baghawi), alluding to the various stages of embryonic
development. In addition, Tabari explains the expression
ghayr mukhallaqa as denoting the stage at which the
embryonic lump (mudghah) has as yet no individual life -
or, in his words, "when no soul has as yet been breathed
into it" (la yunfakh fiha ar-ruh). - As regards the
expression "created out of dust", it is meant to indicate
man's lowly biological origin and his affinity with other
"earthy" substances; see in this connection the second
half of note [47] on 3:59, and note [4] on 23:12.
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Note - 5See note [79] on 16:70.
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Note - 2773If they really have doubts in their minds about the life
after death, they have only to tum their attention either
to their own nature, or to the nature around. How
wonderful is their own physical growth, from lifeless
matter, to seed, fertilised ovum, foetus, child youth,
age, and death! How can they doubt that the Author of all
these wonderful stages in their life here can also give
them another kind of life after the end of this life? Or,
if they look at external nature, they see the earth dead
and barren and Allah's fertilising showers bring it in to
life, growth and beauty in various forms. The Creator of
this great pageant of Beauty can surely create yet
another and a newer world.
|
Note - 2774The stages of man's physical growth from nothing till he
completes the cycle of this life are described in words
whose accuracy, beauty, and comprehensiveness can only be
fully understood by biologists. Parallel to the physical
growth, may be understood man's inner growth, also by
stages and by Allah's creative artistry.
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Note - 2775That is, a male or a female child, a fair or an ugly
child, a good or a rebellious child, etc., involving
countless mysteries of genetics and heredity.
|
Note - 2776Cf. xvi 70. In that passage the mystery of our life was
used to illustrate Allah's abundant mercies and favours
to us. Here it is used to illustrate Allah's power in
giving us a future Life of even greater promise.
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Note - 2777A beautiful nature passage so pregnant in meaning that
the earnest student wonders what magic and truth have
been conveyed in so few words. M.P.'s Egyptian colleague
Prof. Ghamrawi (see M.P.'s note on this passage) was but
expressing the feelings of every careful student of the
Qur-an. The "subtlety and wealth of meaning" are indeed
marvellous.
|
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This rendering conforms with the interpretation of the phrase mukhallaqah wa-ghayr mukhallaqah by Ibn 'Abbas and Qatadah (the latter quoted by Tabari and the former by Baghawi), alluding to the various stages of embryonic development. In addition, Tabari explains the expression ghayr mukhallaqa as denoting the stage at which the embryonic lump (mudghah) has as yet no individual life - or, in his words, "when no soul has as yet been breathed into it" (la yunfakh fiha ar-ruh). - As regards the expression "created out of dust", it is meant to indicate man's lowly biological origin and his affinity with other "earthy" substances; see in this connection the second half of note [47] on 3:59, and note [4] on 23:12. |
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If they really have doubts in their minds about the life after death, they have only to tum their attention either to their own nature, or to the nature around. How wonderful is their own physical growth, from lifeless matter, to seed, fertilised ovum, foetus, child youth, age, and death! How can they doubt that the Author of all these wonderful stages in their life here can also give them another kind of life after the end of this life? Or, if they look at external nature, they see the earth dead and barren and Allah's fertilising showers bring it in to life, growth and beauty in various forms. The Creator of this great pageant of Beauty can surely create yet another and a newer world. |
| |
The stages of man's physical growth from nothing till he completes the cycle of this life are described in words whose accuracy, beauty, and comprehensiveness can only be fully understood by biologists. Parallel to the physical growth, may be understood man's inner growth, also by stages and by Allah's creative artistry. |
| |
That is, a male or a female child, a fair or an ugly child, a good or a rebellious child, etc., involving countless mysteries of genetics and heredity. |
| |
Cf. xvi 70. In that passage the mystery of our life was used to illustrate Allah's abundant mercies and favours to us. Here it is used to illustrate Allah's power in giving us a future Life of even greater promise. |
| |
A beautiful nature passage so pregnant in meaning that the earnest student wonders what magic and truth have been conveyed in so few words. M.P.'s Egyptian colleague Prof. Ghamrawi (see M.P.'s note on this passage) was but expressing the feelings of every careful student of the Qur-an. The "subtlety and wealth of meaning" are indeed marvellous. |
