36. Surah Ya Sin (O Thou Human Being)

Mecca 41

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم...   

36: 81.  "Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like thereof?" --

C4027. Cf. 79:27.

Which is the more difficult to create,- man, or the heavens and the earth, with all creatures?

Allah created the heavens and the earth, with all creatures, and He can create worlds and worlds like these in infinity. To Him it is small matter to raise you up for the Hereafter.

... بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلَّاقُ الْعَلِيمُ ﴿٨١﴾

Yea,

indeed! for He is the Creator Supreme, of skill and knowledge (infinite)!

إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ ...

36: 82.  Verily, when He intends a thing, His command is,

C4028. And His creation is not dependent on time, or instruments or means, or any conditions whatsoever. Existence waits on His Will, or Plan, or Intention. The moment He wills a thing, it becomes His Word or Command, and the thing forthwith comes into existence.

Cf. 2:117; 16:40, n. 2066; etc.

... كُنْ فَيَكُونُ ﴿٨٢﴾

"Be,"

and it is!

فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ...   

36:83 So glory to Him in Whose hands is the dominion of all things;

... وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٨٣﴾

and to Him will ye be all brought back.

C4029. All things were created by Allah; are maintained by Him; and will go back to Him.

But the point of special interest to man is that man will also be brought back to Allah and is answerable to Him, and to Him alone. This Message is the core of Revelation; it explains the meaning of the Hereafter; and it fitly closes a Surah specially connected with the name (Ya-Sin) of the Holy Prophet.

Asad’s Version:

36:81 Is, then, He who has created the heavens and the earth not able to create [anew] the like of those [who have died]? Yea, indeed - for He alone is the all-knowing Creator:

(36:82) His Being alone 48 is such that when He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, "Be" - and it is.

(36:83) Limitless, then, in His glory is He in whose hand rests the mighty dominion over all things; and unto Him you all will be brought back!

[[Asad’s note - 48 This is the meaning of the phrase innama amruhu - the term amr being synonymous, in this instance, with sha'n ("state [or "manner"] of being"). The exclusiveness of God's creative Being is stressed by the restrictive particle innama. ]]