Creation of Soul

6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللّهِ كَذِبًا...

6: 93. Who can be more wicked than one who inventeth a lie against Allah,

...أَوْ قَالَ أُوْحِيَ إِلَيَّ وَلَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ...

or saith, "I have received inspiration," when he hath received none,

...وَمَن قَالَ سَأُنزِلُ مِثْلَ مَا أَنَزلَ اللّهُ...

or (again) who saith, "I can reveal the like of what Allah hath revealed?"

...وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ ...

If thou couldst but see how the wicked (do fare) in the flood of confusion at death! --

... وَالْمَلآئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ...

the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying), "Yield up your souls.

C915. Yield up your souls: or "get your souls to come out of your bodies."

The wicked, we may suppose, are not anxious to part with the material existence in their bodies for the "reward" which in irony is stated to be there to welcome them.

...الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ...

This day shall ye receive your reward, a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against Allah,

...وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿٩٣﴾

and scornfully to reject of His Signs!"

وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَادَى كَمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ...

6: 94. "And behold! ye come to Us bare and alone as We created you for the first time:

C916. Some of the various ideas connected with "creation" are noted in n. 120 to 2:117.

In the matter of creation of man there are various processes. If his body was created out of clay, i.e. earthy matter, there was an earlier process of the creation of such earthy matter.

Here the body is left behind, and the soul is being addressed. The soul underwent various processes of fashioning and adapting to its various functions in its various surroundings (32:7-9). But each individual soul, after release from the body, comes back as it was created, with nothing more than it history, "the deeds which it has earned," which are really a part of it. Any exterior things given to help in its development, "the favours which we bestowed on you," it must necessarily leave behind, however it may have been proud of them.

These exterior things may be material things, e.g. wealth, property, signs of power, influence and pride such as sons, relatives, and friends, etc., or they may be intangible things, like talents, intellect, social gifts, etc.

...وَتَرَكْتُم مَّا خَوَّلْنَاكُمْ وَرَاء ظُهُورِكُمْ...

Ye have left behind you all (the favors) which We bestowed on you:

...وَمَا نَرَى مَعَكُمْ شُفَعَاءكُمُ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ شُرَكَاء...

We see not with you your intercessors whom ye thought to be partners in your affairs:

...لَقَد تَّقَطَّعَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنكُم مَّا كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ ﴿٩٤﴾

so now all relations between you have been cut off, and your (pet) fancies have left you in the lurch!"

C917. The false ideas of intercessors, demi-gods, gods, saviours, etc., now vanish like unsubstantial visions, "leaving not a wrack behind."

Now the soul is face to face with reality. Its personal responsibility is brought home to it.

Asad’s Version:

6: 93 and who could be more wicked than he who invents a lie about God, or says, “This has been revealed unto me,” the while nothing has been revealed to him? – or he who says, “ I, too, can bestow from on high the like of what God has bestowed”?

If you could but see when these evildoers find themselves in the agonies of death, and the angels stretch forth their hands: “Give up your souls! Today you shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having attributed to God something that is not true, and for having persistently scorned His messages in your arrogance!”

6: 94 “And behold you come to Us bare and alone as We created you for the first time: you have left behind you all [the favors] which We bestowed on you. .............

Ali’s note 916 to the above, and note 120 to 2: 117