32 As-Sajdah (Prostration)

Mecca Period 75

Asad’s version

32:10 [Asad ] For, (many are] they [who] say, "What! After we have been [dead and] lost in the earth, shall we indeed be [restored to life] in a new act of creation?" Nay, but [by saying this] they deny the truth that they are destined to meet their Sustainer! "

32:11 Say: "(One day,] the angel of death who has been given charge of you will gather you, and then unto your Sustainer you will be brought back."

The Quranic text and Ali’s version

وَقَالُوا أَئِذَا ضَلَلْنَا فِي الْأَرْضِ أَئِنَّا لَفِي خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ...

32:10 [Asad] . And they say: "What! when we lie, hidden and lost, in the earth, shall we indeed be in a creation renewed?"

... بَلْ هُم بِلِقَاء رَبِّهِمْ كَافِرُونَ ﴿١٠﴾

Nay, they deny the meeting with their Lord!

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُم مَّلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ...

11. Say:

"The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls:

... ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿١١﴾

then shall ye be brought back to your Lord."

[[ Ali’s notes - C3641. Cf. 13:5.

Here "they" refers to those "who give little thanks" to Allah, mentioned in the last verse. The argument used against them is:

if Allah can produce such a wonderful creation the first time, why can He not make it again?

That points to the possibility: our own general inner hope and expectation of a future life, coupled with Faith in Allah's work, is the ground of our certainty.

C3642. If death is certain, as it is, and this life by itself in no way satisfies our instincts and expectations, we may be sure that the agency which separates our soul from our body will bring us into the new world.

If we believe in a soul at all-the very foundation of Religion-we must believe in a Future, without which the soul has no meaning. ]]