Surah Al-Hajj: Verse 5 - يا أيها الناس إن كنتم... - English

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 of 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). (5)

Different stages in the development of foetus in mother's womb

فَإِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن تُرَ‌ابٍ (We created you from dust - 22:5.) This verse deals with the different stages through which the foetus passes in its mother's womb before taking a human form. There is a detailed hadith on this subject, which is reproduced in Sahih of Bukhari on the authority of Sayyidna Ibn Masud ؓ to the effect that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "Human matter retains its original form in the woman's womb for forty days after which it becomes a clot of blood. After a further period of forty days it becomes a lump of flesh. Thereafter an angel is sent by Allah Ta’ ala who breaths a soul into it and records four things about it, namely how long it will live, how much sustenance it will receive, what acts he will do, and finally whether its end will be wretched or fortunate. (Qurtubi)

There is another narration which has been related by Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir, also on the authority of ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ ، that when the seed becomes a lump of flesh after passing through different stages, the angel responsible to watch the progressive development of each individual then seeks guidance from Allah Ta’ ala saying: یَارَبّ مُخَلَّقَۃ او غیر مُخَلَّقۃ . That is, whether it is His will that the lump of flesh should be allowed to grow and become a living human being. If Allah says it is: غَیر مُخَلَّقۃ then the womb aborts the foetus and it does not reach the higher stages leading to a live birth. On the other hand, if Allah says that it is: مُخَلَّقۃ then the angel asks Him whether it is to be a boy or a girl, wretched or fortunate, how long it will live, how it will spend its life and when it will die. The angel is given information on all these matters then and there. (Ibn Kathir) Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہما has also interpreted the words (مُخَلَّقَۃ او غیر مُخَلَّقۃ) in a similar manner. (Qurtubi)

مُّخَلَّقَةٍ وَغَيْرِ‌ مُخَلَّقَةٍ (shaped or unshaped - 22:5). It is evident from the hadith referred to above that the human seed which completes its full term in the womb and is destined to be born as a normal human being is meant by (shaped), whereas a seed which is destined to be aborted is (unshaped). However, there are other commentators who have explained these two words differently. According to them a foetus which completes all the stages of growth and development and whose limbs and other organs of the body are healthy, normal and proportionate ism (shaped). On the other hand, a foetus whose limbs are deformed or disproportionate is غَيْرِ‌ مُخَلَّقَةٍ (unshaped). The latter interpretation is close to the translation adopted above. Allah knows best.

ثُمَّ نُخْرِ‌جُكُمْ طِفْلًا Then We bring you out as babies - 22:5) Then Allah brings forth the baby from its mother's womb as a totally helpless thing. Its body is weak and so are its other faculties, such as hearing, vision, senses, brain function, and overall physical movements including its grasp. All theses faculties grow strong as time passes until they reach their full capability. This is the meaning of the words ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوا أَشُدَّكُمْ. (Then [ We nourish you ] so that you reach your maturity - 22:5). The word Ashudd اَشُد is the plural of shiddah شِدَّہ ، just as An` um اَنعَم is the plural of Ni'mah نِعمَۃ . The meanings of these words are that the process of gradual development continues until all the faculties reach their peak and this happens when a person is in the prime of his youth.

أَرْ‌ذَلِ الْعُمُرِ‌ (The worst part of the age - 22:5). It means the stage of life when human faculties and senses begin to degenerate. The Holy Prophet ﷺ had sought Allah's protection from such life. Nasa'i has quoted Sayyidna Sa'd ؓ as saying that the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to repeat the following prayer very frequently. (Qurtubi):

اللَّھُمَّ اِنِّی اَعُوذُ بِکَ مِنَ البُخَلِ واَعُوذُ بِکَ مِنَ الجُبنِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِکَ مِنَ اَن اُرَدَّ اِلٰی اَرذَلِ العُمرِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِکَ مِنَ فِتنَۃِ الدُّنیَا وَ عَذَابِ القَبرِ

(0 Allah! I seek Your protection from miserliness, and I seek Your protection from cowardice, and I seek Your protection from that I am carried to the age of helplessness, and I seek Your protection from the seductions of this world and the chastisement of the grave.)

An account of the different stages of human life after birth

Musnad of Ahmad and Musnad of Abu Ya` la quote Sayyidna 'Anas Ibn Malik ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ once said "The good deeds of a minor child are recorded in the account of his father or both his parents, but his evil deeds are not recorded, neither in his parents' account nor in his own. After he has attained majority, an account is opened in his own name and the two angels who are attached to him are commanded to afford him protection and provide him strength. When he reaches the age of forty years and is still a Muslim, then Allah Ta’ ala grants him immunity from three diseases: insanity, leprosy and leucoderma. When he reaches the age of fifty years, Allah eases and abates his record. At the age of sixty, Allah Ta’ ala creates in him an urge to turn his thoughts towards Him. At seventy, all the inhabitants of the sky begin to love him. When he is eighty, Allah Ta’ ala records his good deeds but ignores his lapses. At ninety, Allah writes off all his sins, and grants him permission to intercede on behalf of his relatives and also accepts his intercession. He is then given the titles of اَمِین اللہ (Allah's trustee) and اَسِیرَ اللہ فی الارض (that is the prisoner of Allah on earth, because at that age all his strength is gone, he loses interest in his surroundings and spends his life like a prisoner). And when he reaches the worst of age, then all the good deeds which he used to perform when he was strong and healthy continue to be recorded in his account while his sinful acts remain unrecorded."

Having reproduced this tradition from Musnad Abu Ya` la, Hafiz Ibn Kathir says:

ھٰذاحَدِیث غَرِیب جِدَّاً و فِیہ نکارۃ شدیدہ

This hadith is gharb (i.e. reported by one narrator only), and is extremely munkar (i.e. reported by a weak narrator against the authentic traditions).

He then adds:

و مع ھذا قد رواہ الامام احمد بن حنبل فی مسندہٖ موقوفاً و مرفوعاً

(And in spite of all this Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (رح) has related it in his Musnad both as a saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and as a saying of a Sahabi, that is traced.

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Evidence of the Resurrection in the creation of Man and of Plants

When Allah speaks of disbelief in the Resurrection, He also mentions the evidence of His power and ability to resurrect that is evident from the way He initiates creation. Allah says:

(O mankind! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection,) which means the time when souls and bodies will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection,

(then verily, We have created you from dust,) meaning, `you were originally created from dust', which is what Adam, peace be upon him, was created from.

(then from a Nutfah,) 32:8 meaning, then He made his offspring from semen of despised water.

The Development of the Nutfah and Embryo in the Womb

(then from a clot then from a little lump of flesh) if the Nutfah establishes itself in the woman's womb, it stays like that for forty days, then more material is added to it and it changes into a red clot, by the leave of Allah, and it remains like that for forty days. Then it changes and becomes a lump of flesh, like a piece of meat with no form or shape. Then it starts to take on a form and shape, developing a head, arms, chest, stomach, thighs, legs, feet and all its members. Sometimes a woman miscarries before the fetus is formed and sometimes she miscarries after it has formed. As Allah says:

(then from a little lump of flesh -- some formed and some unformed) meaning, as you see.

(that We may make (it) clear to you. And We cause whom We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed term,) meaning that sometimes the fetus remains in the womb and is not miscarried.

(some formed and some unformed, ) Mujahid said, "This means the miscarried fetus, formed or unformed. When forty days have passed of it being a lump of flesh, then Allah sends an angel to it who breathes the soul into it and forms it as Allah wills, handsome or ugly, male or female. He then writes its provision, its allotted length of life and whether it is to be one of the blessed or the wretched." It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Mas`ud said, "The Messenger of Allah , who is the true and truly inspired one, told us:

(Every one of you is collected in the womb of his mother for the first forty days, and then he becomes a clot for another forty days, and then a lump of flesh for another forty days. Then Allah sends an angel to write four words: He writes his provision, his deeds, his life span, and whether he will be blessed or wretched. Then he blows the soul into him.)"

Man's Development from Infancy to Old Age His saying;

(then We bring you out as infants,) means, weak in his body, hearing, sight, senses, stamina and mind. Then Allah gives him strength, gradually and causes his parents to treat him with tender kindness night and day. Allah says:

(then (give you growth) that you may reach your age of full strength.) meaning, his strength increases until he reaches the vitality and handsomeness of youth.

(And among you there is he who dies,) means, when he is young and strong.

(and among you there is he who is brought back to the miserable old age,) meaning advanced old age with its weakness in mind and body, in steady decline in comprehension, and disability to grasp. As Allah says:

(so that he knows nothing after having known.)

(Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after strength gave (you) weakness and grey hair. He creates what He wills. And it is He Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.) 30:54

Another Parable of the Resurrection from Plants

(And you see the earth Hamidatan,) This is another sign of the power of Allah to bring the dead back to life, just as He brings the dead, barren earth back to life, the lifeless earth in which nothing grows. Qatadah said, "(This means) the eroded, dusty earth." As-Suddi said, "Dead."

(but when We send down water on it, it is stirred (to life), and it swells and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth).) When Allah sends the rain upon it, it is stirred to life, that is, vegetation begins to grow and it comes alive after it was dead. Then it rises after the soil had settled, then it puts forth its different kinds of fruit and crops with all their varied colours, tastes, fragrances, shapes and benefits. Allah says:

(and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth).) meaning, beautiful in appearance and with delightful fragrances.

(That is because Allah: He is the Truth,) means, the Creator, the Controller, the One Who does as He wills.

(and it is He Who gives life to the dead,) means, just as He gives life to the dead earth and brings forth from it all these kinds of vegetation.

(Verily, He Who gives it life, surely is able to give life to the dead. Indeed He is able to do all things.) 41:39

(Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!" -- and it is!) 36:82.

(And surely, the Hour is coming, there is no doubt about it;) meaning, it will inevitably come to pass.

(and certainly, Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.) means, He will bring them back to life after they have become dust; He will create them anew after they have become nothing.

(And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: "Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust" Say: "He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation!" He Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold you kindle there- with.) 36:78-80. And there are many similar Ayat.

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