Verse Number 52-53
The Disbelievers are like the Dead, Deaf and Blind
Allah says, `just as you are not able to make the dead hear in their graves, or to make your words reach the deaf who cannot hear and who still turn away from you, so too you cannot guide the blind to the truth and bring them back from their misguidance.’ That is a matter which rests with Allah, for by His power He can make the dead hear the voices of the living if He wills. He guides whom He wills and sends astray whom He wills, and no one but He has the power to do this. Allah says:
إِن تُسْمِعُ إِلاَّ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِـَايَـتِنَا فَهُم مُّسْلِمُونَ
(you can make to hear only those who believe in Our Ayat, and have submitted (to Allah in Islam).) means, those who are humble and who respond and obey. These are the ones who will listen to the truth and follow it; this is the state of the believers; the former (being deaf and blind) is the state of the disbelievers, as Allah says:
إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
(It is only those who listen will respond, but as for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned.) (6:36) `A’ishah, the Mother of the faithful, may Allah be pleased with her, used this Ayah —
إِنَّكَ لاَ تُسْمِعُ الْمَوْتَى
(So verily, you cannot make the dead to hear) as evidence against `Abdullah bin `Umar when he reported that the Prophet had addressed the slain disbelievers who had been thrown into a dry well three days after the battle of Badr, rebuking and reprimanding them, until `Umar said, “O Messenger of Allah, are you addressing people who are dead bodies” He said:
«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا أَنْتُمْ بِأَسْمَعَ لِمَا أَقُولُ مِنْهُمْ، وَلَكِنْ لَا يُجِيبُون»
(By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, you do not hear what I say any better than they do, but they cannot respond.) s`A’ishah interpreted this event to mean that the Prophet was making the point that now they would know that what he had been telling them was true. Qatadah said: “Allah brought them back to life for him so that they could hear what he said by way of rebuke and vengeance.”
Verse Number 54
The Different Stages of Man
Here Allah points out how man passes through different stages of creation, one phase after another. He is originally created from dust, then from a Nutfah, then from a clot, then from a lump of flesh. Then he becomes bones, then the bones are clothed with flesh, then the soul is breathed into him. Then he emerges from his mother’s womb, weak and thin and powerless. Then he grows up little by little, until he becomes a child, then he reaches the stage of puberty, then he becomes a young man, which is strength after weakness. Then he starts to get older, reaching middle age, then old age and senility, weakness after strength, so he loses his resolve, power of movement and ability to fight, his hair turns grey and his characteristics, both inward and outward, begin to change. Allah says:
ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفاً وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ
(then after strength gave (you) weakness and grey hair. He creates what He wills.) He does whatsoever He wills and controls His servants in whatever way He wants.
وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْقَدِيرُ
(And He is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.)
Verse Number 55-57
The Ignorance of the Disbelievers in this World and in the Hereafter
Here Allah tells us of the ignorance of the disbelievers in this world and in the Hereafter. In this world they worship idols, and in the Hereafter they will also display great ignorance. They will swear by Allah that they did not even stay for one hour in this world. They will mean that there was not enough time given to establish proof against them which would leave them with no excuse. Allah says:
كَذَلِكَ كَانُواْ يُؤْفَكُونَوَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ وَالإِيمَـنَ لَقَدْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِى كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْبَعْثِ
(thus were they ever deluded. And those who have been bestowed with knowledge and Faith will say: “Indeed you have stayed according to the decree of Allah, until the Day of Resurrection…”) The believers who have knowledge of the Hereafter will respond to them, just as they established the proof of Allah against them in this world. When they swear that they did not stay even one hour in this world, they will say to them:
لَقَدْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِى كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ
(Indeed you have stayed according to the decree of Allah,) meaning, the Book of deeds,
إِلَى يَوْمِ الْبَعْثِ
(until the Day of Resurrection;) means, `from the day when you were created until the day you were resurrected. ‘
وَلَـكِنَّكُمْ كُنتمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ
(but you knew not.) Allah says:
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ
(So, on that Day) meaning, the Day of Resurrection,
لاَّ ينفَعُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ
(no excuse of theirs will avail those who did wrong,) means, their excuses for what they did.
وَلاَ هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ
(nor will they be allowed (then) to return to seek (Allah’s) pleasure.) means, they will not be allowed to return to this world. This is like the Ayah,
وَإِن يَسْتَعْتِبُواْ فَمَا هُم مِّنَ الْمُعْتَبِينَ
(and if they seek to please (Allah), yet they are not of those who will ever be allowed to please (Allah)) (41:24).