The first passage spoke about the idolaters who opposed the message of Islam and cited the case of the people of the township who rejected their three messengers and how it took no more than one blast for them to fall down lifeless. In the present passage the sūrah speaks generally of all people who oppose every divine religion. It shows mankind straying in error across the generations. It calls with sorrow on all people to take heed of what happened to earlier communities who passed before them and who will not return until the Day of Resurrection, when “they all will be brought before Us.” (Verse 32)

The sūrah then presents a number of universal signs which people see constantly without paying any attention to the message they impart. These signs are within themselves and all around them, while others have passed into history, yet still they pay no heed, and when they are reminded, they choose not to remember: “Every single sign that comes to them from their Lord do they ignore.” (Verse 46) Indeed, they hasten their own punishment, believing that it will never happen: “They also ask:

When will this promise be fulfilled, if what you say be true?” (Verse 48)

The passage also presents a long scene from the Day of Judgement, showing the fate that they hasten. This is done in such a way that it appears to happen before their very eyes.

Alas for mankind! Whenever a messenger comes to them, they level ridicule on him.

Are they not aware of how many a generation We have destroyed before them, and that they [who have perished] will never return to them? Yet, they all will be brought before Us. (Verses 30-32)

The first phrase expresses reaction to a sorrowful situation. This situation cannot be changed though sorrow and pain about it can be expressed. God Almighty does not experience such a feeling Himself, but He states that the situation these people are in deserves such reaction by others. Theirs is a depressing condition that leads to great misery.

“Alas for mankind!” They are offered a chance to save themselves but they turn away. This even though they see how earlier communities perished, yet they benefit nothing by the lessons they present. God opens wide the doors of His mercy to them, time after time, as He sends them messengers, but they ignore His mercy and behave with insolence and ill manners: “Whenever a messenger comes to them, they level ridicule on him. Are they not aware of how many a generation We have destroyed before them, and that they [who have perished] will never return to them?” (Verses 30-31) The fact that earlier communities, over countless generations, perished should provide a clear lesson to anyone who reflects. People, however, do not pay heed, even though they realize that they are going to meet the same end. What could invite greater sorrow?

An animal shudders to see its fellow animal perish, and it will inevitably try to avoid the same fate. How come that man sees so many communities suffering and meeting the same end, and yet he continues to follow in their footsteps? Arrogance blinds him to the result which he will inevitably reach.

While those who had already gone will not return to their successors, they will not be ignored or left without reckoning. They will all face that at the proper time: “Yet, they all will be brought before Us.” (Verse 32)

There is a sign for them in the lifeless earth: We give it life and produce out of it grain for them to eat. We place in it gardens of date palms and grapes, and cause springs to gush out of it, so that they may eat of its fruit. It was not their own hands that made all this. Will they, then, not give thanks? Limitless in His glory is He who created all things in pairs: whatever the earth produces, their own human kind and other creatures of which they have no knowledge. (Verses 33-36)

Everything around them in the universe speaks to them about God, giving evidence of His presence. They only need to look at the land in front of them and how they see it dead, lifeless, lacking a drop of water. Then they see it quicken, producing grain and adorned with gardens replete with dates and grapes. Springs of water gush through it; and in no time, it is full of life.

Life is a miracle which no man can produce. It is God’s hand that produces miracles, initiating life in what has been dead. The sight of growing plants, flowering gardens and ripening fruit should open people’s eyes and hearts to appreciate the wonderful work engendered by God’s hand. It splits the earth to allow the shoot to appear, longing for freedom and light, gives vigour to the stem which is eager to enjoy sunlight, loads the branches with leaves and fruit, opens up flowers and gets the fruit ready for picking, “so that they may eat of its fruit. It was not their own hands that made all this.” (Verse 35) It was God’s dextrous hand that enabled them to achieve all this; it was He who made the plants grow and yield their harvest: “Will they, then, not give thanks?” (Verse 35)

Having given them this gentle and inspiring touch, the sūrah then turns away from them a little to glorify God who gave them the flourishing gardens, making all plants in pairs, male and female, like men and women and countless other species known only to God: “Limitless in His glory is He who created all things in pairs: whatever the earth produces, their own human kind and other creatures of which they have no knowledge.” (Verse 36)

With this glorification of God, voiced at exactly the right place and time, a great fact of the universe is brought to the fore; that is, the oneness of creation, the rule that applies to it and the way it is made. God has created all living things in pairs, and this applies to plants in the same way as it applies to man, and everything else: ‘and other creatures of which they have no knowledge.’ This unity points to the fact that the Creator is one. It is He who put in place the oneness of creation, despite the great varieties of shape, size, kind, race, features, etc. in all these creatures which are known only to Him. This rule of creating things in pairs may apply to everything in the universe, including inanimate objects, but this is knowledge that rests with God alone. It has now, for example, been established that the atom, which is the smallest unit of matter we know includes a pair of electric charges, positive and negative.

Moreover, thousands of pairs of stars have been observed: each pair of stars move together in the same orbit, as if they are playing the same tune.

Clear and inspiring as these signs are, people continue to pay little heed. Their hearts remain closed and they persist in ridicule and denial, hastening the end against which God’s messengers have warned them:

When they are told: ‘Beware of that which lies before you and behind you, so that you may be graced with His mercy,’ [they pay no heed]. Every single sign that comes to them from their Lord do they ignore. And when they are told: ‘Give [in charity] out of what God has provided for you,’ the unbelievers say to those who believe: Are we to feed those whom God could have fed, had He so willed? Clearly, you are lost in error.’ They also ask: ‘When will this promise be fulfilled, if what you say be true?’ (Verses 45-48)

Although all these signs are enough to cause an open heart to shudder and bring it in line with the universe, the unbelievers will not see them for what they are, and even if they do see them, they still do not reflect on them. Because His grace is endless, God does not leave them to themselves. He sends them messengers to warn them and to call them to their Lord, the Creator of the universe. The messengers’ role is to alert people’s hearts so that they can see why they should be God- fearing, and to warn them against incurring God’s displeasure, pointing out its causes and teaching them how to avoid it. Signs are constantly given them in their lives, time after time, in addition to the signs that are available in the universe around them, but they choose to remain blind: “When they are told: Beware of that which lies before you and behind you, so that you may be graced with His mercy, [they pay no heed]. Every single sign that comes to them from their Lord do they ignore.” (Verses 45-46) If they are urged to be charitable and to give to the poor a portion of what God has provided for them, they say in ridicule: “Are we to feed those whom God could have fed, had He so willed?” (Verse 47) They would even be impolite in their reply to those calling on them to be charitable, saying: “Clearly, you are lost in error.” (Verse 47)

Viewing the matter in such a mechanical way betrays their ignorance of the law God has set for human life. It is God who feeds and provides for All the provisions that people receive on earth are created by Him. They cannot create any of that; indeed, they cannot create anything whatsoever. It is God’s will that people should have needs which they cannot attain to without hard work, such as planting the earth, extracting its raw material to manufacture things, transporting its produce from place to place, offering such produce in return for other products or for money, etc. It is also His will that people differ in their talents and abilities to ensure that everything needed to fulfil man’s task of building human life on earth is available.

The accomplishment of this task not only needs talents and abilities that earn money and produce wealth; it also requires others that can meet different human needs, without earning money. This makes for a complex human society, in which people have different lots in a bustling world, and across generations. However, the resulting differences of the means available to different people does not lead to the ruination of life and society. In fact it is a by-product of life’s movement.

All they are waiting for is a single blast that will overtake them while they are still disputing. No time will they have to make bequests, nor will they return to their own people. The Trumpet will be sounded, and out of their graves they will rise and hasten to their Lord. They will say: ‘Woe betide us! Who has roused us from our resting place? This is what the Lord of Grace had promised. The messengers told the truth.’ It takes nothing but one single blast, and they will all have been brought before Us.

(Verses 49-53)

Here we see the answer to the question about the time of resurrection: it comes in the form of a quick image, a single blast that ends all life. “All they are waiting for is a single blast that will overtake them while they are still disputing. No time will they have to make bequests, nor will they return to their own people.” (Verses 4950) It takes them suddenly, in a moment, as they argue and dispute going about their day-to-day lives, expecting nothing of the sort. Then it is all over. All perish in the situation and the condition they are in. They have no chance to make a will or to arrange something for loved ones who may stay behind. No one can return to his family to say a word to them. In fact every single person faces the same end, with all life finished.

The Trumpet is then sounded and they all rise from their graves, moving hurriedly, shocked, in fear. The question on everyone’s lips is: “Who has roused us from our resting place?” (Verse 52) As the shock begins to wear off, it is replaced by a growing realization: “This is what the Lord of Grace had promised. The messengers told the truth.” (Verse 52) Then comes the final blast and all those bewildered individuals, moving hurriedly and aimlessly, take their positions: “It takes nothing but one single blast, and they will all have been brought before Us.” (Verse 53) Only a short moment and all are stationed in place, ranged in rows as if they were in a parade. The supreme decree explaining the nature of the moment as well as the forthcoming reckoning and reward is announced to all: “Today, no one shall be wronged in the least: you will be requited for nothing other than that which you did in life.” (Verse 54) The quick succession of these three images forms a complete and coherent answer to those who have been voicing doubts about the Day of Resurrection.

The sūrah does not dwell on how the believers face the reckoning. Instead, it moves quickly on to show their happy end:

Those who are destined for paradise are today happily occupied. Together with their spouses, they will be in shady groves seated on soft couches. There they have fruit and whatever they ask for: peace and fulfilment through the word of the Lord of mercy.

(Verses 55-58)

They are occupied with the comforts available to them, happy, relaxed, enjoying the fruits served to them and the shady groves providing a cool breeze. They are joined by their spouses in perfect enjoyment. Whatever they need is immediately made available to them. Above all this, they are honoured with a greeting of peace from none other than their merciful Lord.