of Nokounam, (Session 1209)
Surah Al-Anm, like a radiant gem within the constellation of the Holy Quran, challenges polytheism and disbelief through the central theme of monotheism, guiding humanity towards the knowledge of singular worship. Verse 95 of this Surah, with a wondrous expression, depicts Divine power in splitting the grain and the stone, creating life from death, and death from life. This writing, through a profound examination of this verse and reflection upon its concepts, seeks to explore its epistemological and philosophical layers in a scientific and coherent framework. By employing novel metaphors and precise elucidations, this work endeavours to lead the reader into the depths of Quranic wisdom and Divine governance in the system of creation.
Surah Al-Anm, emphasising the principle of monotheism, has established its epistemological foundation upon the oneness of God. This Surah, by addressing the themes of polytheism and disbelief, invites humanity to recognise the One God and to shun deviations. Monotheism, like a radiant sun, illuminates all the verses of this Surah, with each verse reflecting a manifestation of this truth.
This characteristic renders Surah Al-Anm an unparalleled source for understanding the principles of monotheism. Each verse, like a branch of the mighty tree of monotheism, guides towards the truth and leads humanity from the darkness of polytheism to the light of certainty.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ فَالِقُ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَىٰ ۚ يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَمُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتِ مِنَ الْحَيِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ فَالِقُ الْإِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ سَكَنًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَانًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ
Indeed, Allah is the Splitter of the grain and the stone; He brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living. That is Allah; so how are you deluded?
He is the Splitter of the dawn and has made the night a resting place and the sun and the moon for calculation. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.
The verse begins with the attribute Fliq (Splitter), which indicates Divine unmatched power in splitting the grain (abb) and the stone (naw). The term abb refers to seedless grains such as wheat and barley, while naw denotes stone-bearing seeds such as dates. This distinction manifests the precision of the Holy Quran in describing the system of creation. Allah, like a wise gardener, creates life from a seemingly lifeless seed and breathes a green branch from a hard stone.
This process, like a continual miracle, operates in nature. A seed buried in the soil, upon contact with water, splits and attains life. This metaphor reflects Divine wisdom in the creation of life.
The Holy Quran, in a vernacular expression, speaks of the living emerging from the dead and the dead from the living. A wheat seed or a date stone, seemingly dead, is revitalised by water and produces a plant. Likewise, chewed food within the human body, considered dead, transforms into a living embryo. This cycle, like a harmonious dance in the system of creation, links life and death.
From a scientific perspective, nothing is entirely dead; even microbes and viruses possess life. However, the Quran utilises colloquial language for general comprehension. This language acts as a bridge between Divine knowledge and human understanding, conveying profound concepts simply.
Plants, like grass sprouting through asphalt, overcome obstacles with softness and flexibility. This softness, like a gentle flow against stone, indicates the inherent power in creation. A tree reaching the roof bends and finds its way towards the light. This flexibility, like a ballet dance in nature, reveals Divine wisdom in the preservation of life.
Chewed food, regarded as dead in vernacular terms, converts into living blood within the body, after which dead waste is separated. This cycle, like the organised system of a vast factory, displays Divine order within the human body. The embryo, which originates from food, becomes a complete human being, a sign of astonishing Divine creation.
The Holy Quran uses vernacular language here to render the wonders of creation tangible for all. This language serves as a key that opens the doors of knowledge to humanity.
The Holy Quran is not merely a scientific book but a social, human, and religious text that, like a grocers shop, provides for every human need. From a pumice stone to yoghurt, from religion to wisdom, all are found within this Divine book. This comprehensiveness, like an infinite sea, encompasses the diverse needs of humanity.
Some interpretations have attributed the emergence of the living from the dead to the birth of a disbeliever from a believer or vice versa. Although possible, this interpretation diverges from the natural meaning of the verse, which concerns the creation of seed and embryo. The apparent meaning of the verse, like a clear light, refers to natural creation, and baseless allegories, like dust, obscure this light.
Allah is the Splitter of the dawn (Fliq al-Ib) and encompasses not only the sun but all lights. The night, like a tranquil embrace, is created for rest, and sleep during the night, like alchemy, prolongs life. Rising at night for worship and contemplation is like a precious gem, but moderate sleep, like salt in food, is essential.
The sun and moon, like precise instruments, measure time for humanity. This temporal order, like a Divine clock, is under the decree of Allah, the Exalted in Might and Knowing. The attribute Azz denotes uniqueness, and Alm denotes Divine knowledge, free from deficiency and ignorance, unlike human knowledge.
The verse Kullu man alayh fn refers to vernacular death, not complete annihilation. Death is a bridge to another realm, not non-existence. This misunderstanding, like a cloud over the truth, obstructs correct comprehension of the system of creation.
The conception of a material paradise, with rivers and maidens, located beside hellfire, is like a deceptive mirage. The believer, whose heart is devoted to the suffering of others, finds no peace in such a paradise. The true paradise is Jannt al-Asm al-Ilhiyya, which, like an infinite ocean, is free from any defect or sorrow.
The division of melon between humans and flies serves as a metaphor for shared material pleasures. However, Divine paradise transcends such divisions, and its delights, like celestial gems, are beyond material reach.
In material paradise, the believer grieves over the torment of relatives in hell. This sorrow, like a thorn in the heart, is incompatible with true paradise. Divine paradise, like an endless garden, brings absolute tranquillity.
Seeing a master in Barzakh enduring four hundred years of torment reflects the reality of sin and its shame. This metaphor serves as a warning, calling humanity towards reform and piety.
The believer, like a gushing spring, does not remain indifferent to the suffering of others. The Hadith Whoever wakes up without concern for the affairs of Muslims is not one of them illuminates the social responsibility of the believer. Indifference, like poison, destroys faith.
Wealth, if not spent in the path of good, is like a fruitless treasure. The believer, like a gardener, employs wealth for Allah and creation. Suspicion of charitable deeds, like a barrier against benevolence, must be broken.
Allah is the Lord of the Worlds and the Sustainer of all realms. Contrary to some religious scholars who limited realms to this world and the hereafter, Divine realms are infinite like countless streets and squares. Each choice is like a path leading to a different realm.
The conception that all will be gathered in one unified field on the Day of Resurrection is incorrect. Each individual is resurrected in their own specific realm. This system, like a complex tapestry, is under Divine governance.
Verse 95 of Surah Al-Anm, like a shining gem, portrays Divine wisdom in the creation of life and death. Allah, by splitting the grain and the stone, creates life from the inanimate and manages the cycle of life and death within the system of creation. This verse, using vernacular language, makes the marvels of creation tangible for all and warns against erroneous interpretations. Critiquing materialistic conceptions of paradise, like a beacon, illuminates the path towards Jannt al-Asm al-Ilhiyya. The social responsibility of the believer, like a pure stream, links faith to service for creation. This exegesis, through a deep exploration of Quranic concepts, invites the reader to reflect on Divine wisdom and to reform their perspectives.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
