Yunus (Jonas)

31. “Say: “Who provides you (sustenance) from the sky and from the earth? Or who possesses hearing and sight? And who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living? And, who administrates (every) affair? They will soon say: ‘Allah’. Then, say: ‘Will you not then keep from evil?’”

There have been said same examples of Allah’s bringing forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living, among which one might cite the case of the human sperm leading to human beings and human seed from human beings, the chicken from the egg and egg from the chicken, plants from seeds, and seeds from plants; socially - righteous children from corrupt parents and corrupt children from worthy parents.

In this verse there are hints regarding the existence of the Lord and His right of being worshipped.

At first, the holy Qur’an addresses the Prophet (S) implying to tell those polytheists and idol-worshippers, that who are going astray, who is it that provides nourishment for you in the sky and on the earth?

The verse says:

“Say: “Who provides you (sustenance) from the sky and from the earth?...”

Definitely, the earth provides nourishment for the roots of plants by means of its nutritious substances. It is probably for this reason that the above verse refers to the nourishing substances coming from the sky and later from the earth.

Later, the verse refers to two of man’s most important senses, namely seeing and hearing, without which man’s acquisition of knowledge would have been impossible. It tells him to ask them who is He Who is the Creator of their eyes and ears and reinforces these two senses of theirs.

The verse says:

“…Or who possesses hearing and sight?...”

Then it brings up the two phenomena of death and life which are the most peculiar ones in the realm of creation.

It says:

“…And who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the deed from the living?...”

This is the very issue confronted by scientists and the learned men of the natural sciences as well as biologists, amazing them that how living creatures spring from inanimate objects.

The meaning of the above verse includes material as well as spiritual death and life, for one can see intelligent, honest and faithful men sometimes born to parents who are corrupt and faithless, and vice versa.

Then it adds implying that Who is He who rules and regulates all worldly affairs?

The verse says:

“…And, who administrates (every) affair?...”

In fact, the verse at first talks about the creation of the blessings and then it speaks about the guardian and administrator of these blessings.

After putting forth these three questions, the holy Qur’an immediately declares that they will soon answer in reply that it is Allah.

The verse says:

“…They will soon say: ‘Allah’...” One may infer from the above sentence that even the polytheists, infidels and idol-worshippers during the “Age of Ignorance” considered Allah as the sole Creator, Sustainer, Giver of Life as well as the Administrator and Maintainer of the world of existence.

And at the end of the verse the Prophet (S) has been commanded to ask them: why they did not take the path of virtue. It says:

“…Then, say: ‘Will you not then keep from evil?’”