Verse 56:57 – “It was We who created you: will you not believe?” myislam.org

In this opening verse, God declares Himself the Creator of humankind, challenging the audience’s lack of belief. Classical commentators note that the Meccan skeptics doubted both God’s oneness (tawḥīd) and the Resurrection, asking how they could be raised after deathmyislam.orgmyislam.org. Ibn Kathīr remarks that God created humans from nothing to begin with, so He certainly has the power to create them again in a new lifemyislam.org. Thus, the verse rhetorically asks why people do not affirm this truth of creation and resurrection.

Philosophically, this serves as an invitation to reflect on our origins. If we ponder our existence, from the miraculous fusion of cells to a living, conscious being, it points to a transcendent cause. Modern thinkers echo this: the sheer complexity of life’s emergence is not easily explained by material causes alone. Scientifically, we now know each human begins as a single fertilized cell containing encoded DNA instructions – a sperm and egg uniting to form life – an origin utterly beyond our control or full comprehension. This amplifies the Qur’anic point: we did not create ourselves. Contemporary Muslim scholars like Zia Shah highlight that every aspect of existence is finely tuned for life, implying a purposeful Creator thequran.love thequran.love. Our very being is a sign; acknowledging this reality is the first step to faith. Thus, verse 57 lays the foundation: God as the ultimate efficient cause of human existence, worthy of belief and gratitude.

Verse 56:58 – “Consider [the semen] you eject–” islamawakened.com

After asserting His role as Creator, God directs us to a specific aspect of creation: the humble origin of human life as a drop of fluid. Classical exegesis explains that this verse prompts people to reflect on the reproductive process. The coarse language (“semen” or “sperm-drop”) is intentional – it reminds us that from a seemingly base fluid emerges complex human life by God’s decree. No pre-Islamic Arab or even early scientist understood the full detail of embryology, yet they grasped the point: the germ of life is not fashioned into a human by our will.

Modern science has uncovered how a microscopic gamete carries the genetic code and, once it fertilizes an egg, triggers a cascade of embryonic development. Yet, despite our knowledge, we cannot instill life into a lifeless cell. All our laboratories cannot truly “create” a sentient being from scratch. Contemporary commentators emphasize this as well: “Did you ever consider the sperm that you emit?” – we might study it under microscopes, but the spark of life remains a divine mystery. As Zia Shah notes, processes like germination and life’s genesis are directly caused by Allah, not merely by autonomous natural lawsthequran.lovethequran.love. Philosophically, this supports a worldview of divine causality: the effect (a child) so vastly exceeds the apparent cause (a drop of fluid) that one is moved to acknowledge God’s creative agency behind the veil of biology.

Verse 56:59 – “Do you create it yourselves or are We the Creator?”islamawakened.com

Here the Qur’an drives home the previous verse’s implication with a pointed question. The “it” refers to the fertilized drop developing into a human or to life itself. Who is the real creator of a new human being? We may say figuratively that mothers and fathers “create” or “make” a baby, but in truth our role is limited to physical acts. We do not design the baby’s organs, form its consciousness, or breathe life into it.

Classical scholars like Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī highlight the powerlessness of human beings in the face of such phenomena – we only deliver the fluid; God alone transforms it into flesh and spirit. The verse’s rhetorical choice – “or are We the Creator?” – strongly affirms that all generative power lies with Godislamawakened.com. In theology, this underpins Occasionalism, the doctrine that no created thing has independent causal power. The Qur’an’s language suggests exactly that: humans are not the true creators of even their offspring; rather, as Al-Ghazālī taught, causes are merely occasions for God’s actionthequran.lovethequran.love. Modern readers can appreciate this when considering, for example, the development of a fetus: we can track genes and cells, but why those natural laws exist and produce a thinking person is beyond us. This verse humbles us and ascribes the miracle of life entirely to God – a philosophical reminder that all causality regresses to the First Cause.

Verse 56:60 – “We ordained death to be among you. Nothing could stop Us”islamawakened.com

Shifting from life’s beginning to its end, God asserts His decree of death for every person. Mortality is set “among you” as an inescapable law of nature. Classical commentators point out that just as God created life, He set a fixed term for itislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. No living being can outrun this fate – an echo of the Qur’anic theme “Every soul shall taste death”. The phrase “We are not to be outdone” or in Abdel Haleem’s wording, “Nothing could stop Us,” emphasizes God’s omnipotence: no one can prevent Him from carrying out the cycle of life and deathislamawakened.com.

Philosophically, this verse addresses human illusions of power. However advanced our medicine, immortality eludes us, underscoring that we live under a higher ordainment. From a scientific angle, one may note how every organism has biological limits – cells age (telomeres shorten, DNA accumulates damage) – built-in mechanisms leading to death. This universality of death can be seen as part of the designed order. The verse hints that if God willed otherwise, He could have made humans differently. Indeed, “Nothing could stop Us” implies that God’s creative power is absolute: He is not constrained by any law or obstacle in naturemyislam.org. This segues into the next verse, which imagines God changing our forms or replacing us entirely, highlighting that our existence is completely contingent on His will.

Verse 56:61 – “if We intended to change you and recreate you in a way unknown to you.”islamawakened.com

The wording of this verse is a continuation of the previous: *“And We are not to be prevented … if We [so] intended to change you…”. In other words, nothing stops God from replacing humanity or altering our very form of existence. Early exegetes offered two interpretations: (1) God could replace current humans with others like us (a new generation or different people), or (2) God could transform us into a new form of creation unlike anything we now knowmyislam.orgmyislam.org. Either way, the verse stresses God’s limitless creative possibilities. The Hereafter is one obvious implication – recreating humans in an unfamiliar form (such as a resurrected spiritual body) is well within His powermyislam.org. Classical scholars used this to refute the skeptics of resurrection: the God who made you once can remake you in forms beyond your imagination.

Modern commentators may also see in this verse a hint of evolution or cosmic change – that if God willed, He could bring forth entirely different beings or alter the natural order. Zia Shah, for instance, discusses how guided evolution or any creative change still falls under God’s agency, aligning with occasionalism (God continually sustains and can modify creation)thequran.lovethequran.love. Theologically, this verse humbles human arrogance: what we consider the fixed “human form” is not absolute. Our likeness, our very species, exists by God’s choice and can be changed. It is a Quranic reminder of contingency – we are as God made us, and could be otherwise. In the context of occasionalism, it reinforces that not just events, but even natural kinds have no necessity independent of God’s will. Reality is malleable to the Divine Command.

Verse 56:62 – “You have learned how you were first created: will you not reflect?”islamawakened.com

God now appeals to human knowledge of origin as evidence for future re-creation. “You have certainly known the first genesis,” another translation readsislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. Classical tafsirs explain that knowing “the first creation” means acknowledging that God brought us from non-existence into lifeislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. It may also allude to the known facts of our birth or even the creation of the first human (Adam) from clay. If we accept that initial miracle, why doubt God’s ability to do it again? Thus, the verse urges reflection (tadhakkur): connecting the dots from creation to resurrection. As Abu’l-Aʿlā Maudūdī writes, “You already know how you were first created. Why then do you not take heed?”islamawakened.comislamawakened.com.

For a modern reader, this verse is an invitation to contemplate the entire cosmic history. We now know the universe itself had a beginning (the Big Bang) and life on Earth had a beginning. These beginnings are shrouded in mystery – scientists propose theories, but what caused existence to emerge from nothingness remains an open question. The Qur’an suggests the answer: divine agency. By reflecting on the astonishing fact that anything exists at all (when it once did not), we find the idea of a New Creation (life after death or a transformed world) far less implausible. Philosophically, this touches on the kalām cosmological argument: if the universe began to exist, it must have a cause beyond it – Godthequran.lovethequran.love. The same Omnipotent Cause can initiate another new existence. The verse closes the section on resurrection arguments: we are to use reason and memory of known truths to trust in God’s promises of what is yet unknown.

(Verses 57–62, taken together, form a powerful proof according to classical scholars: God’s past creative act guarantees His ability to resurrect and transform. As one commentary notes, these verses rationally prove both Tawḥīd (God’s sole divinity and power) and Ākhirah (the Hereafter) for those who would reflectmyislam.org.)

Verse 56:63 – “Consider the seeds you sow in the ground”islamawakened.com

Having addressed human creation, the Qur’an now turns to the natural phenomena that sustain us, beginning with agriculture. Planting seeds is one of the most basic human activities – and one most vulnerable to factors beyond our control. The verse invites us to observe a simple act: we place seeds in soil. We might plow, water, and fertilize, but can we guarantee a crop? The unstated question (answered in the next verse) is: who truly grows the seed into a plant?

Classical commentators often point out that, in ancient Arabia, people were well aware that not every seed sprouts. They depended on crops yet faced frequent crop failures due to drought or pests. Thus, this verse would resonate deeply – sowing is in human hands, but sprouting is in God’s. Even today, with all our agronomic science, farmers ultimately rely on sunlight, rain, soil microbes, germination – processes they cannot command. We can explain how a seed germinates (the seed’s cells absorb water, the embryo swells and breaks out, etc.), but we cannot force a seed to be viable or a shoot to emerge. Modern agronomy improves odds, but life’s growth remains a gift.

From a scientific perspective, one might marvel that tiny seeds contain the biochemical programming to grow into plants, harnessing photosynthesis – a process essential to life on Earth. This incredible natural engineering prompts a philosophical reflection: such order and complexity suggests a Wise Designer (al-Ḥakīm) behind nature. As Zia Shah notes, nearly every surah of the Qur’an directs attention to God as Creator and invites science-minded believers to marvel at this orderthequran.lovethequran.love. Verse 63 is precisely such an invitation – to observe, wonder, and infer the truth of God’s providence from the everyday miracle of a seed growing into sustenance.

Verse 56:64 – “Is it you who make them grow or We?”islamawakened.com

This verse completes the thought of the previous one, providing the explicit answer. After asking us to consider the act of sowing, God asks: who is truly causing the growth of crops? The structure – “Is it you… or are We the Grower?” – is emphatic. Classical exegetes like al-Ṭabarī underline that humans do not possess the power to ensure growth; all they can do is till and plant, then hope for God’s grace. The Qur’an’s language makes it clear that Allah alone is “Al-Zāriʿ” (The Grower)islamawakened.comislamawakened.com.

In antiquity, this was an assertion against both arrogant human self-reliance and against attributing fertility to nature-deities. In modern terms, it guards against a purely mechanistic view of nature. Yes, we understand photosynthesis, soil chemistry, and genetics far better now – but this knowledge, rather than eliminating God, can deepen our appreciation of His agency. We might say: humans cultivate, but God (through the laws and constants He set) germinates and grows the plant. The anthropic fine-tuning of our environment is notable here: seeds grow because a host of conditions are perfectly set (sunlight spectrum, water’s properties, soil composition, etc.). Physicist Paul Davies observes that the universe is remarkably “fine-tuned” for life’s building blocksthequran.lovethequran.love. If any of those constants were off, seeds might not grow at all. Thus, when God asks if we make the crops grow, a scientific believer might answer: “We work hard, but ultimately You set the conditions that make growth possible” – confirming the verse.

Philosophically and theologically, verse 64 reinforces divine sovereignty over nature. It aligns with the occasionalist view that what we call “natural growth” is in fact God’s direct work at every moment. As Al-Ghazālī argued, fire does not burn nor do seeds sprout by inherent power – it is God who creates the effect each timethequran.lovethequran.love. The crop growing season after season is a habitual miracle. This verse invites gratitude and humility: our role in producing food is minuscule compared to the Providence that truly yields the harvest.

Verse 56:65 – “If We wished, We could turn your harvest into chaff and leave you to wail”islamawakened.com

God now presents a thought experiment: imagine your fields of crops, nearly ready for harvest, were suddenly reduced to dry stubble or crumbled to debris. If He willed, all the fruits of human labor could be ruined in an instant, and the verse vividly describes the aftermath: you would be left in despair, crying “we are ruined”. Classical commentators mention this scenario to remind readers how utterly dependent our livelihood is on God’s favorislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. In an agrarian society, such devastation – perhaps by a storm, blight, or locust swarm – was a known calamity. The Qur’an ties it directly to God’s will: not that God is cruel, but to emphasize He controls even these adverse events, and we are helpless to prevent them.

The Arabic phrases in verses 65–67 can be translated in two complementary ways. One is the emotional response of the farmers: “you would remain in wonderment (or regret), *saying, ‘We are in great loss!’”islamawakened.comislamawakened.com. Another rendering is “you would be debtor-owners (mughramūn)”, meaning suffering financial loss or debt because the crop failure leaves you with nothing despite investmentsislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. Either way, it is a picture of total loss. The point is to drive home that God holds our sustenance in His hand. One season of drought or one natural disaster can undo us – as modern headlines about famine or wildfire destruction still testify.

Scientifically, we understand many causes for crop failure: climate shifts, pests, disease. But even in the age of technology, we cannot fully avert these. This verse presciently highlights what we now call food security issues. It aligns with the concept that Earth’s climate and biosphere are finely balanced; a slight change (too little rain, a new pathogen) can collapse local agriculture. Such fragility underscores that nature’s reliability is not guaranteed except by God’s mercy. Philosophically, it confronts human pride: we are not self-sufficient. Theologically, it echoes other Quranic passages: “We test you with some fear and hunger and loss of wealth…” and “Allah is the Provider, firm in power”. By imagining the loss, the Qur’an cultivates gratitude in times of plenty and patience in adversity. It reminds us that every successful harvest is by God’s grace, and without Him our toil would turn to dust – a subtle invitation to acknowledge the Sustainer before crisis strikes.

Verses 56:66–67 – “‘We are burdened with debt; we are bereft.’”islamawakened.comislamawakened.com

These two verses continue the hypothetical reaction of those who lost their crops. The people lament first that they are mughramūn, “in grievous debt” or “penalized”islamawakened.comislamawakened.com, and then realize “rather, we are utterly deprived (maḥrūmūn)”islamawakened.comislamawakened.com. In classical interpretation, this is the cry of despair: all their labor and hopes have yielded nothing. The shift from verse 66 to 67 (often translated “Nay, but we have been deprived!”) implies coming to terms with reality – not only are they ruined financially, but deprived of any harvest and hopeislamawakened.comislamawakened.com.

Many early scholars note the psychological accuracy here. At first, one might bemoan the monetary loss (debt incurred for seeds, equipment, etc.), then realize the deeper loss: all provision is gone – there’s nothing to eat or sell. In an agrarian desert context, this could mean literal starvation. The Qur’an paints this scene to reinforce the lesson of gratitude and dependence introduced in verse 65. When things go well, humans feel “entitled” to their food, but a disaster quickly teaches otherwise.

Modern readers can analogize this to any situation where one’s efforts come to naught – a failed business venture, a project collapsing. We first protest the unfair cost, then resign to the fact that we have no entitlement in this world except by God’s allotment. It resonates with the broader Quranic motif that worldly wealth and gains are fleeting tests. In a scientific age, while we might not attribute crop failure directly to divine intervention, we do acknowledge uncertainty and risk are inherent in all endeavors. The believer, however, sees beyond randomness: it is God who withholds or grants success as a trial or mercy. These verses, therefore, cultivate a spiritual posture: humility and submission. Instead of the bitter cries of “we’re ruined!”, the ideal response is to say “We belong to God and to Him we return”. By scripting the wrong reaction, the Qur’an teaches the right one – to never forget the Benefactor in our success, lest we be painfully reminded of our need in failure.

Verse 56:68 – “Consider the water you drink”islamawakened.com

Now the focus shifts to another fundamental necessity: water. If seed and harvest represent food, water represents drink – together the basics of survival. Again, God asks us to observe and reflect on a ubiquitous blessing: the water we consume daily. Classical Mufassirūn point out that water is even more beyond human producing than crops. Humans can sow seeds, but they cannot create water. They depended on rain and springs, especially in the Arabian climate. So the Qur’an highlights this element to awaken a sense of wonder: water seems abundant, but have we really considered its origin?islamawakened.comislamawakened.com.

Today, science teaches that our drinking water comes from a vast planetary cycle: evaporation, cloud formation, rainfall, collection in rivers and aquifers. It’s a cycle finely tuned to recycle and purify water for all life. The Qur’an is anticipating the next question (verse 69) about whether we cause rain to fall. But here in verse 68, simply noticing the water is the task. Philosophically, water is a profound symbol of life in the Qur’an – elsewhere Allah says “We made every living thing from water.” For a moment, one can think: this cup of water in my hand has circulated through clouds and earth for eons, sustaining countless creatures before reaching me. Such reflection can lead to what the Qur’an calls tafakkur (deep thinking), making one realize the interconnectedness of creation and the generosity of the Creator.

Zia Shah, in discussing signs of God in nature, notes that elemental substances like water are intentionally highlighted in the Qur’an to combat atheism and heedlessnessthequran.lovethequran.love. Water’s unique properties (it’s an excellent solvent, has high heat capacity, expands upon freezing which allows fish to survive under ice, etc.) make Earth livablethequran.lovethequran.love. These scientific observations reinforce the point that water is not a random accident; it is a crafted mercy. Thus verse 68 serves as a gentle nudge: do not take your water for granted – contemplate it as a gift that points back to the Giver.

Verse 56:69 – “Was it you who brought it down from the rain-cloud or We?”islamawakened.com

The rhetorical question continues the theme: regarding the water we drink, who causes the life-giving rain? In Arabian context, rain-clouds (mużn) were rare treasures – the difference between life and death for communities. No human could summon rain; it was an act of God, often associated with His mercy. The verse makes this explicit: we did not send down the rain; God didislamawakened.com. Early commentators frequently quote similar verses (e.g. “God sends down water from the sky and revives the earth after its death”) to illustrate Allah’s agency in the hydrological cycle.

From a modern scientific outlook, we understand the water cycle in detail: solar energy lifts water vapor, winds gather clouds, temperature changes cause precipitation. Yet, even with cloud-seeding technology, humanity cannot guarantee rainfall where and when it’s needed. We predict weather, but cannot command it. The Qur’anic phrasing “Is it you who sent it down or are We the Sender?” resonates strongly with the idea that nature’s processes are orchestrated by a higher willislamawakened.com. Interestingly, contemporary science has also recognized the delicate balance required for a planet to have a stable water cycle – it depends on gravity, atmosphere, temperature range, etc. The fact that Earth has abundant liquid water while no known planet we’ve found has the same, hints that this provision is intentional.

This verse also has occasionalist undertones. By denying human causation in rain, it denies any independent causation in nature as well – emphasizing that even if we know the physical mechanisms, God is the ultimate cause at each moment. Indeed, an article on Qur’an and occasionalism cites these very verses (68–70) to show that such essential natural phenomena are “not the result of autonomous natural processes but of divine intervention”thequran.lovethequran.love. Theologically, then, verse 69 cements the lesson: we depend on God not only for our creation and food, but even for the elements of nature. This should instill a sense of reliance (tawakkul) and thankfulness. Ancient Arabs would recite prayers for rain (istisqā’), acknowledging God’s power; modern believers likewise should see beyond the clouds to the Sky-Father (al-Samīʿ, al-Mujīb) who answers prayers with gracious rain.

Verse 56:70 – “If We wanted, We could make it bitter: will you not be thankful?”islamawakened.com

Continuing with water, God reminds us that even after sending rain, its quality is under His control. Freshwater could have been undrinkable (bitter/salty) had God willed. This startling thought highlights an often overlooked fact: most water on Earth is undrinkable seawater – only a small fraction is fresh. The Arabic word ujāj means intensely bitter or salty. Classical scholars mention that if Allah had not removed the salt from seawater via the rain cycle, human life could not be sustainedislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. Thus, we ought to be grateful that rainwater comes down sweet and palatable. “Why then are you not grateful?” the verse pointedly asks.

This touches on a scientific marvel: the planet’s natural distillation system. The sun evaporates water from the oceans (leaving the salt behind) and it falls essentially desalinated from the sky. This process was not fully understood by pre-modern people, but the effect was known: rain is fresh. The Qur’an here implicitly alludes to the fine calibration of nature’s systems. If evaporation didn’t separate salt, or if atmospheric conditions caused saline rain, terrestrial life would be in peril. Abdel Haleem’s translation captures the direct challenge: if God can alter the very taste of water, should we not thank Him every time we drink?islamawakened.com. From a modern perspective, we might add: water’s molecular structure and the water cycle are such that we have fresh lakes and rivers to drink from – an often underappreciated gift.

Philosophically, this verse deals a blow to any notion of entitlement or naturalistic complacency. It reminds us that the world could be otherwise – a key idea in theology known as the principle of contingency. Nothing in creation had to be the way it is; it is so only by God’s generous choice. Gratitude (shukr) is therefore the appropriate response to every sip of water. The verse’s closing question is almost plaintive: “Will you not then give thanks?” Theologically, ingratitude for such fundamental bounties is seen as a root of disbelief. By contrast, recognizing even the tasteless (or rather tastefully neutral) water as a bounty elevates one’s faith. Zia Shah notes that the Qur’an’s constant emphasis on God’s sustenance – like making water available – is meant to stir a living consciousness of God in every aspect of lifethequran.love. Indeed, Al-Ghazālī’s occasionalism is essentially the metaphysics of “Inshā’Allah” (God-willing)thequran.love: everything, even water, is as God wills it at each moment. Here we are taught to transform that realization into praise and thanks.

Verse 56:71 – “Consider the fire you kindle”islamawakened.com

The final natural phenomenon we are asked to contemplate is fire – a defining feature of human civilization. By “fire which you tūrūn (kindle or ignite),” the Qur’an refers to mankind’s ability to generate fire, traditionally by rubbing wood (or striking flint). In the Arabian context, commentators mention specific desert shrubs (like marakh and ‘afār) whose dry wood was used to spark fireislamawakened.com. The verse invites reflection on how even this human skill ultimately relies on divine provision. We may strike the spark, but what is it that actually burns? It is fuel from trees – provided by God (as the next verse will say).

From a classical perspective, fire was seen as one of the fundamental elements. The Qur’an here subtly shifts credit: yes, humans learned to produce fire, but only because God placed the potential for fire in the materials around us. This was hugely significant: control of fire gave humans warmth, light, the ability to cook food (unlocking more nutrients), protection from predators – essentially enabling the rise of civilization. Ancient people often mythologized fire (e.g. the Greek story of Prometheus stealing fire from the gods). The Qur’an demythologizes but sacralizes it: fire is not a stolen power, but a gifted sign (āyah) of God.

Modern science would explain fire as a chemical reaction – combustion – releasing heat and light from the breaking of molecular bonds. But even this explanation leads to wonder: why do certain reactions release useful energy? It’s part of the ordered physics of our universe. We might reflect that the carbon-based biomass (wood) is effectively stored solar energy (thanks to photosynthesis). When we kindle fire, we are liberating that energy. In a sense, God “packed” sunlight into trees so that humans, in due time, could ignite it for their benefit. The verse asks us to see through the familiarity of fire and appreciate the miracle in it.

Philosophically, controlling fire is one of the traits that set humankind apart – it’s an early step in exercising the vicegerency (khilāfah) on Earth that God granted Adam’s race. Yet, verse 71’s wording reminds us: even in this proud achievement, we must discern God’s hand. As the next verse will elaborate, the materials and properties that allow fire were created by Allah. Al-Ghazālī would point out that even when a flame burns wood, it is not “automatic” causation – God created the incendiary property at that momentthequran.love. And indeed, God showed His power by making fire not burn when He willed (the miracle of Abrahamthequran.love). So, occasionalism strikes again: fire only kindles because God is continuously saying “Be!” to its burning effect. Verse 71 thus sets up the final lesson in humility regarding human technology and divine agency.

Verse 56:72 – “Is it you who make the wood for it grow or We?”islamawakened.com

Continuing about fire, God asks: who produced the “tree” that serves as fuel? Without wood (or other fuel like coal, oil – themselves ancient organic matter), fire would be hard to sustain. In Arabic, “its tree” may specifically refer to the kindling tree mentioned in traditions, but generally it points to all vegetation used for fire. The query is similar in form to the earlier ones about rain and crops: clearly, humans did not create trees for fire; God didislamawakened.com. Classical exegesis emphasizes that trees have multiple benefits (shade, fruit, timber), and among those is fuel. This verse highlights a particular aspect of God’s wisdom: He created a world where the means of human survival and advancement are readily available – if we reflect, this should engender gratitude.

Historically, commentators also noted the irony and power in this: green trees (full of moisture) can produce fire when dry – a subtle sign of how God brings opposites from one another (wet wood yielding flame)islamawakened.comislamawakened.com. Theologically, this was tied to God’s might in resurrection: just as He can draw fire from green trees, He can draw the living from the dead and vice versa (an argument also made in Quran 36:80). So, there is a layer of demonstrating divine power over nature’s transformations.

From a modern viewpoint, we can extend this appreciation. Forests and biomass on Earth act as vast energy batteries charged by the sun. Humanity’s industrial revolution later discovered fossil fuels – ancient “trees” turned to coal and oil – releasing energy that powers our technology. In every case, we did not make the hydrocarbons; we only learned to use them. Verse 72 fits perfectly with the understanding that God is the source of all raw materials and natural laws. We manipulate what is given, but the giving itself is from the Creator.

This resonates strongly with occasionalism and divine contingency: nothing in the chain of causation exists on its own. We did not establish the combustion point of wood, nor the growth of forests – God originated themislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. The Qur’an wants us to realize that what we might call human progress is in fact human discovery of God’s gifts. As one contemporary writer put it, “We have made it (fire) a reminder and an enjoyment for the users”islamawakened.com – meaning God invested these materials with beneficial properties so that when we use fire, we are reminded of His favor upon us. Neglecting that reminder leads to arrogance; heeding it turns technology into a form of worship (by inspiring thanks to the Bestower).

Verse 56:73 – “We made it a reminder, and useful to those who kindle it”

This verse gives the conclusion about fire (and by extension all the natural wonders just mentioned). God states two purposes for this creation of fire: (1) a reminder (tadhkira), and (2) a provision/utility for al-muqwīn. The word muqwīn is interpreted in classical Tafsīr as travellers or desert dwellers – those who camp in the open and use fire for light and cookingislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. More generally it can mean those in need or those who kindle it. Abdel Haleem’s translation “those who kindle it” is broad, but many translate it as “desert travelers”islamawakened.comislamawakened.com. In both senses, fire is a vital comfort in hardship – a gift to people whether journeying or settled.

Theologically, calling fire a “reminder” is profound. A reminder of what? Classical scholars say a reminder of God’s power (as the verses have illustrated) and of the Hereafter (some note that the blaze of earthly fire should remind us of the far greater heat of Hellfire, urging us to piety)islamawakened.comislamawakened.com. Also, a reminder of the blessings of civilization God has given man – separating us from animals who fear fire, while we control it. The Qur’an elsewhere points to how God subjected resources to humans. Here, fire is explicitly made for our benefit, a sign of divine solicitude toward mankind.

Zia Shah in his commentary merges scientific admiration with this theological point: the universe in all details appears as a “refreshing reality” when viewed through the lens of God’s continuous sustenancethequran.lovethequran.love. Fire, as one of those details, is both a physical boon and a spiritual symbol. Modern minds might consider how the mastery of fire led to technology, which in turn should remind us of the Creator’s intent for humans to develop and thrive. Occasionalism would add: even as we harness fire, it is God at every moment feeding the flames with energy and allowing our tools to work.

This verse’s dual purpose for fire can be extrapolated to all blessings: they are useful to us, but also meant to draw our minds to God. Sadly, people often enjoy the utility and forget the reminder. The Qur’an constantly combats this negligence. By explicitly saying “We have made it a reminder,” Allah clarifies His pedagogical intent in creation. Every fire lit, every meal cooked on it, every cold night warded off by its warmth – these should prompt the remembrance (dhikr) of the One who cares for His servants. Thus, verse 73 ties together the entire section’s motif: everything around you – your food, water, fire – should remind you of God. If reflected upon properly, these everyday experiences become signs that lead the soul back to its Lord.

Verse 56:74 – “So [Prophet] glorify the name of your Lord, the Supreme.”islamawakened.com

The passage culminates in a command to glorify (fa-sabbiḥ) the Lord’s Name. This is presented as the appropriate response to all the signs just considered. The address “so glorify” is ostensibly to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (with “your Lord”), but by extension to all listeners. After reflecting on creation, sustenance, and God’s power, the only fitting conclusion is reverence and praiseislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. The specific phrase “the Name of your Lord, al-ʿAẓīm (the Most Great/Supreme)” indicates total exaltation of God above any thought of incapacity or partner. Indeed, throughout these verses, the message has been that God alone does all this – no idols, no human, no “nature” independent of Him. Thus, His glory (tasbīḥ) is proclaimed.

Classical commentators often note that whenever the Qur’an uses “So glorify the name of your Lord…”, it is an emotional and spiritual crescendo. In this context, having crushed the arguments of disbelievers and demonstrated divine beneficence, the Qur’an transitions back to worship. It is as if saying: now that you see how utterly dependent you are on the Almighty, celebrate His greatness with tongue and heart. Many early Muslims would actually say subḥān Allāh (Glory be to God) upon hearing these verses, following this instruction in real time.

From a literary perspective, verse 74 wraps up both the rational proof and the spiritual lesson. It answers the initial challenge of verse 57 (“will you not believe?”) by guiding us on how to believe: through glorification and recognition of God’s greatness. Modern readers can also appreciate the phrasing “Name of your Lord” – implying we should call upon Him, remember Him by His beautiful names, and not forget the personal relationship (“your Lord”) even as we acknowledge His transcendence (“the Supreme”).

Theologically, glorifying God’s Name means affirming all that He is – the sole creator, sustainer, and regulator of all affairs. After marveling at the intricate design of life, the fine-tuned environment, the merciful provisioning of water and fire, the believer responds in awe: Subḥānaka yā Rabbi l-ʿAẓīm! (Glory to You, my Lord the Magnificent!). In summary, verse 74 is both a command and an invitation – a command to worship and an invitation to fulfill our purpose. It reminds us that knowledge of God’s signs should lead to devotion, and that is the ultimate aim of the Quranic discourse.

Epilogue: From Signs to Occasionalism – All Causality Belongs to God (and Human Free Will in the Balance)

Verses 57–74 of Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah present a tapestry of signs in the horizons and within ourselves. Scientifically, they span human biology (conception and birth), agriculture (growth of crops), hydrology (rain and drinking water), and physics (fire). Philosophically and theologically, the common thread is causality: who is the real cause behind these processes? The Qur’anic answer is unambiguous – God is the sole, direct cause of all events. This is precisely the doctrine of occasionalism championed by Imām al-Ghazālīthequran.lovethequran.love. It asserts that what we call natural causes are merely occasions for God’s activity, not independent powers. Throughout these verses, our attention is directed to the fact that neither human effort nor “nature” creates outcomes on its own: not the child from the semen, not the crop from the seed, not the rain from the clouds, not the fire from the wood – “Is it you… or are We?” is the Quran’s recurring challengeislamawakened.comislamawakened.com.

Al-Ghazālī’s worldview, as echoed by these verses, is that the universe has no inherent causative force – every moment, every natural event is a fresh creation by God’s willthequran.lovethequran.love. The Quran repeatedly emphasizes God’s absolute sovereignty, continuous sustenance, and direct control over all phenomenathequran.lovethequran.love, and our passage in Surah 56 is a prime example of this emphasis. The “occasions” – sperm, seed, cloud, tree – are consistent and habitual only because God constantly decrees their effects. If He withholds the effect (life, growth, rain, burning), the cause avails nothing. This is why these verses lead naturally to glorifying God’s Name as the Only Real Agent in existence (فَعّالٌ لِما يُريد).

It is fascinating that modern science, in probing the depths of reality, has also undermined strict materialistic causality. Quantum physics shows that on the subatomic level, events can occur without deterministic causes – a particle can pop into existence or two entangled particles influence each other faster than light, defying local causality. Some thinkers see in this an “intuitive resonance” with occasionalism. For instance, the phenomenon of quantum entanglement – where particles seem to affect each other instantaneously at a distance – challenges the idea of self-contained, local causesthequran.love. As one analysis notes, quantum nonlocality “upended traditional notions of cause and effect” and echoes al-Ghazālī’s idea that natural causation is not a closed systemthequran.love. If the universe at its fundamental level is indeterminate or reliant on observation (which might be likened to the need for a divine “observer” or sustainer), this bolsters the view that a continuous divine input underlies reality. Some have even likened the universe to a Divine simulation sustained by God’s computing power; just as a simulation’s world ceases without the running program, the cosmos would cease were God to stop sustaining itthequran.lovethequran.love. The Qur’an hints as much when it says “Allah holds the heavens and earth, lest they cease”thequran.lovethequran.love.

Does this occasionalism negate human free will? Importantly, mainstream Islamic theology – including al-Ghazālī – maintains human responsibility and choice, even while God is the creator of all actions. The reconciliation is through the doctrine of kasb (acquisition). Humans acquire acts by their intention and will, while God creates the act at the moment we choose itthequran.love. The Qur’an encapsulated this dual attribution perfectly in another verse: “It was not you who threw when you threw, but God threw”thequran.love. The Prophet physically cast pebbles at the enemy in battle (his action, his will), but God caused those pebbles to strike the enemy’s eyes with miraculous effect (God’s creation of the outcome). Likewise, when we decide to, say, light a fire or plant a seed, that decision is ours – a exercise of our free will granted by God – but whether a flame ignites or a seed grows is created by Godthequran.lovethequran.love. We are accountable for the choices and efforts we make (for God judges us by our intentions and striving), but we are not the ones who bring results into being. As Rāzī and others noted, an act can be attributed to the servant in terms of kasb and to God in terms of creation, simultaneouslythequran.love.

Thus, the worldview emerging from Quran 56:57–74 is one of complete divine providence combined with meaningful human agency. We sow seeds – because God commanded us to work and strive – but we rely on God to bring rain and growth. We choose to believe or disbelieve – and on that basis we will be judged – but even our existence and faculties to make that choice are gifts God is renewing every second (He is “closer to man than his jugular vein”, continuously giving us lifethequran.lovethequran.love). The “truth of al-Ghazālī’s occasionalism” lies in recognizing God’s hand in all things, and the truth of free will lies in recognizing our moral responsibility to respond to God’s signs with the right attitude. The Qur’an achieves a balance: it relentlessly attributes all power to God, yet addresses human beings as moral actors who must “believe,” “reflect,” and “be thankful”. Our verses end with the injunction to glorify God’s name, which is a choice we must make – to engage in worship rather than heedlessness. In making that choice, we fulfill the purpose behind these signs.

In conclusion, Quran 56:57–74 provides a rich, holistic lesson. Classical commentators showed how it refutes doubters by rational argument and vivid imagery, proving God’s oneness and the resurrection. Contemporary commentators like Zia H. Shah M.D. expand the canvas, bringing in modern science to marvel at the fine-tuning and integrated complexity of the cosmos that these verses allude tothequran.lovethequran.love. Both converge on the same spiritual truth: the world is full of God’s signs, and none has causation or existence apart from His command. This realization should lead not to fatalism, but to a profound reliance on God and active gratitude. We till the earth, but pray for rain; we take medicine, but trust the Healer; we light the fire, but remember the One who “made fire for our reminder.” Each verse dismantles the illusion of human independence and replaces it with a vision of Divine Unity (tawḥīd) in action.

Al-Ghazālī would smile at these verses, for they vindicate his view that at each moment, in each atom, God says “Be!” and it is. Yet he would also remind us, as the Qur’an does, that our role is to choose to align with this reality – to will good and seek God’s pleasure. In doing so, we become the thankful servants these verses call us to be, and we live in harmony with the occasionalist truth that “Help comes only from Allah” and “There is no power nor might save by God.” This harmony is beautifully expressed when, observing the rain, the harvest, or the flame, the believer’s heart whispers with awe: “Subḥān Allāh al-ʿAẓīm” – Glory be to God, the Supremely Greatislamawakened.comislamawakened.com.

Sources:

• The Quran, 56:57–74, translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleemmyislam.orgislamawakened.com.
• Tafsir of Ibn Kathir and Maududi on Quran 56:57–74, highlighting proofs of resurrection and God’s sole creative powermyislam.orgislamawakened.com.
• Shah, Zia H. “The Creator…A Quranic Commentary for the 21st Century.” Discusses modern scientific insights (fine-tuning, biophilic universe) in light of Quranic versesthequran.lovethequran.love.
• Shah, Zia H. “The Glorious Quran Endorses Al Ghazali’s Occasionalism.” Explains how Quranic verses (incl. 56:68–70) support the doctrine that God is the only true causethequran.lovethequran.love.
• Shah, Zia H. “Occasionalism in al-Ghazali’s Thought and the Quranic Emphasis on Divine Causality.” Provides theological context for God’s exclusive agency and the concept of kasb to preserve human responsibilitythequran.lovethequran.love.
• Shah, Zia H. “Quantum Entanglement… and God’s Continuous Sustenance of the Universe.” Draws parallels between modern physics (quantum nonlocality) and Ghazali’s occasionalismthequran.love.
• The Study Quran and other translations for nuanced renderings of key phrasesislamawakened.comislamawakened.com. These sources collectively illuminate Quran 56:57–74 from classical, scientific, and philosophical angles, affirming the unity of truth in God’s Word and Work.

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