Surah Maryam — Verse 67

Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?

Key Words and Their Meanings:

• Al-Insān (الإنسان): Here it refers to the disbelieving human who denies the Resurrection.
• Yadhkur (يَذْكُر): To remember, reflect, or call to mind.
• Min qabl (مِن قَبْلُ): Before this present time, i.e., at the very beginning of his existence.
• Lam yaku shay’an (لَمْ يَكُ شَيْئًا): He was nothing at all — non-existent, without any trace or form.

Explanation of the Verse:

This verse addresses the wonder of a person who denies that Allah can bring him back to life after death. Such a person asks mockingly, "Who can give life to bones that have turned to dust?" In response, Allah reminds him of the very first act of creation: "Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?"

The logic is simple and profound. The One who brought you into existence from absolute nothingness — no body, no soul, no name, no memory — is certainly able to bring you back to life again. The first creation was the harder and more miraculous act; the second creation, the resurrection, is easier and more within the power of the Almighty. If you could not create yourself the first time, and yet you came to be, then why do you doubt that the same Creator can recreate you?

This verse invites every human being to pause and reflect on their own origin. You were nothing — a mere thought in the unseen, then a drop of fluid, then a clinging clot, then a lump of flesh, until you became a fully formed human being. Every stage of your development was a miracle of divine power. So, how can you turn away from the One who fashioned you with such care and perfection?

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

Dear reader, look at your own hands, your eyes, your heart that beats without your command. You did not create any of this. You were nothing, and now you are something — a living, thinking, breathing human being. This is the greatest proof that your Creator is All-Powerful. And if He could create you from nothing, then He can certainly bring you back after death. So do not let doubt creep into your heart. The same Lord who gave you life the first time has promised to bring you back for a day when every soul will be recompensed for what it has earned. Let this reflection strengthen your faith and draw you closer to your Creator, who has never forgotten you — so do not forget Him.