Surah Hadid ayat 17 Tafsir Quran 57:17

﴿اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ﴾
[ الحديد: 17]

57:17 Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.

Know — an address to the believers just mentioned — that God revives the earth after its death by bringing forth vegetation and likewise He is able to do with your hearts restoring them to humbleness. We have certainly made clear for you the signs that testify to Our power with this mentioned example and others that perhaps you may understand.

You must know that Allah revivifies* the earth after it has suffered death; We have expounded for you -people- Our revelations and meritoriously elucidated them that you may hopefully apprehend the voice from heaven and express as much joy as your hearts may comprehend

meaning, it is the worthy shelter for you rather than any other residence, because of your disbelief and doubt, and how evil is the Fire for Final Destination. Encouraging Khushu` and the Prohibition of imitating the People of the Scriptures Allah asks, `Has not the time come for the believers to feel humility in their hearts by the remembrance of Allah and hearing subtle advice and the recitation of the Qur'an, so that they may comprehend the Qur'an, abide by it, and hear and obey Muslim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Only four years separated our acceptance of Islam and the revelation of this Ayah, in which Allah subtly admonished us, أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ( Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah )" This is the narration Muslim collected, just before the end of his book.
An-Nasa'i also collected this Hadith in the Tafsir of this Ayah.
Allah's statement, وَلاَ يَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الاٌّمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ( Lest they become as those who received the Scripture before, and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened ) Allah is prohibiting the believers from imitating those who were given the Scriptures before them, the Jews and Christians.
As time passed, they changed the Book of Allah that they had, and sold it for a small, miserable price.
They also abandoned Allah's Book behind their back and were impressed and consumed by various opinions and false creeds.
They imitated the way others behaved with the religion of Allah, making their rabbis and priests into gods beside Allah.
Consequently, their hearts became hard and they would not accept advice; their hearts did not feel humbled by Allah's promises or threats, وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَـسِقُونَ ( And many of them were rebellious. ) meaning, in action; therefore, their hearts are corrupt and their actions are invalid, just as Allah the Exalted said, فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـقَهُمْ لَعنَّـهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَضِعِهِ وَنَسُواْ حَظَّا مِّمَّا ذُكِرُواْ بِهِ ( So, because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard.
They changed the words from their (right ) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them.)( 5:13 ) meaning, their hearts became corrupt and they hardened, and they acquired the behavior of changing Allah's Speech from their appropriate places and meanings.
They abandoned acts of worship that they were commanded to perform and committed what they were prohibited to do.
This is why Allah forbade the believers from imitating them in any way, be it basic or detailed matters.
Allah the Exalted said, اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْىِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الاٌّيَـتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ( Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat to you, if you but understand. ) This Ayah indicates that He brings subtleness to hearts after they have become hard, guides the confused after they were led astray, and relieves hardships after they have intensified.
And just as Allah brings life back to the dead and dry earth by sending the needed abundant rain, He also guides the hardened hearts with the proofs and evidences of the Qur'an.
The light ( of faith ) would have access to the hearts once again, after they were closed and, as a consequence, no guidance was able to reach them.
All praise is due to Him Who guides whomever He wills after they were misguided, Who misguides those who were led aright before.
Surely, it is He Who does what He wills and He is the All-Wise, the Most Just in all that He does, the Most Subtle, the Most Aware, the Most High, the Proud.

(57:17) Know well that Allah revives the earth after it becomes lifeless. We have clearly shown Our Signs to you, perchance you will use your reason. *30

Know that Allah gives life to the meaning

*30) The point contained here should be well understood, At several places in the Qur'an the Prophethood and the revelation of the Book have been compared to the rainfall, for the effects produced by them on humanity are precisely like those produced by rain on the soil.
Just as the dead earth swells and blooms as soon -as it receives a shower of rain, so it is with the dead humanity in a country where a Prophet is raised through Allah's mercy and Revelation begins to be sent down to him.
It starts revealing those virtues which lay hidden and suppressed for ages; it starts manifesting from within itself excellent morals and good deeds and virtues of every kind.
Allusion has been made to this truth here so as to open the eyes of the Muslims of the weak faith and to make them ponder their state.
The way humanity was being reformed by the blessed rainfall of the Prophethood and Revelation and the way it was being richly and generously blessed in every way was not a remote story for them.
They were observing it themselves in the pious and righteous society of the Companions and experiencing it day and night around them.
Polytheism with alI its evils was present before them while the virtues and good things emanating from Islam also were blooming and flourishing before their eyes.
Therefore, they did not need to be told any details.
An allusion was enough to the effect, " The signs of how Allah grants life to the dead earth through the rainfall of His mercy have been shown to you; now you should use your common sense and consider it for yourself as to what benefit you arc deriving from this blessing.
"
 

meaning, it is the worthy shelter for you rather than any other residence, because of your disbelief and doubt, and how evil is the Fire for Final Destination. Encouraging Khushu` and the Prohibition of imitating the People of the Scriptures Allah asks, `Has not the time come for the believers to feel humility in their hearts by the remembrance of Allah and hearing subtle advice and the recitation of the Qur'an, so that they may comprehend the Qur'an, abide by it, and hear and obey Muslim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Only four years separated our acceptance of Islam and the revelation of this Ayah, in which Allah subtly admonished us, أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ( Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah )" This is the narration Muslim collected, just before the end of his book.
An-Nasa'i also collected this Hadith in the Tafsir of this Ayah.
Allah's statement, وَلاَ يَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الاٌّمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ( Lest they become as those who received the Scripture before, and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened ) Allah is prohibiting the believers from imitating those who were given the Scriptures before them, the Jews and Christians.
As time passed, they changed the Book of Allah that they had, and sold it for a small, miserable price.
They also abandoned Allah's Book behind their back and were impressed and consumed by various opinions and false creeds.
They imitated the way others behaved with the religion of Allah, making their rabbis and priests into gods beside Allah.
Consequently, their hearts became hard and they would not accept advice; their hearts did not feel humbled by Allah's promises or threats, وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَـسِقُونَ ( And many of them were rebellious. ) meaning, in action; therefore, their hearts are corrupt and their actions are invalid, just as Allah the Exalted said, فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـقَهُمْ لَعنَّـهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَضِعِهِ وَنَسُواْ حَظَّا مِّمَّا ذُكِرُواْ بِهِ ( So, because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard.
They changed the words from their (right ) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them.)( 5:13 ) meaning, their hearts became corrupt and they hardened, and they acquired the behavior of changing Allah's Speech from their appropriate places and meanings.
They abandoned acts of worship that they were commanded to perform and committed what they were prohibited to do.
This is why Allah forbade the believers from imitating them in any way, be it basic or detailed matters.
Allah the Exalted said, اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْىِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الاٌّيَـتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ( Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat to you, if you but understand. ) This Ayah indicates that He brings subtleness to hearts after they have become hard, guides the confused after they were led astray, and relieves hardships after they have intensified.
And just as Allah brings life back to the dead and dry earth by sending the needed abundant rain, He also guides the hardened hearts with the proofs and evidences of the Qur'an.
The light ( of faith ) would have access to the hearts once again, after they were closed and, as a consequence, no guidance was able to reach them.
All praise is due to Him Who guides whomever He wills after they were misguided, Who misguides those who were led aright before.
Surely, it is He Who does what He wills and He is the All-Wise, the Most Just in all that He does, the Most Subtle, the Most Aware, the Most High, the Proud.

( Know that Allah quickeneth the earth ) through rain ( after its death ) after being exposed to dryness and drought; and similarly Allah will bring the dead back to life through rain. ( We have made clear Our revelations ) bringing the dead back to life ( for you, that haply ye may understand ) that haply you may believe in resurrection after death.

Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to you, if you but understand.

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