أَلَيْسَ ذَٰلِكَ بِقَـٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُحْـِۧىَ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ 40
Translations
Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?
Transliteration
Alaysa dhālika biqādir ʿalā an yuḥyī al-mawtā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah poses a rhetorical question to the disbelievers, emphasizing that Allah, who created the heavens and earth and all creation, is certainly capable of resurrecting the dead on the Day of Judgment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that this verse uses logical reasoning to challenge those who deny resurrection—if Allah can create life initially, His power to restore life is undeniable. The question format is a powerful device that leaves the answer obvious: there is nothing impossible for the One who possesses infinite power.
Revelation Context
This ayah concludes Surah Al-Qiyamah, which was revealed in Mecca during a period when the Quraysh were actively denying the resurrection and the afterlife. The surah responds to their disbelief by presenting compelling arguments for the reality of the Day of Judgment, with this final ayah serving as a decisive conclusion that appeals to their own reason and observation of Allah's creative power.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The easiest thing for Allah is to resurrect the dead,' emphasizing the ease with which Allah will raise people on the Day of Judgment. This concept is reinforced in various ahadith regarding resurrection in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that denial of resurrection contradicts observable reality—the God who created us from nothing can certainly restore us to life. This ayah invites us to reflect on Allah's infinite power as evidence for the Day of Judgment and to respond to disbelievers with logical, rational arguments rooted in the signs of creation.