28 How can ye reject the faith in Allah? – seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return.
You were without life… where were you when your father was in his mother’s womb? This was before he was born and attained majority – the marriageable age, before he married your mother. Where were you then?
You were within his system but dead. That is the meaning of this verse: you were without life, and He gave you life.
And He will cause you to die. What is life? Where is the soul within the human body? Someone you know very well, he’s ill, and you come to see him; he’s speaking with you, and then he stops. What happens? He’s dead! What! He’s dead.
Allah gives life and causes death.
You were dead, non-existent in the loins of your fathers. Then Allah brought you to life, into existence. And when your time is due, He will cause you to die and will again bring you to life in your grave to answer questions and on the Day of Resurrection for Judgement.
29 It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge.
This is preparing us for what is made lawful and what is forbidden. It will lead to the story of Adam, where he had everything for himself and his wife in the Garden – except this tree – so it was a test. In the same way, all that is in this world is for us. All, but not all, will benefit us. Therefore, certain foods are made unlawful, like swine flesh and drinks like wine. Allah is testing us as He put our Father, Adam, to the test.
Whatever Allah forbids to His creatures is because that thing is harmful to them. Nobody can deny that alcohol is detrimental to us and our system. Take a medical check-up in any part of the world today and hear how many times the doctors will ask you about drinking and smoking and what they will say to you if your answer is in the affirmative. So, Allah has made everything on earth for us.
So, Allah created all things on earth for us; some are beneficial to us, and some are harmful. He has not made whatever will harm us lawful to us. Everything Allah forbade is harmful to us. Whether the harm is apparent or not will be confirmed at some time in the future. That is why the Messenger of Allah said in this Hadeeth:
Abud Darda’ reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has sent down both the disease and the cure, and He has appointed a cure for every disease, so treat yourselves medically, but use nothing unlawful.”
Abu Dawud transmitted it.
Mishkat al-Masabih 4538
In another Hadeeth:
Umm Salamah (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SWT) said: “Allah did not make your cure in
what He made Haram (unlawful) to you.”
Related by Al-Baihaqi and graded as Sahih by Ibn Hibban.
Bulugh al-Maram
However, certain things that we see today may not be for our immediate use. They may benefit those who will come after us. Look at black gold, crude oil, and all things extractable from it. They were not known by people who came before us, the Rockefeller generation, if you please. There may also be things that we know or do not know today that will benefit people who will come after us.
The crude oil we use today for many things, not least as fuel to power the engines of our cars and generators, may only last for a while. What happens after the crude oil has dried up? No MPS; no diesel. Will cars stop moving? No, other things Allah has made for us on earth will be discovered and used instead.
Therefore, Allah has created all things on earth for man: some are good for him, some are harmful, some are beneficial, some are unlawful, and some are halal. Others are for his use during his lifetime, while some others are for the benefit of the generations that will come after him.
The people who came before us used animals as their means of transport. Could they have imagined the jet age in which we live today? Could they have imagined that man could ascend to the moon? Where did man get all the materials he used to produce cars, trains, aircraft, and whatnot? He, of course, used what Allah had created for him here on earth.
If all things on earth were created for man, what would man do with scorpions, snakes, and wild beasts? What use can flies, bees, and other insects be to man?
If man does not know what a scorpion or a snake can do, he will not appreciate why they are mentioned in relation to the torment in the grave. Knowing these creatures helps man understand clearly what they are and how being with them in a closed place, especially a grave, could be. Science now tells us that human life on Earth depends on the bees in relation to the plants around us. This was not known in times gone by. Therefore, whatever you see of Allah’s creatures has a purpose, whether you know and understand it or not. Man should realise that whoever has created these monsters and dreadful creatures here on earth is pre-eminently able to create in Hell something more fearful, more awesome.
Yes, whatever is created on this earth for man’s benefit or as a test (as in the case of prohibitions) to see whether he will obey the Law Giver or not. And some things on earth are for man to ponder over them and to revere the Creator. Seeing beautiful things here, like colourful flowers, and hearing the soothing sounds of birds singing will make you realise that the Originator of these pleasing things in this finite world is most definitely capable of creating something better, more gorgeous in the Hereafter, which is everlasting. And, in some of the things we dread, there is something good. The bee that stings also produces honey, a balm and a healing agent for mankind. Nobody can deny that! We don’t like snakes because they kill us with their poison. But it is from the same poisonous snake that we get the anti-venom with which, by Allah’s leave, we save life. This is also undeniable! Most of the crops and trees we wrongly thought useless are now used as herbal remedies and alternative medicine.
Some of the animals are used for testing drugs, like mice. Yes, mice and monkeys are used to test drugs before administering them to humans. Animal rights activists can protest as loudly as possible, but the scientists are not listening.
How old is the world which was created for Adam? Millions of years according to the scientists. It is said that some of the animals in this world were nations transformed into beasts:
60. Shall I tell thee of a worse (case) than theirs for retribution with Allah? Worse (is the case of him) whom Allah hath cursed, him on whom His wrath hath fallen! Worse is he of whose sort Allah hath turned some to apes and swine, and who serveth idols. Such are in worse plight and further astray from the plain road. (Al-Maa’idah).
So, they were nations of people before they were transformed into animals because of their ill conduct.
Some creatures were sent as a punishment to the Children of Israel:
133. So We sent them the flood and the locusts and the vermin and the frogs and the blood a succession of clear signs. But they were arrogant and became guilty. (Al-A’raaf)
It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth;
He created for you all things. So, when you see what is good and lawful, take it, eat it. It is yours.
32. Say: Who hath forbidden the adornment of Allah which He hath brought forth for His bondmen, and the good things of His providing? Say: Such, on the Day of Resurrection, will be only for those who believed during the life of the world. Thus do We detail Our revelations for people who have knowledge. (Al-A’raaf).
When you see what does not benefit you, say, this is for me, but I don’t know the reason for creating it or how it will help me.
When you see harmful things like wild animals and dangerous reptiles, seek Allah’s protection from the trials of the world, the tribulations of the grave and the punishment of the Hereafter.
