Surah Al-Mursalat 77:23

The Call to contemplate the various Manifestations of Allah's Power

Allah says,

(Did We not destroy the ancients) meaning, those who rejected the Messengers and opposed what they came to them with.

(So shall We make later generations to follow them.) meaning, from those who are similar to them. Thus, Allah says,

(Thus do We deal with the criminals. Woe that Day to the deniers!) Ibn Jarir said this. Then Allah reminding His creatures of His favor, and using the beginning of creation to support the idea of repeating it, He says:

(Did We not create you from a despised water) meaning, weak and despised in comparison to the power of the Creator. This is similar to what has been reported in the Hadith of Busr bin Jahhash (that Allah says),

("(O) Son of Adam ! How can you think that I am unable, and yet I created you from something like this (i.e., semen)")

(Then We placed it in a place of safety,) meaning, `We gathered him in the womb, where the fluid of the man and the woman settles. The womb has been prepared for this, as a protector of the fluid deposited in it. Allah said:

(For a known period) meaning, for a fixed period of time, which is from six months to nine months. Thus, Allah says,

(So We did measure; and We are the best to measure. Woe that Day to the deniers!) Then Allah says,

(Have We not made the earth Kifat for the living and the dead) Ibn `Abbas said, "Kifat means a place of shelter." Mujahid said, "It holds the dead so that nothing is seen of it." Ash-Sha`bi said, "Its interior is for your dead and its surface is for your living." Mujahid and Qatadah also said this.

(And have placed therein fixed towers,) meaning, the mountains. The earth is held in place with them so that it does not shake and sway.

(and have given you Furat water) meaning, cold and delicious water from the clouds or from what He causes to gush forth from the springs of the earth.

(Woe that Day to the deniers!) meaning, woe to whoever reflects upon these created things which demonstrate the greatness of their Creator, then after that continues to reject Him and disbelieve in Him.

Dalam urusan mengatur dan menetapkan masa lamanya si anak "tersimpan" dalam rahim itu dan kemudian menetapkan bila dia harus lahir sebagai anak yang sempurna ke alam ini, adalah urusan Allah semata. Manusia boleh mengetahui lewat pikirannya, namun soal pengaturannya tetaplah di tangan Yang Mahakuasa. Terhadap soal ini, Allah menegaskan bahwa Dialah sebaik-baiknya yang menentukan.

Betapa tepat, indah, dan harmonis kejadian manusia yang diciptakan-Nya itu dapat kita bandingkan, umpamanya, dengan bentuk dan rupa hewan. Sekalipun jenis makhluk hewan itu tidak ada yang cacat maupun yang janggal menurut penglihatan kita, namun ciptaan dan susunan anatomi tubuh manusia tetap jauh lebih sempurna, indah, dan menarik, dibandingkan dengan segala makhluk hidup yang ada. Dengan merenungkan hal itu, barulah kita menyimpulkan bahwa memang Tuhanlah yang sebaik-baik menentukan.

Ayat ini mengandung ajakan bagi manusia untuk berpikir dan menyimpulkan sikap hidupnya terhadap Zat yang menjadikan itu. Apakah tidak patut manusia bersyukur dan berterima kasih kepada-Nya? Apakah tidak selayaknya kalau manusia menanggalkan sikap ingkar dan keras kepalanya setelah ia menyadari sepenuhnya betapa kasih sayang Allah, dan betapa Allah telah membimbing kehidupan ini dengan mengirim rasul-Nya guna mengajarkan ajaran tentang keesaan-Nya?