A048
Surah: 014 - Ayah: 048
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14:48
Tubaddalu'l-arzu (The earth will be changed)
In verse (14:48) God says: “On the day when the earth will be changed into other than the earth, and the heavens (likewise), and they shall come forth before Allah, the One, the Overwhelming.”
On the Day of Resurrection the people will be transferred from this material earth to the spiritual earth of the personal world, therefore, there will be a different earth and different heavens and the people will come forth before Allah, the One, the Overwhelming. (purport, 14:48).
Wisdom 7: In verse (14:48), it is said: "On the day when the earth shall be changed into other than the earth, and the heavens (likewise)." First meaning: When a salik enters his personal world and observes, he comes to know that its earth is utterly different from the external earth and is subtle and luminous. Similarly, its heavens are different from the external heaven and always pour down the rain of pearls of knowledge and wisdom. Second meaning: There is going to come that wonderful and marvellous time when man will be transformed from the dense into the subtle either physically or spiritually, just as the worm transforms into a moth (101:4). At that time people will be transferred from the present planet to another planet. In this state the earth will be changed into another earth and likewise the heavens too.
The wisdom that in an age God will transfer all people from this to another earth can be deduced from verse (14:48). This will be the great event of the major resurrection. At this time people will come forth before God, the One, the Vanquisher, in the astral body, and all of them will be gathered on the one path of religion. Thus, had there not been each planet's own surrounding heaven, and not just the heaven of the solar system, the earth only would have changed and the heaven would have remained the same. From this clear proof it becomes evident that every complete planet has its own heaven, rather seven heavens.
Q450 In verse (14:48), it is mentioned: “On the day when the earth shall be changed into other than the earth, and the heavens (likewise), and they will come forth unto God, the One, the Overwhelming.” If in this verse it is meant that humankind will be transferred to another planet, then the heaven will not have changed, therefore kindly tell us its correct ta’wil.
A450
- This is a mention of the resurrection and its place. The place of resurrection is indeed the personal world, whose heaven and earth are different from the external world, because they are inner and spiritual.
- The meaning of God being One or the Unifier and Overwhelming is that He is going to unite all people by force.
It is said in verses (6:73-74): “He it is Who created the heavens and the earth with the truth. And the day (when) He says: ‘Be!’ It is. His Word is the truth. His is the kingdom on the day when the sur will be blown. Knower of the invisible and the visible, and He is the All-wise, the All-aware.”
Ta’wili purport: The One/Unifier and Subduer has created the heavens and the earth, i.e. the external world forever. When a spiritual resurrection becomes complete, Hazrat qa’im says to it ‘Be!’ (kun), by which the external world with all that it contains, transforms into the personal world as mentioned in verse (14:48).
And where there is the spiritual miracle of enfolding the universe, it is an indication and a sign that the external world has been transformed into the personal world and now the latter is the cosmic paradise.
This verse has been referred 9 times.