A050
Surah: 017 - Ayah: 050
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17:50
Kunu (Be)
Every verse of the wise Qur’an is by itself a book of wisdom and a decisive decree. Thus, in the following command of God there are satisfactory answers to many questions related to religion and science: "Be stones or iron." (17:50). It should be noted that nothing in the Qur'an is without wisdom, and therefore, it is a fact that soul and matter are not two separate things, rather they are two forms of the same thing.
In connection with "Soul and Science" certain fundamental questions such as these arise:
Are they in reality two different things? And if so, what is the line of demarcation between them? Is it possible that the thread of their existence is the same and that they are inseparable?
The answer is that although it would appear that soul and matter are two separate things, in reality they are in fact one thing which has two different forms. That one thing is existence and the two forms are the names given due to its rarefication and condensation or dissolution and frozenness. This clearly means that a stone or iron which is called a mineral or inorganic due to its frozen state becomes dissolved or rarefied into plants, then into animals and thence into human beings. It can also be dissolved directly into human beings, an example of which can be seen in certain health tonics containing iron. Some medicines too, both modern and ancient also contain iron or inorganic substances. This means that minerals are first dissolved into animal soul and then into human soul. Thus there is a kind of soul in every form of matter and it is awake and moveable, half awake, dormant, half-dead, dead, halffrozen, frozen etc., so the workshop of nature continues and the system of the universe and existents lasts intact.
In this connection the blessed verse full of key wisdoms is: "Say: Become stones or iron". (17:50). What wisdoms are hidden in this verse? Does this command relate to heaven or earth? Or to both? Because stones and iron are found in both. When God wished it and commanded through the tongue of His Prophet "Be!" then certainly, the particles of soul of those people became like stones or iron, for as it is mentioned in verse (2:65): "And indeed you know those among you who had violated the Sabbath, so We said to them: Be apes, despised." These people were some of the children of Israel who had disobeyed the command by catching fish on Saturday. God’s command "Be like apes, despised" was spoken through Hazrat Dawud’s tongue (5:78), according to which their souls became like those of apes. From these two examples it is also clear that the Guide of the time is the tongue of God.
About those who do not believe in reviving after death, it is said: "Say, (O Prophet): Be stone or iron." (17:50). I believe that those to whom this command is given, have become the soul of stone or the soul of iron in spirituality, because no impossible examples are given in the Qur'an. Thus, this is an example of the frozen soul, i.e. the soul of minerals.
Q265 Would you kindly explain what kind of wisdom-filled secret is hidden in verse (17:50): “Say (O Muhammad): Be you stones or iron.”
A265 Almighty Allah always speaks that which is possible. Thus, it is a fact that when Allah gave this command about certain people, their soul turned into stones or iron, because the command “kun/kunu” (Be!) is such that it is immediately executed. God Himself gives this command or the Prophet or the Imam by His permission.
This verse has been referred 7 times.