﴿وَالْقُرْءَانِ الْمَجِيدِ﴾

(By the Glorious Qur'an.) means by the Honorable and Great Qur'an, which,

﴿لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ ﴾

(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it: (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.)(41:42) The subject of the oath contained in this Ayah is specified afterwards, even though it does not appear by word, emphasizing prophethood, resurrection and affirming that they are true. There are similar kinds of oaths in the Qur'an, whose subject is included in the meaning but not by word, such as,

﴿ص وَالْقُرْءَانِ ذِى الذِّكْرِ - بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ ﴾

(Sad. By the Qur'an full of reminding. Nay, those who disbelieve are in false pride and opposition.)(38:1-2) Allah said here,

﴿ق وَالْقُرْءَانِ الْمَجِيدِ - بَلْ عَجِبُواْ أَن جَآءَهُمْ مُّنذِرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَقَالَ الْكَـفِرُونَ هَـذَا شَىْءٌ عَجِيبٌ ﴾

(Qaf. By the Glorious Qur'an. Nay, they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves. So the disbelievers say: "This is a strange thing!'') They wondered at the wisdom behind sending a Messenger who is a human being. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said in another Ayah

﴿أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ﴾

(Is it a wonder for mankind that We have sent Our revelation to a man from among themselves (saying): "Warn mankind.'') (10:2), meaning, this is not strange, for Allah chooses Messengers from angels and humans. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored mentioned that the disbelievers also wondered about the Resurrection and discounted its coming,

﴿أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً ذَلِكَ رَجْعُ بَعِيدٌ ﴾

(When we are dead and have become dust. That is a far return.) They said, `after we die, disintegrate, with our organs torn apart and we become dust, how can we be brought back to our original shape and bodies,'

﴿ذَلِكَ رَجْعُ بَعِيدٌ﴾

(That is a far return.) `it is not likely that it will ever occur.' They thought that Resurrection was far from happening and will never occur. Allah the Exalted responded to their statement by saying,

﴿قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنقُصُ الاٌّرْضَ مِنْهُمْ﴾

(We know that which the earth takes of them.) meaning, `We know what the earth consumes of their dead bodies.' Where and how the bodies disintegrated, what they turned into and how they have become, all of this is never absent from Allah's knowledge.

﴿وَعِندَنَا كِتَـبٌ حَفِيظٌ﴾

(and with Us is a Book preserved,) `that keeps all records. Therefore, Our knowledge is encompassing and the Book of decrees has everything precisely recorded in it. Al-`Awfi narrated that `Abdullah bin `Abbas commented on the statement of Allah the Exalted,

﴿قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنقُصُ الاٌّرْضَ مِنْهُمْ﴾

(We know that which the earth takes of them,) "It refers to what the earth consumes of their flesh, skin, bones and hair.'' A similar view was recorded from Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and several others. Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, explained the reason behind their disbelief, rebellion and discounting the possibility of what is truly possible,

﴿بَلْ كَذَّبُواْ بِالْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ فَهُمْ فِى أَمْرٍ مَّرِيجٍ ﴾

(Nay, but they have denied the truth when it has come to them, so they are in a Marij state.) This is the state of all those who defy the Truth: whatever they say and utter after denying the Truth, is utterly false. Marij means, in disarray, in a confused state and defying the characteristics of the Truth. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

﴿إِنَّكُمْ لَفِى قَوْلٍ مُّخْتَلِفٍ - يُؤْفَكُ عَنْهُ مَنْ أُفِكَ ﴾

(Certainly, you have different ideas. Turned aside therefrom is he who is turned aside.)(51:8-9)

﴿أَفَلَمْ يَنظُرُواْ إِلَى السَّمَآءِ فَوْقَهُمْ كَيْفَ بَنَيْنَـهَا وَزَيَّنَّـهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِن فُرُوجٍ - وَالاٌّرْضَ مَدَدْنَـهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَسِىَ وَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَهِيجٍ - تَبْصِرَةً وَذِكْرَى لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ - وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً مُّبَـرَكاً فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنَّـتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيدِ بَـسِقَـتٍ لَّهَا طَلْعٌ نَّضِيدٌرِّزْقاً لِّلْعِبَادِ وَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَّيْتاً كَذَلِكَ الْخُرُوجُ ﴾

(6. Have they not looked at the heaven above them, how We have made it and adorned it, and there are no Furuj in it) (7. And the earth! We have spread it out, and set thereon Rawasi standing firm, and We planted in it every lovely (Bahij) pair.) (8. An insight and a Reminder for every servant who turns to Allah in repentance.) (9. And We send down blessed water (rain) from the sky, then We produce therewith Jannat and grain that are reaped.) (10. And date palms Basiqat, with arranged clusters.) (11. A provision for the servants. And We give life therewith to a dead land. Thus will be the Resurrection.)