The word “Oud” has been used for Qiyamah and the return for the humans and this means the return to a new life. The 6th verse under discussion verse 29 of Surah A’raf says, “Even as He brought you forth in the beginning so to Him shall you also return.”

We will see when we discuss the return that this verse though short is a very solid proof of the return to God. The argument about the new creation has been raised on the basis of the first creation.

The point to be noted is that the word “Oud” was used by the deniers and the polytheists. They said, “Who can return us to a new life?’ and the Qura’n answers them in verse 51 of Surah Bani Israel, “Say “He who created you first.” Now this word is also proof about the physical resurrection because there is no point of the return of the soul because it exists after death. It is the physical life that will return on the Day of Reckoning and the soul will join it.

One important that we feel we should mention the explanation given for this verse is the explanation of the reality of the return of life ( This explanation has been mentioned by Late Tabrasi in the beginning of his treatise. This explanation has been adopted by Ruhul Bayan also for this verse.

But Fakhr Razi in Tafsir Kabeer, Tabatabai in Al Mizan and the author of Al Minar and others have said that this explanation is for the fact that God created mankind in two groups. One of them was true believers and the second was of the disbelievers. The first group took to the path shown by the Apostles of God and the second adopted the path of Satan because of temptations. They will be resurrected as in the two groups on the Day of Judgment, Muminin and Kaafirs, the well deserved and the damned. They have cited verse 30 of Surah A’raf as the proof of this for it says, “A group He has guided and a group deserved to be in error.”

The more peculiar fact is that Razi has cited this as a proof of compulsion for well being and damnation even though we will find if we look at similar verses that this simile is for life after death and not for guidance and waywardness in this world. Verse 11 of Surah Rom says, “God originates the creation, then He causes it to recur, then to Him shall you all be returned.”

Then the verse 27 of the Same Surah says, “It is He who originates the creation, then He causes it to recur again and the latter is even easier for Him.”

Other verse like verses 4 and 34 of Surah Yunus, 64 of Surah Naml and 19 of Surah Ankabut give the same meaning.

It is possible that someone may say that this explanation of the verse is according to the Hadith related by Tafsir Ali bin Ibrahim that quotes Abi Jarood who quoted Imam Mohammad Baqir to have said:

“ Just as He created one group to be of the Believer and the other to be of the disbelievers; one group to be obedient and well deserved and the other group to be rebellious and damned, the people will be divided in the same manner on the Day of Judgment. One will be rightly guided and the other will be of those who chose to stray.”(1)

1. Tafsir Qummi Vol.1 page 226 and Tafsir Nurus Saqlain vol.2 page 18.