And Allah’s words,
“Does he promise you that after you have died and become dust and bones you will be brought forth again? Far, far indeed is what you are promised! There is nothing but our present life: we die and we live, and we shall never be resurrected. He is only a man who has fabricated a lie against Allah, and we will never believe in him.” He said, “My Lord, help me.” (al-Muʾminūn 23:35-39)
They regarded the Resurrection as impossible and denied that bodies could rise again once they had turned to dust and bones. They cried, “Far, far away is this promise!”—
“There is nothing but our worldly life; some of us die and others come to live, and we shall not be raised up.” (al-Muʾminūn 23:37)
In other words, one generation dies while another lives on. This is the creed of the dahriyyah—the materialists—just as some ignorant heretics say: “Wombs deliver and the earth devours.”
The dawriyyah, on the other hand, claim that people return to this world every thirty-six thousand years. All of this is sheer falsehood, disbelief, ignorance, and misguidance—baseless assertions and corrupt fantasies without an atom of proof, yet they appeal to the minds of sinful unbelievers from among Adam’s children who neither reason nor find guidance, as Allah says,
“So that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter may incline to it, be pleased with it, and so that they may persist in whatever they are committing.” (al-Anʿām 6:113)
He also warned them:
“Do you build on every elevation a monument, sporting for no purpose, and erect strongholds in the hope that you will live forever?” (ash-Shuʿarāʾ 26:128-129)
That is, do you build on every high place an imposing structure—palaces and the like—merely as an idle pastime, when you have no need of them? They did so only because they lived in tents, as Allah says,
“Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with ʿĀd—[with] Iram, possessors of lofty pillars, the like of whom had never been created in the land?” (al-Fajr 89:6-8)
The ʿĀd of Iram are the first ʿĀd, who dwelt among the pillars that supported their tents. Whoever claims that Iram is a city of gold and silver that moves about the earth has erred and spoken without evidence.
Concerning His words, “and you construct maṣāniʿ,” (ash-Shuʿarāʾ 26:129) some said this means palaces; others, pigeon-towers; still others, water-cisterns—
“that you might live forever,” (26:129) that is, in the hope of long life in this world.
“And when you strike, you strike like tyrants. So fear Allah and obey me. And fear the One who has supplied you with what you know—He supplied you with livestock and children, and gardens and springs. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a momentous day.” (ash-Shuʿarāʾ 26:130-135)
They also said to him,
“Have you come to us so that we worship Allah alone and abandon what our fathers worshipped? Then bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you are truthful.” (al-Aʿrāf 7:70)
That is, have you come to make us worship Allah alone while opposing the way of our forefathers? If what you say is true, then let the punishment you threaten come; for we will neither believe you, nor follow you, nor affirm you—just as they said,
“It is all the same to us whether you admonish or are not among the admonishers. This is nothing but the fabrication of the ancients, and we shall not be punished.” (ash-Shuʿarāʾ 26:136-138)
According to the reading that vocalizes the khāʾ with a fatḥah (khulqa), the phrase means “the fabrication of the ancients,” i.e., what you have brought is nothing but an invention you borrowed from the writings of earlier peoples—so explained more than one Companion and Successor. According to the other reading that vocalizes the khāʾ with ḍammah and the lām with sukūn (khuluq), it means “their religion,” i.e., the religion we follow is merely the religion of our forefathers, and we will never leave it, change it, or cease to cling to it.
Either way, both readings suit their statement, “and we shall not be punished.” (ash-Shuʿarāʾ 26:138)
He replied, “Punishment has already descended upon you from your Lord….”