“Say, ‘Be stones or iron, or any other created thing you deem even more formidable.’ They will ask, ‘Who will restore us?’ Say, ‘The One who created you the first time.’ Then they will shake their heads at you and ask, ‘When will that be?’ Say, ‘Perhaps it is near—the Day He calls you, when you will respond with praise of Him and suppose that you had remained only a little while.’”

“Be stones or iron, or some created thing that seems great”—that is, formidable—“in your minds,” so that, as you imagine, this might spare you from Allah’s power reaching you or His will taking effect upon you. Yet you cannot escape Allah, whatever state you are in or whatever form you assume. You have no control over yourselves, either during life or after death.

So leave the governing and directing of affairs to the One who has power over all things and encompasses all things.

“They will ask,” when you establish the proof of resurrection against them, “‘Who will restore us?’ Say, ‘The One who created you the first time.’” Just as He created you when you were nothing worth mentioning, He will recreate you as a new creation: “As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it.”

“Then they will shake their heads at you”—that is, they will shake them in denial and astonishment at what you have said—“and ask, ‘When will that be?’” In other words: When will this resurrection that you claim take place? This is not an acknowledgment by them of the resurrection itself; it is merely foolishness and defiance on their part.

“Say, ‘Perhaps it is near.’” There is no benefit in specifying its time. What matters is affirming it, acknowledging it, and establishing its reality. Besides, everything that is coming is near.

“The Day He calls you” to be raised and resurrected, and the Trumpet is blown, “you will respond with praise of Him.” That is, you will submit to His command and will be unable to resist Him. “With praise of Him” means that He, Most High, is praised for His act, and through it He recompenses His servants when He gathers them for the Day of Calling.

“And you will suppose that you had remained only a little while,” because of how swiftly it comes to pass and because the comfort you had enjoyed will seem never to have existed.

Thus, when the very event about which the deniers ask, “When will it be?” arrives, they will bitterly regret it and will be told: “This is what you used to deny.”