“He who made for you fire from the green tree.”

Allah turned those very particles that came from the green tree into fire, without there having been any fire in the green tree to begin with—just as there had originally been no fruit in the tree and no embryo in the woman’s womb. Rather, He created this existing thing from the material of something else, transforming that material into it and adding other materials to it. The same applies to resurrection: He restores a person after his entire body has decayed except for the tailbone, as established in an authentic report from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who said:

“Every son of Adam decays except for the tailbone. From it the son of Adam was created, and from it he will be reassembled.”

When He restores a person to life in the second creation, that existence will not be like this one. This existence comes into being and passes away, whereas that one comes into being but does not pass away; rather, it remains forever. No foul bodily waste will be discharged by the people of Paradise, as established in an authentic report from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who said:

“The people of Paradise will neither urinate nor defecate, neither spit nor blow their noses. Only perspiration like musk will come from them.”

In the two authentic collections, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is reported to have said:

“People will be gathered barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised.” Then he recited: “As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it—a promise binding upon Us. We shall surely do so.”

Thus, they will return with their foreskins, not circumcised.

Al-Hasan al-Basrī and Mujāhid said: “Just as He first created you in this world when you were nothing, so you will return alive on the Day of Resurrection.” Qatādah said: “He first created them