The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 39
PT. 11 YŪNUS CH. 10 أَمَّنْ يَّمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَمَنْ heaven and the earth? Or who is it that has power over the ears يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيْتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيْتَ and the eyes? And who brings forth the living from the dead مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَمَنْ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ فَسَيَقُولُونَ and brings the dead out of the اللهُ ۚ فَقُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُوْنَ living? And who governs all affairs?' They will say, 'Allah’. Then say, 'Will you not then seek His protection?' 1307 1307. Commentary: "3:28; 6:96. "See 10:4. This verse explains in a beautiful manner the relation between Divine revelation and human reason. It says that all physical or spiritual sustenance is provided by heaven and earth acting in concert. Neither of them can do it singly. For example, if heaven should continue to send down rain but the earth should lack the necessary power and capacity for bringing forth vegetation, the rain would produce nothing. On the other hand, if no rain falls, then the fertility of the soil alone will not suffice to produce vegetation. Exactly in the same way human reason, which is like soil, cannot produce spiritual vegetation, which serves as spiritual food for man, unless the water of Divine revelation comes to its aid from heaven. It is, therefore, vain to hope that man can attain to God by the help of reason alone, without the aid of Divine revelation. The verse proceeds to say that it is foolish to think that God should have given eyes and ears to men but should have failed to provide for them the 1247 task they were meant to perform. That task is provided through Divine guidance. Similarly, the verse draws our attention to the process of life and death in this world. Oftentimes the living come out of the dead and things which to all outward appearance are dead begin to show signs of life and vice versa. Is it not then possible that there should sometimes gush forth a fountain of life from a dead heart? When such a possibility exists, why should not God grant respite to the sinful so that such of them as possess the germs of life may revive? The verse continues the argument in the words, And who governs all affairs?, meaning that it is inconceivable that a being who is entrusted with the conduct of an affair should himself seek to destroy it. No wise man can ever think of undoing his own handiwork. How then can God wish to destroy the universe which is the means for the manifestation of His powers and attributes? He would much rather save it than destroy it. This is why He is slow in punishing.