Surah Al-Isra, Verse 50

Tafsir of 17:50

Refutation of Those Who do not believe in Life after Death Allah tells us about the disbelievers who think it very unlikely that the Resurrection will happen and who say, in a tone of denial, أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَماً وَرُفَتاً (When we are bones and fragments.) meaning earth. This was the view of Mujahid. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that it means dust. أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقاً جَدِيداً (should we really be resurrected (to be) a new creation) meaning, on the Day of Resurrection after we have disintegrated and become nothing, and have been forgotten. Allah tells us about them elsewhere: يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِى الْحَفِرَةِ - أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَماً نَّخِرَةً - قَالُواْ تِلْكَ إِذاً كَرَّةٌ خَسِرَةٌ (They say: "Shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state of life Even after we are crumbled bones" They say: "It would in that case, be a return with loss!") (79:10-12). And, وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُ (And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation.) until the end of two Ayat.…

Source: Ibn Kathir (Abridged)