Surah As-Saffat, Verse 17

Tafsir of 37:17

The Certainty of Life after Death Allah says: `Ask these people, those who deny the resurrection, which is harder to create Are they more difficult to create or the heavens, the earth, the angels, devils, the mighty creatures -- everything in between them' Ibn Mas`ud said that they admitted that these things were harder to create than they were. If this is the case, then why do they deny the resurrection, when they see things that are greater than that which they deny As Allah says: لَخَلْقُ السَّمَوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not) (40:57) Then Allah explains that they were created from something weak, as He says: إِنَّا خَلَقْنَهُم مِّن طِينٍ لاَّزِبٍ (Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.) Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak said, "This is the useful kind of mud which sticks to itself." Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and `Ikrimah said, "It is sticky and useful." Qatadah said, "It is that which sticks to the hand." بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخُرُونَ (Nay, you wondered while they mock.) means,…

Source: Ibn Kathir (Abridged)