57 & 58 - الْمُبْدِئُ الْمُعِيدُ

[Bint e Aisha]

 الْمُبْدِئُ  الْمُعِيدُ 

 

الْمُبْدِئُ and الْمُعِيدُ will be discussed together

 

Translations & Definitions

الْمُبْدِئُ is translated as The Originator and The Starter. This word comes from بدع meaning to begin. It means coming out of non-existence so مُبْدِئُ  is and Ism Faa’il and  الْمُبْدِئُ is The One Who brings into existence that which was non-existent and that Being can only be Allah ta’ala as only He can bring something out of nothing. In our case we need raw materials to bring something into existence. 

 

الْمُعِيدُ is translated as The Restorer and The Renewer. الْمُعِيدُ is that Being Who brings back creation from life towards death. 

 

مُبْدِئ means to bring something to life and مُعِيد literally means bringing back. Therefore it means taking back from the life of this world, bringing it toward death and then from death, bringing it to life again in the afterworld. Another explanation of الْمُعِيدُ is to bring back all of creation even though the physical bodies have decomposed.

 

مُبْدِئ - To bring something from nothing (i.e. the first time)

مُعِيد  - To return something that has ceased to exist (i.e. the second time)

 

Every person, Believer or non-believer, atheist etc., accepts we came into existence from non-existence and some day we will return. These are two things no one can deny. That leaves us with the middle stage. We should accept that we were non-existent and came into existence and we will cease to exist and Allah ta’ala wil then bring us back to life and this is where Imaan comes in as everyone accepts the first and last stages. This world is Daarul-amal where we’re supposed to work and the Aakhirah is Daarul-jazaa’ where we will be compensated. 

 

We should think that I was nothing and Allah ta’ala is الْمُبْدِئُ and brought me to this world and He is الْمُعِيدُ and I shall have to return to Him. 

 

Another way to understand this is that Allah ta’ala brings us into this world in different forms and different circumstances i.e. born into a rich or poor family, male or female etc. and since Allah ta’ala has brought us from non-existence in to different circumstances, we should learn from this that we have to be just to other people. If we are rich then we should be kind and generous to the poor as Allah ta’ala is  الْمُعِيدُ and He will return us and question us. The more certainty there is in this name i.e. that I have to return to Allah ta’ala , the more careful one will be about being just in every way. 

 

Concept of Resurrection 

Allah ta’ala mentions two episodes in Surah Baqarah regarding Ibraheem AS and  a Prophet of the Bani Isra’eel, Uzair bin Barkhiya AS, both of whom asked Allah ta’ala regarding resurrection (for peace of heart and not due to disbelief.) 

 

The first incident in verse 259 - Uzair bin Barkhiya AS

The town referred in the verse is Baytul Maqdis and the Bani Isra’eel lived in and around this area. Nebachanezzar (in Arabic Bakht Nasr) had killed and enslaved the Bani Isra’eel and razed Baytul Maqdis. Among them was a Nabi and many commentators have stated that the person mentioned in this verse was the Nabi, Uzair bin Barkhiya AS. He was also enslaved however he managed to secure his release from captivity and he returned to Baytul Maqdis which he found in ruins. In awe he wandered out loud how Allah ta’ala could restore the place to life again. It was innocent wondering and not the doubting of Allah ta’ala’s power. 

 

Allah ta’ala caused him to die and remain in the state of death for a hundred years, after which he was brought back to life. Allah ta’ala asked him how long had he remained in this state of death, whereupon he replied that it was for the duration of a day or a part of it. Allah ta’ala corrected his misjudgment, informing him that a hundred years had passed. Despite this long period, Allah ta’ala had preserved his body as if it had been lying there for only a few hours. 

 

Thereafter Allah ta’ala demonstrated to him how He reconstructed the decomposed body of his donkey. All its bones were scattered about, but Allah ta’ala collected them together to arrange them properly. Then Allah ta’ala covered these bones in flesh after which it was brought back to life. When it was all completed before his eyes, he said, “I know that Allah is Powerful over everything.”

 

During his 100 years sleep, Bakht Nasr had died and the Bani Isra’eel returned to Baytul Maqdis and inhabited the area once again. This episode occurred to the person in question so that it may serve as a lesson to people after him, so that they believe in the resurrection after death. 

 

The second incident in verse 260 –Ibraheem AS

This verse mentions Ibraheem AS who sought from Allah ta’ala the favour of being shown as to how He would bring the dead back to life. His question was not a rejection as Ibrahim AS was a firm believer in Tawheed and in the resurrection after death. He was Khaleelullaah and he had Imaan-e-kaamil and Yaqeen-e-kaamil. He posed this question to Allah ta’ala merely to have an eye witness account (Mushaahadah) of Allah ta’ala’s ability to resurrect. 

 

Allah ta’ala instructed him to find four birds, tame them and then cut them into pieces. These pieces were to be placed on several hills. Once this was done, he was to call them. This he did, and (instead of flying) they all came running to him, as a display of Allah ta’ala’s power. Some scholars say Ibraheem AS was told to tame / domesticate the birds so that he would recognise the birds. When they come back he should be able to see that these are the same birds.

Allah ta’ala says in Surah Ambiyaa, verse 104, 

 

يَوْمَ نَطْوِي السَّمَاءَ كَطَيِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ ۚ كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُعِيدُهُ ۚ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ
 

On that Day We shall roll up the heavens like a scroll of writings; just as We originated the first creation, so shall We produce it again - that is Our promise, and We will fulfill it.

 

In answer to those who deny the resurrection Allah ta’ala says He will resurrect you how He created you the first time. It is easy to resurrect the second time after the first time. 

 

Aishah RA reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, 
 

The people will be assembled barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, will the men and women look at each other?” The Prophet said, “The matter will be too serious for them to notice.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

 

The Mushrikeen would take a bone and ask how Allah ta’ala can resurrect from a bone and even today people have doubts and criticism regarding life after death. This is based on limited power and knowledge of humans but Allah ta’ala is beyond any limitations and His power is perfect. 

 

Counsel
 

We should value our worldly life and prepare for the Aakhirah. The more certainty there is of leaving this world and of resurrection and returning to Allah ta’ala, the more a person will value his life. As people get older the certainty of life ending increases and they often begin to value life more. Whatever phase we pass, we will never return to it so do not look back to the mistakes that were made. Look to the future and value the time that is left. 

 

People who do not believe in the Aakhirah have no meaning in life and they do not value their lives as for them there is nothing after death. 

 

Use in Du’a

 

We should say, O Allah, You are الْمُعِيدُ and I have to return to You. I want to return in the state where You are pleased with me. 

We shall have to face Allah ta’ala in the Aakhirah so we should not do anything that will make us ashamed to face Him. For sins committed, there is Tawbah which wipes the slate clean. 

 

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