The disbelievers of Quraysh received the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his Message with derision and denial.

The companion, Khabab narrated:

“I came to Al-‘Asi ibn Wa’il As-Sahmi to demand from him money that he owed me.

He said: “I will not give you (your money) until you disbelieve in Muhammad.”

I said: “No, until you die and then be resurrected.”

He said: “Will I die and then be resurrected!”

I said: “Yes.”

He said: “Then I will have wealth and children there and pay you back.” (Al-Bukhari,256)

In response to that conversation, the following verse was revealed:

{Have you seen him who disbelieves in Our signs and says, ‘I shall assuredly be given wealth and children?} (19:77)

The disbelievers swore their most solemn oaths that God will not resurrect the dead. Although they acknowledged that God exists, they negated the belief that He will resurrect the dead, seeing it as impossible after death, decay, and becoming dust:

{And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths (that) Allah will not resurrect one who dies. But yes (He will resurrect them) – (it is) a promise (binding) upon Him in truth, but most of mankind know not. In order that He may make manifest to them the truth of that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved (in Resurrection, and in the Oneness of Allah) may know that they were liars.} (16:38–9)

They uttered words similar to the past nations who disbelieved and denied the Hereafter, their hearts resembling one another:

{This is not but a human being like you; he eats of that which you eat, and drinks of what you drink. If you were to obey a human being like yourselves, then verily, you indeed would be losers. Does he promise you that when you have died and have become dust and bones, you shall be brought out (of the graves)? How far, how far, is that which you are promised? Life is not but our worldly life. We die and we live. And we will not be resurrected. He is only a man who has invented a lie against Allah, and we are not going to believe in him.} (23:33–8)

They were blind to the first miracle of bringing them into existence, and blind to the nature of divine power, which must not be measured by human mentality or against human abilities. Bringing something into being is nothing for divine power. It is enough to will a thing to be and it is:

{Verily! Our Word to a thing when We intend it is only that We say to it: “Be!” and it is} (16:40)

To Divine Power there is nothing difficult or easy, possible or impossible; directing the Intention toward a thing is enough to bring it into being or back to being, whatever it is.

It is narrated that Ubay ibn Khalf brought some decayed bones and started crumbling and scattering them in the air before the Prophet while wondering: Who can give life to bones that have rotted?

{Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge). Yet behold! He stands forth as an open opponent. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: “Who will give life to these bones when they have rotted away and became dust?} (36:77–8)

Humans do not doubt that this fragile fluid, comprised of a mixture of male and female discharge without form or worth, constitutes their origin.

A semen drop contains thousands of cells… one of these thousands of cells joins with an egg to become an embryo, then this man who argues with and opposes his Lord, haughtily demanding evidence.

{Let man see from what he is created! He is created from a fluid, ejected. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs. Indeed, Allah is Able to bring him back (to life).} (86:5–8)

Divine power of creation is what makes this semen drop into a man, who then believes it to be too hard for this power to bring him back and resurrect him after decay and oblivion. God says in the Quran:

{Those who disbelieve have claimed that they will never be resurrected. Say: “Yes! By my Lord, you will surely be resurrected; then you will surely be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did. And that, for Allah, is easy.} (64:7)

Does the semen drop show more life, power, or worth than decayed bones? Does not man come from this drop? Is it not the first creation? Is He not Who transformed this drop into a man who defies and opposes, able to make his decayed bones living again?

An answer of simple logic was sent down to push back the denying questioner to the limits he haughtily overstepped:

{Say (O Muhammad): “He will give life to them Who created them for the first time. And He is the All-Knower of every creation.} (36:79)

A more challenging answer is given to the deniers in another verse:

{Say (O Muhammad): “Be you stones or iron, or some created thing that is yet greater (or harder) in your breasts.” Then, they will say: “Who shall bring us back (to life)?” Say: “He Who created you first.” Then, they will shake their heads at you and say: “When will that be?” Say: “Perhaps it is near!} (17:50–1)

Bones and mortal remains still contain the smell of humanity and the relics of life, whereas iron and stones are more devoid of life. Thus, be you stones or iron – or any other creation further removed from life than stones and iron, and even more difficult in your thoughts to be given life and resurrected – God shall certainly resurrect you.

As to how will this be, the Prophet directs the inattentive eyes to the source and substance of mankind’s own creation, nutrition, and place of return: to land, dust, and water – the element of life:

The companion Abu Razin asked the Prophet Muhammad:

“O Messenger of Allah, how will Allah bring the dead to life?”

The Prophet replied:  “Have you not passed by a barren valley, then passed by it green?”

Abu Razin said: “Yes, I have.”

The Prophet then said: “Thus Allah brings the dead to life.” (Ahmad)

A barren land or a grain in the darkness of the earth is still and dry without water, neither dead nor alive; then the fall of rain stirs life into it and, by the Will of Allah, it becomes verdant gardens laden with ripe fruits of every kind:

{And you see the earth barren, but when We send down water (rain) on it, it is stirred (to life); it swells and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth). That is because Allah is the Truth, and it is He Who gives life to the dead, and it is He Who is Able to do all things. And surely, the Hour is coming, there is no doubt about it, and certainly, Allah will resurrect those in the graves.} (22:5–7)

Is resurrection anything other than this?

{And He revives the earth after its death. And thus shall you be brought out (resurrected)} (30:19)

Bringing bodies forth from graves is nothing more than causing a plant in the darkness of the earth to come forth and grow. God says:

{And We send down blessed water (rain) from the sky, then We produce therewith gardens and grain (every kind of harvests) that are reaped. And tall date palms, with ranged clusters; a provision for (Allah’s) servants. And We give life therewith to a dead land. Thus will be the resurrection (of the dead).} (50: 9–11)

The Prophet said:

“Allah shall send down rain, as if it is dew, and there will grow out of it the bodies of people.” (Muslim,72)

The earth and whatever is on it is only a small, modest creation compared to the immense existence beyond it, and the creation of people compared to the universe is but simple as God says:

{The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind, yet most of mankind know not} (40:57)

How can man find it hard to believe that one who has built a lofty palace, with towering pillars, can rebuild a simple cottage after its destruction?

Resurrection is a truth beyond doubt, which needs for its inevitable journey a provision of good, righteous deeds. Its back and forth journey from death to life is the everyday journey of awakening after sleep.

The Prophet delivered a sermon at the beginning of his mission, in which he said:

“By Allah, you shall die the same as you sleep, and you shall be resurrected the same as you wake up; and you shall receive recompense for your deeds, good for good and evil for evil; and it is either Paradise forever or Hellfire forever.” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)