A Preview of Judgment Day: How One Miracle Teaches Us to Reason
A Preview of Judgment Day: How One Miracle Teaches Us to Reason
Quran 2:73 shows Allah’s power to give life, reveal truth, and awaken reason—clear signs urging reflection, faith, and wisdom.
The Arabic Text
فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُحْيِي اللَّهُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
Transliteration
Faqulnā iḍribūhu bibaʿḍihā kadhālika yuḥyī Llāhu l-mawtā wa-yurīkum āyātihi laʿallakum taʿqilūn
Simple English Translation
"So We said, 'Strike him [the slain man] with part of it.' Thus does Allah bring the dead to life, and He shows you His signs that you might use reason."
Full Explanation in Easy English
This verse provides the miraculous climax to the story. After the reluctant slaughter of the specified cow, Allah commands part of it to be used to bring the murder victim back to life so he can identify his killer. This act serves as a powerful, tangible sign of Allah's power over life and death and the ultimate purpose of His signs.
1. The Past: The Miraculous Solution and Its Purpose
The Divine Command: After the cow was finally slaughtered, Allah instructed them to strike the corpse of the murdered man with a piece of it.
The Miraculous Result: The dead man was restored to life, identified his killer, and then returned to death. This served two immediate purposes:
To solve the murder and end the civil strife with perfect, divine justice.
To demonstrate Allah's power in the most dramatic way possible: "Thus does Allah bring the dead to life."
The Stated Goal of Signs: Allah states that He shows His signs (āyāt) so that people "might use reason" (taʿqilūn). The miracle was not just a spectacle; it was an intellectual and spiritual test. Would they witness this and finally understand the reality of Allah's power, His justice, and the seriousness of His commands?
In the past, this event was a definitive proof for that generation, connecting their ordeal (the cow) to a greater lesson about divine power and the purpose of revelation.
2. The Present: Recognizing "Signs" and Using Our Intellect
For us today, this verse shifts the focus from the ancient story to our own responsibility to perceive and reason:
Allah's Signs (Āyāt) Are Everywhere: The miracle was a direct, supernatural sign. For us, Allah's signs are of two types, both requiring us to "use reason":
Cosmic Signs (Āyāt Kawniyyah): The universe, the human body, the laws of nature. The intricate design points to a Designer.
Revealed Signs (Āyāt Tanziliyyah): The verses of the Quran, the prophecies of Muhammad (ﷺ), the preservation of Islam.
The Command to Ta'aqqul (Use Reason): Islam is not blind faith. Allah constantly calls people to think, reflect, and deduce.
Example: Seeing the order in the universe should lead to the rational conclusion of a single, all-powerful Creator (Tawhid).
Example: Studying the Quran's scientific foresight, literary inimitability, and historical accuracy should lead to the rational conclusion of its divine origin.
The Modern Failure to Reason: Many people today see the "signs"—the complexity of life, the guidance in the Quran—but fail to connect them to their logical conclusion: submission to Allah. They suppress their innate reasoning (fitrah) due to desire, pride, or social pressure.
Today, this verse challenges us: Are you using the intellect (aql) Allah gave you? Are you observing the signs in creation and revelation and reasoning your way to the truth, or are you ignoring them out of willful neglect?
3. The Future: The Greater Resurrection and the Ultimate Sign
This miraculous resurrection points to the greatest future reality:
A Precursor to the Greater Resurrection: Bringing one man back to life was a small-scale demonstration of what Allah will do on the Day of Resurrection (Yawm al-Qiyamah), when all of humanity will be brought back to life. The Quran says, "And he presents for Us an example and forgets his [own] creation. He says, 'Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?' Say, 'He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing.'" (36:78-79).
The Final "Striking" of the Truth: On Judgment Day, the truth of every soul will be made manifest as clearly and undeniably as the murdered man identifying his killer. All secrets will be exposed.
Reasoning for Eternal Success: The ability to "use reason" (taʿqilūn) in this life—to correctly interpret Allah's signs and submit—is what determines eternal success. On that Day, those who ignored the signs will say, "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze." (67:10).
For the future, this verse teaches that the miracles and signs in this world are training for the ultimate reality. Our correct reasoning and response to them now prepare us for the moment when the ultimate Sign—the Resurrection—becomes a reality, and our eternal fate is sealed based on the choices our intellect led us to make.
Summary for a Contemporary Audience
Imagine a complex crime scene where detectives are stumped. A superior officer provides a single, specific piece of evidence (like the piece of the cow). When applied, it triggers a revelation that solves the entire case, proving the officer's authority and method.
Your takeaway: Your life is full of "crime scenes"—mysteries of existence, suffering, and purpose. Allah has given you two key pieces of evidence: 1. The "Cow" – the specific, clear commands and stories in the Quran. 2. Your Intellect – the ability to reason.
When you apply your God-given reason to His revealed signs, it brings the "dead" questions of your heart to life with answers. This process of seeing signs and reasoning to the truth is your rehearsal for the Final Day, when Allah will bring all the dead to life and ask what you did with your mind and His messages. Don't just look at the signs; think. Your eternity depends on it.