The Unity of the Universe and the Power of Allah Allah constantly reminds us of the Hereafter because He knows that sinners are always hopeful,or try to convince themselves, that there will be no judgement after death. In fact such foolish persons are trying to stifle their terror of what awaits them on that Day by denying its truth. The Siirah continues: "By the heaven which gives the returning rain." (86:11) In this verse, Allah reveals a significant fact which re足 mained unknown to man until many centuries after the revelation of the Our'an. We all know that surface and ocean water, through the heat of the sun, evaporates, turns to clouds, condenses and falls back as rain, and that, in an ever-recurring cycle, the heaven returns to the earth the water that rises to it. We should not miss the accuracy of the expression 'the raining heaven', for it clarifies this scientific process to anyone who has no knowledge of how rain is formed. For those who know this scientific fact, the meaning and accuracy of the verse becomes more vivid and comprehensible. "And the earth which splits (with the growth of trees and plants)." (86:12) Here again the cyclic regeneration of plants and the splitting of the soil points to Allah's power and laws. Every thing comes and goes in an everlasting cycle. If Allah is capable of ordaining this continual process of regeneration (or rebirth), then surely He can subject man to the same laws. In all these cycles Allah gives us simple examples of what will happen to man after death. It is as simple as all the natural phenomena which are acted out before us on the stage of life day after day and year after year. Then the Siirah tells us that the Our'an, the ultimate truth and "conclusive word" (86:13) "is no pleasantry" (86:14). In this verse is expressed the depth and seriousness of the whole issue. We should not take all that has previously been said lightly, for once we have left this life, our chances to repent 215
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