Surah Ar-Room (30) — Ayah 54

(Ayah 54) ➊ {اَللّٰهُ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَكُمْ مِّنْ ضُعْفٍ … :} Mufassir Ibn Kathir states: "The origin of man is from dust, then from a drop of fluid, then from a clot of congealed blood, then from a lump of flesh, then bones are clothed upon it, then flesh and skin are placed over the bones, then the soul is breathed into it, then he emerges from his mother's womb weak and feeble, then gradually grows and becomes stronger, then he witnesses the springtime of childhood, then approaches youth, then becomes young, finally growth ceases. Now the faculties begin to decline again, strength starts to diminish, he reaches middle age, then becomes old. This weakness after strength is also a lesson, as resolve becomes low. Seeing, hearing, walking, moving, rising, leaping, grasping—in short, every strength diminishes, gradually becomes completely exhausted, and all attributes change, wrinkles appear on the body, cheeks sink, teeth break, and hair turns white. This is the weakness and old age after strength. He does whatever He wills; creating and destroying are among the least of His powers. All creation is His slave, He is the Owner of all. He is All-Knowing and All-Powerful; neither is His knowledge like anyone else's, nor is anyone's power like His." (Ibn Kathir)

➋ In this verse, Allah Almighty has affirmed Tawheed and refuted the deniers of the Resurrection: the One who can bring man from non-existence into existence, then raise him from a state of weakness to strength and youth, then bring him from strength and youth to weakness and old age until death, for Him, recreating him is not at all difficult—especially when He is All-Knowing, He knows every person and every particle of everything in the universe, where it is, and He is All-Powerful, for both existence and non-existence are the result of His power. Whenever He wills, He can bring dead parts back to life.

➌ { يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ :} That is, this journey of man from weakness to strength and from strength to weakness and old age is not the result of blind and unconscious changes in matter occurring by themselves, but all of this is the act of Allah Almighty. He creates whatever He wills; He ends some in the state of embryo, some as soon as they are born, some He calls in childhood, some He brings to youth, and whomever He wills, He brings to old age. All of this happens according to His will, perfect knowledge, and perfect power.

➍ Ibn Ashur states: "The word {’’ ضُعْفٍ ‘‘} in the verse is with a Dammah on the letter 'Dad', and this is more eloquent and the dialect of Quraysh, and it is also permissible to have a Fathah on the 'Dad', and this is the dialect of Tamim. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi have narrated from Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), he says: 'I recited it before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as {’’الَّذِيْ خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ ضَعْفٍ‘‘} (i.e., with a Fathah on the 'Dad'), so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught me {’’ مِنْ ضُعْفٍ ‘‘} (i.e., with a Dammah on the 'Dad').' [ ترمذي، القراءات، باب ومن سورۃ الروم : ۲۹۳۶، وقال الألباني حسن۔ أبو داوٗد، الحروف و القراءات، باب : ۳۹۷۸ ] The majority have recited the word {’’ ضُعْفٍ ‘‘} with a Dammah on the 'Dad' in all three places, and Asim and Hamzah have recited it with a Fathah on the 'Dad'. Certainly, they have proof for this which is contrary to the narration of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). The reconciliation between this recitation and the hadith of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited it with a Dammah on the 'Dad', because this is the dialect of his people, and for one who recites in the dialect of another tribe, there is permission to recite it with a Fathah, and for one who has no specific dialect, he has the choice to recite it either way." (Al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir) Note that although the recitation of Asim is with a Fathah on the 'Dad', one of his narrators, Hafs (whose narration is prevalent among us), preferred the Dammah on the 'Dad' due to the hadith of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them).