Surah Al-Qiyamah 75:4
سُورَةُ القِيَامَةِ · Meccan · Verse 4 of 40
بَلَىٰ قَٰدِرِينَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّسَوِّىَ بَنَانَهُۥ
Translation
In fact, We can reshape his very fingertips.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse, Surah 75:4, comes as a direct and emphatic response to the disbeliever's arrogant question in the preceding verse: "Does man think that We will not assemble his bones?" Allah Himself is speaking here, firmly refuting this doubt and asserting His limitless capability to bring the dead back to life.
A Decisive Affirmation
The verse begins with the Arabic word بَلَىٰ (balā). This is not just a simple "yes." In Arabic, when a negative question is asked (like "Will we *not* assemble his bones?"), balā is used to give a decisive, affirmative answer that invalidates the negation. It's a forceful declaration, essentially meaning, "On the contrary, We certainly *will* gather them!" It sweeps away any doubt the disbeliever might harbor, leaving no room for argument.
Ever-Present Power
Following this, Allah describes Himself as قَٰدِرِينَ (qādirīn), which means "being able" or "perfectly capable." This word is used in a grammatical state that emphasizes Allah's continuous and inherent power, not just a momentary ability. It signals that this power is an inseparable attribute of Allah. As some scholars like al-Razi point out, the very act of gathering bones after they've decomposed necessarily implies ultimate power. By stating "being able," the Quran underscores that Allah's power is not just sufficient but complete and ever-present, ready to perform this monumental task.
The Precision of Fingertips
The profound beauty and specific linguistic genius of this verse truly shine in its final phrase: عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّسَوِّيَ بَنَانَهُۥ (ʿalā an nusawwiya banānahu), meaning "to restore his fingertips perfectly."
* بَنَانَهُۥ (banānahu) refers to the fingers or even just the delicate fingertips.
* نُّسَوِّيَ (nusawwiya) comes from a root that means to make something balanced, complete, or perfectly sound. It implies not just assembling, but perfecting the creation, making it as it was or even better.
Why mention the fingertips specifically? As Ibn Ashur explains, this is a rhetorical device, a kināyah (metaphorical allusion). The fingertips are among the smallest, most delicate, and intricate parts of the human body. They contain numerous tiny bones, joints, nerves, and unique patterns (like fingerprints). If Allah declares His perfect ability to re-create and restore these incredibly complex, tiny extremities with precision, then surely He can restore the larger bones and the entire body. It’s a powerful way to convey the completeness of resurrection and Allah's absolute mastery over creation, from the grandest to the most minute detail. It silently asks, "If We can re-create something so complex and small, why would you doubt Our ability to re-create the whole?"
This wording emphasizes not just the act of resurrection, but the *perfection* with which Allah will achieve it, down to the very tips of our fingers, reminding us of His infinite power and precision.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Qiyamah 75:4 is discussed in 3 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Qiyamah 75:4 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.