The Quran

Preface

وَلَقَد جِئتُمونا فُرادىٰ كَما خَلَقناكُم أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَتَرَكتُم ما خَوَّلناكُم وَراءَ ظُهورِكُم ۖ وَما نَرىٰ مَعَكُم شُفَعاءَكُمُ الَّذينَ زَعَمتُم أَنَّهُم فيكُم شُرَكاءُ ۚ لَقَد تَقَطَّعَ بَينَكُم وَضَلَّ عَنكُم ما كُنتُم تَزعُمونَ

Yusuf Ali

“And behold! ye come to us bare and alone as We created you for the first time:¹ ye have left behind you all (the favours) which We bestowed on you: We see not with you your intercessors whom ye thought to be partners in your affairs: so now all relations between you have been cut off, and your (pet) fancies have left you in the lurch!”²

Some of the various ideas connected with “Creation” are noted in n. 120 to 2:117. In the creation of man there are various processes. If his body was created out of clay, i.e., earthy matter, there was an earlier process of the creation of such earthy matter. Here the body is left behind, and the soul is being addressed. The soul underwent various processes of fashioning and adapting to its various functions in its various surroundings (32:7-9). But each individual soul, after release from the body, comes back as it was created, with nothing more than its history, “the deeds which it has earned,” which are really a part of it. Any exterior things given to help in its development, “the favours which We bestowed on you,” it must necessarily leave behind, however it may have been proud of them. These exterior things may be material things, e.g., wealth, property, signs of power, influence and pride such as sons, relatives, and friends, etc., or they may be intangible things, like talents, intellect, social gifts, etc (Cf. 7:29 and 6:98).
The false ideas of intercessors, demi-gods, gods, saviours, etc., now vanish like unsubstantial visions, “leaving not a wrack behind.” Now the soul is face to face with reality. Its personal responsibility is brought home to it.