reasonably more possible than their original creation and composition. For in relation to divine power, the greatest thing is equal to the smallest.
It seems that at the resurrection, the original parts of the body will be restored to it, as well as those that were discarded. This is alluded to by the vast bodies of the resurrected,1 and the fact that it is ‘disapproved of’ (makrūh) to cut the hair or nails when canonically unclean, and that it is ‘Sunna’ to bury them.2 But according to investigations, [a few cells from] the coccyx (‘ajb al-dhanab) will be sufficient as a seed and substance for the body’s re-formation.3
Now for the proof indicated by the verse, “Nor is your Sustainer ever unjust to His servants:”(41:46) we very often see tyrannical, sinful, and cruel men living in the greatest luxury, passing their lives in affluence and ease. Then we see that poor, oppressed, righteous men of good character live lives of great hardship, degraded and oppressed. Then death comes and makes them equal and this appears to be the ultimate tyranny. Whereas divine justice and wisdom, which are testified to by whole the universe, are exempt from such tyranny. There must therefore be a final gathering at which the former will receive his punishment and the latter his reward, so that divine justice may be fully manifested. You can compare other verses of the Qur’an with these two.
The positioning of the parts of the phrase: “and have certain belief in the hereafter (wa bi’l-ākhirati hum yūqinūn):”
The main points [that this phrase consists of]: the “and (wāw);” the precedence of “in the hereafter (bi’l-ākhira);” the use of the definite article for “the hereafter;” the term “hereafter;” the use of the personal pronoun “hum (they);” and the use of “have certain belief in (yūqinūn)” rather than ‘they believe’ (yu’minūn).
The [conjunction] “and (wāw):” after the general statements of the previous phrases, [the purpose of] this is to denote the specificity [of this one] with its explicit mention of this pillar of belief. For [this pillar] is one of the two pivots on which the revealed scriptures turn.
The precedence of “in the hereafter (bi’l-ākhira)” denotes restriction,
A Hadith narrated by Abū Ḥuraira says: “The kafir’s tooth will be [as huge as] Mount Uhud, and his skin will be of the thickness of three days’ journeying.” Muslim, iv, 2189. See, Nursi, Ishārāt al-I‘jāz [Iḥsān Qāṣim], 66, for this and following two Hadiths.
al-Suyūṭī, Kanz al-‘Ummāl, vi, 656; al-Suyūṭī, al-Fatḥ al-Kabīr, ii, 375; and others.
A Hadith narrated by Abū Ḥuraira says: “All the sons of Adam will be consumed by the earth except for [a few cells from] the coccyx. They were created out of that [in the first place] and will be recreated out of it.” Muslim, Fitan, 28; Ibn Māja, Zuhd, 32; and others.