Jalal al-Din Suyuti in his al-Durr al-Manthur...

Jalal al-Din Suyuti in his al-Durr al-Manthur, quotes Ibn Abi Shaybah who reported Hudhayfah as having said that the phrase bring forth as a creature points to an event that will take place before Resurrection Day.[1] As attested in the following verse, all men, not a chosen group from each nation, shall be brought to life on the Resurrection Day: That is a day when all mankind will be gathered together.

(11:103) And the day when We move the mountains and you will see the earth emerging, and We gather them together so as to leave not anyone of them behind. (18:47) [1] Al-Durr al-Manthur, vol. 5, p. 177, commenting on verse 82 of Chap.

27 of the Qur'an, 'the Ant (al-naml).' However, the verse 37:83 mentioned above clearly states that only a group of men will be brought to life.[1] Based on these introductory points, it is clear that only a particular group of people who disbelieve the signs of God (as understood from verse 37:83) will be brought to life before the Day of Judgment. This is called Raj`ah in which we believe. However, Resurrection will be inclusive of all people.

The Household of the Prophet, who are companions and commentators of the Quran, have elucidated the issue. For the sake of brevity, two statements of Imam Sadiq are quoted in this connection: The days of God are three: the day of the rising of Mahdi (a.s), the day when (some of) the dead return to life (raj`ah), and the Day of Resurrection. The Imam also says, The one who has no faith in our return to life is not (to be considered as) one of us.

The following points merit consideration: Philosophy of Raj`ah: A deliberation on the question of Raj`ah reveals that there are two lofty goals in it. One is to display the real glory of Islam and the shame of disbelief. The other is the rewarding of the believers and the righteous, and the punishment of disbelievers and the unjust. [1] Al-Durr al-Manthur refers to this day as Resurrection Day. (vol. 3, p. 349.) Raj`ah vs.

Transmigration: It should be mentioned that belief in the Raj`ah never entails belief in transmigration since the latter denotes a denial of the Day of Resurrection. In the view of those who believe in transmigration, the universe is an unending circulation with periods each of which is a repetition of the one before it, and the spirit returns to the world and enters another body after it leaves the body in which it dwelt.