Transliteration:( Qad 'alimnaa maa tanqu-sul-ardu minhum wa 'indanaa Kitaabun Hafeez )
"We know that the earth diminishes for them, and with Us [5] is a preserving Book [6]."
The earth is described as diminishing the body after death by devouring the flesh and bones, turning them into sand. However, all this occurs within the knowledge of Allah Almighty, who is aware of every detail.
The verse asks, if it is possible for the body to turn into sand, is it then difficult for Allah to bring life back from that sand, transforming it once again into flesh and bones? This reflects the power of Allah over life and death.
The Preserving Book is a divine record in which everything is recorded—all names, the details of what the earth has devoured, and the events of resurrection. This book is not for Allah's knowledge, as He already knows everything, but it is there to provide knowledge to His pious servants like angels, Prophets, and Saints who are fully aware of its contents.
The tafsir of Surah Qaf verse 4 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Qaf ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 2 through 5.
(50:4) (Thus do they imagine, although) We know well what the earth takes away from them. With Us is a Record that preserves everything.[4]
4. That is, if it cannot be comprehended by intellect, it is their own narrow mind to blame. It does not mean that Allah’s knowledge and power also should be narrow. They think that it is in no way possible to collect the scattered particles of the bodies of the countless human beings who have died since the beginning of creation and will die till Resurrection. But the fact is that Allah directly knows each of those particles in whatever form and in whichever place they are. Furthermore, a full record of this is being maintained in the Register of Allah, which has not left out any particle un-recorded.
This verse also is one of those verses which point out that the life Hereafter will not only be a physical lift as it is in this world, but the body of every person also will be the same which he had in this world. If it were not so, it would be meaningless to tell the disbelievers: We know very well whatever the earth consumes of their bodies and We have a Book which preserves everything. For further explanation, see (Surah Ha Mim As-Sajdah, ayat 14) note 25.
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