سورة الحديد

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): O Hisham! Indeed Allah the Exalted has completed the proof for people through the intellect, and aided the prophets by means of clear exposition, and guided them to His Lordship through proofs, and He said: ...what Allah has sent down of sustenance from the sky, then given life thereby to the earth after its death, and the changing of the winds (and the clouds subjected between the sky and the earth) — are signs for a people who use reason (Jathiyah/5). And He said: یُحْیِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها قَدْ بَیَّنَّا لَکُمُ الْآیاتِ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ [He gives life to the earth after its death; indeed, We have made the signs clear to you that you may understand].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Muhammad al-Halabi said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about this word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ یُحْیِی الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها [Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death], and he said: What is meant is justice after oppression.

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): یُحْیِی الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها [He gives life to the earth after its death]: He does not give it life through rain, rather Allah the Mighty and Majestic sends men who revive justice, and the earth is given life through the revival of justice. And this life and revival is more beneficial than forty days of rain.

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): Hakimah, the aunt of Imam Hasan Askari (peace be upon him), says: "I was with the Imam (peace be upon him) when he said: 'Aunt! Spend this night with us, for on this night a blessed child will be born through whom Allah will bring the dead earth back to life.'"

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ یُحْیِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها. قَدْ بَیَّنَّا لَکُمُ الْآیاتِ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ [Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death; indeed, We have made the communications clear to you that you may understand], meaning: know that Allah brings the earth back to life after its death. We have made Our signs clear for you so that you may reflect upon them.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ یُحْیِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها [Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death]; what is meant by the death of the earth is the disbelief of its people, and the disbeliever is dead. Allah revives it by means of al-Qa'im (may Allah hasten his noble reappearance), [who] establishes justice on the earth; the earth comes to life and the people of the earth also come to life after their disbelief.

Imam Husayn (peace be upon him): Among us are twelve Mahdis (divinely guided ones), the first of whom is the Commander of the Faithful Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) and the last of whom is the ninth from my descendants; he is the one who rises with the truth. Through him Allah brings the earth to life after its death and through him He makes the true religion prevail over all religions, even if the polytheists dislike it.