Surah Fussilat: Verse 9 - ۞ قل أئنكم لتكفرون بالذي... - English

Commentary

The real objective of these eloquent verses is to warn the people who, denying the Oneness of Allah, associate others with Him. With reference to the great creations of Allah Almighty in the form of heavens and the earth, and the wisdom underlying their creation, the Mushriks are reprimanded that they are so irrational in their beliefs that they believe such a Great and Omni-potent Creator to be in need of having partners in carrying out His divine functions. A reprimanding statement with a similar nature has also appeared in Surah Al-Baqarah in the following words:

كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُ‌ونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْ‌جَعُونَ ﴿28﴾ هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿29﴾

"How is it that you deny Allah despite that you were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will make you die, then make you alive again, and then to Him you will be returned? It is He who created for you all that the earth contains; then He turned to the heavens and made them seven skies -- and He is the knower of all things." (Verses 2:28-29)

The order of creation, the number of days in which this creation took place and other details are not given in the verses of Surah al-Baqarah; they are mentioned here in Surah Fussilat.

The order of creation of the skies and the earth, and the Days of Creation

Maulana Ashraf ` Ali Thanawi (رح) has stated in Bayan-ul-Qur'an that, although the creation of the earth and the skies has been mentioned briefly or in detail at hundreds of places in the Qur'an, yet the sequence of their creation is probably mentioned in three verses only. One is this verse of Ha Meem Sajdah, the second is the above mentioned verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, and the third is the following verse of Surah Nazi'at:

أَأَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاءُ ۚ بَنَاهَا ﴿27﴾ رَ‌فَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا ﴿28﴾ وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَ‌جَ ضُحَاهَا ﴿29﴾ وَالْأَرْ‌ضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَاهَا ﴿30﴾ أَخْرَ‌جَ مِنْهَا مَاءَهَا وَمَرْ‌عَاهَا ﴿31﴾ وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْ‌سَاهَا ﴿32﴾

"Are you more difficult to create, or the sky? He has built it, He has raised its height, then made it proper and darkened its night and brought forth its daylight and, after that, He spread out the earth. From it He brought out its water and its meadows, and firmly fixed the mountains." (79:27-32)

During a cursory look into these three verses, one may feel a sort of apparent contradiction between them, because we find from Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah Ha Meem that the earth was created before the sky, whereas in Surah Naziat, earth appears to have been created after the sky. Maulana Thanawi has stated that after a careful study of all these verses, it appears to him that only the matter of the earth came into existence first, and before it was molded into shape, the matter of sky came into existence in the form of a smoke. After that, the earth was molded into shape with mountains, trees, etc. and then the seven skies were given form out of the floating smoky matter. He hopes that this clarification would explain the harmony between all the verses. Only Allah knows the truth. (Bayan-ul-Qur’ an - Surah Al-Baqarah, section 3).

Some questions regarding this verse and their answers given by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ have been reported in Sahih of Bukhari. The explanation of this verse given by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ is about the same as that given above by Maulana Thanawi (رح) - the words quoted by Ibn Kathir are:

وخلق الارض فی یومین ثم خلق السمآء ثم استوٰی الٰی السمآء فسوّٰبھُنَّ فی یومین اٰخرین ثم دحی الارض و دحیھا ان اخرج منھا المآء والمرعٰی وخلق الجبال والرمال والجماد والآکام وما بینھا فی یومین آخرن فذٰلِکَ قولہ تعالیٰ دَحٰھا۔

Hafiz Ibn Kathir has also quoted the following as explanation of this verse given by Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas ؓ with reference to Ibn Jarir:"

The Jews of Madinah came to see the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and asked him about the creation of the earth and of the skies. The Holy Prophet ﷺ told them that Allah Almighty created the earth on Sunday and Monday, the mountains and the minerals therein on Tuesday, and the trees, water springs, cities, buildings and desolate plains on Wednesday - all this in four days as stated in the verse.

أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُ‌ونَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَرْ‌ضَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَادًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَ‌بُّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَ‌وَاسِيَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَارَ‌كَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ‌ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْ‌بَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِّلسَّائِلِينَ

Then He created the sky on Thursday. And on Friday, He created the stars, the sun, the moon and the angels. All this was completed on Friday when three hours were still left. All the disasters and troubles that everything is going to face were created in the second hour, and in the third period Sayyidna 'Adam علیہ السلام was created and lodged in Paradise, Iblis was commanded to prostrate before Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام) and turned out of Paradise when he refused to prostrate. All this was completed till the end of the third hour....(Ibn Kathir). At the end, Ibn Kathir says: "This hadith has an element of gharabah" (that is, the contents of this Hadith are not corroborated by other sources)

The commencement of creation took place on Saturday according to a Hadith narrated by Sayyidna Abu Hurairah, reported in Sahih of Muslim. As per this Hadith, it took seven days for the creation of the earth and skies. But generally the explicit verses of the Qur'an mention the duration of creation to be six days.

أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُ‌ونَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَرْ‌ضَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَادًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَ‌بُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿9﴾ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَ‌وَاسِيَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَارَ‌كَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ‌ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْ‌بَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِّلسَّائِلِينَ

"And We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days, and no weariness even touched Us." (50:38)

Because of this, and also because of its (weak) chain of narrators, this Hadith has been held as 'ma` lul' (defective) by the leading muhaddithin. Ibn Kathir (رح) has stated that this Hadith is one of the strange ones of Sahih of Muslim, and then stated that Imam Bukhari, in his book Tarikh Kabir, has considered this narration to be ma` lul (defective). And some scholars have quoted this statement as a saying of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrated by Ka` b Ahbar, and not as a statement of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and have said that this is the most correct. (Ibn Kathir p. 94, vol. 4)

Similarly, other masters of Hadith like Ibn-ul-Madini, Baihaqi, etc. have also considered it to be a statement of Ka'b Ahbar. (Foot note of Zad-ul-Masir by Ibn-ul-Jauzi, p. 273, vol. 7)

The narration of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ quoted above from Ibn Jarir has also an element of gharabah, (being against other sources) according to Ibn Kathir. One reason for its gharabah is that in this narration creation of Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام) took place along with the creation of skies in the last hour of Friday, and the divine order for prostration and the exit of Iblis from the Paradise is also mentioned to have taken place in the same hour. But it is patently clear from the text of many verses of the Qur'an that creation of Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام) took place a long time after the creation of the earth and skies, when the earth was provided with all the necessities, and it was inhabited by the Jinns and shaitans (devils). It was after all this that Allah Ta’ ala told the angels that He was going to make a vicegerent on the earth. (Mazhari)

Briefly, of all the ahadith wherein the duration, days and sequence of creation of the earth and skies is narrated, no narration is such which can be said to be as absolutely certain as the Qur'an. Rather, it is very likely that these may be Israelite traditions, not noble ahadith, as clarified by Ibn Kathir about the Hadith quoted in Sahih of Muslim and Nasa'i. Therefore conclusions should be drawn from the verses of the Qur'an only. The one thing found absolutely certain from the verses of the Qur'an collectively is that the earth, the skies and whatever is inside them were created in six days only. The other thing found from the verses of Surah Ha Meem Sajdah is that the creation of the earth, its mountains, trees, etc. took full four days. The third thing found is that the creation of skies took two days - it is not clarified whether it took two full days. There is some indication that two full days were not used and some part of the last day, being Friday, was left unused. It appears from these verses that it took four days for the creation of the earth and the remaining two days for the creation of the skies, the earth having been created first. But the verse of Surah Nazi` at states clearly that the laying out of the earth and its completion took place after the creation of the skies. Therefore the sequence stated above, with reference to Bayan-ul-Qur'an, that the creation of the earth took place in two stages, is not beyond reason. In the first two days, the earth and the matter for mountains, etc. were created, in the next two days the skies were created, and in the last two days the laying out of the earth and the creation of the mountains, trees rivers, springs etc. was completed. In this way the four days of the creation of the earth were not continuous. As for the sequence mentioned in the present verse of Surah Ha Meem Sajdah, it is stated first that the creation of the earth took place in two days: خَلَقَ الْأَرْ‌ضَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ (the One who has created the earth in two days, - 41:9), then after giving a reprimand to the mushrikin,

Some Details of the Creation of this Universe Here

Allah denounces the idolators who worship other gods apart from Him although He is the Creator, Subduer and Controller of all things. He says:

(Say: "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days And you set up rivals with Him") meaning, `false gods whom you worship alongside Him'

(That is the Lord of the that exists.) the Creator of all things is the Lord of all the creatures. Here the Ayah;

(Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days) (7:54). is explained in more detail; the creation of the earth and the creation of the heaven are discussed separately. Allah says that He created the earth first, because it is the foundation, and the foundation should be built first, then the roof. Allah says elsewhere:

(He it is Who created for you all that is on the earth. Then He rose over (Istawa ila) the heaven and made them seven heavens) (2:29). With regard to the Ayat:

(Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed He raised its height, and has perfected it. Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light). And after that He spread the earth, And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And the mountains He has fixed firmly, (to be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.) (79:27-33) This Ayah states that the spreading out of the earth came after the creation of the heavens, but the earth itself was created before the heavens according to some texts. This was the response of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, as recorded by Al-Bukhari in his Tafsir of this Ayah in his Sahih. He recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "A man said to Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: `I find some things in the Qur'an which confuse me:

(There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another) (23:101),

(And they will turn to one another and question one another) (37:27),

(but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah) (4:42),

(By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah) (6:23) But in this Ayah they did hide something. And Allah says:

(Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed) until;

(And after that He spread the earth.) (79:27-30) So He mentioned the creation of the heavens before the earth, then He said:

(Say: "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days...") until;

(We come willingly.) Here He mentioned the creation of the earth before the creation of the heavens. And He says:

(verily, Allah (Kana) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) (4:23).

(Most Powerful, All-Wise) (4:56).

(All-Hearer, All-Seer) (4:58). It is as if He was and is no longer.' Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, replied:

(There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another) (23:101), this will happen when the Trumpet is blown for the first time.

(And all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills) (39:68), and at that time there will be no kinship among them, nor will they ask of one another. Then when the Sur will be blown again,

(And they will turn to one another and question one another) (37:27). With regard to the Ayat,

(By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah) (6:23) and

(but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah) (4:42), Allah will forgive the sincere believers their sins, then the idolators will say, `Let us say that we never joined others in worship with Allah.' Then a seal will be placed over their mouths, and their hands will speak. Then it will be known that not a single fact can be hidden from Allah, and at that point,

(those who disbelieved will wish) (4:42). Allah created the earth in two days, then He created the heavens, then He (Istawa ila) the heaven and gave it its shape in two more days. Then He spread the earth, which means that He brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And He created the mountains, sands, inanimate things, rocks and hills and everything in between, in two more days. This is what Allah says:

((He) spread (the earth)) (79:30) And Allah's saying:

((He) created the earth in two Days) So He created the earth and everything in it in four days, and He created the heavens in two days.

(verily, Allah (Kana) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) (4:23). This is how He described Himself, and this is how He still is. Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, so do not be confused about the Qur'an, for all of it comes from Allah."' This was recorded by Al-Bukhari.

((He) created the earth in two Days) means, on Sunday and Monday.

(He placed therein firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it,) means, He blessed it and gave it the potential to be planted with seeds and bring forth produce.

(And measured therein its sustenance) means, what its people need of provision and places in which to plant things and grow crops. This was on Tuesday and Wednesday, which together with the two previous days add up to four days.

(in four Days equal for all those who ask.) meaning, for those who want to ask about that, so that they might know. `Ikrimah and Mujahid said concerning the Ayah:

(and measured therein its sustenance): "He placed in every land that which is not suited for any other land." Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and As-Suddi said, concerning the Ayah,

(equal for all those who ask): this means, "For whoever wants to ask about that." Ibn Zayd said:

(and measured therein its sustenance in four Days equal for all those who ask. ) "According to whatever a person who is need of provision wants, Allah measures out for him what he needs." This is like what they said concerning the Ayah:

(And He gave you of all that you asked for) (14:34). And Allah knows best.

(Then He rose over (Istawa ila) towards the heaven when it was smoke,) i.e., steam which arose from it when the earth was created.

(and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly.") meaning, `respond to My command and be subjected to this action, willingly or unwillingly.'

(They both said: "We come willingly.") meaning, `we will respond to You willingly and everything that You want to create in us -- angels, Jinn and men -- will all be obedient to You.'

(Then He completed and finished their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days) means, He finished forming them as seven heavens in two more days, which were Thursday and Friday.

(and He decreed in each heaven its affair. ) means, He placed in each heaven whatever it needs of angels and things which are known only unto Him.

(And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps) means, the stars and planets which shine on the people of the earth.

(as well as to guard.) means, as protection against the Shayatin, lest they listen to the angels on high.

(Such is the Decree of Him, the Almighty, the All-Knower) means, the Almighty Who has subjugated all things to His control, the All-Knower Who knows all the movements of His creatures.