Tafsir of Surah Az-Zariyat - Verse 47

Proofs of Allah's Oneness abound in the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth

Allah reminds us of the creating of the higher and lower worlds,

وَالسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـهَا

(We constructed the heaven.) meaning, `We made it as a high roof, protected from falling,'

بِأَيْدٍ

(with Hands), meaning, with strength, according to `Abdullah bin `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ath-Thawri and several others,

وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ

(Verily, We are able to extend the vastness of space thereof.) means, `We made it vast and We brought its roof higher without pillars to support it, and thus it is hanging independently.'

وَالاٌّرْضَ فَرَشْنَـهَا

(And We have made the earth a Firash), meaning, `We have made it a resting place for the created,'

فَنِعْمَ الْمَـهِدُونَ

(how excellent a spreader (thereof) are We!), meaning, `We spread it for its inhabitants,'

وَمِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقْنَا زَوْجَيْنِ

(And of everything We have created pairs,) meaning, all the created are in pairs, the heaven and earth, night and day, sun and moon, land and sea, light and darkness, faith and disbelief, death and life, misery and happiness, Paradise and Fire, in addition to the animals and plants. The statement of Allah the Exalted,

لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

(that you may remem- ber.) and know that the Creator, Allah, is One without partners,

فَفِرُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ

(So, flee to Allah.) meaning, seek shelter with Him and trust in Him in all of your affairs,

إِنِّى لَكُمْ مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌوَلاَ تَجْعَلُواْ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهاً ءَاخَرَ

(Verily, I am a plain warner to you from Him. And set not up any other god along with Allah.) do not associate any partners with Him,

إِنِّى لَكُمْ مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(Verily, I am a plain warner to you from Him.)

Proofs of Allah's Oneness abound in the Creation of the Heavens and Earth

The preceding verses mentioned the reality of the Hereafter and the Judgment Day, and the punishment of those who denied the reality. The present set of verses reaffirm the perfect power of Allah, reminding us about the reality of the Day of Resurrection and allaying the doubt and suspicion of those who deny the reality. It proves the oneness of Allah and reiterates emphatically to believe in the Messenger ﷺ .

بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ (And the sky was built by Us with might, and indeed, We are the One who expands.... 51:47). The word aidin, according to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، means strength or power in this context.

Literally ‘We are broadening the sky.’ This statement refers perhaps to that characteristic of the universe which has been only recently discovered, i.e. continuous expansion of the universe on all sides after the Big Bang. This expansion is proof of the fact that a Creator has created it, because this expansion means that it was initially in a contracted condition. According to the known laws governing matter, all the parts of the initial cosmic ball were attracted inwards. Then there was an explosion—the Big Bang—after which all matter started moving outwards. In view of this law, their movement towards the outside (or the Big Bang) could not have taken place without some external intervention. And once external intervention has been accepted, acceptance of God necessarily follows.