Transliteration:( Huwal lazee khalaqa lakum maa fil ardi jamee'an summas tawaaa ilas samaaa'i fasaw waahunna sab'a samaa waat; wa Huwa bikulli shai'in Aleem )
56. From this we learn that all beneficial things created by nature are lawful i.e. that which Allah and His Beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم have not declared as unlawful is lawful because all lawful and wholesome things are for our benefit. There is no proof required for the permissibility of a thing, it is not being regarded as unlawful is a proof on its own. Even unlawful things are beneficial for a believer as abstention from them is a means of obtaining reward from Allah. To abstain from a pig with the intention of staying away from an unlawful object is an act of reward.
57. The word 'Then' is used to indicate narration order not the factual order. In terms of occurrence the earth and the things of the earth came into existence after the sky. Says Allah Almighty: "And after that He spread out the earth" (S 79: V 30). The earth is superior to the sky for several reasons. Firstly, the earth was designed for the purpose of creation of life. Secondly it is also the abode of all the Prophets of Allah. Hence the earth is mentioned before the sky.
29. He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He Istawa ila the heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the Knower of everything.
After Allah mentioned the proofs of His creating them, and what they can witness in themselves as proof of that, He mentioned another proof that they can witness, that is, the creation of the heavens and earth. Allah said,
(He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He Istawa ila the heaven and made them seven heavens) meaning, He turned towards the heaven,
(And made them) meaning, that He made the heaven, seven heavens. Allah said,
(And made them seven heavens and He is the Knower of everything) meaning, His knowledge encompasses all His creation, just as He said in another Ayah,
(Should not He Who has created know) (67:14).
This Ayah (2:29) is explained in detail in Surat As-Sajdah where Allah said;
(Say (O Muhammad ): “Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days And you set up rivals (in worship) with Him That is the Lord of all that exists. He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four `days’ were equal in the length of time) for all those who ask (about its creation). Then He Istawa ila the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: “Come both of you willingly or unwillingly.” They both said: “We come willingly.” Then He finished them (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the decree of the Almighty, the Knower) (41:9-12).
These Ayat indicate that Allah started creation by creating earth, then He made heaven into seven heavens. This is how building usually starts, with the lower floors first and then the top floors, as the scholars of Tafsir reiterated, as we will come to know, Allah willing. Allah also said,
(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 the earth, after that, He spread it out. 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).
It is said that “Then” in the Ayah (2:29) relates only to the order of reciting the information being given, it does not relate to the order that the events being mentioned took place, this was reported from Ibn `Abbas by `Ali bin Abi Talhah.
Mujahid commented on Allah’s statement,
(He it is Who created for you all that is on earth) “Allah created the earth before heaven, and when He created the earth, smoke burst out of it. This is why Allah said,
(Then He Istawa ila (turned towards) the heaven when it was smoke.) (41:11)
(And made them seven heavens) means, one above the other, while the `seven earths’ means, one below the other.”
This Ayah testifies to the fact that the earth was created before heaven, as Allah has indicated in the Ayat in Surat As-Sajdah.
Sahih Al-Bukhari records that when Ibn `Abbas was question about this matter, he said that the earth was created before heaven, and the earth was spread out only after the creation of the heaven. Several Tafsir scholars of old and recent times also said similarly, as we have elaborated on in the Tafsir of Surat An-Nazi`at (chapter 79). The result of that discussion is that the word Daha (translated above as “spread”) is mentioned and explained in Allah’s statement,
(And the earth, after that, He spread it out. And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And the mountains He has fixed firmly.) (79:30-32)
Therefore, Daha means that the earth’s treasures were brought to its surface after finishing the job of creating whatever will reside on earth and heaven. When the earth became Daha, the water burst out to its surface and the various types, colors, shapes and kinds of plants grew. The stars started rotating along with the planets that rotate around them. And Allah knows best.
(2:29) It is He Who created for you all that is on earth and then turned above and fashioned it into seven heavens.[34] He knows all things.[35]
34. It is difficult to explain precisely what is meant by the ‘seven heavens’. In all ages man has tried, with the help of observation and speculation, to conceptualize the ‘heavens’, i.e. that which lies beyond and above the earth. As we well know, the concepts that have thus developed have constantly changed. Hence it would be improper to tie the meaning of these words of the Qur’an to any one of these numerous concepts. What might be broadly inferred from this statement is that either God has divided the universe beyond the earth into seven distinct spheres, or that this earth is located in that part of the universe which consists of seven different spheres.
35. In this sentence attention is drawn to two important facts. First, man is warned against disbelief and rebellion against God, for God knows all that man does and none of his actions are hidden from Him. Second, it is suggested to man that if he turns away from the All-Knowing God, from the One Who is the source of all knowledge, this can only leave him grouping in the darkness of ignorance and error. When there is no source of truth knowledge except God, and when that very light which alone can illuminate man’s life can be obtained from none else but Him, what good can come out of deviation from the Truth?
[16]- See footnote to 2:19.
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