Transliteration:( Wal arda wada'ahaa lilanaam )
10. By 'creature' is meant creatures of land and sea; like man and jinn or aquatic animals. Angels are heavenly creation. This means the earth is spread like a floor in order to benefit all. the creatures found in it.
The tafsir of Surah Ar-Rahman verse 10 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Rahman ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 1 through 13.
(55:10) And He[9] has set up the earth for all beings.[10]
9. Now from here to verse 20, mention is being made of the blessing and bounties of God and of those manifestations of His Might by which both man and jinn are benefiting, and whose natural and moral demand is that although they have the option to believe or not to believe, they should adopt the way of their Lord’s service and obedience willingly by their own free choice.
10. The word wada in the original means to compose, make, prepare, keep and inscribe, and anaam the creatures, which includes man and all other living things. According to Ibn Abbas, anaam includes everything which has a soul. Mujahid takes it in the meaning of the living creatures. Qatadah, Ibn Zaid and Shabi say that all living things are anaam. Hasan Basri says that both the men and the jinn are included in its meaning. The same meanings have been given by the lexicographers. This shows that the people who deduce from this verse the command of making land the state property are in error. This is an ugly attempt to introduce alien theories forcibly into the Quran which are neither supported by the words of the verse nor by the context. Anaam is not used only for human society but it includes all other creatures of the earth as well and setting of the earth for anaam does not mean that it should be the common property of all. Besides, the context here also does not indicate that the object of the verse is to state some economic principle. This, in fact, is meant to impress the truth that Allah made and prepared this earth in such a way that it became a fit abode for every kind of living being. It has not become so by itself, but by the Will and Power of the Creator. He in His wisdom placed it at a suitable distance and created such conditions on it which made it possible for the different species to exist and stay alive on it. For explanation, see (Surah An- Naml, ayat 60-61) note 73,74, (Surah YaSeen, ayat 35) note 29.32, (Surah Al-Mumin, ayat 64) note 90,91, (Surah HaMim As-Sajdah, ayat 10) note 11-13, (Surah Az-Zukhruf, ayat 9-11) note 7-10, (Surah Al-Jathiyah, ayat 5) note 7.
Related Ayat(Verses)/Topics