Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 65

(Ayah 65) ➊ { اَلَمْ تَرَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَّا فِي الْاَرْضِ :} This is the third argument. The meaning of subjugating everything on earth for man is that He has made it in such a way that man can benefit from it. The sun and the moon move at a speed that is beneficial for man. Air, water, fire, electricity, atoms—how many wild forces there are from which man is benefiting. There are domesticated animals, so he rides them, drinks their milk, eats their meat, and fulfills many needs; in short, they have been made subservient to man in every way. If Allah had not subjugated the camel, cow, buffalo, and horse to man, he could never have domesticated them. He said: « وَ ذَلَّلْنٰهَا لَهُمْ فَمِنْهَا رَكُوْبُهُمْ وَ مِنْهَا يَاْكُلُوْنَ» [ یٰسٓ : ۷۲ ] “And We have made them subservient to them, so some of them they ride, and some of them they eat.” As for wild animals, he hunts them and brings them under his control, alive or dead.

➋ { وَ الْفُلْكَ تَجْرِيْ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِاَمْرِهٖ :} This is the fourth argument. Although ships that sail in the sea are also included among those things on earth that Allah has subjugated for man, their matter is even more amazing than other things: water, which swallows up everything with weight, Allah has subjugated it for man’s benefit in such a way that it carries on its chest ships as heavy, long, wide, and tall as mountains, built according to Allah’s prescribed design, and does not drown them. These ships carry thousands of items needed by man and travel hundreds of thousands of miles, and the people sitting in them are as comfortable as if they were resting in their own homes. {’’ بِاَمْرِهٖ ‘‘} That is, all this is possible by His creative command, that He made the sea in such a way that ships can sail on it. If it were not for His command, the sea would drown them in a moment, or would not let them sail on its surface, and they would be destroyed standing in one place.

➌ { وَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمَآءَ اَنْ تَقَعَ عَلَى الْاَرْضِ :} This is the fifth argument. Holding the sky back from falling upon the earth is even more amazing than ships sailing in the sea, for at least under the ships there is water, which Allah has forbidden from drowning them, rather He has made it their place and support. But holding the sky at such a height without any support beneath it is the work of the Owner of infinite powers alone. What greater injustice can there be than to worship helpless creatures when such a Master exists?

➍ {اِلَّا بِاِذْنِهٖ:} This is said because when His permission comes, the sky will be torn apart, and nothing will be able to prevent it from being shattered.

➎ {اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوْفٌ رَّحِيْمٌ : ’’رَؤفٌ‘‘} and {’’ رَحِيْمٌ ‘‘ } are both intensive forms. The attribute {’’رَأْفَةٌ‘‘ } contains the meaning of protecting from harm, and the attribute {’’رَحْمَةٌ‘‘} contains the meaning of granting benefit. Both words can be used in each other’s place. When they come together, both meanings—protection from harm and granting benefit—are combined. (Ibn Ashur) {’’رَءُوْفٌ‘‘} and {’’ رَحِيْمٌ ‘‘} are themselves intensive forms, and after the addition of tanween of magnification, who can estimate the extent of His gentleness and mercy?

➏ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوْفٌ رَّحِيْمٌ :} That is, the favors Allah has bestowed upon you and the means He has provided for your life are not because He is in need of you, but this is entirely a manifestation of His kindness and mercy. You had no power over Him that, whether He wished or not, you could have obtained these means from Him.

65. 1 For example, animals, rivers, trees, and countless other things, from whose benefits man enjoys and takes pleasure. 65. 2 That is, if He wills, the sky could fall upon the earth, causing everything on earth to be destroyed. However, on the Day of Resurrection, by His will, the sky will also be subjected to breaking apart. 65. 3 That is why He has subjected the aforementioned things to man and does not let the sky fall upon them. To subject (subdue) means that benefiting from these things has been made possible or easy for him.

65. Do you not see that Allah has subjected to you whatever is on the earth, and the ships that sail through the sea by His command? And He holds the sky so that it does not fall upon the earth except by His permission. Surely, Allah is Most Compassionate and Most Merciful to mankind [94].

[94]
Four Great Favors of Allah Upon Man:

In this verse and the preceding verses, matters are mentioned without which it would be difficult for man to live and survive in this world. The very first favor of Allah is that the earth produces vegetation, and not only human life but also the life of other animals depends on this vegetation. If the earth did not have the power of growth due to the mixture of water, it would be difficult for any living being to survive on this earth. The second favor of Allah upon man is that He has subjugated everything on earth for him. Otherwise, the beasts living on earth could have torn him apart and ended his existence. Then there are such gigantic animals that man would merely become a morsel for them. But Allah has given man so much intellect that he is utilizing every big and small thing on earth for his benefit, and Allah has bound other things to such natural laws that man, by discovering them, is deriving countless benefits from everything. Whatever cutting, shaping, or manipulation man does to these things, nothing can resist him. One aspect of this favor is that man has become capable of sea travel. The sea, which covers three-fourths of the earth, where there is no sign of a path nor can any direction be known, and its tumultuous waves can destroy a weak creature like man in an instant and carry him miles deep, from where no trace of him could ever be found. Allah has also made the sea subject to natural laws and thus subjugated it to man. The third favor of Allah is that in the vast expanse of the sky, millions of planets are constantly revolving in their orbits, so strictly bound and held by natural laws that none of them can fall upon the earth and shatter it or wipe out mankind from existence. All this is bound by Allah’s command. Then it will be by Allah’s command that a time will come when these celestial bodies will collide with each other and the Day of Judgment will be established. And all of this is so that Allah wants to keep man safe from every calamity.