سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ

Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 9

Sheba · Meccan · Juz 22 · Page 429

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أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ ﴿9﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every slave who turns to Allâh in repentance (i.e. the one who believes in the Oneness of Allâh and performs deeds of His obedience and always begs His Pardon).

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

أَفَلَمْ afalam Then, do not
يَرَوْا۟ yaraw they see
إِلَىٰ ilā towards
مَا mā what
بَيْنَ bayna (is) before them
أَيْدِيهِمْ aydīhim (is) before them
وَمَا wamā and what
خَلْفَهُم khalfahum (is) behind them
مِّنَ mina of
ٱلسَّمَآءِ l-samāi the heaven
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ wal-arḍi and the earth
إِن in If
نَّشَأْ nasha We will
نَخْسِفْ nakhsif We (could) cause to swallow them
بِهِمُ bihimu We (could) cause to swallow them
ٱلْأَرْضَ l-arḍa the earth
أَوْ aw or
نُسْقِطْ nus'qiṭ cause to fall
عَلَيْهِمْ ʿalayhim upon them
كِسَفًۭا kisafan fragments
مِّنَ mina from
ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ l-samāi the sky
إِنَّ inna Indeed
فِى fī in
ذَٰلِكَ dhālika that
لَـَٔايَةًۭ laāyatan surely, is a Sign
لِّكُلِّ likulli for every
عَبْدٍۢ ʿabdin slave
مُّنِيبٍۢ munībin who turns (to Allah)

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 9) ➊ { اَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا اِلٰى مَا بَيْنَ اَيْدِيْهِمْ وَ مَا خَلْفَهُمْ … :} He said, denial of the Hereafter is the result of not reflecting on the creation of the heavens and the earth. Otherwise, if they pondered over the creation of the heavens and the earth spread out all around them, in front and behind, whose vastness is beyond their imagination, then they would neither be surprised at nor deny the resurrection of mankind by the Creator of the heavens and the earth, because compared to the creation of the heavens and the earth, their own creation holds no significance at all. As He said: «ءَاَنْتُمْ اَشَدُّ خَلْقًا اَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنٰىهَا » [ النازعات : ۲۷ ] "Are you more difficult to create or the heaven? He constructed it." And He said: «لَخَلْقُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ اَكْبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَ لٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ » [ المؤمن : ۵۷ ] "Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most people do not know."

➋ { اِنْ نَّشَاْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الْاَرْضَ … : ’’ كِسَفًا ‘‘ ’’كِسْفَةٌ‘‘} is the plural of 'كِسْفَةٌ', meaning pieces. In this, the disbelievers are warned that these very heavens and earth, which you consider beneficial for yourselves and the cause of your life, Allah Almighty, if He wills, can make these things the cause of your destruction. Then, if He wills, He can cause you to sink into this earth, as He caused Qarun to sink, or He can drop some pieces of punishment from the sky, as He did with the people of the thicket.

➌ { اِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيْبٍ :} That is, the person who has no kind of prejudice or stubbornness, but sincerely seeks guidance from his Lord and turns to Him, for him there is a great lesson in this magnificent system of the heavens and the earth: that the One who created such a vast and wisdom-filled system can also resurrect, and it is also a lesson that it is only by His grace and favor that we are saved, otherwise He can destroy us in a single moment. This earth belongs to Him, and the heavens are also His, so where can we escape? But for the one who, instead of turning to his Lord, has chosen rebellion against Him, for him, even after seeing all this, there is no lesson in it.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

9. 1 That is, do they not reflect upon it? Allah, rebuking and reprimanding them, is saying that this denial of the Hereafter is the result of not pondering over the creation of the heavens and the earth. Otherwise, the Being who can create something like the sky, whose height and vastness are beyond description, and something like the earth, whose length and breadth are also incomprehensible, how can it be impossible for Him to recreate His own creation and bring it back to the same state in which it was before?

9. 1 That is, this verse consists of two points: first, the description of Allah's perfect power, which has just been mentioned; second, a warning and threat to the disbelievers that the Allah who is so capable of creating the heavens and the earth, and who has control and dominance over them and everything between them, can, whenever He wills, send His punishment upon them and destroy them—by sinking them into the earth, as He did with Qarun, or by dropping pieces of the sky, as the people of the thicket (Ashab al-Aykah) were destroyed.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

9. Have they not seen the heavens and the earth, which surround them from before and behind? If We will, We can cause the earth to swallow them, or let pieces of the sky fall upon them [12]. Surely in this is a sign [13] for every servant who turns (to Allah).

[12] They believe that the One who created this earth and the heavens and who manages the affairs of this universe is Allah Almighty. And these very heavens and earth have surrounded them from all sides. They cannot go beyond its limits. Allah is the Owner of the earth; if He commands the earth to seize them or to absorb them within itself, the earth does not have the power to disobey Allah’s command. He can send punishment upon them from the sky and also from beneath the earth. Then, on what basis are they so determined to oppose Allah and His Messenger?

[13] In the system of the universe, there is not just one sign but countless signs. However, these signs are not for everyone, but only for the person who, using intellect, justice, and understanding, inclines and turns towards the Creator of this universe. Seeing this coherent and organized system of the universe, they immediately reach the conclusion that this is a system established by a Wise and All-Aware Being. And since Allah has not created anything without purpose, therefore, this system will certainly reach some supreme and perfect outcome one day. This way of thinking grants them more from their Creator and Master. Ahead, Allah mentions one of His turning servants, Hazrat Dawood ؑ, and the favors He bestowed upon him.
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