Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 12

(Ayah 12) ➊ { فَقَضٰىهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمٰوٰتٍ فِيْ يَوْمَيْنِ:} That is, Allah Almighty made the sky, which was in the form of smoke, into seven complete heavens in two days.
➋ { وَ اَوْحٰى فِيْ كُلِّ سَمَآءٍ اَمْرَهَا:} That is, in this system of the universe, He revealed to each heaven and to every creature residing in it the responsibility assigned to it, that you have to do this work and in this manner.
➌ {وَ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيْحَ وَ حِفْظًا: ’’ حِفْظًا ‘‘ ’’حَفِظْنَاهَا‘‘} is the cognate accusative of {’’حَفِظْنَاهَا‘‘}, which is implied here, and its conjunction is with the implied word {’’ زِيْنَةٌ ‘‘}, which is the cognate accusative of {’’ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا ‘‘}. So the original sentence was: {’’ وَ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيْحَ زِيْنَةً وَ حَفِظْنَاهَا بِهَا حِفْظًا۔‘‘} Due to the indication of the word {’’ زَيَّنَّا ‘‘}, {’’ زِيْنَةً ‘‘} was omitted, and due to the indication of {’’ حِفْظًا ‘‘}, {’’حَفِظْنَاهَا‘‘} was omitted. In this way, a lengthy statement was beautifully summarized in a few words. This is the eloquence of the Qur’an, and it is called ihtibak. (Biqā‘ī) Because {’’ حِفْظًا ‘‘} is a cognate accusative, it has been translated as “well protected.” For details of this adornment and protection, see Surah Al-Hijr (16–18), As-Saffat (6–10), and Surah Al-Mulk (5). Here, it should be noted that in these verses, previously Allah Almighty mentioned Himself in the third person form {’’بِالَّذِيْ خَلَقَ الْاَرْضَ‘‘}, in { ’’ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ ‘‘ } in the first person form, and in {’’ ذٰلِكَ تَقْدِيْرُ الْعَزِيْزِ الْعَلِيْمِ ‘‘} again in the third person form. This is called iltifat, which adds beauty to the speech and also contains many wisdoms.
➍ { ذٰلِكَ تَقْدِيْرُ الْعَزِيْزِ الْعَلِيْمِ:} All this is the estimation and prescribed system of that Being who is fully described with Might and knowledge. He is dominant over all; none can overpower Him. He is All-Knowing. Nothing of the past, present, or future is hidden from Him. Therefore, there is no error or accident in His system, and no one else has even the slightest share in this system. The sequence of speech started from {’’ قُلْ اَىِٕنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُوْنَ بِالَّذِيْ خَلَقَ الْاَرْضَ فِيْ يَوْمَيْنِ ‘‘} and ended at {’’ ذٰلِكَ تَقْدِيْرُ الْعَزِيْزِ الْعَلِيْمِ ‘‘}. The meaning is that this entire universe, which He created in six days, and everything in it, even you and those things which you have taken as deities, He created them as well. Do you then disbelieve in this Great Being and associate partners with Him, who has done all this?

12. 1. That is, either the heavens themselves or the angels residing in them have been bound to specific tasks and duties.
12. 2. That is, protection from Satan, as has been explained at another place. A third purpose of the stars, i.e., guidance (finding the way), has also been mentioned elsewhere (وَعَلٰمٰتٍ ۭ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُوْنَ) 16. An-Nahl:16)

12. Then He made them seven heavens in two days, and revealed in each heaven its command [11]. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps [12], and made them a means of protection [13]. That is the planning of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing [14].

[10]
The Creation of the Earth and the Heavens, Their Order and the Time of Creation:

It is mentioned at numerous places in the Quran that Allah Almighty created the earth and the heavens, that is, the universe, in six days (or periods). Then, in some narrations, it is also mentioned that Allah Almighty did such-and-such work on Saturday, such-and-such on Sunday, and such-and-such on Monday; in this way, the separate works of the six days are also mentioned. Hafiz Ibn Kathir says that all such narrations are not reliable and are derived from Israiliyat. Therefore, they are not to be given any consideration. However, at some places it is mentioned that the earth was created before the heavens, and from some places it appears that the earth was created afterwards, and sometimes the doubt arises that the creation of the universe took eight days instead of six. The best answer to such doubts and differences is the one that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) gave to a questioner. And this answer can be seen in the footnote of verse 82 of Surah An-Nisa.

[11] The heavens are millions of times larger in size than the earth. And when thousands of types of creatures inhabit the earth and there are millions of kinds of factories, then how can the heavens be empty? The presence of angels in the heavens is explicitly mentioned in the Quran, and from the incident of Mi'raj it is known that various kinds of creatures inhabit every heaven. Although it is beyond our capacity to know their details.

[12] For explanation, see the footnote number 4 of Surah As-Saffat.

[13] For explanation, see the footnote number 5 of Surah As-Saffat.

[14]
The Multipurpose, Beautiful, and Interconnected Nature of the Things in the Universe:

Every thing in this universe, while fulfilling multiple purposes, is also pleasing in terms of aesthetic sense. It was possible that a thing could provide many benefits but be unpleasant in appearance, but there is nothing like this in the universe. Then, there is also mutual connection and cooperation among all these things. From this, two things become evident. First, that the Creator of this universe can only be One, and He is so powerful that He makes everything work according to His will and can do so. And second, that the Creator of the universe has complete knowledge of both the quality and the nature of each and every thing.