Surah Ash-Shura (42) — Ayah 49

(Ayah 50,49) ➊ { لِلّٰهِ مُلْكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ:} In the previous verse, the mention was of man, that if, as a result of his own evil deeds, any calamity befalls him, man is very ungrateful; he immediately starts complaining against Allah, saying that He has taken away a blessing from him and has wronged him, whereas Allah does not wrong anyone even by an atom’s weight. To attribute oppression to Him is the greatest injustice, because firstly, the calamity that befalls man is the result of his own deeds, and secondly, Allah is the King and Owner of the heavens and the earth, that is, the entire universe and every blessing within it. He creates whatever He wills, gives whatever blessing He wills to whomever He wills, withholds or takes away from whomever He wills. The most that can be said about the calamity that has come upon a servant as a result of his deeds is that Allah did not give him some blessing of His, or withheld it for the future, such as health, wealth, or faith, etc. It would be oppression only if He did not give or took away something that belonged to the servant. When everything belongs to Him, it is His will—He gives to whomever He wills and withholds from whomever He wills—so what right does anyone have to complain or be ungrateful? Even the blessing of faith is subject to His will; if He had willed, He could have given this blessing to everyone, but He gives this blessing only to whomever He wills. Understanding this reality solves many issues regarding destiny, and a person is saved from complaining against Allah, being ungrateful to Him, and calling Him unjust, as He said: « وَ لَوْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ اُمَّةً وَّاحِدَةً وَّ لٰكِنْ يُّدْخِلُ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ فِيْ رَحْمَتِهٖ وَ الظّٰلِمُوْنَ مَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ وَّلِيٍّ وَّ لَا نَصِيْرٍ » [ الشورٰی : ۸ ] “And if Allah had willed, He could have made them one community, but He admits whom He wills into His mercy. And the wrongdoers have neither any protector nor any helper.”

➋ {يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَّشَآءُ اِنَاثًا … :} This is an example of the fact that Allah gives to whomever He wills and whatever He wills; thus, He gives daughters to whomever He wills and gives sons to whomever He wills, or He grants both sons and daughters, and makes whomever He wills, whether man or woman, barren. No one has any right to object or complain about this.

➌ { اِنَّهٗ عَلِيْمٌ قَدِيْرٌ:} The difference in granting blessings to the creation is not a blind distribution, but rather because He possesses knowledge of everything and complete power. Every action of His is under His knowledge and power, and with this knowledge and power, He has deprived some of children, some of guidance, and has granted some the blessing of daughters or sons or both, and has granted some the highest rank of guidance, the rank of prophethood, which is mentioned in the next verse, and all of this is under His will, as He said: «اَللّٰهُ يَجْتَبِيْۤ اِلَيْهِ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ وَ يَهْدِيْۤ اِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُّنِيْبُ » [ الشورٰی : ۱۳ ] “Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him.”

➍ In this verse, this reality has been stated in clear words that the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth has not been handed over to the so-called kings, tyrants, and chiefs of the world, nor does any prophet or saint, benefactor, helper, or deities have any share in it; its owner is Allah alone. How many tyrant kings and commanders, how many prophets and saints, and how many expert doctors and physicians have remained deprived of children, how many longed for a son, and how many departed from this world with the desire for a daughter in their hearts. If the polytheists understood this reality, they would never commit the folly of shirk.

➎ {’’ يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَّشَآءُ اِنَاثًا ‘‘} has declared daughters as a gift from Allah. Those who consider daughters to be a source of misfortune or disgrace should reflect on these words and try to understand the feelings of those couples who have not even been granted a daughter.

The exegesis of this verse has been done along with the previous verse.

The tafsir of this ayah is included with the following verse(s).