Surah Al-Ahqaf (46) — Ayah 3

(Ayah 3) ➊ {مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ وَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَاۤ اِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ:} Among the fundamental subjects of the Noble Qur’an, the most important are Tawheed (Oneness of Allah) and the Hereafter. To establish these two with proofs, {’’ تَنْزِيْلُ الْكِتٰبِ مِنَ اللّٰهِ الْعَزِيْزِ الْحَكِيْمِ ‘‘} is mentioned as a preface. After this, a universally agreed-upon matter is mentioned: that everyone accepts that the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them is Allah Almighty. After accepting this, any statement regarding this universe will only be credible from the One who created it. Thus, His command is that We created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them with truth. None of these things are false, that there should be any flaw or mistake in them, or that they are purposeless or created merely for play; rather, there are many wisdoms in their creation. The Noble Qur’an has mentioned many wisdoms considered in the creation of the heavens and the earth, the greatest of which is the indication of the existence of Allah Almighty and His Oneness, as He said: « وَ اِلٰهُكُمْ اِلٰهٌ وَّاحِدٌ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الرَّحْمٰنُ الرَّحِيْمُ (163) اِنَّ فِيْ خَلْقِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ وَ اخْتِلَافِ الَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ وَ الْفُلْكِ الَّتِيْ تَجْرِيْ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ وَ مَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مِنْ مَّآءٍ فَاَحْيَا بِهِ الْاَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَ بَثَّ فِيْهَا مِنْ كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَّ تَصْرِيْفِ الرِّيٰحِ وَ السَّحَابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَآءِ وَ الْاَرْضِ لَاٰيٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَّعْقِلُوْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۶۳، ۱۶۴ ] “And your god is only one God; there is no god except Him, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful. Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the ships which sail in the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the sky of water, then revived thereby the earth after its death and dispersed therein every kind of moving creature, and in the changing of the winds, and the clouds controlled between the sky and the earth, are surely signs for a people who use reason.” That is, this reality—that the only true deity is Allah Almighty alone—becomes known to people of intellect by reflecting on the creation of the earth and the heavens and the aforementioned things found in both. The Noble Qur’an has repeatedly emphasized this reality: that the decision of being worthy of worship or not depends on who the Creator is. The one who is the Creator is the true deity; whoever cannot create anything cannot be a deity either. Due to being the Creator, Allah Almighty alone is worthy of worship, as mentioned in numerous verses. Observe a few of these verses: Surah Al-Baqarah (21, 22), Al-A’raf (191), Hud (7), Ar-Ra’d (16), Surah An-Nahl (3 to 20) (note the repeated mention of “creation” in these verses), Surah Al-Hajj (73), Al-Furqan (2, 3), and Surah Al-A’la (1, 2).

One wisdom in the creation of the earth and the heavens is that it indicates the perfection of Allah Almighty’s knowledge and power, as He said: «اَللّٰهُ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمٰوٰتٍ وَّ مِنَ الْاَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الْاَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوْۤا اَنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ وَّ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ قَدْ اَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا » [ الطلاق : ۱۲ ] “It is Allah who created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them. His command descends among them so that you may know that Allah is over all things competent and that Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge.” In this verse of Surah At-Talaq, the “lam” in {’’ لِتَعْلَمُوْۤا ‘‘} (so that you may know) relates to {’’ خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمٰوٰتٍ ‘‘}.

One wisdom in creating the heavens and the earth with truth is the testing of the creation as to who among them is best in deeds, as He said: « وَ هُوَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ فِيْ سِتَّةِ اَيَّامٍ وَّ كَانَ عَرْشُهٗ عَلَى الْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ اَيُّكُمْ اَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا» [ ھود : ۷ ] “And He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne was upon the water, that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed.” The same is stated in Surah Al-Kahf (7) and Surah Al-Mulk (2, 3). Its explanation is given in Surah Adh-Dhariyat: « وَ مَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْنِ (56) مَاۤ اُرِيْدُ مِنْهُمْ مِّنْ رِّزْقٍ وَّ مَاۤ اُرِيْدُ اَنْ يُّطْعِمُوْنِ» [الذاریات : ۵۶،۵۷ ] “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me.”

One wisdom in creating with truth is that it indicates that every person will be recompensed for his deeds, as He said: « وَ لِلّٰهِ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِيْنَ اَسَآءُوْا بِمَا عَمِلُوْا وَ يَجْزِيَ الَّذِيْنَ اَحْسَنُوْا بِالْحُسْنٰى» [ النجم : ۳۱ ] “And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, so that He may recompense those who do evil with what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best reward.” This is also clarified by Surah Yunus, verse (4). Since the disbelievers thought that the creation of the heavens and the earth had no purpose, nor was any responsibility placed upon them by Allah, nor would there be any reckoning or any matter of reward and punishment, according to them, the entire system of the earth and the heavens was false and purposeless. Therefore, Allah Almighty strongly refuted this statement of the disbelievers, saying: «وَ مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَآءَ وَ الْاَرْضَ وَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ذٰلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنَ النَّارِ » [ صٓ : ۲۷ ] “And We did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in vain. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.” The same is stated in Surah Al-Mu’minun (115, 116), Al-Imran (190, 191), and Surah Ad-Dukhan (38, 39).

➋ { وَ اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى:} That is, We did not make this system of the universe permanent and eternal, but it has an appointed time, after which every person will be recompensed for his deeds.

➌ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا عَمَّاۤ اُنْذِرُوْا مُعْرِضُوْنَ:} The meaning of “indhar” is to inform, along with warning. That is, even though the disbelievers have been informed that the creation of the earth and the heavens is not purposeless, nor is this system eternal, but it is for your testing, and at an appointed time you will all be presented before Allah Almighty, even then, they turn away from the Hereafter and the punishment of the Hereafter about which they have been warned, neither do they believe in it nor do they prepare to save themselves from it.

3. 1. That is, the creation of the heavens and the earth also has a specific purpose, and that is the testing of human beings. Secondly, a fixed time has also been set for this; when that time comes, the entire current system of the heavens and the earth will be scattered. Neither will the sky be this sky, nor will the earth be this earth. يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الْأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ "Surah Ibrahim."
3. 2. That is, in the case of disbelief, they do not care about the resurrection, reckoning, and recompense with which they are warned; they neither believe in it nor prepare to save themselves from the punishment of the Hereafter.

3. We created the heavens, the earth, and all that is between them for a true purpose and for an appointed term [2]. Yet those who disbelieve turn away from what they are warned [3] about.

[2]
Evidence for the Hereafter from Allah’s Wisdom:

As a result of this system of the universe, there is a rational proof for the establishment of the Day of Resurrection, which is related to Allah Almighty’s wisdom. And its explanation has already passed at several places before.

[3]
Evidence for the Hereafter from Allah’s Attribute of Justice:

The second rational proof for the establishment of the Day of Resurrection is related to Allah Almighty’s attribute of justice. That is, man was not created in this world so that he may do whatever he wishes and there be no reckoning for him at all. And when this matter is explained to them, they do not even wish to listen to it and turn away. And the reason for this is merely their arrogance. They do not accept the restrictions imposed by Allah Almighty upon themselves and consider this to be beneath their dignity.