Surah Ar-Rahmaan (55) — Ayah 29

(Ayah 29) ➊ {يَسْـَٔلُهٗ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ:} This is evidence of the perishing of everything and the everlastingness of Allah Almighty. That is, Allah Almighty is always everlasting, because He is self-sufficient, not in need of anyone else for His existence, survival, or anything else. But apart from Him, whatever exists, whether the heavens or the earth or whatever is between them, all are dependent on Him for their existence, survival, and every need at every moment. They ask for every need from Him alone; some ask with the tongue of speech, some with the tongue of state, and some with both. The one whose every moment of life depends on asking, how can he remain everlasting?

➋ By { كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِيْ شَاْنٍ: ’’ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ ‘‘} is meant every moment. In {’’ شَاْنٍ ‘‘}, the tanween is for indefiniteness, meaning He is in a new state every moment; He is creating someone and causing someone to die, raising someone and lowering someone, making someone sick and granting someone healing. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يَدُ اللّٰهِ مَلَاٰی لاَ تَغِيْضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِيْ يَدِهِ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَی الْمَاءِ وَبِيَدِهِ الْمِيْزَانُ يَخْفِضُ وَ يَرْفَعُ ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، سورۃ ہود، باب قولہ : « وکان عرشہ علی الماء» : ۴۶۸۴ ] "Allah's hand is full, spending does not diminish it in any way, it is continuously pouring out day and night without measure. Have you seen, since He created the heavens and the earth, how much He has spent, yet what is in His hand has not decreased at all, and His Throne was upon the water, and in His hand is the scale. He lowers it and raises it." And Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in explanation of {’’ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِيْ شَاْنٍ ‘‘} that he said: [ مِنْ شَأْنِهٖ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ ذَنْبًا وَ يُفَرِّجَ كَرْبًا وَ يَرْفَعَ قَوْمًا وَ يَخْفِضَ آخَرِيْنَ ] [ ابن ماجہ، المقدمۃ، باب فیما أنکرت الجھمیۃ : ۲۰۲، و قال الألباني حسن ] "Of His state is that He is forgiving some sin, removing some affliction, raising some people and lowering others."

➌ In this is also a refutation of the Jews who said that Allah Almighty created the heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh day. He said He is in a new state every day; He neither gets tired nor needs rest.

➍ The philosophers of Greece were deprived of heavenly guidance. Despite acknowledging the existence of Allah Almighty, in order to make room for their deities, they devised a rule, which was: "Every locus of events is itself an event. Since Allah Almighty is ancient, always has been, therefore events cannot occur to Him." Alas! Some Muslim theologians also accepted this rule of theirs. The result was that they denied the attributes of Allah Almighty. Some made interpretations, and such interpretations that are in fact the worst kind of distortion. For example, Allah's attribute is speech, as He said: «وَ كَلَّمَ اللّٰهُ مُوْسٰى تَكْلِيْمًا » [ النساء : ۱۶۴ ] "And Allah spoke to Musa, speaking directly." And He said: «وَ اِنْ اَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَاَجِرْهُ حَتّٰى يَسْمَعَ كَلٰمَ اللّٰهِ » [ التوبۃ : ۶ ] "And if any of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah." And He said: « اِنَّمَااَمْرُهٗۤ اِذَاۤ اَرَادَ شَيْـًٔا اَنْ يَّقُوْلَ لَهٗ كُنْ فَيَكُوْنُ» [ یٰسٓ : ۸۲ ] "His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it 'Be,' and it is." This entire universe came into existence by His word 'Kun.' It is clear that every word of speech is an event; it did not exist before, then it comes into existence, so the theologians denied the speech of Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty sees, hears, descends, rises, is pleased, is angry. It is clear that these attributes and other such attributes have always been in Allah Almighty; their types are ancient but their instances are events, their manifestation occurs at different times. Thus, Allah Almighty speaks whenever He wills, descends, rises, creates, causes death, provides sustenance to everyone at every moment, sees everyone at every moment, hears them, fulfills their needs. But in imitation of the Greek philosophers, the theologians declared Allah Almighty devoid of hearing, seeing, speaking, being pleased, being angry, and all such attributes. At this place too, Allah Almighty has stated this attribute of His that He hears the question of everything in the heavens and the earth and is in a new state every moment. Now, should we accept the words of the disbelieving philosophers of Greece and some theologians who followed them that no new state can occur to Allah Almighty, or should we have faith in the word of Allah Almighty that He is in a new state every moment? Clearly, whoever has faith in his heart will accept only the word of Allah Almighty, whether any philosopher accepts it or not.

29. 1. That is, all are dependent on Him and are beggars at His door.

29. 2. "Every day" means at every moment. "Shan" means matter or affair, that is, at every moment He is engaged in some work: making someone ill, granting someone recovery, making someone wealthy, making someone poor, turning a beggar into a king and a king into a beggar, raising someone to heights, casting someone down, turning existence into nonexistence and nonexistence into existence, etc. In short, all these dispositions in the universe are happening by His command and will, and there is not a single moment of day or night that is empty of His activity.

29. All who are in the heavens and the earth ask Him [19]; every day He is in a new state (of glory).

[19]
The Ever-New Works of Allah Almighty:

Only Allah’s Being is self-sufficient; all other creation is dependent on Allah for the fulfillment of their needs and the removal of their difficulties. Some ask Him for food, some for drink, some pray for health, and some for children. Some seek forgiveness for their sins and elevation in ranks, and He listens to the cries of all creation and helps them. And Allah Almighty is doing this work at every moment and every instant. In addition, He is constantly bringing new creation into existence; just as the birth of humans is increasing, so too is the multiplication of every living species. Then He is also bringing new planets and galaxies into existence in the universe. In short, every day He manifests a new state and a new glory.