سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 29
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَسَوَّىٰهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿29﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He rose over (Istawâ) towards the heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the All-Knower of everything.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
هُوَ
huwa
He
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(is) the One Who
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
created
لَكُم
lakum
for you
مَّا
mā
what
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
جَمِيعًۭا
jamīʿan
all
ثُمَّ
thumma
Moreover
ٱسْتَوَىٰٓ
is'tawā
He turned
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱلسَّمَآءِ
l-samāi
the heaven
فَسَوَّىٰهُنَّ
fasawwāhunna
and fashioned them
سَبْعَ
sabʿa
seven
سَمَـٰوَٰتٍۢ ۚ
samāwātin
heavens
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
بِكُلِّ
bikulli
of every
شَىْءٍ
shayin
thing
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knowing
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.
29. 1. From this, it has been deduced that the original ruling for the things of the earth for the created beings is permissibility, except when the prohibition of something is established by the clear commands of the Noble Quran (Fath al-Qadeer). (2) Some of the Salaf of the Ummah have translated it as "then He ascended towards the sky" (Sahih Bukhari). Allah’s ascending above the Throne over the heaven (i.e., the height, the vast space)s and His descending to the lowest heaven on special occasions are among the attributes of Allah, in which it is necessary to have faith as they are, without seeking explanation, just as they have been described in the Quran or Hadith.
29. 3. From this, firstly, it is known that the sky is a tangible existence and reality. Mere elevation has not been referred to as the sky. Secondly, it is known that their number is seven. And according to the Hadith, the distance between two heavens is fifty years’ journey. And regarding the earth, the Noble Quran says (وَّمِنَ الْاَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ) 65:12 "and the earths are also like the heaven (i.e., the height, the vast space)s," from which it is also known that the number of earths is seven, which is further supported by the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ: "Whoever unjustly takes a handspan of land from someone, Allah will make him wear the collar of all seven earths on the Day of Resurrection." From this verse, it is also known that the creation of the earth took place before the sky, but in Surah An-Nazi'at, after mentioning the sky, it is said: (وَالْاَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ دَحٰىهَا) 79:30 "(He spread out the earth after that)." It has been analyzed that the creation was first of the earth, and "dahw" (to spread out and level) is something different from creation, which took place after the creation of the sky. (Fath al-Qadeer)
29. 3. From this, firstly, it is known that the sky is a tangible existence and reality. Mere elevation has not been referred to as the sky. Secondly, it is known that their number is seven. And according to the Hadith, the distance between two heavens is fifty years’ journey. And regarding the earth, the Noble Quran says (وَّمِنَ الْاَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ) 65:12 "and the earths are also like the heaven (i.e., the height, the vast space)s," from which it is also known that the number of earths is seven, which is further supported by the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ: "Whoever unjustly takes a handspan of land from someone, Allah will make him wear the collar of all seven earths on the Day of Resurrection." From this verse, it is also known that the creation of the earth took place before the sky, but in Surah An-Nazi'at, after mentioning the sky, it is said: (وَالْاَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ دَحٰىهَا) 79:30 "(He spread out the earth after that)." It has been analyzed that the creation was first of the earth, and "dahw" (to spread out and level) is something different from creation, which took place after the creation of the sky. (Fath al-Qadeer)
