Surah Ar-Ra'd (13) — Ayah 2

(Ayah2) ➊ { اَللّٰهُ الَّذِيْ رَفَعَ السَّمٰوٰتِ :} The word {’’ اَللّٰهُ ‘‘} is the personal name of that Pure Being who created everything and is running it. All His attributes are encompassed in this one word. Faith is the name of believing in the oneness of this Being, affirming His messengers, and having the belief of being presented before Him on the Day of Judgment. From here, Allah Almighty has drawn man's attention to some signs of His power in the heavens and the earth, so that he may believe in the oneness of Allah, the messengership, and the Hereafter. First, the heavens are mentioned. In Surah An-Nazi'at (27), it is said: "Are you more difficult to create or the heaven?" Compare your own existence with the existence of the heavens, and it is said: «{ لَخَلْقُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ اَكْبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ }» [ المؤمن : ۵۷ ] "Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind."

➋ {بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا : ’’ عَمَدٍ ‘‘} is a collective noun, not a regular plural; its singular is { ’’عَمُوْدٌ‘‘ } or {’’عِمَادٌ‘‘}. (Sharaawi) It can have two meanings: one is that Allah Almighty raised such vast and magnificent heavens without any kind of pillars; you yourselves see that there are no pillars beneath them, whereas you cannot even make the smallest roof without walls or pillars. After making them so high with His sheer power and immense strength, it is only Allah Almighty who holds them in place, as He said: «{وَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمَآءَ اَنْ تَقَعَ عَلَى الْاَرْضِ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِهٖ }» [ الحج : ۶۵ ] "And He holds the heaven so that it does not fall upon the earth except by His permission." See also Surah Fatir (41). In this case, in {’’ تَرَوْنَهَا ‘‘} (you see them), the pronoun refers to the word {’’السَّمٰوٰتِ ‘‘}, and {’’ تَرَوْنَهَا ‘‘} will be a separate new sentence, that you yourselves see the heavens in this state. The second meaning is that {’’تَرَوْنَهَا ‘‘} is considered an attribute of { ’’ عَمَدٍ ‘‘ }, then the translation will be that He raised the heavens without such pillars as you see, as if there are pillars but you do not see them, nor do they become an obstacle to your sight anywhere. The verse allows for both meanings, and both are possible for Allah Almighty, so both meanings have been considered in the translation. Among the scholars of exegesis, some preferred the first meaning and some the second. Imam al-Mufassireen Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said, the truth is that we should say as Allah has said. (Summary) That is, without complete knowledge, do not prefer one meaning over the other. (And Allah knows best) (Here, the full statement of Tabari's decision is very delightful.) Who knows, perhaps at some time analysis may prove that there is something invisible in the atmosphere upon which the heavens are established.

➌ { ثُمَّ اسْتَوٰى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ :} In the Noble Qur'an, Allah Almighty's being established on the Throne is mentioned seven times: Surah Al-A'raf (54), Yunus (3), Ra'd (2), Ta-Ha (5), Furqan (59), Sajda (4), and Hadid (4). The mention of the Throne in relation to Allah Almighty occurs twenty-one (21) times, and in relation to the Queen of Sheba, four (4) times. For details on "established on the Throne," see Surah Al-A'raf (54) and Surah Al-Haqqah (17).

➍ { وَ سَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَ الْقَمَرَ :} From here, Allah Almighty has mentioned some of His very clear blessings upon His servants. The meaning of "taskheer" is to subjugate and bring something under one's control. That is, Allah Almighty has made the sun and the moon subservient and completely bound to His command, in such a way that whatever task Allah Almighty has assigned to them, they do not deviate from it in the slightest. The duration that has been fixed, they are running exactly according to the appointed time, that is, until the Day of Judgment or according to the fixed period of their cycle; neither does their speed change nor is there any difference in the system of rising, etc. The sun completes its cycle in a year, the moon in a month. There is no collision or accident between any planet or the sun and the moon. All this is such a great sign of Allah Almighty's immense power and wisdom.

➎ {يُدَبِّرُ الْاَمْرَ :} The meaning of managing an affair is to run it in the best, strongest, and most complete way. With the limited authority given to you, look at the results of the plans you make—some are fulfilled, some are not, and some fall victim to accidents—and look at the management of affairs by that Mighty and Wise One.

➏ { يُفَصِّلُ الْاٰيٰتِ:} This includes the signs present in the universe and also the verses revealed by Allah Almighty to His messengers, explained clearly, both of which are so clear that there is no difficulty in understanding them.

➐ { لَعَلَّكُمْ بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوْقِنُوْنَ :} That is, the purpose of the explanation of all these verses is to make you certain that for the Lord who created such great creations and manages them, recreating you is not at all difficult, and in every case you will be presented before Him.