Surah As-Sajda (32) — Ayah 9

(Ayah 9) ➊ { ثُمَّ سَوّٰىهُ : ’’سَوّٰي يُسَوِّيْ تَسْوِيَةً‘‘} To make equal, to set right. Then He implanted this extremely small germ in the mother's womb, and by advancing it through the stages of ‘alaqah and mudghah, He made a skeleton of bones, clothed it with flesh and skin, placed every limb in its best possible place, and made it correct and complete in every way.

➋ {وَ نَفَخَ فِيْهِ مِنْ رُّوْحِهٖ : ’’ مِنْ ‘‘} is for denoting a part, so it has been translated as “and blew into it of His spirit.” What is meant by this is the spirit created by Him, because Allah is {’’ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُوْلَدْ ‘‘}, and to express the honor of man, the spirit blown into him is called His spirit. Because all spirits, however many there are, belong to Allah, but to express the distinction of man, He attributed his spirit to Himself, just as all she-camels belong to Allah, but the she-camel of Salih (peace be upon him) is called {’’نَاقَةُ اللّٰهِ‘‘}, all mosques belong to Allah, but the Ka‘bah is called “the House of Allah,” and all servants are Allah’s, but to express the special honor of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), it is said: «{ سُبْحٰنَ الَّذِيْۤ اَسْرٰى بِعَبْدِهٖ }» [ بني إسرائیل : ۱ ] and it is said: «{ وَ اَنَّهٗ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ يَدْعُوْهُ }» [ الجن : ۱۹ ] and in other places he is called His servant. See also the commentary of Surah Al-Hijr, Ayah (29).

➌ { وَ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَ الْاَبْصَارَ وَ الْاَفْـِٕدَةَ :} Before this, the creation of man was mentioned in the third person, but after the blowing of the spirit, a living, breathing human came into existence, so Allah addressed him directly, saying that when you were born, you knew nothing. Allah granted you the means to acquire knowledge, as He said: «{ وَ اللّٰهُ اَخْرَجَكُمْ مِّنْۢ بُطُوْنِ اُمَّهٰتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ شَيْـًٔا وَّ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَ الْاَبْصَارَ وَ الْاَفْـِٕدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُوْنَ }» [ النحل : ۷۸ ] “And Allah brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing, and He gave you hearing and sight and hearts, so that you may give thanks.” Among the means of acquiring knowledge, the blessing of hearing is mentioned first, because after birth, the ears begin to function first, then the eyes begin their work. Also, the ears are mentioned first because there is no covering over them; they function at all times, even during sleep, a loud sound can awaken a person, whereas the act of seeing stops when the eyes are closed or during sleep. The process of thinking and understanding begins after both of these, so {’’ الْاَفْـِٕدَةَ ‘‘} is mentioned after both.

➍ {قَلِيْلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُوْنَ:} All these things are so clear that each one of you observes them, but you give very little thanks.