سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 10
وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَٰتَهَا فِىٓ أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ﴿10﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four days were equal in the length of time) for all those who ask (about its creation).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَجَعَلَ
wajaʿala
And He placed
فِيهَا
fīhā
therein
رَوَٰسِىَ
rawāsiya
firmly-set mountains
مِن
min
above it
فَوْقِهَا
fawqihā
above it
وَبَـٰرَكَ
wabāraka
and He blessed
فِيهَا
fīhā
therein
وَقَدَّرَ
waqaddara
and determined
فِيهَآ
fīhā
therein
أَقْوَٰتَهَا
aqwātahā
its sustenance
فِىٓ
fī
in
أَرْبَعَةِ
arbaʿati
four
أَيَّامٍۢ
ayyāmin
periods
سَوَآءًۭ
sawāan
equal
لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ
lilssāilīna
for those who ask
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 10) ➊ For the explanation of { وَ جَعَلَ فِيْهَا رَوَاسِيَ: ’’ رَوَاسِيَ ‘‘ }, see Surah Al-Hijr (19) and Surah Al-Anbiya (31).
➋ { مِنْ فَوْقِهَا:} Allah Almighty, instead of embedding the entire mountain inside the earth, placed a part of it above the earth. There are countless wisdoms and benefits for humans in this, because if the mountains were entirely inside the earth, humans could not benefit from the reserves of snow that the mountains preserve, nor would there be these chains of forests and rivers. In addition, they would be deprived of countless gold, silver, and other metals, gases, and precious stones that are extracted because the mountains are above the ground.
➌ { وَ بٰرَكَ فِيْهَا:} That is, He placed treasures of countless things of goodness in it, which include trees and plants. Soil, stones, metals, gases, and those countless other elements that are present in the earth. Animals, birds, and beasts of prey, aquatic creatures, the air that surrounds the entire earth, and the water that comprises about seventy (70) percent of its surface, upon which life depends and which, despite thousands and millions of years passing, has never diminished; rather, every day new blessings appear. Tell me, besides Allah, who is there that has created even a single one of these things, because of which you have made him your fulfiller of needs and god?
➍ {وَ قَدَّرَ فِيْهَاۤ اَقْوَاتَهَا: ’’أَقْوَاتٌ‘‘ ’’قُوْتٌ‘‘} is the plural, meaning food, nourishment, and sustenance. The foods of the earth refer to the sustenance of all the creatures living in it, which Allah Almighty has placed for each according to its needs and requirements, in perfect measure; there is no question of any creature’s food being insufficient. See Surah Al-Hijr (19 to 21).
➎ { فِيْۤ اَرْبَعَةِ اَيَّامٍ:} Here is a question: In several places in the Quran, it is mentioned that the creation of the heavens and the earth took place in six days. (See Al-A'raf: 54, Yunus: 3, Hud: 7, Al-Furqan: 59, As-Sajda: 4, Qaf: 38, Al-Hadid: 4) Whereas from these verses, their creation appears to have taken eight days, because first, the creation of the earth in two days is mentioned, then the placing of mountains and the provision of food in four days, and then in the following verses, the completion of the heavens in two days is mentioned, making a total of eight days. The answer is that in the verse under explanation, the {’’ اَرْبَعَةِ اَيَّامٍ ‘‘} (four days) mentioned includes the first two days as well, meaning the creation of the earth, the placing of mountains, and the provision of food all took place in a total of four days. After that, the creation of the heavens was completed in two days, making a total of six days. The commentator Shanqiti said: “The explanation of this verse that we have given, no other explanation is correct in any way.”
➏ { سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآىِٕلِيْنَ:} That is, Allah Almighty has placed the sustenance for those who ask for provision, whether they ask by their state or by their words, in the earth in perfect measure, and this measure can never be wrong. See also Surah Ibrahim, verse (34): the explanation of « وَ اٰتٰىكُمْ مِّنْ كُلِّ مَا سَاَلْتُمُوْهُ ». All the creatures of the heavens and the earth ask Allah Almighty for every need, and He fulfills it every moment, as He said: « يَسْـَٔلُهٗ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِيْ شَاْنٍ» [ الرحمن : ۲۹ ] “Whoever is in the heavens and the earth asks Him; every day He is in (new) splendor.”
➋ { مِنْ فَوْقِهَا:} Allah Almighty, instead of embedding the entire mountain inside the earth, placed a part of it above the earth. There are countless wisdoms and benefits for humans in this, because if the mountains were entirely inside the earth, humans could not benefit from the reserves of snow that the mountains preserve, nor would there be these chains of forests and rivers. In addition, they would be deprived of countless gold, silver, and other metals, gases, and precious stones that are extracted because the mountains are above the ground.
➌ { وَ بٰرَكَ فِيْهَا:} That is, He placed treasures of countless things of goodness in it, which include trees and plants. Soil, stones, metals, gases, and those countless other elements that are present in the earth. Animals, birds, and beasts of prey, aquatic creatures, the air that surrounds the entire earth, and the water that comprises about seventy (70) percent of its surface, upon which life depends and which, despite thousands and millions of years passing, has never diminished; rather, every day new blessings appear. Tell me, besides Allah, who is there that has created even a single one of these things, because of which you have made him your fulfiller of needs and god?
➍ {وَ قَدَّرَ فِيْهَاۤ اَقْوَاتَهَا: ’’أَقْوَاتٌ‘‘ ’’قُوْتٌ‘‘} is the plural, meaning food, nourishment, and sustenance. The foods of the earth refer to the sustenance of all the creatures living in it, which Allah Almighty has placed for each according to its needs and requirements, in perfect measure; there is no question of any creature’s food being insufficient. See Surah Al-Hijr (19 to 21).
➎ { فِيْۤ اَرْبَعَةِ اَيَّامٍ:} Here is a question: In several places in the Quran, it is mentioned that the creation of the heavens and the earth took place in six days. (See Al-A'raf: 54, Yunus: 3, Hud: 7, Al-Furqan: 59, As-Sajda: 4, Qaf: 38, Al-Hadid: 4) Whereas from these verses, their creation appears to have taken eight days, because first, the creation of the earth in two days is mentioned, then the placing of mountains and the provision of food in four days, and then in the following verses, the completion of the heavens in two days is mentioned, making a total of eight days. The answer is that in the verse under explanation, the {’’ اَرْبَعَةِ اَيَّامٍ ‘‘} (four days) mentioned includes the first two days as well, meaning the creation of the earth, the placing of mountains, and the provision of food all took place in a total of four days. After that, the creation of the heavens was completed in two days, making a total of six days. The commentator Shanqiti said: “The explanation of this verse that we have given, no other explanation is correct in any way.”
➏ { سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآىِٕلِيْنَ:} That is, Allah Almighty has placed the sustenance for those who ask for provision, whether they ask by their state or by their words, in the earth in perfect measure, and this measure can never be wrong. See also Surah Ibrahim, verse (34): the explanation of « وَ اٰتٰىكُمْ مِّنْ كُلِّ مَا سَاَلْتُمُوْهُ ». All the creatures of the heavens and the earth ask Allah Almighty for every need, and He fulfills it every moment, as He said: « يَسْـَٔلُهٗ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِيْ شَاْنٍ» [ الرحمن : ۲۹ ] “Whoever is in the heavens and the earth asks Him; every day He is in (new) splendor.”
