سُوْرَةُ الشُّوْرٰي
Surah Ash-Shura (42) — Ayah 29
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ خَلْقُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِيهِمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ جَمْعِهِمْ إِذَا يَشَآءُ قَدِيرٌ ﴿29﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And among His Ayât (proofs, evidence, lessons, signs, etc.) is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and whatever moving (living) creatures He has dispersed in them both. And He is All-Potent over their assembling (i.e. resurrecting them on the Day of Resurrection after their death, and dispersion of their bodies) whenever He wills.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمِنْ
wamin
And among
ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ
āyātihi
His Signs
خَلْقُ
khalqu
(is the) creation
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
وَمَا
wamā
and whatever
بَثَّ
batha
He has dispersed
فِيهِمَا
fīhimā
in both of them
مِن
min
of
دَآبَّةٍۢ ۚ
dābbatin
(the) creatures
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
(is) over
جَمْعِهِمْ
jamʿihim
their gathering
إِذَا
idhā
when
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
He wills
قَدِيرٌۭ
qadīrun
All-Powerful
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 29) ➊ { مِنْ اٰيٰتِهٖ خَلْقُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ:} Its exegesis has already passed at several places.
➋ {وَ مَا بَثَّ فِيْهِمَا مِنْ دَآبَّةٍ: ’’ دَآبَّةٍ ‘‘ ’’دَبَّ يَدِبُّ دَبًّا وَ دَبِيْبًا‘‘} is an active participle (ism fa'il) from (ض). This word is the feminine of {’’دَابٌّ‘‘}, but it is used for both masculine and feminine. The plural is {’’دَوَابُّ‘‘}, because the "taa" is for singularity, meaning any creature that walks, whether it crawls on its belly like a snake or walks on two or four legs. Allah the Exalted said: «وَ اللّٰهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَآبَّةٍ مِّنْ مَّآءٍ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰى بَطْنِهٖ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰى رِجْلَيْنِ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰۤى اَرْبَعٍ يَخْلُقُ اللّٰهُ مَا يَشَآءُ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ » [ النور : ۴۵ ] "And Allah has created every moving creature from water, then among them is such that walks upon its belly, and among them is such that walks on two legs, and among them is such that walks on four. Allah creates what He wills. Surely, Allah is Powerful over everything." This verse is proof that by {’’ دَآبَّةٍ ‘‘} is meant animals, not angels.
Every person observes the various animals spread out on the earth, but in this verse, the animals spread out in both the earth and the heavens are mentioned. Therefore, some commentators, considering that the explicit mention of animals in the heavens is not found in the Quran and Hadith, have given various interpretations. Some have said that by this are meant only the animals of the earth, because they are within the earth and the heavens. Some have said that by this are meant the angels of the heavens, because they can walk as well as fly. But these interpretations are only needed if the existence of animals in the heavens is impossible. When Allah the Exalted is saying that among His signs are those animals which He has spread in the earth and the heavens, then we should have no hesitation in accepting that there are animals in the heavens as well, especially in Paradise where every blessing exists. Allah the Exalted knows best how many kinds of beautiful animals are present there.
➌ { وَ هُوَ عَلٰى جَمْعِهِمْ اِذَا يَشَآءُ قَدِيْرٌ:} Just as the creation and spreading of the animals of the earth and the heavens is a sign of Allah the Exalted, so is His power to gather them a great sign. The state of man is such that he cannot gather the scattered birds of a flock, nor the bees scattered from a hive, nor even his fellow classmates, even if they are alive. It is only the Lord, the Exalted, who is fully capable of gathering all animals, whether alive or dead. Thus, on the Day of Resurrection, He will resurrect the animals along with the humans. He said: « يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُكُمْ لِيَوْمِ الْجَمْعِ ذٰلِكَ يَوْمُ التَّغَابُنِ» [ التغابن : ۹ ] "The Day He will gather you for the Day of Gathering, that is the Day of mutual loss and gain."
➋ {وَ مَا بَثَّ فِيْهِمَا مِنْ دَآبَّةٍ: ’’ دَآبَّةٍ ‘‘ ’’دَبَّ يَدِبُّ دَبًّا وَ دَبِيْبًا‘‘} is an active participle (ism fa'il) from (ض). This word is the feminine of {’’دَابٌّ‘‘}, but it is used for both masculine and feminine. The plural is {’’دَوَابُّ‘‘}, because the "taa" is for singularity, meaning any creature that walks, whether it crawls on its belly like a snake or walks on two or four legs. Allah the Exalted said: «وَ اللّٰهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَآبَّةٍ مِّنْ مَّآءٍ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰى بَطْنِهٖ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰى رِجْلَيْنِ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰۤى اَرْبَعٍ يَخْلُقُ اللّٰهُ مَا يَشَآءُ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ » [ النور : ۴۵ ] "And Allah has created every moving creature from water, then among them is such that walks upon its belly, and among them is such that walks on two legs, and among them is such that walks on four. Allah creates what He wills. Surely, Allah is Powerful over everything." This verse is proof that by {’’ دَآبَّةٍ ‘‘} is meant animals, not angels.
Every person observes the various animals spread out on the earth, but in this verse, the animals spread out in both the earth and the heavens are mentioned. Therefore, some commentators, considering that the explicit mention of animals in the heavens is not found in the Quran and Hadith, have given various interpretations. Some have said that by this are meant only the animals of the earth, because they are within the earth and the heavens. Some have said that by this are meant the angels of the heavens, because they can walk as well as fly. But these interpretations are only needed if the existence of animals in the heavens is impossible. When Allah the Exalted is saying that among His signs are those animals which He has spread in the earth and the heavens, then we should have no hesitation in accepting that there are animals in the heavens as well, especially in Paradise where every blessing exists. Allah the Exalted knows best how many kinds of beautiful animals are present there.
➌ { وَ هُوَ عَلٰى جَمْعِهِمْ اِذَا يَشَآءُ قَدِيْرٌ:} Just as the creation and spreading of the animals of the earth and the heavens is a sign of Allah the Exalted, so is His power to gather them a great sign. The state of man is such that he cannot gather the scattered birds of a flock, nor the bees scattered from a hive, nor even his fellow classmates, even if they are alive. It is only the Lord, the Exalted, who is fully capable of gathering all animals, whether alive or dead. Thus, on the Day of Resurrection, He will resurrect the animals along with the humans. He said: « يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُكُمْ لِيَوْمِ الْجَمْعِ ذٰلِكَ يَوْمُ التَّغَابُنِ» [ التغابن : ۹ ] "The Day He will gather you for the Day of Gathering, that is the Day of mutual loss and gain."
