Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 73

(Ayah73) ➊ {وَ هُوَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ … :} means that Allah alone created the heavens and the earth, but not without purpose or as a play, rather He created them with truth, that is, for a specific purpose. What is that purpose? Allah has stated the purpose of the creation of the heavens and the earth as follows: «لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ اَيُّكُمْ اَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا» [الملک : ۶] “So that He may test you as to which of you is best in deed.” And the purpose of the creation of mankind and jinn is stated as: «وَ مَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْنِ» [الذاریات : ۵۶] “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.” In another verse He said: «وَ سَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَّا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ جَمِيْعًا مِّنْهُ» [ الجاثیۃ : ۱۳] “And He has subjected to you, from Himself, all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.” And He said: «هُوَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مَّا فِي الْاَرْضِ جَمِيْعًا» [ البقرۃ : ۲۹ ] “He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth.” It is clear that all of this is for the benefit of mankind and for his test, and mankind has been created by Allah for His worship.

➋ {وَ يَوْمَ يَقُوْلُ كُنْ فَيَكُوْنُ:} means that on the Day of Resurrection, when He wills to resurrect all the dead, by Allah’s word {’’ كُنْ ‘‘}, all the dead will be brought to life.

➌ {وَ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّوْرِ:} means that in the world, those who were called kings metaphorically, even their metaphorical kingship will come to an end. Allah will say: «لِمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلّٰهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ » [المؤمن : ۱۶ ] “To whom belongs the dominion today? To Allah alone, the One, the Irresistible.” Also see the explanation of {’’ مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ‘‘} in Surah Al-Fatiha. What is {’’ الصُّوْرِ ‘‘}? Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What is the Sur?” He (peace be upon him) replied, “It is the horn in which it will be blown.” [ أحمد : 162/2، ح : ۶۵۱۴۔ ترمذی، صفات المؤمنین، باب صفۃ القیامۃ… : ۲۴۳۰ ] That is why it is generally translated as ‘trumpet.’

In another hadith it is stated: “The angel who will blow the Sur has been ready and looking towards the Throne since it was given to him, and he does not blink, fearing that he might be commanded while he blinks.” [ مستدرک حاکم : 558/4، ح : ۸۶۷۶۔ الصحیحۃ : 65/2، ح : ۱۰۷۸ ] Thus, the correct view is that the Sur is a horn (trumpet). Those who say that {’’ الصُّوْرِ ‘‘ ’’ صُوْرَةٌ ‘‘} is a plural and refers to the forms of creation, this view is rejected by the Qur’an and Sunnah. See also Surah An-Naml (87). First, the Sur will be blown, and all creation will be terrified; then it will be blown again and all creation will perish; then it will be blown a third time and all creation will be resurrected and gathered in one place. Some have written that the blowing will actually occur twice: the first is called the blowing of terror or swooning, meaning first terror, then unconsciousness, and as a result, annihilation—so both are one and the same—and the second is the blowing of standing. And Allah knows best! (Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi)

➍ {عٰلِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَ الشَّهَادَةِ:} {’’ الْغَيْبِ ‘‘} means, from the perspective of the servants, the unseen (hidden), and {’’ الشَّهَادَةِ ‘‘} means present, otherwise for Allah nothing is hidden, everything is present before Him.

➎ {وَ هُوَ الْحَكِيْمُ الْخَبِيْرُ:} means that the Lord who possesses these attributes alone deserves that you obey Him, live as His servants, and understand that you will be presented before Allah and will be recompensed for every good or bad deed.