سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 16
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَـٰعِبِينَ ﴿16﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them for a (mere) play.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
And not
خَلَقْنَا
khalaqnā
We created
ٱلسَّمَآءَ
l-samāa
the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضَ
wal-arḍa
and the earth
وَمَا
wamā
and what
بَيْنَهُمَا
baynahumā
(is) between them
لَـٰعِبِينَ
lāʿibīna
(for) playing
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
And We did not create the heavens, the earth, and whatever is between them merely as a play [14].
[14]
In What Sense is the World a Play and Amusement?
Worldly people and those heedless of Allah’s remembrance have always thought that this world is nothing but a play and amusement. They believe that we have been created here for luxury and pleasure. Therefore, every person has the right to acquire as much luxury and pleasure for himself as he can, in whatever way he can. In other words, the ultimate goal of worldly people is just this. Moreover, Allah Almighty has also, in several places, described the world as a play and amusement, but only from the aspect that this short-lived world, in comparison to the Hereafter, is like a play and amusement. Because it is destined to perish after a short time, while the life of the Hereafter is everlasting and enduring. Therefore, you should focus all your attention not on the world, but on the Hereafter. Here, at this place, it is not only about the life of this world, but about the entire system of the universe, that it has not been created as a play. This includes the life of this world, which is sustained by the earth and the heavens. And all of man’s needs are dependent on the earth, air, sun, clouds, etc. When the noblest of creation, i.e., man, was created on earth, it was not just so that he, considering it a play and amusement, could live here however he wished and then depart from here without any accountability. Nor is it that the Creator of the universe merely watches this spectacle, seeing how people oppress one another in this world, and considers it only a means of amusement for Himself. As used to happen in the Roman arena, where humans were made to fight with beasts, and the way the beasts would tear humans apart, the king and his courtiers would watch this scene and be pleased, considering it a source of amusement. This is absolutely not the case. If Allah had only intended amusement, there could have been many other ways in which there would not have been even a trace of oppression and injustice, nor would there have been any need to create a conscious, intelligent, and free-willed creature like man.
[14]
In What Sense is the World a Play and Amusement?
Worldly people and those heedless of Allah’s remembrance have always thought that this world is nothing but a play and amusement. They believe that we have been created here for luxury and pleasure. Therefore, every person has the right to acquire as much luxury and pleasure for himself as he can, in whatever way he can. In other words, the ultimate goal of worldly people is just this. Moreover, Allah Almighty has also, in several places, described the world as a play and amusement, but only from the aspect that this short-lived world, in comparison to the Hereafter, is like a play and amusement. Because it is destined to perish after a short time, while the life of the Hereafter is everlasting and enduring. Therefore, you should focus all your attention not on the world, but on the Hereafter. Here, at this place, it is not only about the life of this world, but about the entire system of the universe, that it has not been created as a play. This includes the life of this world, which is sustained by the earth and the heavens. And all of man’s needs are dependent on the earth, air, sun, clouds, etc. When the noblest of creation, i.e., man, was created on earth, it was not just so that he, considering it a play and amusement, could live here however he wished and then depart from here without any accountability. Nor is it that the Creator of the universe merely watches this spectacle, seeing how people oppress one another in this world, and considers it only a means of amusement for Himself. As used to happen in the Roman arena, where humans were made to fight with beasts, and the way the beasts would tear humans apart, the king and his courtiers would watch this scene and be pleased, considering it a source of amusement. This is absolutely not the case. If Allah had only intended amusement, there could have been many other ways in which there would not have been even a trace of oppression and injustice, nor would there have been any need to create a conscious, intelligent, and free-willed creature like man.
