Surah Hud Tafseer

Allah created the Heavens and the Earth in Six Days

Allah says;

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَق السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء

And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was over the water,

Allah, the Exalted, informs of His power over all things, and that He created the heavens and the earth in six days. He mentions that His Throne was over the water before that, just as Imam Ahmad recorded that Imran bin Husayn said,

"The Messenger of Allah said,

اقْبَلُوا الْبُشْرَى يَا بَنِي تَمِيم

Accept the glad tidings, O tribe of Tamim!

They said, `Verily you have brought us glad tidings and you have given us.'

Then he said,

اقْبَلُوا الْبُشْرَى يَا أَهْلَ الْيَمَن

Accept the glad tidings, O people of Yemen!

They said, `We accept. Therefore, inform us about the beginning of this matter and how it was.'

He said,

كَانَ اللهُ قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ وَكَتَبَ فِي اللَّوْحِ الْمَحْفُوظِ ذِكْرَ كُلِّ شَيْء

Allah was before everything and His Throne was over the water. He then wrote in the Preserved Tablet mentioning everything.

Then a man came to me and said, "O `Imran, your she camel has escaped from her fetter."

I then went out after her and I do not know what was said after I left."

This Hadith has been recorded in the Two Sahihs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim with a variety of wordings.

In Sahih Muslim, it is recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ قَدَّرَ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلَيِقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء

Verily Allah measured the amount of sustenance of the creatures fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water.

Under the explanation of this verse, Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said,

قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْك

Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said, `Spend and I will spend on you.'

And he said,

يَدُ اللهِ مَلَْى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَار

Allah's Hand is full, and it is not diminished by spending throughout the night and the day.

He also said,

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَمِينِهِ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ وَبِيَدِهِ الْمِيزَانُ يَخْفِضُ وَيَرْفَع

Have you seen what has been spent since the creation of the heavens and the earth! Verily it does not diminish what is in His Right Hand (in the slightest) and His Throne was over the water. In His Hand is the Scale and he lowers and raises it.

Concerning Allah's statement,

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلً

that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds.

This means that He created the heavens and the earth for the benefit of His servants, whom He created so that they may worship Him and not associate anything with Him as a partner.

Allah did not create this creation (of the heavens and the earth) out of mere frivolity.

This is similar to His statement,

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَأءَ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَـطِلً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ

And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire! (38:27)

Allah the Exalted, said,

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ عَبَثاً وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ

فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ لَا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

Did you think that We created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us! So Exalted is Allah, the True King:there is no God but He, the Lord of the Supreme Throne! (23:115-116)

Allah, the Exalted, said,

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالاِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ

And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). (51:56)

Concerning the statement of Allah,

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ

(that He might try you),

It means so that He (Allah) may test you.

Concerning the statement,

أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلً

(which of you is the best in deeds),

It is important to note here that Allah did not say, "Which of you has done the most deeds." Rather, He said, "Best in deeds."

A deed cannot be considered a good deed until it is done sincerely for Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and it must be in accordance with the legislation of the Messenger of Allah. Whenever a deed lacks one of these conditions, then it is null and void.

The Polytheists hasten their Torment by arguing against Resurrection after Death

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلَيِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِن بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ

But if you were to say to them:"You shall indeed be raised up after death."

Allah, the Exalted, is saying, "O Muhammad, if you were to inform these polytheists that Allah is going to resurrect them after their death, just as He created them originally (they would still reject)." Even though they know that Allah, the Exalted, is the One Who created the heavens and the earth, just as He said,

وَلَيِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say:"Allah." (43:87)

Allah says,

وَلَيِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

And if you were to ask them:"Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon!" They will surely reply:"Allah." (29:61)

Even after their awareness of this (Allah's creating), they still reject the resurrection and the promised return on the Day of Judgement. Yet, in reference to ability, the resurrection is easier (for Allah to perform) than the original creation.

As Allah said,

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ

And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it (after it has perished); and this is easier for Him. (30:27)

Allah also said,

مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ إِلاَّ كَنَفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ

The creation of you all and the resurrection of you all are only as (the creation and resurrection of) a single person. (31:28)

Concerning the statement,

لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ

those who disbelieve would be sure to say,

إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

"This is nothing but obvious magic."

The polytheists say this due to their disbelief and obstinacy. They say, "We do not believe your claim that resurrection will occur."

They also say, "He (Muhammad) only says this (resurrection of the dead) because he is bewitched, and he wants you to follow him in what his bewitchment tells him."

Concerning Allah's statement