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Towards Understanding the Quran
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Surah Ar-Rahman 55:1-25 [1/3] ↕ | Intro ↕ Display ↕ |

‫ﷲ  اﻟ َّﺮ ۡﺣ ٰﻤ ِﻦ  اﻟ َّﺮ ِﺣﻴ ۡ ِﻢ‬

ِ ‫ﺑِﺴ ِﻢ  ا‬
ۡ
  ‫اَﻟ َّﺮ ۡﺣ ٰﻤ ُ ۙﻦ‬
(55:1) The Merciful One

  ‫َﻠ َّ َﻢ اﻟ ۡ ُﻘ ۡﺮا ٰ َ ؕن‬

Recite

(55:2) has taught the Qur'an,1

1. That is, the teaching of this Quran is not the production of a man’s mind but its Teacher is the Merciful God
Himself. Here, there was no need to tell as to whom Allah had imparted this Quranic teaching for the people were
hearing it from the tongue of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Therefore, the situation by itself made it
evident that the teaching had been imparted to Muhammad (peace be upon him).

To begin the discourse with this sentence is meant, first of all, to tell that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) himself is not its author, but its Teacher is Allah Almighty. Furthermore, there is another object also to which
the word Rahman (Merciful) is pointing. If the purpose was only to say that that teaching is from Allah, and not the
production of the Prophet’s mind, there was no need to use an attribute of Allah instead of His proper name, and for
that purpose any attribute from among the divine attributes could have been adopted, But when, instead of saying
that Allah, or the Creator, or the Provider, has taught this, it was said: The Merciful (Ar- Rahman) has taught this
Quran, it by itself gave the meaning that the revelation of the Quran for the guidance of mankind was nothing but
Allah’s mercy and grace, As He is most kind and Merciful to His creation, He did not like that He should leave them
wandering in the darkness, and His mercy demanded that He should send down this Quran to bless them with the
knowledge on which depends their right guidance and conduct in the world and their success and well-being in the
Hereafter,

  ‫َﺧﻠ َ َﻖ ۡ اﻻِﻧ ۡ َﺴ َ ۙﺎن‬

(55:3) has created man,2
2. In other words, as Allah is the Creator of man, and it is the Creator’s responsibility to provide guidance to His
creation and show it the way by following which it may fulfill the object of its creation, the revelation of this Quranic
teaching from Allah is not only the demand of Allah’s mercifulness but also the necessary and natural demand of
His being the Creator. Who else would provide guidance to the creation if not the Creator. And if the Creator did not
provide guidance, who else could. And what greater defect could there be for a creator that he should not teach his
creation the method of fulfilling the object, for which it has been created? Thus, in fact, the arrangement and
provision of the teaching for man by Allah is not anything strange; it would be strange if no such arrangement had
been made at all. Allah has not just left alone whatever He has created in the Universe, but has given it the most
appropriate structure by which it may play its role in the system of nature and has taught it the method of playing
that role effectively and successfully. Thus, each single hair and each single cell of man’s own body has been born
with the knowledge of how it has to carry out the task in the human body for which it has been created, Then, after
all how could man himself remain deprived and independent of his Creator’s teaching and guidance. This theme has
been presented in the Quran at different places in different ways, In (Surah Al-lail, Ayat 12), it has been said: Indeed,
it is for Us to tell the way. In( Surah An-Nahl, Ayat 9), it is said that Allah has taken upon Himself to show the right
way, when there exist crooked ways too. In( Surah TaHa, Ayats 47-50), it has been stated that when the Pharaoh
heard the prophetic message from the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and asked who was his Lord who had
sent him as a Messenger to him, the Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: Our Lord is He Who has given a
distinctive form to everything and then guided it aright. That is, He has taught it the method by which it could carry
out and fulfill the object of its creation in the system of existence. This is the reasoning by which an unbiased mind is
satisfied that the coming of the Prophets and the Books from Allah for the instruction of man is the very demand of
nature.

  ‫َﻠ َّ َﻤ ُﻪ اﻟ ۡ َﻴ َ َﺎن‬

(55:4) and has taught him articulate speech.3
3. One meaning of the word bayan, as used in the original, is the expressing of one’s own mind, i.e. speaking and
expressing one’s thoughts and intentions. Its other meaning is to make distinction between things, which here
signifies the distinction between good and evil, virtue and vice. According to those two meanings this brief sentence
completes the above reasoning. Speech is the distinctive quality which distinguishes man from the animals and other
earthly creatures, It is not merely the power of speech, but there are working behind it the faculties of reasoning and
intellect, understanding and discernment, will and judgment, and other mental powers without which man’s power
of speech could not operate at all. Therefore, speech is in fact an express symbol of man’s being an intelligent being
who has been endowed with freedom and authority, and when Allah has blessed man with this distinctive quality,
evidently the nature of instruction for him also cannot be the same as would be suitable for the guidance of other
creatures. Likewise, another distinctive quality of vital importance in man is that Allah has placed in him moral
sense by virtue of which he can naturally distinguish between good and evil, truth and falsehood, justice and
injustice, right and wrong, and this intuition and sense does not leave him even when he degrades himself to the
lowest state of error and ignorance. The inevitable demand of these two distinctive qualities is that the method of
instruction for man’s conscious and voluntary life should be different from the innate, natural mode of instruction
under which the fish has been taught to swim, the bird to fly, and the eye in the human body itself to wink and see,
the ear to hear and the stomach to digest. Man in this sphere of his life himself recognizes the means like the teacher,
the book, the school, the verbal and written instruction and reasoning and discussion as the modes of instruction,
and does not regard the innate knowledge and intelligence as sufficient. Why should it then appear strange that for
fulfilling the responsibility that falls upon the Creator of educating man, He has made the Messenger and the Book
the means of his education and instruction? The mode of education has to suit the nature of the creation, And very
rationally so. The Quran alone can be the means of educating the creation that has been taught bayan (speech) and
not by other means that might suit the creatures which have not been taught the speech.

  ٍ‫اَﻟ َّﺸ ۡﻤ ُﺲ َ واﻟۡﻘَ َﻤ ُﺮ ﺑِ ُﺤ ۡﺴﺒَﺎن‬

(55:5) The sun and the moon follow a reckoning,4
4. That is, It is a powerful law and unalterable system that binds the great planets together. Man is able to calculate
and measure time, days, dates, and crops and seasons only because no change takes place in the rule that has been
laid down for the rising and setting of the sun and of its passing through different stages. The innumerable creatures
found on the earth are staying alive only because the sun and the moon have been accurately and precisely placed at
particular distances from the earth and any increase or decrease in this distance is made in the right measure, in a
particular order, otherwise if their distance from the earth increased or decreased haphazardly, no one, could
possibly survive here. Likewise, the perfect relationship and harmony that has been established between the
movements of the moon around the earth and the sun, has made the moon a universal calendar, which announces
the lunar date every night to the whole world with perfect regularity.

  ‫َّواﻟﻨَّ ۡﺠ ُﻢ َ واﻟ َّﺸ َﺠ ُﺮ ﻳ َ ۡﺴ ُﺠﺪٰ ِن‬

(55:6) and the stars5 and the trees all prostrate themselves, 6
5. The word used in the original is an-najm, the wellknown meaning of which is the star; but in the Arabic lexicon
this word is also used for the plants and creepers which do not have a stem, e.g. vegetable, melons, water melons,
etc. The commentators disagree about the sense in which this word has been used here. Ibn Abbas, Saed bin Jubair,
Suddi, and Sufyan Thauri have taken it in the meaning of stemless vegetation, for just after it the word ash-shajar
(the tree) has been used and this meaning is more relevant to it. On the contrary, Mujahid, Qatadah and Hasan Basri
have expressed the opinion that an-najm here does not imply the plants of the earth, but the stars of the sky, as this is
its well-known meaning. On hearing this word, the mind first turns to this very meaning, and the mention of the sun
and the moon has been followed by the stars very naturally and relevantly. Though the majority of the
commentators and translators have preferred the first meaning, and it cannot be held wrong either, we hold Hafiz
Ibn Kathir’s this opinion as sound that in view of both the language and the subject-matter the second meaning
seems to be preferable. At another place in the Quran (Surah Al- Hajj, Ayat 18) mention has also been made of the
stars and the trees prostrating themselves, and there the word nujum (pl. of najm) cannot be taken in any other
meaning than of the stars. The words of the verse are: Alam tara annallaha yasjudu lahu man fis smawati wa man fil
ardi wash-shamsu wal-qamaru wanujumu wal jibalu wash-shajaru wad-da wabbu wa kathirum-min-annasi. In this
verse nujum (stars) have been mentioned along with shams (sun) and qamar (moon), and shajar (trees) along with
mountains and animals and it has been said that they all bow down to Allah.

6. That is, the stars of the heavens and the trees of the earth, all are subject to Allah’s command and obedient to His
law. They cannot exceed the rule that has been set for them. What is meant to be impressed in these two verses is that
the whole system of the universe has been created by Allah and is functioning in His obedience. Nothing from the
earth to the heavens is independent, nor functioning under another’s godhead, nor has anyone any share in God’s
kingdom, nor has anyone the position that it should be made a deity. All are servants and slaves: the Master is One
Almighty Lord alone. Hence, Tauhid alone is the truth which is being taught by this Quran. Apart from this, any one
who is involved in polytheism and denial of God is, in fact, at war with the whole system of the universe.

  ‫َو َّاﻟﺴ َﻤﺂءَ َ رﻓَﻌَﻬَ َﺎ و َو َﺿ َﻊ اﻟ ۡ ِﻤﻴۡ َﺰ َ ۙان‬

(55:7) and He has raised up the heaven and has set a balance7
7. Almost all the commentators have interpreted mizan (balance) to mean justice, and “set the balance” to imply that
Allah has established the entire system of the universe on justice. Had there been no harmony and balance and
justice established among the countless stars and planets moving in space, and the mighty forces working in this
universe, and the innumerable creatures and things found here, this life on earth would not have functioned even for
a moment. Look at the creatures existing in the air and water and on land for millions and millions of years on this
earth. They continue to exist only because full justice and balance has been established in the means and factors
conducive to life; in case there occurs a slight imbalance of any kind, every tract of life would become extinct.

  ‫ا ََّﻻ ﺗَ ۡﻄﻐ َ ۡﻮ ِا ﰱ اﻟ ۡ ِﻤﻴۡ َﺰ ِان‬

(55:8) that you may not transgress in the balance,

  ‫َواَﻗِﻴۡ ُﻤﻮا اﻟ ۡ َﻮ ۡز َن ﺑِﺎﻟۡﻘِ ۡﺴ ِﻂ َ و َﻻ  ُﺗ ۡﺨ ِﺴ ُﺮوا اﻟ ۡ ِﻤﻴۡ َﺰ َان‬

(55:9) but weigh things equitably and skimp not in the balance.8
8. That is, as you are living in a balanced universe, whose entire system has been established on justice, you should
also adhere to justice. For if you act unjustly within the sphere in which you have been given authority, and fail to
render the rights of others, you would indeed be rebelling against the nature of the universe; for the nature of this
universe does not admit of injustice and perversion and violation of the rights. Not to speak of a major injustice, even
if a person fraudulently deprives another of an ounce of something, by giving him short measure, he disturbs the
balance of the entire universe. This is the second important part of the Quranic teaching that has been presented in
these three verses. The first teaching is Tauhid and the second is justice. Thus, in a few brief sentences the people
have been told what teaching has been brought by the Quran which the Merciful God has sent for the guidance of
man.

  ‫َو ۡاﻻَ ۡر َض َ و َﺿﻌَﻬَﺎ ﻟِ ۡﻼَﻧَﺎ ِ ۙم‬

(55:10) And He9 has set up the earth for all beings.10
9. Now from here to verse 20, mention is being made of the blessing and bounties of God and of those manifestations
of His Might by which both man and jinn are benefiting, and whose natural and moral demand is that although they
have the option to believe or not to believe, they should adopt the way of their Lord’s service and obedience
willingly by their own free choice.

10. The word wada in the original means to compose, make, prepare, keep and inscribe, and anaam the creatures,
which includes man and all other living things. According to Ibn Abbas, anaam includes everything which has a
soul. Mujahid takes it in the meaning of the living creatures. Qatadah, Ibn Zaid and Shabi say that all living things
are anaam. Hasan Basri says that both the men and the jinn are included in its meaning. The same meanings have
been given by the lexicographers. This shows that the people who deduce from this verse the command of making
land the state property are in error. This is an ugly attempt to introduce alien theories forcibly into the Quran which
are neither supported by the words of the verse nor by the context. Anaam is not used only for human society but it
includes all other creatures of the earth as well and setting of the earth for anaam does not mean that it should be the
common property of all. Besides, the context here also does not indicate that the object of the verse is to state some
economic principle. This, in fact, is meant to impress the truth that Allah made and prepared this earth in such a way
that it became a fit abode for every kind of living being. It has not become so by itself, but by the Will and Power of
the Creator. He in His wisdom placed it at a suitable distance and created such conditions on it which made it
possible for the different species to exist and stay alive on it. (For explanation, see (E.Ns 73, 74 of Surah An- Naml),
(E.Ns 29, 32 of Surah YaSeen), (E.Ns 90, 91 of Surah Al-Mumin), (E.Ns 11 to 13 of Surah HaMim As-Sajdah), (E.Ns 7
to 10 of Surah Az-Zukhruf), (E.N. 7 of Surah Al-Jathiyah).

  ۖ ‫ َّۙ واﻟﻨَّ ۡﺨ ُﻞ ذَ ُات ۡ اﻻَ ۡﻛ َﻤﺎ ِم‬ ‫ﻓِﻴۡﻬَﺎ ﻓَﺎ ِﻛﻬَ ٌﺔ‬
(55:11) Therein are fruit and palm-trees with their dates in sheaths,

  ‫َواﻟ ۡ َﺤ ُّﺐ ُ ذو اﻟۡﻌَ ۡﺼ ِﻒ َ واﻟ َّﺮﻳۡ َﺤ ُ ۚﺎن‬

(55:12) and a variety of corn with both husk and grain.11
11. That is, grain for men and husk for the animals.

  ‫ﻓَﺒِﺎ َ ِّى ا ٰ َﻻ ۤ ِء َ رﺑِّ ُﻜ َﻤﺎ  ُﺗ َﻜ ِّﺬﺑ ٰ ِﻦ‬

(55:13) Which of the bounties of your Lord12 will you twain – you men and jinn – then deny?13
12. The word alaa as repeated over and over again in the subsequent verses has been translated differently at
different places. Therefore, it would be useful to understand at the outset how vast this word is in meaning and what
are the different shades of meaning it contains.

The lexicographers and commentators generally have explained alaa to mean blessings and bounties. The translators
also have given this same meaning of this word, and the same has been reported from Ibn Abbas, Qatadah and
Hasan Basri. The major argument that supports this meaning is the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) own statement
that the jinn on hearing this verse being recited would respond to it, saying La bi-shai in-min-ni maatika Rabba-na
nukadhdhib: O our Lord, we do not deny any of Your blessings. Therefore, we do not subscribe to the view of some
present-day scholars, who say that alaa is never used in the meaning of the blessing.

Another meaning of this word is power and wonders of power, or excellent manifestations of power. Ibn Jarir Tabari
has reported that Ibn Zaid took the words fabi-ayyi alaa i Rabbikuma in the meaning of fabi-ayyi qudrat-Allah. Ibn
Jarir himself has taken alaa in the meaning of power and might in his commentary of verses 37-38. Imam Razi has
also made this observation in his commentary of verses 14-16: These verses do not describe the blessings but the
powers of Allah, and in the commentary of verses 22-23, this: These describe the wonders of power and not the
blessings.

Its third meaning is virtue, praiseworthy qualities, and perfections. Though this meaning has not been mentioned by
the lexicographers and commentators, this word has often been used in this meaning in Arabic poetry.

Thus, we have taken this word in its vastest meaning and translated it suitably keeping in view the context in which
it occurs. However, at some places the word alaa may have several senses in one and the same place, but due to
limitations of translation we have had to adopt only one meaning. For example, in this verse after making mention of
the creation of the earth and of making the best arrangements for the supply of provisions to the creatures, it has
been said: Which of the alaa of your Lord will you deny?" Here, alaa has not been used in the meaning of the
blessings only but also in the meaning of the manifestations of Allah Almighty’s Power and His praiseworthy
attributes. It is a wonder of His Might that He fashioned this earth in such a marvelous manner that countless species
of creatures live here and an endless variety of fruits and grain are grown on it. And it is due to His praiseworthy
qualities that He not only created these creatures but also made arrangements for their sustenance and the supply of
provisions for them; and the arrangements also so perfect that their food is not only nutritious but also pleasing to
the taste and sight. In this connection, reference has been made to only one excellence of Allah Almighty’s
workmanship for the sake of example, viz., the creation of the date-palm fruit in sheaths. Keeping this one example
in view one may consider what excellences of art have been devised and shown in the packing of banana,
pomegranates, orange, coconut and other fruits, and how each of the different sorts of the grains and pulses which
we so thoughtlessly cook and eat, are produced finely packed and covered in ears and pods and clusters.

13. Denying implies the several attitudes that the people adopt in respect of Allah Almighty’s blessings and
manifestations of His Might and His praiseworthy attributes. For example, some people do not at all admit that the
Creator of all things is Allah Almighty. They think that all this is a mere byproduct of the matter, or an accidental
happening, which is un-related with any wisdom and skill and workmanship. This is open denial.

Some other people do admit that the Creator of these things is Allah, but regard others beside Him also as associates
in Godhead: they render thanks to others for His blessings: they adore others although they eat His provisions. This
is another form of denial. Obviously, it would be the height of ingratitude if a person while admitting that a certain
person had done him a favor rendered thanks to another, who had not in fact done him that favor, for this act of his
would be an express proof that he regarded the other person as his benefactor whom he was rendering the thanks.

There are still others who acknowledge Allah alone as the Creator of all things and the Bestower of all blessings, but
do not admit that they should obey the commands of their Creator and Sustainer and follow His injunctions. This is
another form of ingratitude and denial of the blessings, for the person who behaves so denies the right of the
Bestower of the blessing although he acknowledges the blessing itself.

Some other people neither disavow the blessing nor deny the right of the Bestower of the blessing, but in practice
there is no appreciable difference between their conduct and the conduct of a denier. This is not verbal denial but
denial in practice.

  ‫َﺧﻠ َ َﻖ ۡ اﻻِﻧ ۡ َﺴ َﺎن  ِﻣ ۡﻦ َ ﺻﻠ ۡ َﺼ ٍﺎل  َﺎﻟ ۡ َﻔ َّﺨﺎ ِ ۙر‬

(55:14) He has created man from dry, rotten clay like the potter's,14
14. The order of the initial stages of the creation of man, as given at different places in the Quran seems to be as
follows:

(1) Turab, i.e. earth or dust.

(2) Teen, i.e. clay made by mixing water with earth.

(3) Teen-i-lazib: sticky clay, i.e. a clay which becomes sticky when left alone for a long time.

(4) Hama in musnun, i.e. clay with a stink in it.

(5) Salsal-im-min hema in masnun kalfakhkhar, i.e. the rotten clay which when dried becomes like baked pottery.

(6) Bashar, i.e. the one who was made from this last form of the earth, in whom Allah breathed of His Spirit, to whom
the angels were commanded to bow down, and from whose species his mate was created.

(7) Thumma jaala naslahu min sulalatin-min-main mahin: Then spread his progeny by means of an extract of the
nature of a despicable water, for which the word nutfah has been used at other places.

For these stages one may look up the following verses of the Quran in sequence: kamasali Adam khalaqa-hu min
turab (Surah Aal-Imran, Ayat 59); badaa khalqal-insani min tin (Surah As-Sajdah, Ayat 7); Inna khalaqna hum min
tinillazib (Surah As-Saaffat, Ayat 11): the fourth and fifth stages have been described in the verse being explained,
and the later stages in the following verses: Inni khaliq-un basharan min teen. Faidha sawwaitu-hu wa nafakhtu-fihi
min-ruhi faqau-lahu sajidin. (Surah Suad, Ayats 71-72); khalaqa-kum min-nafsin wahidatin wa khalaqa min-ha
zaujaha wabaththa minhuma rijalan kathiran wa nisaan. (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 1); thumma Jaala naslahu min
sulalatin-min mmaa-in-mahin. (Surah As-Sajdah, Ayat 8); fa-inna khalaq-na-kum min turabin thumma min nutfa-tin.
(Surah Al-Hajj, Ayat 5).

  ‫َو َﺧﻠ َ َﻖ اﻟ ۡ َﺠ َّﺂن  ِﻣ ۡﻦ َّ ﻣﺎ ِر ٍج  ِّﻣ ۡﻦ ﻧَّﺎ ٍ ۚر‬
(55:15) and has created the jinn from the flame of fire.15
15. The words in the original are: mim-marij-im-min-nar. Nar signifies fire of a special nature and not the fire which
is produced by burning wood or coal and marij means a pure, smokeless flame. The verse means that just as the first
man was created out of earth, then passing through various stages of creation, the clay model adopted the shape of a
living man of flesh and blood, and then his progeny spread by means of the sperm-drop, so was the first jinn created
from a pure flame of fire, or a fire free of smoke, and then the species of jinn spread from his progeny. The position
of the first jinn among the jinn is the same as of Adam (peace be upon him) among human beings. After taking the
shape of a living man, the body of Adam and the human beings born of his progeny retained no relationship with
the dust from which they were originally created. Though even now our body is entirely a compound of the earthly
substances, these substances have taken the from of flesh and blood and after being made a living body it has
become quite a different thing from a mere lump of clay. The same also is true of the jinn. Their being also is
essentially fiery. But just as we are not a mere lump of earth, so also they are not a mere flame of fire.

This verse proves two things. First, that the jinn are not simply spirit, but are material beings of a special nature, but
since they have been composed of pure fiery substances, they remain invisible to human beings who have bean
created of earthly substances. The same has been referred to in this verse: Satan and his party see you from where
you cannot see them. (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 27). Likewise, the jinn’s being fast-moving, their adopting different
shapes and forms easily and their penetrating into different places imperceptibly where things made of earthly
substances cannot penetrate, or if they do, their penetration becomes perceptible, all these things are possible and
understandable only because they are essentially a fiery creation.

The other thing that we come to know from this verse is that the jinn are not only a creation of a wholly different
nature from human beings, but the substance of their creation also is absolutely different from that of man, animal,
vegetable and solid matter. This verse explicitly points out the error of the viewpoint of those people who regard the
jinn as a kind of human beings. According to their interpretation, the meaning of creating man of the dust and the
jinn of the fire is to describe the difference of the temperamental nature of the two kinds of the people; one kind of
them are humble by nature, and they are men in the true sense, and the other kind of the people are wicked by
nature and fiery in temper, who may better be called devils. This is, however, no commentary of the Quran but its
distortion. In E.N. 14 above we have shown in detail how the Quran itself has fully described the meaning of creating
man from the earth. After reading all these details, can a reasonable person understand that the object of all this is
only to define the humility of the good men? Moreover, how can a sound-minded person understand that the
meaning of creating man of rotten, dry clay and the jinn of the flame of pure fire is the difference of the separate
moral characteristics of the two individuals or groups with different temperaments belonging to the same human
species? (For further explanation, see (E.N. 53 of Surah Adh-Dhariyat).

  ‫ﻓَﺒِﺎ َ ِّى ا ٰ َﻻ ۤ ِء َ رﺑِّ ُﻜ َﻤﺎ  ُﺗ َﻜ ِّﺬﺑ ٰ ِﻦ‬

(55:16) Which of the wonders of your Lord's power16 will you twain – you men and jinn – then deny?
16. Here, in view of the context, It is more appropriate to translate alaa as “wonders of power”, but in this the aspect
of the blessing is also present. Just as it is a wonderful manifestation of Allah’s power to have brought into existence
marvelous creatures like man from the dust and the jinn from the flame of fire, so for both these creatures this is also
a great blessing that Allah not only granted them a body but gave each such a structure and endowed each with such
powers and capabilities that they became able to perform unique works in the world. Though we do not know much
about the jinn, man is present before us. Had he been given the body of a fish or a bird or a monkey along with the
human brain, he could not have used, with that body, the mental powers to any advantage. Then, is it not a supreme
blessing of Allah that He blessed man with the most suitable body also, so that he may exploit the mental powers
granted to him efficiently? Consider the hands, the feet, the eyes, the ears, the tongue and the erect stature as against
the intellect and reason, and the capabilities of workmanship and artistic skill, and one will feel that the Creator has
provided a deep relationship and harmony between them without which the human body would have remained
useless. Then, the same thing points out Allah’s praiseworthy qualities too. How could the men and jinn of such
quality and rank be brought into existence without knowledge, wisdom, mercy and a profound creative power? For
such miracles of creation cannot be performed by accidents and automatic blind and deaf laws of nature.

  ‫َر ُّب اﻟ ۡ َﻤ ۡﺸ ِﺮﻗَ ۡ ِﲔ َ و َ ر ُّب اﻟ ۡ َﻤﻐۡ ِﺮﺑَ ۡ ِ ۚﲔ‬
(55:17) Lord of the two easts and of the two wests is He.17
17. “The two Easts and the two Wests” may mean the two points of sunrise and the two points of sunset on the
shortest day of winter and the longest day of summer as well as the easts and the wests of the two hemispheres of
the earth. On the shortest day of winter the sun rises and sets making a small acute angle. On the contrary, on the
longest day of summer it rises and sets making a wide obtuse angle. Between them its points of rising and setting go
on shifting every day, for which at another place in the Quran (Surah Al-Maarij, Ayat 40) the words Rabbul-
mashariq walmagharib have been used. Likewise, at the time the sun rises in one hemisphere of the earth, it sets in
the other hemisphere, thus producing two easts and two wests of the earth. There are several meanings of calling
Allah Lord of the two Easts and the two Wests. First, that it is by His command that the system of the rising and
setting of the sun and their changing pattern during the year is functioning. Second, that Allah alone is the Master
and Ruler of the earth and the sun; had they their own separate lords, this regular system of the rising and setting of
the sun on the earth could not have functioned and continued to function permanently. Third, that the Master and
Sustainer of both the Easts and both the Wests is One Allah alone; to Him belong the creations living between them.
He alone is nourishing them, and it is for their sustenance that He has established this wise system of the rising and
setting of the sun on the earth.

  ‫ﻓَﺒِﺎ َ ِّى ا ٰ َﻻ ۤ ِء َ رﺑِّ ُﻜ َﻤﺎ  ُﺗ َﻜ ِّﺬﺑ ٰ ِﻦ‬

(55:18) Which of the powers of your Lord18 will you twain – you men and jinn – then deny?
18. Here also, although in view of the context, power seems to be a more conspicuous meaning of alaa, yet, besides,
the aspect of blessing and praiseworthy qualities is also present in it. It is a great blessing that Allah Almighty has
prescribed the rule of the rising and setting of the sun, for by means of it the changes of the crops and seasons arc
regulated with which countless interests of the men and animals and vegetables are attached. Likewise, it is Allah’s
mercy and providence and wisdom that He has made these arrangements by His power to meet the respective needs
and requirements of the creatures He has created on the earth.

  ‫َﻣ َﺮ َج اﻟۡﺒ َ ۡﺤ َﺮﻳۡ ِﻦ ﻳَﻠۡﺘَﻘِ ٰ ِ ۙﲔ‬

(55:19) He unleashed the two seas so that they merge together,

  ‫ﺑَ ۡﻨَ ُﻬ َﻤﺎ ﺑَ ۡﺮزَ ٌخ َّ ﻻ ﻳَﺒۡﻐِ ٰ ِ ۚﲔ‬

(55:20) and yet there is a barrier between them which they may not overstep.19
19. For explanation see( E. N. 68 of Surah Al-Furqan).

  ‫ﻓَﺒِﺎ َ ِّى ا ٰ َﻻ ۤ ِء َ رﺑِّ ُﻜ َﻤﺎ  ُﺗ َﻜ ِّﺬﺑ ٰ ِﻦ‬

(55:21) Which of the wonders of your Lord will you twain – you men and jinn – then deny?

  ‫ﻳ َ ۡﺨ ُﺮ ُج  ِﻣﻨۡ ُﻬ َﻤﺎ اﻟﻠُّـ ۡﺆﻟُـ ُﺆ َ واﻟ ۡ َﻤ ۡﺮ َﺟ ُ ۚﺎن‬

(55:22) From these seas come forth pearls20 and coral.21
20. According to Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, Ibn Zaid and Dahhak, marjan implies small pearls, but according to Abdullah
bin Masud, this word is used for corals in Arabia.

21. Literally: From both these seas come out pearls and corals. The objectors say that pearls and corals come out only
from salt waters. How is it then that they are stated to come out from both the sweet and salt waters? The answer is
that the seas contain both the sweet and the salt waters; therefore, whether it is said that these things come out from
the combination of both, or from both kinds of waters, it would be one and the same thing. And it may well be that
further investigations might reveal that both these things originate in the sea at the place where springs of sweet
water gush outs from the sea bed; and in their birth and development combination of both kinds of the water plays
its part. Near Bahrain which has been famous for its pearl fisheries for centuries, there exist springs of sweet water at
the bottom of the Gulf.

  ‫ﻓَﺒِﺎ َ ِّى ا ٰ َﻻ ۤ ِء َ رﺑِّ ُﻜ َﻤﺎ  ُﺗ َﻜ ِّﺬﺑ ٰ ِﻦ‬

(55:23) Which of the wonders of your Lord's power will you twain – you men and jinn – then deny?22
22. Here also though the aspect of power in alaa is conspicuous, the aspect of the blessing and praiseworthy qualities
is also not hidden. It is a blessings of God that these valuable things come out from the sea, and it is His Providence
that for the satisfaction of the aesthetic taste of the creatures whom He had blessed with the taste for beauty and the
love and longing for adornment, He created all sorts of these beautiful things in His world.

  ‫َوﻟ َ ُﻪ اﻟ ۡ َﺠ َﻮا ِر اﻟ ۡ ُﻤﻨۡ َﺸﺌ ٰ ُﺖ ِ ﰱ اﻟۡﺒ َ ۡﺤ ِﺮ  َ ۡﺎﻻَ ۡ َﻼ ِ ۚم‬
(55:24) His are the ships,23 towering on the sea like mountains.
23. His are the ships: Ships became possible only by His power. It is He Who blessed man with the capability and
skill that he may build ships for crossing the oceans. It is He Who created on the earth the material from which ships
could be built, and it is He Who subjected water to the laws by which it became possible for the mountain-like ships
to sail on the surface of the surging oceans.

 ‫ﻦ‬ ِ ٰ ‫ﻓَﺒِﺎ َ ِّى ا ٰ َﻻ ۤ ِء َ رﺑِّ ُﻜ َﻤﺎ  ُﺗ َﻜ ِّﺬﺑ‬

(55:25) Which of the favours of your Lord will you twain – you men and jinn – then deny?24
24. Here, the aspect of the blessing; and bounty is conspicuous in alaa, but the explanation given above shows that
the aspect of power and good qualities is also present in it.

Surah Ar-Rahman 55:1-25 [1/3]