21. That is, said the Salaf, they were subjected to a merciless accounting (Ibn Jarir).

22. This is to remind the Muslims that they ought not to take the above commandments lightly, treating them with contumely or disdain. They may know that there have been many nations before who rejected Allah’s commandments in pride, and, therefore, tasted severe chastisement (Shabbir).

23. Taqwa has levels. The first level is to have faith in Allah’s oneness. So, when an unbeliever is exhorted to taqwa, (the invitation is to belief in Allah and His oneness). On the other hand, when it is believers who are addressed, then the call is to desist from sins (Razi).

24. That is, the Qur’an.

25. Ibn `Abbas said, “In every earth there are the likes of Ibrahim, and a creation like the creation on this earth.” And Mujahid (his pupil) reported that Ibn `Abbas said, “If I were to interpret this verse rightly, you would turn disbelievers. Your denial would tantamount to disbelief” (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

Yet another report that has come to us from Ibn `Abbas is that he said with reference to this verse,

“There are seven earths, in each earth a Prophet like your Prophet, and Adam; Nuh like your Nuh, and Ibrahim like your Ibrahim, an `Isa like your `Isa” (Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Kathir picks the hadith from Bayhaqi’s al-Asma’ wa al-Sifaat, but we have taken it as it appears in Hakim about which Dhahabi said that it has a trustworthy chain of narrators (Au.).

Ibn Mas`ud said in this regard, “Allah created seven firmaments; between each of them a travel distance of 500 years. Above the seven heavens is Water. Above Water is Allah. Nothing of the deeds of Adam’s children is hidden from Him. And, there are seven earths, between each other the travel distance of 500 years, and the depth of each earth is 500 years.” Mujahid said, “Each firmament in comparison to another is like a ring thrown in the desert” (Ibn Jarir)

And Qatadah said, “Of the seven firmaments, in each there is an earth, a creation specific to it, commandments specific to it and Allah’s Decree specific to it” (Ibn Jarir, Kashshaf).

Ibn Jarir also quotes the long hadith of Tirmidhi which we have presented while explaining ayah 3 of Surah al-Hadid (57), under comment no. 7.

Qurtubi writes: There have been two interpretations of this ayah: (i) There are seven earths, one over another with the same distance between one earth and another as between one firmament and another, and (ii) there are seven earths but they are one upon another as layers. This was Dahhak’s opinion. But the first mentioned interpretation is the correct one. That there are seven earths is proven by several ahadith. One in Bukhari says,

The Prophet said, “Whoever transgressed by a hand-span of land, will have seven earths hung by his neck.”

Another version is also in Bukhari:

The Prophet said, “Whoever took anything of the land without right, will be made to sink into the earth on the Day of Judgment (to the depth of) seven earths.”

Some scholars have thought that the seven earths refer to seven layers of one, our earth. But the geologists generally divide the earth’s layers into five: (i) Crust, (ii) Upper Mantle, (iii) Lower Mantle, (iv) Outer Core and, (v) Inner Core.

However, a more detailed description makes it ten layers: (i) Lithosphere, (ii) Asthenosphere, (iii) Transition Zone, (iv) Mohorovicic Discontinuity, (v) Upper Mantle, (vi) Transition Zode, (vii) Lower Mantle, (viii) Gutenberg Discontinuity, (ix) Outer Core and (x) Inner Core. A few of those of our contemporary world who hold the opinion that there is one earth with seven layers, count differently and include the atmosphere as one layer, ignoring some of the zones stated by geologists.

Nonetheless, the following ahadith strengthen the position of the majority who hold that there are seven earths:

The Prophet said, as in a hadith of Muslim: “Allah will wrap the heavens on the Day of Judgment around his Right Hand and say, ‘I am the Compeller. Where are the tyrants? Where are the proud ones?’ Then He will fold the earths in His Left Hand and say, ‘I am the King. Where are the tyrants? Where are the proud ones?’”

Another hadith is found in various books. The following is from the Musnad of Bazzar, treated as trustworthy by Dhahabi, Shu`ayb Arna’ut, and others:

Arabic???

Ka`b al-Ahbar said, “The Prophet never intended to enter a town but said when he saw it, ‘O Allah, Lord of the heavens and what they cover, Lord of the seven earths and what they carry, Lord of the devils and what they misguide, Lord of the winds and what they blow: We ask you for the best of this town and the best of its folks, and seek Your refuge against its evil and the evil of its folks (or he said), from its evil and evil of what it contains’” (Au.).

Qurtubi (7th century A.H.) mentions in passing that the earth could be round.

26. Yusuf Ali’s note is quite adequate at this point: “But in all spheres of life and Creation, whatever conception we are able to form of them, it is certain that the Command or Law of Allah runs through them all, for His knowledge and power extend through all things.”

27. Ibn al-Qayyim has stated in his “badaai` wa fawaa’id” that Allah brought the creation into existence to manifest two of His Attributes mentioned here: Power and Knowledge. According to him, all other Attributes can be related to these two. The famous statement of the Sufis, adds Shabbir, which is not a hadith, has perhaps been inspired by this ayah: