14. When a thing is measured from its surface downwards then it is called “`umq” (depth). When it is measured from the surface upwards then it is called “samk” (thickness). Here Allah (swt) used the word samk, which is said to be the distance of 500 years (Razi). Hence the rendering here as “increased its expanse” (Au.).

The cosmologists say that the depth of the Universe is immeasurable. With the construction of every new and more sensitive telescope, the expanse of the Universe is increased by several million light years. And the speculation is that the exact expanse of the Universe might never be known since, with the distant-most bodies running away at speeds near to that of light, the signals emitted by them would never reach the earth. Theoretically however, it is being said that the universe is 93 billion light years, edge to edge (Au.).

15. “The succession of darkness at night and light in the morning is a phenomenon recognized by all, but it may be overlooked because of its being so familiar. Here, the Qur’an reminds us of its permanent novelty. For it is repeated anew everyday, producing the same effects and reactions. The natural laws governing this phenomenon are so precise and miraculous that they continue to impress and astonish man as his knowledge increases” (Sayyid Qutb).

16. The translation of the original daha as “readied” is based on the explanation of Ibn `Abbas as in Ibn Kathir. Linguistically, the word means 'to spread, stretch,’ etc. However, in practice the root “daha” is used as derivative for several round things. E.g., the hole that an ostrich makes for its eggs is called “mad-ha.” “Al-dahwu bi ‘l hijarah” is throwing stones by the hand. The pebbles or small stones that children play with, (in lieu of glass balls) is known as “ad dahwu” and the game of throwing them into a small hole dug in the ground is called as “mad-ha.” The round hole itself is known as “mid-ha” (Lisan). Muhammad Mohar Ali writes in his “Sirat al-Nabi and the Orientalists” (vol. 1, p. 305): “.. the exact and correct meaning of the term (dahaha), keeping in view its root, rather provides a very positive Qur’anic evidence in support of the spherical shape of the earth, as ‘daha’ means ‘to shape like an egg’, its noun being dahiyah, which the (Hijazi) Arabs still use to mean an egg” (Au.).

Sayyid elaborates: “Spreading out the earth (Sayyid’s translation of the word daha) is a reference to the leveling of its surface so that it becomes easy to walk on, and to the formation of a layer of soil suitable for cultivation. Setting the mountains firm is a result of the final shaping of the surface of the earth... Allah also brought out water ... and pastures.

“All this happened after the heaven was built, the night darkened, and the earth spread. The recent theories of geology support this Qur’anic statement, for they assume that the earth was moving in its orbit, with day and night succeeding each other for hundreds of millions of years before it was leveled and spread out, became suitable for growth of vegetation, and before its surface took its final shape of plains, valleys and mountains.”

17. That is, the earth of the first firmament.

It is reported that a man went to Ibn `Abbas and said, “I find two verses in the Qur’an which contradict each other:

{قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَرْضَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَنْدَادًا ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (9) وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ مِنْ فَوْقِهَا وَبَارَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِلسَّائِلِينَ } [فصلت: 9، 10]

'Tell them, ”Do you disbelieve in Him who created the earth in two days and set up equals unto Him - that is the Lord of all being. And then He placed pegs in it from above and blessed it and placed in it sustenance in measured quantity - (all) in four days,"’ 41: 9, 10), and this present verse: 'Then, after that, (i.e.. after the creation of the heavens) He readied its earth.’" (That is, the first verse says that Allah created the earth first, while the second verse says that He created the earth after the heavens. So, which is correct?: Au.). Ibn `Abbas told him: “Allah created the earth before He created the heavens. Subsequent to that He created the heavens. Then, after the creation of the heavens, He prepared and leveled the earth” (Alusi, Shawkani).

Alusi adds that it is possible that the basic matter for the heavens was there, already created, even before the earth was brought into being, but, given the present shape only after the creation of earth.

The verse, touching upon a scientific subject, is open to interpretation. The allusion could be to the darkness generally prevalent in the Universe which the weak background radiation is unable to overcome. The first part of the verse (Then He darkened its night) might be alluding to that situation. It was the creation of the sun, some 5 billion years ago (while the Universe is estimated to be about 10-12 billion years old), that brightened the area immediately surrounding it (Au.).

18. It is speculated that some of the newly-formed water molecules must have got trapped into the interior of the earth as the dust and gas clouds cooled and condensed to from the planet earth, early in its history. In the subsequent stages jets of steam spewed out to collect in oceans as water. The allusion here could be to that process of bringing out the water to its surface. See ch. 80, note 12 for reconciliation of this verse with the one occurring there speaking of water being sent down from the heavens (Au.).

19. Imam Ahmad has preserved a hadith of Anas b. Malik who reports that the Prophet said:

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَمَّا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْأَرْضَ جَعَلَتْ تَمِيدُ فَخَلَقَ الْجِبَالَ فَأَلْقَاهَا عَلَيْهَا فَاسْتَقَرَّتْ فَتَعَجَّبَتْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ خَلْقِ الْجِبَالِ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَبِّ هَلْ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ شَيْءٌ أَشَدُّ مِنْ الْجِبَالِ قَالَ نَعَمْ الْحَدِيدُ قَالَتْ يَا رَبِّ هَلْ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ شَيْءٌ أَشَدُّ مِنْ الْحَدِيدِ قَالَ نَعَمْ النَّارُ قَالَتْ يَا رَبِّ هَلْ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ شَيْءٌ أَشَدُّ مِنْ النَّارِ قَالَ نَعَمْ الْمَاءُ قَالَتْ يَا رَبِّ فَهَلْ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ شَيْءٌ أَشَدُّ مِنْ الْمَاءِ قَالَ نَعَمْ الرِّيحُ قَالَتْ يَا رَبِّ فَهَلْ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ شَيْءٌ أَشَدُّ مِنْ الرِّيحِ قَالَ نَعَمْ ابْنُ آدَمَ يَتَصَدَّقُ بِيَمِينِهِ يُخْفِيهَا مِنْ شِمَالِهِ

“When Allah created the earth it began to quiver. He created the mountains and placed them in the earth. That stabilized it. The angels were amazed. They asked: "O Lord. Have you created anything more powerful than the mountains?" He said: “Yes. Iron.” They asked: “Have You created anything more powerful than iron?” He said: “Yes. Fire.” They asked: “Have You created anything more powerful than fire?” He said: “Yes. Water.” They asked: “And have you created anything more powerful than water?” He replied: “Yes. The winds.” They said: “And have you created anything more powerful than the winds?” He said: “Yes. Son of Adam who spends with the left hand without the knowledge of the right hand” (Ibn Kathir).

The report is in Tirmidhi who evaluated it as Ghareeb (Au.).

Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir report a statement of `Ali, which runs as follows:

لما خلق الله الأرض قمصت وقالت: تخلق عَلَيّ آدم وذريته، يلقون علي نتنهم ويعملون عَلَيّ بالخطايا، فأرساها الله بالجبال، فمنها ما ترون، ومنها ما لا ترون، وكان أول قَرَار الأرض كلحم الجزور إذا نحِر، يختلج لحمه

“When Allah created the earth it protested and said, 'Will you place Adam and his progeny to contaminate me and commit sins upon me?’ So Allah placed the mountains on it, of which you see some part and do not see the rest. With that the earth stabilized, like the quivering flesh of the lamb just slaughtered.”

Ibn Kathir calls this report also Gharib (a variety of report considered weak because of its meaning; which of course must have sounded strange in those early times: Au.). At all events, it is interesting to note how close it comes to describing what the geologists have begun to say since the 60’s of this century. They say that the mountains have roots that extend below the earth, several times their elevation above the surface, and that the outer portion might have once been elastic (quivering, flesh-like) which has only lately stabilized. See note 4 of the previous surah for more details.

20. The word in the text is Jahim which is for extremely hot fire. Ibn Jurayj has said that Hell has seven levels. Jahim is one of them (Lughat al-Qur’an).

21. What does this preference of this world over the next imply? The answer is, it is to do something for the sake of ease of this world at the risk of punishment in the Hereafter (Ma`arif).

22. Hence wise men say that if you (are in doubt about an affair, and) want to find out the truth, look for what your base self tells you; then do the opposite (Alusi).

Sayyid Qutb writes: “There are two types of freedom. The first is that which is achieved through scoring a victory over one’s desires and releasing oneself from the chains of caprice. When man achieves such a victory, he finds himself able to fulfill his desires and caprices in a balanced and controlled way which emphasizes his freedom of choice. This type of freedom is the human type, the one which suits the honor Allah has bestowed on man. The other type is the animal freedom, represented in man’s defeat, his enslavement by his desires, and his loss of control over himself. This type of freedom is advocated by those who have lost their humanity. So they try to cover their slavery with a dress of deceptive freedom.”

Mufti Shafi` points out that according to Maz-hari there are three stages in this “curbing of one’s base desires.” One, to abandon all that is opposed to the true faith and belief coming from Islam. Two, to oppose one’s wishes as soon as one realizes that what he is doing is sin. In this stage, one gives up even that which has any trace of doubt, in fear of falling into sin. And three, to busy oneself so much with what is approved by Allah that the inner self does not even think of committing a wrong. The Prophet (saws) was referring to this last stage of perfection in belief when he said:

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم : لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يكون هواه تبعا لما جئت به - حديث حسن صحيح

“You will not attain to (true) faith without the wishes of your base self confirming to what I have brought.”

The report from Nawawi’s Arba`een was declared Hasan Sahih by him (Au.).

23. These verses, although common for all, were first applicable to two brothers: `Uzayr b. `Umayr and Mus`ab ibn `Umayr. According to some reports Mus`ab had killed his brother, but according to other, his brother was taken prisoner and dealt kindly because of Mus`ah. But Mus`ab instructed that he be shown no mercy. Mus`ab himself was killed defending the Prophet during the battle of Uhud. A man of riches before Islam, they could not find a cloth large enough to cover his head as well as his feet at the time of burial (Zamakhshari, Razi, Qurtubi, Alusi).

24. A hadith of `A’isha (ra) says that the Prophet used to quite often inquire about the Hereafter (probably under pressure of the unbelievers: Au.) until Allah (swt) revealed this verse. After this he stopped enquiring (Zamakhshari, Razi).

Alusi and Shawkani add: “The above hadith is in Bazzar, Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Marduwayh and Hakim. (The last mentioned has evaluated it as a trustworthy report). A similar report is in Nasa`i.”

Ibn Marduwayh has also reported `A’isha (ra) as saying that:

كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِنْ الْأَعْرَابِ جُفَاةً يَأْتُونَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَيَسْأَلُونَهُ مَتَى السَّاعَةُ فَكَانَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَصْغَرِهِمْ فَيَقُولُ إِنْ يَعِشْ هَذَا لَا يُدْرِكْهُ الْهَرَمُ حَتَّى تَقُومَ عَلَيْكُمْ سَاعَتُكُمْ

Whenever a group of Bedouins came to the Prophet (saws) and enquired about the Hour, he would say, pointing to the youngest of them: “If he lived long enough, it would have arrived upon you” (Shawkani).

That is, you will die if this lad lives long enough, and your death would be `the Hour’ for you. The report is in Bukhari (Au.).

Summary of Interpretations

“This surah is just one example of many in this thirtieth part of the Qur’an which have one common objective, namely, to drive home to man the reality of the hereafter, its inevitability, its awesome and serious nature, and to stress its importance to the Divine planning of man’s life in this world. Such planning culminates in man’s death and subsequent resurrection for the life to come. As it sets out to drive the idea home, the surah touches the emotions in different ways which are directly relevant to its central idea.

“First we have an ambiguous opening which creates an air of fear and worried expectation. The rhythm here is quick and throbbing: it helps evoke feelings of fear, surprise and wonder.

“This equivocal, shaking opening is followed by the first of the scenes of the hereafter. The scene shares style and tempo with the opening which thus serves as a framework for the scene...

“Having spread an air of awe, the surah gives an account of the end met by some of the disbelievers in the story of Moses and Pharaoh. Here the rhythm is quieter and more relaxed to suit the narrative style...

“Leaving history aside, the surah takes up the open book of the universe. It paints some of the great scenes of the universe which testify to the limitless power and careful planning of Allah, the Creator of the universe, Who controls its destiny both in this life and in the life to come. These scenes are drawn here with powerful style and strong rhythm in harmony with the opening of the surah and its general cadence...

“After all these introductory scenes and inspiring touches comes the statement concerning the ”Greatest Catastrophe" accompanied by the distribution of rewards for actions alone for this life. The rewards are portrayed in scenes which fit in harmoniously with the “Greatest Catastrophe”...

“At this point when we are overwhelmed with the effects of the scenes of the Greatest Catastrophe, Hell brought near, the end of the transgressors who prefer this life to the next, and that of the godfearing who restrain themselves and do not give in to their caprice - at this point, the surah turns to those who deny the Resurrection and ask the Prophet to fix its time. The rhythm here is superb: it adds to the feeling of the awe produced by the account of the Hour of Doom” (Sayyid Qutb).