Al-'Ankabut · Makki · ayah 61 of 69

Al-'Ankabut 29:61

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ

“If you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Then how are they deluded?”

Saheeh International

Essence

They admit Allah made the heavens and harnessed the sun and moon, so why does anyone who says so still fear for bread?

A reflection

A sun that keeps its shifts for you

This question, and the answer 'Allah', returns at 43:87, where its fuller entry lives. There you will find its root pictures and the sceptic's objection. Here it carries two words of its own: wa-sakhkhara al-shamsa wa-al-qamar, and He harnessed the sun and the moon.

One classical commentator notices the choice of verbs. The heavens and the earth are created. The sun and moon are harnessed. A sun simply made and left standing still would bring no night and no day, no summer and no winter. The wisdom is in the motion, set to serve. One early commentary adds: they run on without tiring, for the good of His creatures.

A harbour master prints next year's tide tables before this year is out. Fishermen plan their boats and their loans around them. Every high water arrives on time, because the moon keeps its appointments. No harbour master has ever needed to remind it.

That is a correction for the ego. We speak of running our lives. The two great lamps over us run to a timetable we did not write, for our benefit. He does not need anyone's admission of this. The question is put so that the one asked hears his own answer.

The full entry has 2 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.