Az-Zumar · Makki · ayah 38 of 75

Az-Zumar 39:38

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَـٰشِفَـٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَـٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ

“And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered[1351] what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."”

Saheeh International

Essence

Even the deniers admit Allah made the heavens and the earth, so nothing else can lift His harm or hold back His mercy: He is enough.

A reflection

Gripping the seat in front

The ayah begins with a question put to the Prophet's opponents: who created the heavens and the earth? It says they would answer at once: Allah. One commentary says the answer was obvious to them because the proof is so clear. Every thing that might or might not exist must end in One who must exist.

Another commentary draws out the irony. They admitted Allah created everything, including their idols. Yet they tried to frighten His Messenger with those same idols.

Picture a plane in heavy turbulence. Every passenger knows the captain is flying it. Yet as the cabin drops, a man in row fourteen grips the back of the seat in front with both hands. The seat cannot fly the plane. He knows that. His hands have not caught up with what he knows.

That is the gap the ayah exposes, and not only in Quraysh. Our pride likes to think of itself as rational. We admit Allah made the universe. Then we grip the seats: a contact, a salary, a clever plan, a person's approval. We hold them as if they could keep us in the air.

Allah does not ask this question to gain their admission. He has no need of it. He asks so that the listener hears his own answer and feels the contradiction. The ego that grips the seat is quietly told to let go.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.