Al-Baqara 2:29

"It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. Then He directed Himself to the heaven, [His being above all creation], and made them seven heavens, and He is Knowing of all things."

Evidence of Allah's Ability

After Allah mentioned the proofs of His creating them, and what they can witness in themselves as proof of that, He mentioned another proof that they can witness, that is, the creation of the heavens and earth. Allah said,

هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَاتٍ

(He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He Istawa ila the heaven and made them seven heavens) meaning, He turned towards the heaven,

فَسَوَّاهُنَّ

(And made them) meaning, that He made the heaven, seven heavens. Allah said,

فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَاتٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

(And made them seven heavens and He is the Knower of everything) meaning, His knowledge encompasses all His creation, just as He said in another Ayah,

أَلاَ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ

(Should not He Who has created know) (67:14).

The Beginning of the Creation

This Ayah (2:29) is explained in detail in Surat As-Sajdah where Allah said;

قُلْ أَءِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَاداً ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا فِى أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ - ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلاٌّرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعاً أَوْ كَرْهاً قَالَتَآ أَتَيْنَا طَآئِعِينَ - فَقَضَاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَأَوْحَى فِى كُلِّ سَمَآءٍ أَمْرَهَا وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـبِيحَ وَحِفْظاً ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

(Say (O Muhammad ): "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days And you set up rivals (in worship) with Him That is the Lord of all that exists. He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four `days' were equal in the length of time) for all those who ask (about its creation). Then He Istawa ila the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said: "We come willingly." Then He finished them (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the decree of the Almighty, the Knower) (41:9-12).

These Ayat indicate that Allah started creation by creating earth, then He made heaven into seven heavens. This is how building usually starts, with the lower floors first and then the top floors, as the scholars of Tafsir reiterated, as we will come to know, Allah willing. Allah also said,

أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنَـهَا - رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا - وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَـهَا - وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا - أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرْعَـهَا - وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا - مَتَـعاً لَّكُمْ وَلاًّنْعَـمِكُمْ

(Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed He raised its height, and has perfected it. Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light). And the earth, after that, He spread it out. And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And the mountains He has fixed firmly. (To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle) (79:27-33).

It is said that "Then" in the Ayah (2:29) relates only to the order of reciting the information being given, it does not relate to the order that the events being mentioned took place, this was reported from Ibn `Abbas by `Ali bin Abi Talhah.

The Earth was created before Heaven

Mujahid commented on Allah's statement,

هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً

(He it is Who created for you all that is on earth) "Allah created the earth before heaven, and when He created the earth, smoke burst out of it. This is why Allah said,

ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌ

(Then He Istawa ila (turned towards) the heaven when it was smoke.) (41:11)

فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَاتٍ

(And made them seven heavens) means, one above the other, while the `seven earths' means, one below the other."

This Ayah testifies to the fact that the earth was created before heaven, as Allah has indicated in the Ayat in Surat As-Sajdah.

Spreading the Earth out after the Heavens were created

Sahih Al-Bukhari records that when Ibn `Abbas was question about this matter, he said that the earth was created before heaven, and the earth was spread out only after the creation of the heaven. Several Tafsir scholars of old and recent times also said similarly, as we have elaborated on in the Tafsir of Surat An-Nazi`at (chapter 79). The result of that discussion is that the word Daha (translated above as "spread") is mentioned and explained in Allah's statement,

وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا - أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرْعَـهَا - وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا

(And the earth, after that, He spread it out. And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And the mountains He has fixed firmly.) (79:30-32)

Therefore, Daha means that the earth's treasures were brought to its surface after finishing the job of creating whatever will reside on earth and heaven. When the earth became Daha, the water burst out to its surface and the various types, colors, shapes and kinds of plants grew. The stars started rotating along with the planets that rotate around them. And Allah knows best.

Все земные блага Аллах сотворил для людей по милости Своей, дабы они пользовались и наслаждались ими, делая из этого полезные выводы. Этот прекрасный аят свидетельствует о том, что все мирские блага считаются дозволенными и чистыми до тех пор, пока не доказано обратное, поскольку Всевышний Аллах упомянул о Своей милости по отношению к людям. На основании этого аята также можно утверждать, что все вредное и дурное запрещено, поскольку Аллах сотворил для людей то, что приносит им пользу. Значит, люди не имеют права пользоваться тем, что выходит за эти рамки. Запретив использовать все вредное и дурное, Господь также оказал людям великую милость. Далее Всевышний Аллах сообщил, что после сотворения земли Он обратился к небу. Глагол истава используется в Священном Коране в трех значениях. Когда он употребляется без предлога, то означает ‘достиг зрелости, совершенства’. Всевышний использовал его в таком значении, повествуя о пророке Мусе: «Когда он достиг зрелого возраста, Мы даровали ему власть (мудрость или пророчество) и знание» (28:14). Когда он употребляется с предлогом, обозначающим высокое положение, то означает ‘поднялся’, ‘вознесся’. Всевышний использовал его в таком значении, когда сказал: «Милостивый вознесся на Трон» (20:5); «Он сотворил всякие пары животных и растений и создал для вас среди кораблей и скотины те, на которых вы ездите, чтобы вы поднимались на их спины (или палубы)» (43:12–13). Когда он употребляется с предлогом, обозначающим направление, он означает ‘устремился’, ‘обратился’. Именно в таком значении этот глагол использован в обсуждаемом нами откровении. После сотворения земли Всевышний Аллах приступил к сотворению небес и сотворил их семью небесами. Он придал им совершенный облик и ведает обо всем сущем. Ему прекрасно известно, что попадает в землю и что выходит оттуда, что нисходит с небес и что восходит туда. Он ведает обо всем сокровенном и очевидном. В этом и во многих других аятах Аллах упомянул о сотворении Вселенной наряду с упоминанием о Своем божественном знании. Всевышний сказал: «Храните ли вы свои речи в секрете или же говорите о них вслух, Он ведает о том, что в груди. Неужели этого не будет знать Тот, Кто сотворил, если Он - Проницательный (или Добрый), Сведущий?» (67:13–14). Причина же этого заключается в том, что создание творений является самым убедительным доказательством божественного знания, мудрости и могущества.

In recounting the blessings which man has received from Allah, verse 29 refers to Allah having created for man "all that the earth contains." This small phrase comprehends all kinds of benefits which accrue to him from the earth and its produce. Then, the verse speaks of the creation of the sky and its division into seven skies or heavens, as they are usually called in English. In this context, the Holy Qur'an uses the Arabic word, Istawaإستوا which initially means 'to stand upright, to climb', and thence signifies 'to turn or pay attention to something', and, in a wider sense, 'to take a straight and firm decision which nothing can hinder'. The implication here is that Allah being Omniscient and Omnipotent, it was not at all difficult for Him to create the universe, once He had decided to do so.

The life in 'Barzakh' برزخ

(The period between death and resurrection)

(1) Verse 28 shows that a man who does not apparently deny Allah, but refuses to accept the Holy Prophet ﷺ as the Messenger of Allah, and the Holy Qur'an as the Book of Allah, would still be counted among those who do not believe in Allah.

(2) Verse 28 mentions only one kind of life which is to follow one's physical death - that is, the life which will begin on the Day of Resurrection - but says nothing about the life in the grave, although the Holy Qur'an and Hadith explicitly speak of how people will be questioned about their faith in their graves, and will also receive some reward or punishment. Now, this life in the grave is something intermediary (Barzakh برزخ ) between the life which man has in this world and one he will have in the other. In other words, it is a state in between the two, resembling the life one has while dreaming; it can be called a supplement to the life of this world as also a prelude to the life hereafter. In short, this intermediary life is not in itself a distinct entity, and hence need not be mentioned separately.

(3) According to verse 29, everything in the universe has been created for man. It means that there is nothing in the universe from which man does not derive some benefit in one way or the other, directly or indirectly. There are things which man uses physically as food or medicine; other things are useful for him without his knowing it; even poisonous or dangerous things do him some good; even things which are forbidden for him in one of their aspects, may in some other aspect be quite beneficial; finally, almost everything can serve to teach him a lesson or illuminate him in the interest of his life in the Hereafter. The great Sufi Ibn ` Ata' remarks in connection with this verse: 'Allah has created the universe for you so that it should serve you and you should serve Allah. A wise man should thus know that he will certainly get what has been created for him, and should not, in worrying about it, forget the Being for whom he himself has been created' (Al-Bahr al-Muhit).

On the basis of verse 29, some scholars have came to the conclusion that since everything in the world has been created for man, it is essentially legitimate (Halal حلال) and permissible (Mubah مٰباح ) for man to make use of everything, except the things which have been forbidden by the Shari'ah. So, the use of a thing is to be regarded as lawful so long as the Holy Qur'an or the Hadith does not forbid it.

On the contrary, some other scholars say that the mere fact of a thing having been created for the benefit of man does not argue that it automatically becomes lawful to make use of it. So, the use of everything is essentially unlawful unless an explicit statement in the Holy Qur'an or the Hadith, or an argument based on them establishes the use of a thing as legitimate.

There are still other authentic scholars who have not taken sides in this controversy. Ibn Hayyan, in his commentary 'Al-Bahr al-Muhit', points out that this verse does not provide a valid basis for, either of the two views, for the letter lam in the phrase: khalaqa lakum indicates causation, signifying that the universe has been "created for your sake." So, one cannot draw any conclusion from the phrase as to the use of everything being essentially legitimate or illegitimate. The injunction with regard to the legitimacy or the illegitimacy of the use of particular things have been provided elsewhere in the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith, and it is obligatory to follow these injunctions.

(5) Verse 29 shows that the earth was created before the skies, as indicated by the word, ثُم : Thumma ('then' ). Another verse of the Holy Qur'an seems to be saying the opposite وَالْأَرْ‌ضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَاهَا ﴿30﴾: "He spread out the earth after this." (79:30) But it does not necessarily mean that the earth was created after the skies. What it actually implies is that although the earth had already been created when the skies came into being, yet a final shape was given to it after the reation of the skies. (A1-Bahr al-Muhit, etc.)

(6) According to verse 29, the, skies are seven in number. This shows that the opinion of the ancient Greek astronomers and some Muslim philosophers, who used to speak of nine heavens, was no more than a conjecture.

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Evidence of Allah's Ability

The Beginning of the Creation

The Earth was created before Heaven

Spreading the Earth out after the Heavens were created