وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَـٰعِبِينَ 16
Translations
And We did not create the heaven and earth and that between them in play.
Transliteration
Wa mā khalaqnā as-samāa wa-al-arda wa mā baynahumā li-ʿābīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah created the heavens, the earth, and everything between them with purpose and wisdom, not in jest or play. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this refutes the notion that creation is futile or meaningless, establishing that the entire cosmos exists according to divine purpose and order. Al-Qurtubi notes this serves as evidence for Allah's majesty and the necessity of fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Anbiya (a Meccan chapter) and is part of a broader section addressing the disbelievers' denial of resurrection and the Day of Judgment. The context emphasizes that just as Allah created the universe with purpose, so too will He resurrect humanity with purpose and hold them accountable.
Related Hadiths
Related to this theme is the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, the most beloved of you to me and the nearest of you to me in the Day of Judgment are those who are best in character.' This reflects the purposefulness of creation and human responsibility. Also relevant is the hadith: 'Everything has a purpose (qadr), even laziness and inactivity have their measure.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that life is not meaningless or arbitrary; rather, we are created with divine purpose and will be held accountable for our deeds. Understanding this encourages purposeful living aligned with Islamic values and preparation for the Day of Judgment.
Related Ayahs
فَمَا زَالَت تِّلْكَ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ حَصِيدًا خَـٰمِدِينَ
And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them [as] a harvest [mowed down], extinguished [like a fire].
۞ وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has touched me, and You are the most merciful of the merciful."
بَلْ مَتَّعْنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ طَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْعُمُرُ ۗ أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّا نَأْتِى ٱلْأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَآ ۚ أَفَهُمُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ
But, [on the contrary], We have provided good things for these [disbelievers] and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders? Is it they who will overcome?
وَإِذَا رَءَاكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَذْكُرُ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ
And when those who disbelieve see you, [O Muḥammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one who mentions [i.e., insults] your gods?" And they are, at the mention of the Most Merciful, disbelievers.