ءَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَمُورُ 16
Translations
Do you feel secure that He who is above would not cause the earth to swallow you and suddenly it would sway?
Transliteration
A-amintum man fee as-sama'i an yakhsifa bikum al-arda fa-iza hiya tamur
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah poses a rhetorical question challenging the disbelievers' sense of security, asking if they feel safe from Allah (who controls the heavens) causing the earth beneath them to sink or convulse. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the verse emphasizes Allah's absolute power and sovereignty over creation, warning that divine punishment can strike suddenly and unexpectedly. The word 'tamur' (convulses/shakes violently) underscores the catastrophic nature of such divine chastisement, serving as a reminder of human vulnerability and divine omnipotence.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Mulk, a Meccan surah that emphasizes Allah's complete dominion and mastery over creation. The ayah fits within the surah's broader theme of warning the polytheists about their heedlessness regarding divine signs and the reality of the Hereafter. It serves as a call to awareness of divine power and a deterrent against arrogance.
Related Hadiths
The concept of sudden divine punishment is reflected in the hadith from Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) warned: 'The Hour will not be established until... the earth will not be recognized by its inhabitants.' Additionally, Sunan At-Tirmidhi records warnings about earthquakes as signs of the Hour and divine punishment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to maintain consciousness of Allah's ultimate power and to avoid complacency or arrogance, recognizing that security and safety are gifts from Allah alone. It encourages humility, awareness, and preparedness through righteous conduct rather than false confidence in worldly stability.