ثُمَّ ٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ 4
Translations
Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued.
Transliteration
Thumma irji'i al-basara karratain yanqalib ilayaka al-basaru khaasi'an wa huwa hasir
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the believer to look repeatedly at the heavens to contemplate Allah's creation, and no matter how intently one gazes, the eye will return humbled and exhausted, unable to perceive any flaw or imperfection in Allah's design. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse emphasizes the perfect creation (itqan) of the seven heavens and serves as evidence of Allah's power and wisdom. The repetition of looking twice highlights the futility of finding defects in Allah's flawless creation, leading to awe and recognition of divine majesty.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Mulk, a Meccan chapter that focuses on Allah's complete sovereignty and the signs of His power in creation. It follows the initial command to look at the sky, inviting reflection on the cosmos as evidence of monotheism and refutation of idolatry. The context encourages believers to use reason and observation to recognize Allah's uniqueness during the early Meccan period when polytheism was prevalent.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Reflect upon the creation of Allah, but do not reflect upon the essence of Allah' (narrated by Ibn Abbas in various collections). This hadith directly supports the ayah's call to contemplate creation as a means of spiritual enlightenment without attempting to comprehend Allah's essence, which is beyond human capacity.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that intellectual humility is essential—no matter how much we study creation, we cannot find flaws in Allah's design, which should inspire awe and deepened faith. For modern readers, it encourages balancing scientific inquiry with spiritual reflection, recognizing that the more we understand the universe, the more we should acknowledge our limitations and Allah's infinite wisdom.