وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ ٱلْخَلْقِ غَـٰفِلِينَ 17
Translations
And We have created above you seven layered heavens, and never have We been of [Our] creation unaware.
Transliteration
Wa laqad khalaqnā fawqakum saba' tarāʾiqa wa mā kunnā ʿan al-khalqi ghāfilīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah has created seven heavens above humanity and is never heedless or unmindful of His creation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'seven layers/heavens' (saba' tarāʾiq) as referring to the celestial spheres mentioned throughout the Quran, emphasizing both the grandeur of divine creation and Allah's constant vigilance over all creatures. The phrase 'and We were not unmindful of creation' (wa mā kunnā ʿan al-khalqi ghāfilīn) reassures believers that despite the vastness of the universe, Allah's knowledge and care encompass everything.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Mu'minun, a Meccan chapter addressing the polytheists' denial of resurrection and divine omniscience. It serves as evidence for monotheism and Allah's complete control over the cosmos, countering the pagan Arabs' assumptions that the universe operated independently of divine oversight.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The seven heavens and seven earths in the Hand of the Most Merciful are like a mustard seed in the hand of one of you' illustrates the vastness of creation mentioned in this ayah. Additionally, Surah As-Sajdah 32:5 complements this theme by describing Allah's knowledge of all affairs across the heavens and earth.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah should inspire awe at Allah's creative power and comfort believers that despite living in an incomprehensibly vast universe, nothing escapes Allah's knowledge or care. It serves as a reminder that the complexity and beauty of creation testify to the existence of an all-knowing Creator who never neglects His servants.