هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ ۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ 6
Translations
It is He who forms you in the wombs however He wills. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Transliteration
Huwa alladhee yusawwirakum fee al-arhami kayfa yasha'u, la ilaha illa huwa al-'Azeez al-Hakeem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's absolute creative power and wisdom in forming human beings in the wombs according to His will, without any constraint or limitation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that Allah shapes each fetus with perfect precision—determining their physical features, constitution, and lifespan—demonstrating His complete sovereignty over creation. The attributes 'Al-'Azeez' (The Mighty) and 'Al-Hakeem' (The All-Wise) emphasize that this creative process is both irresistible in power and flawless in wisdom, requiring submission to Allah's decree.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ali 'Imran (a Medinan surah) within the broader context of affirming Allah's oneness and creative attributes. It follows verses discussing the revelation of the Qur'an and serves as part of a thematic section establishing Allah's absolute control over creation, life, and destiny—themes central to combating idolatry and strengthening monotheistic faith in the early Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Each of you is created in the womb of his mother for forty days as a nutfah (drop), then for forty days as an 'alaqah (clot), then for forty days as a mudghah (lump)...' (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Beginning of Creation). This hadith complements the ayah by detailing the stages of fetal development Allah has ordained.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to recognize their complete dependence on Allah and to submit humbly to His creative wisdom, whether regarding one's physical nature, circumstances, or destiny. It serves as a reminder that every human being is a sign of Allah's magnificent power and wisdom, encouraging gratitude and acceptance of divine decree.
Related Ayahs
إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
To Allāh is your return, and He is over all things competent."
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُوا۟ بِهَا جَآءَتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَآءَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ ۙ دَعَوُا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ
It is He who enables you to travel on land and sea until, when you are in ships and they sail with them by a good wind and they rejoice therein, there comes a storm wind and the waves come upon them from every place and they expect to be engulfed, they supplicate Allāh, sincere to Him in religion, "If You should save us from this, we will surely be among the thankful."
وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰ
And that [incumbent] upon Him is the other [i.e., next] creation.
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَـٰشِفَـٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَـٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."