خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ تَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ 3
Translations
He created the heavens and earth in truth. High is He above what they associate with Him.
Transliteration
Khalaqa as-samawati wa-al-arda bi-al-haqq. Ta'ala 'amma yushrikun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah declares that Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth and purpose, not in vain. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret 'bi-al-haqq' (with truth/justice) to mean that creation serves divine wisdom and justice, refuting the polytheists' false beliefs. The phrase 'Ta'ala 'amma yushrikun' (exalted is He above what they associate with Him) emphasizes Allah's complete transcendence and rejection of shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nahl, a Meccan surah that focuses on Allah's signs and blessings in creation. The verse occurs within a passage refuting polytheism and establishing tawhid (monotheism) by pointing to the purposeful creation of the universe as evidence of Allah's oneness and transcendence.
Related Hadiths
Hadith Qudsi: 'I created all things for a purpose' - emphasizing that creation is not without design. Also related to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should know that everything created has wisdom behind it.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that the orderly universe around us is clear evidence of one Creator with perfect wisdom, inviting us to reflect on creation as a means of strengthening faith and rejecting false associations with the Divine. It also humbles us to recognize that our purpose aligns with the greater divine plan in creation.
Related Ayahs
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَالِقُ ٱلْحَبِّ وَٱلنَّوَىٰ ۖ يُخْرِجُ ٱلْحَىَّ مِنَ ٱلْمَيِّتِ وَمُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَيِّتِ مِنَ ٱلْحَىِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ
Indeed, Allāh is the cleaver of grain and date seeds. He brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living. That is Allāh; so how are you deluded?
وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
لَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْـَٔلُونَ
He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.
لَهُۥ دَعْوَةُ ٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَىْءٍ إِلَّا كَبَـٰسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى ٱلْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَـٰلِغِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا دُعَآءُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ
To Him [alone] is the supplication of truth. And those they call upon besides Him do not respond to them with a thing, except as one who stretches his hands toward water [from afar, calling it] to reach his mouth, but it will not reach it [thus]. And the supplication of the disbelievers is not but in error [i.e., futility].