أَمَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَنۢبَتْنَا بِهِۦ حَدَآئِقَ ذَاتَ بَهْجَةٍ مَّا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُنۢبِتُوا۟ شَجَرَهَآ ۗ أَءِلَـٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ يَعْدِلُونَ 60
Translations
[More precisely], is He [not best] who created the heavens and the earth and sent down for you rain from the sky, causing to grow thereby gardens of joyful beauty which you could not [otherwise] have grown the trees thereof? Is there a deity with Allāh? [No], but they are a people who ascribe equals [to Him].
Transliteration
Am-man khalaqa as-samawati wa-al-arda wa-anzala lakum min as-sama'i ma'an fa-anbatna bihi hadaa'iq dhata bahjatin ma kana lakum an tunbitu shajarah. A-ilahun ma'a Allah. Bal hum qawmun ya'dilun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a powerful rhetorical argument (istifham) challenging the polytheists to acknowledge Allah's supreme creative power: who besides Allah can create the heavens and earth, send down rain from the sky, and cause gardens full of beauty to grow—something humans cannot accomplish themselves? Ibn Kathir notes this is a ta'jīz argument (proof of Allah's inimitability), while Al-Tabari emphasizes the logical impossibility of polytheism in light of such unified divine creation. The ayah concludes by condemning those who associate partners with Allah despite this clear evidence, calling them a people who commit injustice (ya'dilun) by attributing creation to others.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Naml's broader theme of refuting polytheism through contemplation of creation. The surah, revealed in Mecca during intense opposition to the Prophet ﷺ, uses rhetorical questions to guide the Quraysh toward monotheism. This particular ayah follows a series of similar questions about Allah's exclusive dominion, serving as a central argument in the Meccan phase's emphasis on tawhid (divine oneness).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Whoever plants a tree, Allah grants him reward equal to the fruit it bears' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). While not directly about this ayah, it relates to the theme of cultivation and gratitude for Allah's provision. Additionally, the Prophet's statement about reflecting on creation—'Contemplate the creation but do not contemplate the Creator'—connects to the ayah's call to recognize Allah through His works.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to use reason and observation of the natural world as a pathway to strengthen their conviction in Allah's oneness—recognizing that the intricate systems sustaining life (water cycles, plant growth, ecological beauty) are manifestations of a single, all-powerful Creator. For modern readers, it encourages environmental consciousness as a form of gratitude while cautioning against the spiritual blindness of those who fail to recognize divine majesty in creation.