أَمَّن يَبْدَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ وَمَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ أَءِلَـٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَـٰنَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ 64
Translations
Is He [not best] who begins creation and then repeats it and who provides for you from the heaven and earth? Is there a deity with Allāh? Say, "Produce your proof, if you should be truthful."
Transliteration
Amman yabda'u al-khalqa thumma yu'iduhu wa man yarzuqukum mina as-sama'i wa al-ardi a ilahun ma'a Allah qul hatu burhanakum in kuntum sadiqin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a rhetorical argument against polytheism by highlighting Allah's exclusive divine attributes: the origination and restoration of creation, and provision from heaven and earth. The verse challenges the polytheists to produce evidence (burhan) for their claim that other deities exist alongside Allah, implying their inability to do so. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this ayah demonstrates the logical impossibility of partners to Allah, as only He possesses these supreme powers.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the period of intense polytheistic opposition to Prophet Muhammad's message. Surah An-Naml addresses the Meccan disbelievers' persistent rejection of tawhid (monotheism) and presents rational arguments for Allah's oneness. This ayah fits within the surah's broader argumentative structure that uses creation, provision, and guidance as proofs of Allah's unique divinity.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly references this verse, the concept relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) asked the disbelievers about Allah's attributes, and they could not refute His oneness. The theme echoes in numerous hadiths emphasizing that only Allah possesses divine attributes (sifat) like creation and sustenance.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that the logical consistency of monotheism and Allah's exclusive divine attributes provide intellectual certainty in faith; confronted with doubts about belief, one can reflect on creation, sustenance, and resurrection as undeniable proofs that no partners exist with Allah.
Related Ayahs
وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا
And that it is He who causes death and gives life
يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلْمَلِكِ ٱلْقُدُّوسِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is exalting Allāh, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ ۗ قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "Is it other than Allāh I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?" Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to be the first [among you] who submit [to Allāh] and [was commanded], 'Do not ever be of the polytheists."
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَلَدًا
And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son."