ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى رَفَعَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ 2
Translations
It is Allāh who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne and made subject the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. He arranges [each] matter; He details the signs that you may, of the meeting with your Lord, be certain.
Transliteration
Allahu alladhi rafa'a as-samawati bighayri 'amadin tarawnahaa, thumma istawaa 'ala al-'arsh, wa sakhkhara ash-shams wa-al-qamar, kullun yajree li-ajal musamman, yudabbiru al-amr yufassilu al-ayat la'allakum biliqai rabbikum tooqinoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's absolute power and sovereignty, emphasizing His creation of the heavens without visible pillars and His dominion over all celestial bodies. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the phrase 'without pillars you can see' refutes the pre-Islamic Arabian belief that the sky was supported by mountains, establishing that divine power requires no material support. The ayah culminates by connecting this cosmic order to human accountability before Allah, presenting detailed signs as evidence to strengthen believers' conviction in meeting their Lord.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Ra'd is a Medinan surah that addresses the polytheists' denial of resurrection and monotheism. This particular ayah is part of the opening section that establishes Allah's unique attributes and creative power as foundational proof against those who rejected tawheed (monotheism) and denied the afterlife. The context refutes Arabian paganism's cosmic mythology.
Related Hadiths
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, 'The most excellent dhikr is La ilaha illallah, and the most excellent dua is Alhamdulillah' (Jami' At-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized contemplating creation as a form of worship: 'Reflect upon everything, but do not reflect upon the Essence of Allah' (Ibn Abil-Izz).
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize Allah's infinite power demonstrated through the flawless cosmic order and use this knowledge to strengthen their certainty in Divine judgment and the Hereafter. Modern readers can find in this ayah an invitation to reflect upon the universe as evidence of the Creator's wisdom and to live with consciousness of accountability before Him.
Related Ayahs
إِن نَّشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ءَايَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَـٰقُهُمْ لَهَا خَـٰضِعِينَ
If We willed, We could send down to them from the sky a sign for which their necks would remain humbled.
۞ وَإِن تَعْجَبْ فَعَجَبٌ قَوْلُهُمْ أَءِذَا كُنَّا تُرَٰبًا أَءِنَّا لَفِى خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْأَغْلَـٰلُ فِىٓ أَعْنَاقِهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
And if you are astonished, [O Muḥammad] - then astonishing is their saying, "When we are dust, will we indeed be [brought] into a new creation?" Those are the ones who have disbelieved in their Lord, and those will have shackles upon their necks, and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَدِينُونَ
That when we have died and become dust and bones, we will indeed be recompensed?'"
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ
And We did certainly create the heavens and earth and what is between them in six days, and there touched Us no weariness.