وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَدَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنْهَـٰرًا ۖ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ جَعَلَ فِيهَا زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۖ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ 3
Translations
And it is He who spread the earth and placed therein firmly set mountains and rivers; and from all of the fruits He made therein two mates; He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
Transliteration
Wa huwa alladhī madda al-arda wa jaʿala fīha rawāsī wa anhāran, wa min kulli al-thamarāt jaʿala fīha zawjayn ithnayn, yughshī al-layla al-nahāra, inna fī dhālika la-āyāt li-qawm yatafakkarūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's creative power in establishing the earth with mountains as stabilizers, rivers for sustenance, and pairs of fruits for nourishment—demonstrating His perfect design and provision. The mention of night covering the day illustrates the cosmic order and Allah's control over time and celestial movements. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari emphasize that these signs are directed toward those who reflect and contemplate, making this ayah a call to intellectual engagement with creation as evidence of divine wisdom.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Ra'd, revealed in Medina, addresses the disbelievers' denial of Allah's signs and the Day of Judgment. This particular ayah falls within a section emphasizing Allah's sovereignty over creation and the natural phenomena surrounding the Meccan disbelievers, serving as rational evidence (ayāt) for those willing to ponder.
Related Hadiths
Hadith from Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh (Sahih Muslim): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The best act of worship is to contemplate Allah's creation.' This reinforces the ayah's emphasis on reflection (tafakkur). Additionally, the Prophet ﷺ said regarding mountains: 'Mountains are like pegs for the earth' (a concept affirmed in various hadith collections), supporting the ayah's mention of 'rawāsī' (mountains as stabilizers).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to observe and appreciate the intricate balance of creation—from mountains stabilizing the earth to the regular cycles of day and night—as manifestations of Allah's infinite wisdom, inspiring awe and gratitude. Modern believers should cultivate the habit of tafakkur (deep reflection) on creation as a means of strengthening their faith and understanding Allah's majesty.
Related Ayahs
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرِيكُمُ ٱلْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَيُنشِئُ ٱلسَّحَابَ ٱلثِّقَالَ
It is He who shows you lightning, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds.
جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِهِمْ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ
Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their forefathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying],
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ طُوبَىٰ لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَـَٔابٍ
Those who have believed and done righteous deeds - a good state is theirs and a good return.
۞ 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.