خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ثَمَـٰنِيَةَ أَزْوَٰجٍ ۚ يَخْلُقُكُمْ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ خَلْقًا مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ فِى ظُلُمَـٰتٍ ثَلَـٰثٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُصْرَفُونَ 6
Translations
He created you from one soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He produced for you from the grazing livestock eight mates. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, within three darknesses. That is Allāh, your Lord; to Him belongs dominion. There is no deity except Him, so how are you averted?
Transliteration
Khalaqakum min nafsin wahidatin thumma jaala minha zawjaha wa anzala lakum mina al-anAAami thamaniyata azwaj. Yakhluqukum fee butooni ummahatikum khalqan min baAAdi khalqin fee zulumatin talatin. Thalikumu Allah rabbukum lahu al-mulk. La ilaha illa huwa. Fa-anna tusrafun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's creative power in three dimensions: the creation of humanity from a single soul and its mate, the provision of eight pairs of livestock, and the intricate process of fetal development within the womb in three layers of darkness. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse emphasizes Allah's unparalleled creative wisdom and is followed by the proclamation that He alone is Lord and Sovereign, deserving exclusive worship—making it illogical for humans to turn away from His monotheism.
Revelation Context
Surah Az-Zumar is a Meccan surah revealed during the early Meccan period, addressing the polytheists' denial of monotheism and the resurrection. This ayah forms part of a broader argument demonstrating Allah's unique creative and sustaining power, refuting the polytheists' claims of partners to Allah by highlighting the testimony of creation itself.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim (2643): The Prophet ﷺ described the creation in the womb, stating that each of us is assembled in the womb for forty days as a nutfah (drop), then as an alaqa (clot), then as a mudghah (lump), as referenced by scholars explaining the 'three darknesses' of this verse.
Themes
Key Lesson
By reflecting on the miracle of human creation and Allah's provision, we recognize His incomparable power and absolute right to our worship and obedience. This should inspire profound gratitude and certainty in Allah's oneness, motivating believers to reject all forms of shirk and turn exclusively to their Creator.