۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُمْسِكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ أَن تَزُولَا ۚ وَلَئِن زَالَتَآ إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا 41
Translations
Indeed, Allāh holds the heavens and the earth, lest they cease. And if they should cease, no one could hold them [in place] after Him. Indeed, He is Forbearing and Forgiving.
Transliteration
Inna Allaha yumsiku as-samawati wal-arda an tazula wa la-in zalat in amsakahuma min ahadin min ba'dihi innahu kana haliman ghafura
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah alone sustains and preserves the heavens and the earth from collapsing or ceasing to exist. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this demonstrates Allah's absolute power and control over creation—no one else could maintain them if they were to perish. The concluding attributes of forbearance (hilm) and forgiveness (ghafur) suggest that despite humanity's disobedience and ingratitude, Allah continues to sustain creation out of His mercy and clemency.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Fatir (Meccan), which emphasizes Allah's power as the Creator and Originator of all things. The surah addresses the polytheists' denial of monotheism and the resurrection, contextualizing this ayah within the broader theme of Allah's sovereignty over all creation and His complete self-sufficiency.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The example of my Ummah is like the example of the rain, it is not known whether the end of it will be good or not' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2332). More directly, the concept of Allah's preservation of creation relates to the hadith about the seven heavens and earths in Sahih Bukhari 4802, emphasizing Allah's sustenance of all worlds.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that all existence depends entirely on Allah's will and power, not on natural laws or material forces—a profound reminder to trust in Allah's sustenance and to recognize that the universe's continuation is a sign of His mercy. It also teaches that despite humanity's failings and sins, Allah's forbearance and forgiveness ensure the continuation of creation, encouraging believers to turn to Him in repentance.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ هَلْ مِنْ خَـٰلِقٍ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ
O mankind, remember the favor of Allāh upon you. Is there any creator other than Allāh who provides for you from the heaven and earth? There is no deity except Him, so how are you deluded?
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرًۢا
And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature. But He defers them for a specified term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allāh has ever been, of His servants, Seeing.
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا ٱلْحَزَنَ ۖ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ
And they will say, "Praise to Allāh, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative -
إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
If He wills, He can do away with you and bring forth a new creation.