۞ 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
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُو۟لِىٓ أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَـٰثَ وَرُبَـٰعَ ۚ يَزِيدُ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Creator of the heavens and the earth, [who] made the angels messengers having wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.
وَمَا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَحْيَآءُ وَلَا ٱلْأَمْوَٰتُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُسْمِعُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِمُسْمِعٍ مَّن فِى ٱلْقُبُورِ
And not equal are the living and the dead. Indeed, Allāh causes to hear whom He wills, but you cannot make hear those in the graves.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَـٰلِمُ غَيْبِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
Indeed, Allāh is Knower of the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and earth. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ فَمَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَيْهِ كُفْرُهُۥ ۖ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا مَقْتًا ۖ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ إِلَّا خَسَارًا
It is He who has made you successors upon the earth. And whoever disbelieves - upon him will be [the consequence of] his disbelief. And the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them in the sight of their Lord except in hatred; and the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them except in loss.