۞ قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 9
Translations
Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."
Transliteration
Qul a-innakum latakfuruna billathi khalaqa al-arda fi yawmayn wa tajʿaluna lahu andadan. Dhalikarabbul ʿalamin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to challenge the disbelievers: how can they deny the One who created the earth in two days and yet associate partners with Him? This ayah emphasizes Allah's supreme creative power and the logical absurdity of polytheism. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that this rhetorical question is designed to awaken the conscience of those who recognize Allah's oneness in creation yet deny His uniqueness in worship.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Fussilat, a Meccan chapter revealed during the early period of Islam when the Prophet faced intense opposition from Quraysh polytheists. The surah systematically addresses the disbelievers' denial of monotheism and divine revelation by presenting evidence of Allah's creative power and wisdom. This particular ayah uses the creation narrative as proof of Allah's sole divinity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most hateful person to Allah is the one who associates partners with Him (mushrik).' (Sahih Bukhari 4477). Additionally, Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet taught that recognizing Allah as the sole Creator is the foundation of faith (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that awareness of Allah's creative power should naturally lead to exclusive worship of Him alone, and any act of associating partners with Allah contradicts the logical recognition of His supreme authority. For modern believers, it serves as a reminder that sincere reflection on creation strengthens faith and awareness of how polytheism—whether overt or subtle—contradicts the fundamental truth of divine unity.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ ۗ قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "Is it other than Allāh I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?" Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to be the first [among you] who submit [to Allāh] and [was commanded], 'Do not ever be of the polytheists."
إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوا۟ دُعَآءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا۟ مَا ٱسْتَجَابُوا۟ لَكُمْ ۖ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ ۚ وَلَا يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ
If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] Aware [of all matters].
أَتَدْعُونَ بَعْلًا وَتَذَرُونَ أَحْسَنَ ٱلْخَـٰلِقِينَ
Do you call upon Baʿl and leave the best of creators -
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَالِقُ ٱلْحَبِّ وَٱلنَّوَىٰ ۖ يُخْرِجُ ٱلْحَىَّ مِنَ ٱلْمَيِّتِ وَمُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَيِّتِ مِنَ ٱلْحَىِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ
Indeed, Allāh is the cleaver of grain and date seeds. He brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living. That is Allāh; so how are you deluded?