وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۗ وَلَئِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ 7
Translations
And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and His Throne had been upon water - that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed. But if you say, "Indeed, you are resurrected after death," those who disbelieve will surely say, "This is not but obvious magic."
Transliteration
Wa huwa alladhī khalaqa as-samāwāti wa-al-arda fī sittati ayyāmin wa kāna 'arshuhu 'alā al-māi li-yabluwa-kum ayyukum ahsan 'amalan wa-la-in qulta innaкum mab'ūthūna min ba'di al-mawti la-yaqūlanna alladhīna kafarū in hādhā illā sihrun mubīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's creation of the heavens and earth in six days with His throne upon the water, emphasizing that this creation serves as a test (balā) to determine who performs the best deeds. The ayah then addresses the disbelievers' rejection of the concept of resurrection, dismissing it as mere sorcery. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that the mention of Allah's throne being upon the water before creation signifies His absolute power and pre-existence before any created thing, while the emphasis on testing through creation underscores the moral responsibility upon humanity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Hud, a Meccan surah primarily concerned with refuting polytheism and affirming monotheism, resurrection, and divine accountability. The context addresses the Meccan polytheists' mockery of the Prophet's message, particularly their ridicule of the resurrection (ba'th), which was a central point of contention between believers and disbelievers in Mecca.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Verily, the best of you are those who are best in character' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, in Sahih Bukhari, 'Aisha reported that the Messenger of Allah would be asked about which deeds are best, connecting to the ayah's emphasis on ahsan 'amal (best deeds).
Themes
Key Lesson
Life is a test from Allah designed to reveal which of us performs the best deeds with sincere intention and character; believers should focus on excellence in actions rather than being deterred by the mockery of those who deny the resurrection and final judgment.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
[Noah] said, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers."
قَالَ يَـٰنُوحُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍ ۖ فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ
He said, "O Noah, indeed he is not of your family; indeed, he is [one whose] work was other than righteous, so ask Me not for that about which you have no knowledge. Indeed, I advise you, lest you be among the ignorant."
وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And it was said, "O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain]." And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and it [i.e., the ship] came to rest on the [mountain of] Jūdiyy. And it was said, "Away with the wrongdoing people."
وَتِلْكَ عَادٌ ۖ جَحَدُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَصَوْا۟ رُسُلَهُۥ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ
And that was ʿAad, who rejected the signs of their Lord and disobeyed His messengers and followed the order of every obstinate tyrant.