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
وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـٰهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ فَمَآ أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ ءَالِهَتُهُمُ ٱلَّتِى يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ لَّمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ
And We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves. And they were not availed at all by their gods which they invoked other than Allāh when there came the command of your Lord. And they did not increase them in other than ruin.
۞ وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـٰلِحًا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا فَٱسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى قَرِيبٌ مُّجِيبٌ
And to Thamūd [We sent] their brother Ṣāliḥ. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. He has produced you from the earth and settled you in it, so ask forgiveness of Him and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive."
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُم مَّآ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبِّى قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّونَهُۥ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفِيظٌ
But if you turn away, then I have already conveyed that with which I was sent to you. My Lord will give succession to a people other than you, and you will not harm Him at all. Indeed my Lord is, over all things, Guardian."
وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْحَسَنَـٰتِ يُذْهِبْنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّٰكِرِينَ
And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.