Tafsir of Ar-Rum 30:27

"And it is He who begins [creation and then repeats it, and that is easier for Him]."

The nominative pronoun in "repeats it" (al-i'adah) refers to the act of repetition. Its masculine gender is either to observe the form of the predicate, or because it is interpreted as an [that] with the verb, which holds the status of a masculine verbal noun. Alternatively, it may be due to interpreting it as "resurrection" (al-ba'th) and the like.

The view that the pronoun refers to a verbal noun understood from "repeats" (yu'idu), despite the word "repetition" (al-i'adah) not being explicitly mentioned, is of no benefit according to some scholars; for once it is understood, the mind tends to look toward its specific form. The pronominal suffix in "upon Him" ('alayhi) refers to Allah—exalted is His state—and "easier" (ahwan) is a superlative. That is, repetition is easier for Allah than the initial beginning. This ease is stated by way of analogy (tamthil) in relation to what humans do among the things they are capable of, for repeating a thing from its original material is easier for them than bringing it into existence from the start. The objective is to approximate the matter for the minds of the ignorant who deny resurrection. Otherwise, all possibilities are equal in relation to His power—exalted is He—so it is as if it were said: "It is easier for Him, relative to your own capacity and by analogy to your own principles."

Al-Zamakhshari mentioned another aspect for the superlative: that the initial creation belongs to the category of "grace" (tafaddul), wherein the agent is free to perform it or not, whereas repetition belongs to the category of the "obligatory" (wajib), which must be performed because it is for the requital of deeds, and requital is obligatory. Actions are either impossible—and the impossible is inherently unreachable and outside the scope of capability—or they are things that prevent the Wise from performing them, such as "the ugly/repulsive" (al-qabih), which is synonymous with the impossible because the preventative factor precludes the existence of the act just as impossibility does. Then there is "grace," which is between the two—the agent may or may not perform it. Finally, there is the "obligatory," which must be done and cannot be abandoned. Thus, the obligatory is the furthest of actions from impossibility and the nearest to occurrence. Since repetition is of the category of the obligatory, it is the furthest of actions from impossibility, and being furthest from it, it is more deeply involved in ease and facility, thus making it "easier" than the initial creation.

Critics have examined this, noting that it is built upon the premise of "rational obligation," and that if obligation is essential (bi-al-dhat), it negates choice like impossibility; if it is not, then it is possible, and the two actions would be equal in sharing the prerequisite for being within one's capability—namely, possibility. Al-Kashf rebutted this, saying: I say that it is not obligatory by essence, nor does it necessarily follow that it equates to "grace" in the ease of occurrence. As for equality in the criteria for capability, that has no bearing on our current discussion. The result is that if one concedes that the motive for an action is stronger, there is no doubt it is closer to existence than that for which the motive is not as strong. Yes, if the motive for both categories were equal, they would be equal, but the discussion is not premised on that.

The truth is what Abu al-Sa'ud stated: that "easier" does not mean "closer to existence" due to a multiplicity of factors motivating the agent or the strength of their requirement for His power to attach to it. Rather, it refers to the ease of its occurrence and emanation from Him when His power attaches to its existence, and its being necessary by virtue of another (wajib bi-al-ghayr). There is no difference in this between whether that attachment is by way of necessity or by way of choice.

Al-Zajjaj narrated from Abu 'Ubaydah and many linguists that ahwan here means hayyin (easy), and this was also narrated from Ibn 'Abbas and al-Rabi'. It is likewise in the codex of 'Abdullah. This is like saying, "Allah is Akbar (Greater)," meaning Kabir (Great), or "You are the Aw-had (Most Unique) of people," meaning Wahiduhum (their unique one), or "I am Aw-jal (Most Fearing)," meaning Wajil (fearing). In al-Kashf, the investigation concludes that it is a case of absolute augmentation, and it is described as meaning "easy" because it fulfills the same purpose. It was also said: Af'al (the superlative) is meant literally, and the pronoun "upon Him" refers to the creation, meaning that repetition is easier for the created, because the beginning involves transitioning from one stage to another until one becomes a human, whereas repetition does not require these stages; Allah merely calls them, and they emerge.

As for the meaning that repetition is easier for the created—meaning that they find it easier to repeat a thing they have already practiced and know—there is nothing easier than doing it the first time before practice. If this is the case for the created, what then of the Creator? It is clear that the outward meaning is the return of the pronoun to Him—exalted is He. Furthermore, the prepositional phrase is a complement to "easier," and the complement was brought forward in His saying: "And it is easy for Me" (huwa 'alayya hayyin), but delayed here because the intention there was "exclusivity," which is the core of the matter. So it was said, "It is easy for Me," even if it were difficult for you—that one might be born between a barren woman and a sterile man. Here, however, there is no sense of exclusivity. How could there be, when the matter is based on what they understand: that repetition is easier than initiation? If the complement had been brought forward, the meaning would have changed.

When He—glorified be He—informed that repetition is easier for Him by way of analogy, He followed it by saying: "And for Him—exalted is His state—is the Mathal al-A'la (the Supreme Attribute/Example)." This means the attribute of wondrous status, such as general power, perfect wisdom, and all other attributes of perfection, "the Supreme," which none other possesses, let alone equals. It is as if it were said: This was to aid limited minds, for His attributes are wondrous, His power is general, and His wisdom is perfect; thus, every thing—beginning, repeating, bringing into existence, and annihilating—is equal. There is no likeness to Him, and no equal.

Qatadah and Mujahid said that the "Supreme Attribute" is La ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah). They likely intended by this the Oneness in His essence and attributes. This discourse is also linked to what preceded it, as if it were said: What was mentioned was to aid limited minds, because no one shares with Him in His essence or attributes. Others said it is linked to what follows: "He has presented to you an example from your own selves." Al-Zajjaj said: The Mathal (Example) is His saying, "And that is easier for Him," which Allah presented as an example regarding what is easy or difficult for you, and it is judged by your own principles. Thus, the alif-lam in al-Mathal refers to what was previously mentioned (lil-'ahd), and it is taken according to its literal meaning, not used metaphorically for the wondrous attribute.

"In the heavens and the earth" relates to the content of the preceding sentence, meaning that He—glorified be He—has been described by this and made known through it in both realms by the tongues of creatures and the tongues of evidence. It was also said: it relates to "the Supreme"; or to an omitted term which is a circumstantial qualifier (hal) for it, or for "the Example," or for its pronoun in "the Supreme." It was also said: it relates to what "for Him" relates to—i.e., "For Him, in the heavens and the earth, is the Supreme Attribute." The intention is that the indication of their creation regarding His immense power is more complete than the indication of the initial creation; thus, it is a greater proof for the possibility of repetition, and for this reason, it is placed higher than the initial creation. So reflect.

"And He is the Aziz (Almighty)"—the Powerful, who is not rendered incapable of initiating any possibility or repeating it—"the Hakim (All-Wise)," who conducts actions according to the paths of wisdom and benefit. "He has presented to you an example," by which the falsehood of polytheism becomes clear.