Tafsir of Ghafir 40:57

"Assuredly, the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind."

This serves to confirm the truth and clarify the most famous matter they dispute: the resurrection, which is akin to Tawhid (monotheism) in the necessity of believing in it, following the path of the Almighty's saying: "Is He not, who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the likes of them?"

The genitive construction (idafa) of "creation" to what follows it is the addition of the verbal noun (masdar) to its object. That is: God Almighty’s creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than His—Glory be to Him—creation of mankind, because mankind, in relation to those immense celestial bodies, is nothing at all. The intended meaning is that He who is capable of creating such things is, by way of initiation and restoration, more capable and more powerful of creating that which is considered nothing in relation to Him.

Abu al-Aliyah said: "Mankind" refers to the Dajjal (Antichrist). This is based on what was narrated from him regarding the disputers. By my life, applying this and the like to that is extremely far-fetched, and I do not subscribe to it.

"But most of the people do not know."

They are the disbelievers. Since what preceded it was to prove the resurrection—to which the intellect bears witness and which wisdom clearly requires—it was appropriate to deny knowledge to those who disbelieved in it. For had they been of the rational ones whose nature is to reflect and contemplate upon that which indicates it, its denial would not have issued from them. No object for "knowing" was mentioned because the context demands that the verb be treated as intransitive.

It is said: The meaning is that they do not know that the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind; meaning they do not act according to the dictates of knowledge regarding this, such as acknowledging the resurrection. He who does not act according to the dictates of his knowledge is the same as the ignorant.

In al-Bahr, it is stated that the Almighty cautioned that one should not dispute the signs of God, nor should a human being show arrogance, by His saying—Glory be to Him—: "Assuredly, the creation..." etc. Indeed, the creations of the Almighty are greater and more magnificent than the creation of humans. So why should one dispute and show arrogance toward his Creator—Glory be to Him and Exalted? "But most of the people do not know"—they do not contemplate due to the dominance of heedlessness over them, and that is why they disputed and showed arrogance. It is not hidden that this is an interpretation of little utility.

"And the blind and the seeing are not equal"

That is: the one who is heedless of knowing the truth in its origin and return is not equal to the one who possesses insight into both. Interpreting "the seeing" as God Almighty and "the blind" as the idol is inappropriate here.

"Nor are those who believe and do righteous deeds equal to the evildoer."

That is: the one who does good. For this reason, it was contrasted with His saying: "Nor the evildoer." The departure from the evident contrast—as seen in the blind and the seeing—to that which is in the magnificent arrangement, is an indication that the believers are eminent in goodness. "The blind" was placed first to maintain harmony with the preceding denial of knowledge, and "those who believe" was placed later for adjacency to "the seeing" and due to their nobility. In such instances, there are ways: that each term is placed adjacent to what suits it, as is the case here; or that what corresponds to the first is placed first, and what corresponds to the latter is placed last, as in the Almighty's saying: [following verse].