Tafsir of Al-An'am 6:13

(And to Him belongs whatever dwells) is a conjunction linked to "to Allah," thus falling under the command "Say," as it is a second argument against the polytheists, a view held by more than one scholar.

Abu Hayyan said: The apparent meaning is that it is an independent informative statement, not included under the command. That is: To Allah, Glory and Exalted be He, belongs exclusively "whatever dwells in the night and the day"—meaning those two specific times. "Whatever" (ma) is a relative pronoun, and "dwells" (sakana) is derived from "dwelling" (al-sukna); thus, the speech encompasses both the moving and the stationary without the need for an implied meaning. Its transitive use via the preposition fi (in) to denote time—even though its proper usage is for place—is to liken stability in time to stability in place. It has been permitted that there is an implied stylistic correlation (mushakala), as the meaning is: "To Allah belongs what is in the heavens and the earth, what dwells therein and is settled." The intended meaning is: To Him belongs all that they contain.

Alternatively, it is derived from "stillness" (al-sukun), the opposite of motion, as has been said. The speech employs the technique of sufficiency with one of two opposites, as in His saying: "Garments to protect you from the heat [and cold]." The implied meaning is: "Whatever dwells in them and whatever moves." It suffices with "stillness" rather than its opposite, rather than the reverse, because stillness is more prevalent in existence, and the end of every moving thing is stillness, as it is said: "If your winds blow, seize the opportunity, for every blowing has a stillness." Also, because stillness is often a blessing, being a form of rest, whereas motion is not necessarily so. This has been countered by the claim that there is no justification for sufficiency with stillness over motion in a context of elaboration, confirmation, and the manifestation of the perfection of dominion and disposal. It is answered that this omitted portion is effectively present due to the rapidity of its comprehension from the mention of its opposite, and the context does not require the explicit mention [of the opposite]; rather, it requires the universality of changes and disposals occurring in the night and the day. When it is established that "stillness" alongside its rapidly-understood opposite is a metonymy for all of that, it becomes suitable for the context.

It is also said: "Whatever dwells" encompasses all created beings, for there is nothing among them that is not characterized by stillness, even the moving object at the moment it is seen moving, based on what has been established in its proper place: that the variation of motions in speed and slowness is due to the scarcity or frequency of the stillness-intervals interspersed within them. Regarding the meaning of motion and stillness, and the explanation of the famous categories of motion, there is extensive discussion to be sought in its proper place.

(And He is the All-Hearing)—meaning the One who is hyperbolic in hearing every audible thing, so He hears the whispers of all that dwells in the two periods of time—(the All-Knowing)—meaning the One who is hyperbolic in knowledge of every knowable thing of various species. The sentence is driven to illustrate the encompassment of His hearing and knowledge—Glory and Exalted be He—following the illustration of the encompassment of His power—Majestic is His status—or as a threat regarding their sayings and deeds. Therefore, hearing and knowledge were specifically mentioned. It is possible that this [sentence] is part of the command "Say," and it is possible that it is part of the speech of Allah the Exalted.