Tafsir of Ad-Dhariyat 51:47

Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51): Verse 47

{وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ...}

This verse serves as a clarification of the Oneness of God (Tawhid), whereas the preceding verses focused on establishing the Resurrection (Hashr).

Regarding His statement here, {And the heaven We constructed with hands [power]}, you are aware that what you worship besides God has created nothing of it. Therefore, associating partners [in worship] is invalid.

It can also be argued that this is a return, after the warning, to establishing proof. The construction of the heaven is evidence of the power to create bodies again, just as He Almighty said: {Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth capable of creating their like?} (Ya-Sin: 81).

In this verse, there are several issues:

The accusative parsing (Nadb) based on the rule of shariṭat al-tafsīr (the condition of explanation) is preferred in certain contexts. If the conjunction is with a verbal clause, what is that clause?

We refer to some of the views mentioned regarding His saying: {And in 'Ad} (51:41) and {And in Thamud} (51:43). The implied meaning is: "Has the account of 'Ad reached you?" and "Has the account of Thamud reached you?" This is in conjunction with His saying: {Has there come to you the account of the honored guests of Abraham?} (51:24). Based on this, what preceded is clearly a verbal clause.

Otherwise, the prepositional phrase (Jar wa Majrur) being in the accusative case is closer to being coordinated with something already in the accusative case than the nominative case (Rafʿ). Furthermore, His saying: {So We cast them out} (51:40), {We sent} (51:32), {Then the thunderbolt seized them} (51:44), and {So they could not escape} (51:45) are all verbal clauses, making the accusative parsing preferable.

The mention of "construction" for the heavens is repeated in the Qur'an: {And the heaven and He Who built it} (Ash-Shams: 5), {Or the heaven, He constructed it?} (An-Nazi'at: 27), and {He it is Who made the earth a resting place for you and the heaven a structure [building]} (Ghafir: 65). What is the wisdom behind this repetition?

There are several views:

1. Permanence vs. Change: The construction of the heaven remains until the Day of Resurrection; nothing has fallen from it, nor has any part of it ceased to exist. However, the Earth is subject to alteration and change; it is like a carpet that is spread out, rolled up, and moved. The heaven is like a fixed, constructed building, alluded to by His saying: {Seven strong ones [firmament]} (An-Naba: 12). As for the lands, many parts of them have turned into seas, and land has reverted to its original state since their creation.
2. Visual Appearance: The heaven is seen like a dome built above the heads, while the Earth is spread out and flattened. Construction is more fitting for something elevated, as indicated by His saying: {And raised high its ceiling} (An-Nazi'at: 28).
3. Metaphysical Purpose: Some wise men said that the heaven is the dwelling place of the spirits, and the Earth is the place of deeds. A dwelling place is more fitting to be described as a structure (building). And God knows best.

The rule is that the operator (verb) precedes the operated object (object). Here, the verb is Bana (constructed), which operates on as-Samā’ (the heaven). What is the wisdom in placing the object before the verb? If He had said, "And We constructed the heaven with hands," it would have been more concise.

The answer is that the Maker precedes the making in the observer's understanding of knowledge. Since the objective is to establish knowledge of the Maker, the proof is presented first: {And the heaven, which you see, We constructed it...}—so recognize Us through it, if you do not know Us.

If the goal is to establish Monotheism, why did He say {We constructed it} (banaynāhā) and not "I constructed it" (banaytuhā) or "God constructed it" (banāhū Allāh)?

His saying {We constructed it} is more indicative of the absence of a partner in absolute control and independent action. Saying "I constructed it" (banaytuhā) could imply partnership.

The complete clarification is that His saying {We constructed it} does not suggest that the deities they worshipped are the ones referred to by the pronoun in We constructed it, because those deities are either carved idols or stars upon which idols were fashioned according to their forms and natures.

• As for the carved idols, they do not claim to have built anything of the heaven.
• As for the stars, they are in the heaven and dependent upon it, so they cannot be its builders. It could only be argued that the heaven was built for them and their places were established.

Since what they claim is refuted, He said, "We constructed it," meaning We (the Divine Essence) are distinct from what they claim and assert. Thus, they are not fit to be partners with Us, because anything other than the heaven, and subordinate to it in rank, cannot be the Creator and Builder of the heaven. Therefore, it is known that the plural pronoun here signifies Majesty (Taʿẓīm), and the text conveys His Greatness, which negates the possibility of a partner. Thus, {We constructed it} is more indicative of denying a partner than "I constructed it" or "God constructed it."

If it is asked: Why do you say that the plural indicates Majesty?

We answer with two points:

1. Speech according to the Listener's Comprehension: The listener is humankind. Humans gauge the unseen by the seen. Among humans, the great one is he who acts through his soldiers and servants and does not perform the action himself. Thus, a king says, "We did it," meaning "Our servants did it by Our command," and this conveys majesty. The same applies to the Unseen (God).
2. Consensus in Action: When an action is performed by one person, but others agree with it, the speaker says, "We all did such-and-such." If a large group gathers to kill a beast and they kill it, it is said, "The people of such-and-such a town killed it," signifying the consent and intention of all toward that act.

Knowing this, whatever God commands to be done, no one has the right to refuse it, and everyone is submissive to it. Therefore, He says instead of "I did," "We did." This is the manner of the Great King whose command is universally accepted and never rejected by any soul.

His saying {with hands (power)} (bi-aydin) means strength. Al-ayd is strength, which is the famous interpretation, and it is how His saying {a man of strength, indeed he was ever turning back [to God]} (Sad: 17) is interpreted.

It is possible that the meaning here is the plural of yad (hand). The evidence is His saying: {when I created with My own two hands} (Sad: 75) and {of what Our hands have made, as livestock} (Ya-Sin: 71). This ultimately reverts to the first meaning. Accordingly, where He said {I created} (khalaqtu), He said {with My two hands} (bi-yadayy), and where He said {with hands} (bi-aydin), it corresponds to the plural form.

If it is asked: Why did He not say, "We constructed it with Our hands" (bi-aydinā) and instead said, {And We have no knowledge [of the means]}?

The answer lies in a subtle benefit: No one ever imagines that the heaven was created by anyone other than God, but livestock are not like that. Therefore, He explicitly stated there: {of what Our hands have made} to clarify that animals are created by God without intermediary. Similarly, {I created with My own two hands}. For the heaven, He used {with hands} (bi-aydin) without the possessive pronoun (idāfa) because it was unnecessary.

There is another subtlety: There, after omitting the pronoun referring to the object (He did not say khalaqtuhu - "I created it" or ʿamiltuhū - "I made it"), He then affirmed the addition (the possessive pronoun referring to His hands). Here, He said {We constructed it} (banaynāhā) because no one ever suspects that humans or animals were not created. Thus, He did not say "I created it" or "I made it." However, regarding the heaven, some ignorant people claim it was not made [by God], so He said {We constructed it} with the pronoun referring back to the heaven, explicitly stating that it is created.

{And the earth We have spread out—and excellent are those who spread!}

Regarding His saying, {And We have certainly expanded it} (wa innā la-mūsiʿūn), there are several views:

1. Vastness (Sāʿah): It means We expanded it to such a degree that the Earth, along with the water and air surrounding it, is like a ring in a desert compared to the vastness of the heaven. A vast, expansive dome is astonishing, as builders cannot manage such a wide dome because they require machinery to establish its curvature and maintain the cohesion of its parts until they join.
2. Capability (Qudrah): {And We have certainly expanded it} means We are capable. This is supported by His saying: {Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear} (Al-Baqarah: 286), meaning its capacity. The relevance here is clear. It is also possible that this refers to the other intended purpose, which is the Resurrection, as if He is saying: We constructed the heaven, and We are capable of creating its like, as in His saying: {Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth capable of creating their like?} (Ya-Sin: 81).
3. Provision (Rizq): {And We have certainly expanded it} means We expand sustenance for creation.

Then He Almighty said:

{And the earth We have spread out—and excellent are those who spread!}