Verses 1–5

**{ When the heaven is split asunder, * And listens to its Lord and is rightly submissive, * And when the earth is stretched forth, * And casts out what is within it and becomes empty, * And listens to its Lord and is rightly submissive. }**

As for the splitting of the heaven, its explanation has already passed in several places in the Qur'an. It is narrated from Ali (peace be upon him) that it will split open from the Milky Way (al-Majarrat).

Regarding His saying: **{wa adhinat li-rabbiha}** (and gives ear to its Lord), the meaning of *adhana* (to give ear) is to listen. From this is the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Allah has not given permission (adhana) to anything like His permission to a Prophet reciting the Qur'an in a melodious voice."

Abu 'Ubaydah, al-Mubarrid, and al-Zajjaj cited the verse by Qan'ab: *Deaf when they hear good mentioned concerning it,* *But when evil is mentioned, they listen.*

The meaning is that there was nothing in the substance of the heaven that could prevent the power of Allah Almighty from affecting it to split it and scatter its parts. Thus, it was receptive to that effect like an obedient servant who, when an order comes from the Master, he listens attentively and submits, and does not refuse.

His saying: **{qālata ataynā ṭā'i'īn}** (They both said, "We come in willing obedience") (Fussilat: 11) indicates the penetration of power in creation and origination without any resistance whatsoever.

His saying here: **{wa adhinat li-rabbiha}** indicates the penetration of power in scattering, annihilation, and cessation without any resistance whatsoever.

As for His saying: **{wa ḥuqqat}** (and is rightly so), it comes from your saying, "He is *maḥqūq* (rightly deserving) of such-and-such," and *ḥaqīq* (fitting) for it. This means it is deserving of submission and not refusing, because it is a body. Every body is contingent in its essence (*mumkin li-dhātihi*), and every contingent being has existence and non-existence equally relative to it. For anything that is so, the preference of its existence over its non-existence, or its non-existence over its existence, must be by the influence and preference of the Necessary Existent (*wājib al-wujūd*). Therefore, the effect of His power upon its creation and annihilation is penetrating and pervasive without any resistance at all.

As for the contingent being (*al-mumkin*), it has nothing but reception and readiness. Such a thing is rightly deserving to be receptive to existence at one time, and to non-existence at another time, by the will of the Necessary Existent.

As for His saying: **{wa idha al-arḍu muddah}** (And when the earth is stretched out), there are two interpretations:

**The First:** It is derived from the verb *madda* (to stretch), meaning it was stretched out. This is when its ropes/layers are removed by scattering, as He said: **{wa yas'alūnaka 'ani al-jibāli fa-qul yansifu-hā rabbī nasfā}** (And they ask you about the mountains, say, "My Lord will scatter them like dust") (Tā-Hā: 105), leveling its surface, as He said: **{qa'āan ṣaṣfā * lā tarā fīhā 'iwajan wa lā amtā}** (A level plain, wherein you will see no crookedness nor any unevenness) (Tā-Hā: 105, 106). It is narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that it is stretched like leather (*al-adim*), because when leather is stretched, all its folds disappear and it becomes level.

**The Second:** It is derived from *maddahu* meaning *ammadahu* (to increase it), meaning its expanse will be increased on the Day of Resurrection for the standing of all creatures upon it for reckoning.

Know that an increase in the surface of the earth is necessary, whether this is through stretching it or increasing its expanse, because when the first and the last generations stand upon it on the Day of Resurrection, there must be an increase in its length and width.

As for His saying: **{wa alqat mā fīhā}** (And casts out what is within it), the meaning is that when it is stretched out, it throws out what is in its interior—the dead and the treasures—which is like His saying: **{wa akhrajat al-arḍu athqālahā}** (And when the earth casts out its burdens) (Az-Zalzalah: 2), **{wa idha al-qubūru bu'thirat}** (And when the graves are overturned) (Al-Infiṭār: 4), **{bu'thira mā fī al-qubūr}** (What is in the graves is brought forth) (Al-'Adiyāt: 9), and like His saying: **{alam naj'al al-arḍa kifātā * aḥyā'an wa amwātā}** (Have We not made the earth a container, for the living and the dead?) (Al-Mursalāt: 25, 26).

As for His saying: **{wa takhallat}** (And becomes empty), the meaning is that it becomes extremely empty, such that nothing remains in its interior, as if it exerted its utmost effort in becoming empty. This is like saying *takarrama al-karīm* (the generous exerted himself in generosity) or *tarahhama al-raḥīm* (the Merciful exerted himself in mercy), when they reach the limit of their nature and exert themselves beyond it.

Know that the verified truth is that Allah Almighty is the One who brings those things out from the belly of the earth to its surface, but the earth is described with this action as a matter of extension (*tawassu'*).

As for His saying: **{wa adhinat li-rabbiha wa huqqat}** (and gives ear to its Lord and is rightly so), its interpretation has preceded, except that the first instance was concerning the heaven, and this one is concerning the earth. If the context of the speech differs, it is not a repetition.