11:7 Hud (Hud)

يخبر تعالى أنه { خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ } أولها يوم الأحد وآخرها يوم الجمعة { و } حين خلق السماوات والأرض { كَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ } فوق السماء السابعة. فبعد أن خلق السماوات والأرض استوى عليه، يدبر الأمور، ويصرفها كيف شاء من الأحكام القدرية، والأحكام الشرعية. ولهذا قال: { لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا } أي: ليمتحنكم، إذ خلق لكم ما في السماوات والأرض بأمره ونهيه، فينظر أيكم أحسن عملا. قال الفضيل بن عياض رحمه الله: \"أخلصه وأصوبه\" قيل يا أبا علي: \"ما أخلصه وأصوبه\" ؟. فقال: إن العمل إذا كان خالصا ولم يكن صوابا، لم يقبل. وإذا كان صوابا ولم يكن خالصا لم يقبل، حتى يكون خالصا صوابا. والخالص: أن يكون لوجه الله، والصواب: أن يكون متبعا فيه الشرع والسنة، وهذا كما قال تعالى: { وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ } وقال تعالى: { اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا } فالله تعالى خلق الخلق لعبادته ومعرفته بأسمائه وصفاته، وأمرهم بذلك، فمن انقاد، وأدى ما أمر به، فهو من المفلحين، ومن أعرض عن ذلك، فأولئك هم الخاسرون، ولا بد أن يجمعهم في دار يجازيهم فيها على ما أمرهم به ونهاهم. ولهذا ذكر الله تكذيب المشركين بالجزاء، فقال: { وَلَئِنْ قُلْتَ إِنَّكُمْ مَبْعُوثُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ } أي: ولئن قلت لهؤلاء وأخبرتهم بالبعث بعد الموت، لم يصدقوك، بل كذبوك أشد التكذيب ، وقدحوا فيما جئت به، وقالوا: { إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ } ألا وهو الحق المبين.

يخبر تعالى عن قدرته على كل شيء وأنه خلق السموات والأرض في ستة أيام وأن عرشه كان على الماء قيل ذلك كما قال الإمام أحمد: حدثنا أبو معاوية حدثنا الأعمش عن جامع بن شداد عن صفوان بن محرز عن عمران بن حصين قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم "اقبلوا البشرى يا بني تميم" قالوا قد بشرتنا فأعطنا قال "اقبلوا البشري يا أهل اليمن" قالوا قد قبلنا فأخبرنا عن أول هذا ألأمر كيف كان؟ قال "كان الله قبل كل شيء وكان عرشه على الماء وكتب في اللوح المحفوظ ذكر كل شيء". قال: فأتاني آت فقال يا عمران انحلت ناقتك من عقالها قال فخرجت في إثرها فلا أدري ما كان بعدي; وهذا الحديث مخرج في صحيحي البخاري ومسلم بألفاظ كثيرة فمنها قالوا جئناك نسألك عن أول هذا الأمر فقال "كان الله ولم يكن شيء قبله وفي رواية - غيره- وفي رواية - معه- وكان عرشه على الماء وكتب في الذكر كل شيء ثم خلق السموات والأرض" وفي صحيح مسلم عن عبدالله بن عمرو بن العاص قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم "إن الله قدر مقادير الخلائق قبل أن يخلق السموات والأرض بخمسين ألف سنة وكان عرشه على الماء" وقال البخاري في تفسير هذه الآية: حدثنا أبو اليمان أخبرنا شعيب أخبرنا أبو الزناد عن الأعرج عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم قال "قال الله عز وجل أنفق أنفق عليك". وقال "يد الله ملأى لا يغيضها نفقة سحاء الليل والنهار" وقال "أفرأيتم ما أنفق منذ خلق السموات والأرض فإنه لم يغض ما في يمينه وكان عرشه على الماء وبيده الميزان يخفض ويرفع". وقال الإمام أحمد: حدثنا يزيد بن هارون أخبرنا حماد بن سلمة عن يعلى بن عطاء عن وكيع بن عدس عن عمه أبي رزين واسمه لقيط بن عامر بن المنتفق العقيلي قال: قلت يا رسول الله أين كان ربنا قبل أن يخلق خلقه؟ قال "كان في عماء ما تحته هواء وما فوقه هواء ثم خلق العرش بعد ذلك". وقد رواه الترمذي في التفسير وابن ماجه في السنن من حديث يزيد بن هارون به وقال الترمذي هذا حديث حسن وقال مجاهد "وكان عرشه على الماء" قبل أن يخلق شيئا وكذا قال وهب بن منبه وضمرة وقتادة وابن جرير وغير واحد وقال قتادة في قوله "وكان عرشه على الماء" ينبئكم كيف كان بدء خلقه قبل أن يخلق السموات والأرض وقال الربيع بن أنس "وكان عرشه على الماء" فلما خلق السموات والأرض قسم ذلك الماء قسمين فجعل نصفا تحت العرش وهو البحر المسجور. وقال ابن عباس إنما سمي العرش عرشا لارتفاعه وقال إسماعيل بن أبي خالد سمعت سعدا الطائي يقول: العرش ياقوتة حمراء وقال محمد بن إسحاق في قوله تعالى "هو الذي خلق السموات والأرض في ستة أيام وكان عرشه على الماء" فكان كما وصف نفسه تعالى إذ ليس إلا الماء وعليه العرش وعلى العرش ذو الجلال والإكرام والعزة والسلطان والملك والقدرة والحلم والعلم والرحمة والنعمة الفعال لما يريد ; وقال الأعمش عن المنهال بن عمرو عن سعيد بن جبير قال: سئل ابن عباس عن قول الله "وكان عرشه علي الماء" على أي شيء كان الماء؟ قال على متن الريح وقوله تعالى "ليبلوكم أيكم أحسن عملا" أي خلق السموات والأرض لنفع عباده الذين خلقهم ليعبدوه ولا يشركوا به شيئا ولم يخلق ذلك عبثا كقوله "وما خلقنا السماء والأرض وما بينهما باطلا ذلك ظن الذين كفروا فويل للذين كفروا من النار" وقال تعالى "أفحسبتم أنما خلقناكم عبثا وأنكم إلينا لا ترجعون فتعالى الله الملك الحق لا إله إلا هو رب العرش الكريم" وقال تعالى "ما خلقت الجن والإنس إلا ليعبدون" الآية ; وقوله "ليبلوكم" أي ليختبركم "أيكم أحسن عملا" ولم يقل أكثر عملا بل أحسن عملا ولا يكون العمل حسنا حتى يكون خالصا لله عز وجل على شريعة رسول الله فمتى فقد العمل واحدا من هذين الشرطين حبط وبطل. وقوله "ولئن قلت إنكم مبعوثون من بعد الموت" الآية. يقول تعالى ولئن أخبرت يا محمد هؤلاء المشركين أن الله سيبعثهم بعد مماتهم كما بدأهم مع أنهم يعملون أن الله تعالى هو الذي خلق السموات والأرض كما قال تعالى "ولئن سألتهم من خلقهم ليقولن الله" "ولئن سألتهم من خلق السموات والأرض وسخر الشمس والقمر ليقولن الله" وهم مع هذا ينكرون البعث والمعاد يوم القيامة الذي هو بالنسبة إلى القدرة أهون من البداءة كما قال تعالى "وهو الذي يبدا الخلق ثم يعيده وهو أهون عليه" وقال تعالى "ما خلقكم ولا بعثكم إلا كنفس واحدة" وقولهم "إن هذا إلا سحر مبين" أي يقولون كفرا وعنادا ما نصدقك على وقوع البعث وما يذكر ذلك إلا من سحرته فهو يتبعك على ما تقول.

Allah created the Heavens and the Earth in Six Days

Allah, the Exalted, informs of His power over all things, and that He created the heavens and the earth in six days. He mentions that His Throne was over the water before that, just as Imam Ahmad recorded that `Imran bin Husayn said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«اقْبَلُوا الْبُشْرَى يَا بَنِي تَمِيم»

(Accept the glad tidings, O tribe of Tamim!) They said, `Verily you have brought us glad tidings and you have given us.' Then he said,

«اقْبَلُوا الْبُشْرَى يَا أَهْلَ الْيَمَن»

(Accept the glad tidings, O people of Yemen!) They said, `We accept. Therefore, inform us about the beginning of this matter and how it was.' He said,

«كَانَ اللهُ قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ، وَكَتَبَ فِي اللَّوْحِ الْمَحْفُوظِ ذِكْرَ كُلِّ شَيْء»

(Allah was before everything and His Throne was over the water. He then wrote in the Preserved Tablet mentioning everything.) Then a man came to me and said, "O `Imran, your she camel has escaped from her fetter." I then went out after her and I do not know what was said after I left." This Hadith has been recorded in the Two Sahihs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim with a variety of wordings. In Sahih Muslim, it is recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدَّرَ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلَائِقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء»

(Verily Allah measured the amount of sustenance of the creatures fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water.) Under the explanation of this verse, Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْك»

(Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said, `Spend and I will spend on you.') And he said,

«يَدُ اللهِ مَلْأَى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ، سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَار»

(Allah's Hand is full, and it is not diminished by spending throughout the night and the day.) He also said,

«أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَمِينِهِ، وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ، وَبِيَدِهِ الْمِيزَانُ يَخْفِضُ وَيَرْفَع»

(Have you seen what has been spent since the creation of the heavens and the earth Verily it does not diminish what is in His Right Hand (in the slightest) and His Throne was over the water. In His Hand is the Scale and he lowers and raises it.) Concerning Allah's statement,

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً

(that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds.) This means that He created the heavens and the earth for the benefit of His servants, whom He created so that they may worship Him and not associate anything with Him as a partner. Allah did not create this creation (of the heavens and the earth) out of mere frivolity. This is similar to His statement,

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَآءَ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَـطِلاً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ

(And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire!) 38: 27 Allah the Exalted, said,

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ عَبَثاً وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ تُرْجَعُونَ - فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

(Did you think that We created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us So Exalted is Allah, the True King: there is no God but He, the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) 23:115-116 Allah, the Exalted, said,

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ

(And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).) 51:56 Concerning the statement of Allah,

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ

(that He might try you,) It means so that He (Allah) may test you. Concerning the statement,

أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً

(which of you is the best in deeds.) It is important to note here that Allah did not say, "Which of you has done the most deeds." Rather, He said, "Best in deeds." A deed cannot be considered a good deed until it is done sincerely for Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and it must be in accordance with the legislation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Whenever a deed lacks one of these conditions, then it is null and void.

The Polytheists hasten their Torment by arguing against Resurrection after Death

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلَئِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُمْ مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِن بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ

(But if you were to say to them: "You shall indeed be raised up after death.") Allah, the Exalted, is saying, "O Muhammad, if you were to inform these polytheists that Allah is going to resurrect them after their death, just as He created them originally (they would still reject)." Even though they know that Allah, the Exalted, is the One Who created the heavens and the earth, just as He said,

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

(And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: "Allah.")43:87 Allah says,

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

(And if you were to ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon" They will surely reply: "Allah.") 29:61 Even after their awareness of this (Allah's creating), they still reject the resurrection and the promised return on the Day of Judgement. Yet, in reference to ability, the resurrection is easier (for Allah to perform) than the original creation. As Allah said,

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ

(And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it (after it has perished); and this is easier for Him.) 30:27 Allah also said,

مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلاَ بَعْثُكُمْ إِلاَّ كَنَفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ

(The creation of you all and the resurrection of you all are only as (the creation and resurrection of) a single person.) 31:28 Concerning the statement,

إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(This is nothing but obvious magic.) The polytheists say this due to their disbelief and obstinacy. They say, "We do not believe your claim that resurrection will occur." They also say, "He (Muhammad) only says this (resurrection of the dead) because he is bewitched, and he wants you to follow him in what his bewitchment tells him. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِلَى أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ

(And if We delay the torment for them till a determined term,) Allah, the Exalted, is saying "If We delay the torment and the destruction of these polytheists until an appointed time and a period determined, and We promise them a specific time period (of life), they would still say, in rejection and haste;

مَا يَحْبِسُهُ

(What keeps it back) They mean by this, "What delays this torment from overtaking us" Both rejection and doubt are their very nature. Therefore, they have no escape or refuge from the torment.

The Meanings of the Word Ummah

The word Ummah is used in the Qur'an and Sunnah with a number of different meanings. Sometimes when it is used it means a specified period of time. An example is the statement of Allah, the Exalted, in this verse,

إِلَى أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ

(till a determined Ummah (term),) This is also the meaning in the statement of Allah in Surah Yusuf,

وَقَالَ الَّذِى نَجَا مِنْهُمَا وَادَّكَرَ بَعْدَ أُمَّةٍ

(Then the man who was released, now after Ummah (some time) remembered.) 12:45 The word Ummah is also used to refer to the Imam (leader) who is followed. An example of this is in the statement of Allah,

إِنَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَـنِتًا لِلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

(Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah, obedient to Allah, Hanif, and he was not of those who were polytheists.) 16:120 The word Ummah is also used to mean religion and religious creed. This is as Allah mentions concerning the polytheists, that they said,

إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ

(Verily, we found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps. ) 43:23 The word Ummah is also used to mean a group (of people). This is as Allah says,

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ

(And when he arrived at the water (well) of Madyan, he found there a group of men watering (their flocks).) 28:23 Allah also said,

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut.") 16:36 Allah also said,

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولٌ فَإِذَا جَآءَ رَسُولُهُمْ قُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْقِسْطِ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ

(And for every Ummah there is a Messenger; when their Messenger comes, the matter will be judged between them with justice, and they will not be wronged.) 10:47 The meaning of Ummah here is those people who have had a Messenger sent among them. The meaning of Ummah in this context includes the believers and the disbelievers among them. This is like what has been recorded in Sahih Muslim,

«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَا يَسْمَعُ بِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ يَهُودِيٌّ وَلَا نَصْرَانِيٌّ ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِي إِلَّا دَخَلَ النَّار»

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! there is no one of this Ummah, whether he be a Jew or Christian, who hears of me and does not believe in me, except that he will enter the Hell- fire.) In reference to the Ummah of followers, then they are those who believe in the Messengers, as Allah said,

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ

(You (the followers of Prophet Muhammad) are the best Ummah ever raised up for mankind.) 3:110 In the Sahih the Prophet said,

«فَأَقُولُ: أُمَّتِي أُمَّتِي»

(Then I will say, "My Ummah (followers), my Ummah!") The word Ummah is also used to mean a sect or party. An example of this usage is in the statement of Allah,

وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَى أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ

(And of the people of Musa there is an Ummah who lead (the men) with truth and established justice therewith.) 7:159 Likewise is His statement,

مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ

(A party of the People of the Scripture stand for the right.) 3:113

And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days the first of which was Sunday and the last Friday — and His Throne before creating them was upon the water borne by the winds — that He might try you li-yabluwakum is semantically connected to khalaqa ‘He Who created’ in other words He created them and all that is beneficial and good for you in them in order to test you which of you is best in conduct that is which of you is most obedient to God. And if you were to say O Muhammad (s) to them ‘Truly you shall be raised again after death’ those who disbelieve will say ‘This Qur’ān that speaks of resurrection — or this that you are saying — is nothing but manifest clear sorcery’ sihrun a variant reading has sāhirun ‘sorcerer’ in which case the reference is to the Prophet s.

Another manifestation of the all-encompassing knowledge and perfect power of Allah Ta` ala has been mentioned in the second verse (7) - ` And He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days and (before creating these) His throne was on water.'

This tells us that water was created before the creation of the heavens and the earth. As for the elaboration of the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days, it has appeared in Surah Ha Mim as-Sajdah (also called Surah Fussilat). There it has been said that the earth was created in two days, mountains, river streams, trees and means for the sustenance and survival of living creatures in two days, then, the seven heavens in two days - 41:9-12).

According to Tafsir Mazhari, heavens mean everything high and above and the earth means down and below. Day is the measure of time which, after the creation of the heavens and the earth, is from sunrise to sunset - although, at the time of the creation of the heavens and the earth, neither did the sun exist nor its rising and setting.

It was also within the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala to create all these things in the flash of a moment but, in His infinite wisdom, He has made the system of this world gradual which is suitable for human temperament.

The purpose of the creation of the heavens and the earth has been identified at the end of the verse by saying: لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا (So that He might test you as to who among you is better in deed).

This tells us that the creation of the heavens and the earth was not the main purpose. The fact is that these were created for human beings who act right, do better and, along with it, also make the best use of what has been placed therein to run their lives. Finally, it is expected of them that they would ponder over these and would not miss to recognize their Master and Lord (the Malik, the Rabb).

The outcome is that human beings are the real purpose of the creation of the heavens and the earth. However, human beings are not all alike. Among them there are those who believe and have faith. Then, even among the later, there is someone, a man or a woman, who is the best in deeds. And it goes without saying that, among the progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) the best in deeds is our Rasul, on him the blessing of Allah, and peace. Therefore, it is correct to say that the real purpose of creating the entire universe is to bless it with the generous presence of the Holy Prophet ﷺ (serving as a model right through the Last Day). (Mazhari)

There is something we should also take note of. Allah Ta` ala said: أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا (who among you is better in deed). He has said nothing about the number of deeds. From here we learn that Allah Ta'ala favors the quality of deed more than He does the abundance or profusion or fre-quency of good deeds such as, Salah, Sawm, Tilawah of Qur'an and Dhikr of Allah. This beauty or excellence of deeds has been expressed through the word: اِحسَان (ihsan) in Hadith. Essentially, it means the doing of a deed for the good pleasure of Allah alone with no worldly motive attached to it. Then, it is also necessary to do it in a way that is liked in the sight of Allah. This way has been demonstrated by the Holy Prophet ﷺ through his conduct and he has made it necessary for his community to follow his Sunnah. In a nutshell, we can say that a little done with total sincerity and according to Sunnah is better than a lot more done with none, or less of the two.