40:64 Ghafir (The Forgiver)

{ اللَّهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ قَرَارًا } أي: قارة ساكنة، مهيأة لكل مصالحكم، تتمكنون من حرثها وغرسها، والبناء عليها، والسفر، والإقامة فيها.{ وَالسَّمَاءَ بِنَاءً } سقفًا للأرض، التي أنتم فيها، قد جعل الله فيها ما تنتفعون به من الأنوار والعلامات، التي يهتدى بها في ظلمات البر والبحر، { وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ } فليس في جنس الحيوانات، أحسن صورة من بني آدم، كما قال تعالى: { لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ } وإذا أردت أن تعرف حسن الآدمي وكمال حكمة الله تعالى فيه، فانظر إليه، عضوًا عضوًا، هل تجد عضوًا من أعضائه، يليق به، ويصلح أن يكون في غير محله؟ وانظر أيضًا، إلى الميل الذي في القلوب، بعضهم لبعض، هل تجد ذلك في غير الآدمين؟ وانظر إلى ما خصه الله به من العقل والإيمان، والمحبة والمعرفة، التي هي أحسن الأخلاق المناسبة لأجمل الصور.{ وَرَزَقَكُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ } وهذا شامل لكل طيب، من مأكل، ومشرب، ومنكح، وملبس، ومنظر، ومسمع، وغير ذلك، من الطيبات التي يسرها الله لعباده، ويسر لهم أسبابها، ومنعهم من الخبائث، التي تضادها، وتضر أبدانهم، وقلوبهم، وأديانهم، { ذَلِكُمُ } الذي دبر الأمور، وأنعم عليكم بهذه النعم { اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ } { فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ } أي: تعاظم، وكثر خيره وإحسانه، المربي جميع العالمين بنعمه.

قوله تعالى "الله الذي جعل لكم الأرض قرارا" أي جعلها لكم مستقرا بساطا مهادا تعيشون عليها وتتصرفون فيها وتمشون في مناكبها وأرساها بالجبال لئلا تميد بكم "والسماء بناء" أي سقفا للعالم محفوظا "وصوركم فأحسن صوركم" أي فخلقكم في أحسن الأشكال ومنحكم أكمل الصور في أحسن تقويم "ورزقكم من الطيبات "أي من المآكل والمشارب في الدنيا فذكر أنه خلق الدار والسكان والأرزاق فهو الخالق الرازق كما قال تعالى في سورة البقرة "يا أيها الناس اعبدوا ربكم الذي خلقكم والذين من قبلكم لعلكم تتقون الذي جعل لكم الأرض فراشا والسماء بناء وأنزل من السماء ماء فأخرج به من الثمرات رزقا لكم فلا تجعلوا لله أندادا وأنتم تعلمون". وقال تعالى ههنا بعد خلق هذه الأشياء "ذلكم الله ربكم فتبارك الله رب العالمين" أي فتعالى وتقدس وتنزه رب العالمين كلهم.

Signs of the Power and Oneness of Allah

Allah reminds us of His grace towards His creation in that He has given them the night in which they rest and relax from their activities so that they can go back to them for their livelihood during the day. He has given them the day with its light, so that they can undertake their journeys and engage in their business.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَشْكُرُونَ

(Truly, Allah is full of bounty to mankind; yet, most of mankind give no thanks.) means, they do not express gratitude for the favors which Allah bestows upon them. Then Allah says:

ذَلِكُـمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّـكُمْ خَـلِقُ كُـلِّ شَىْءٍ لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(That is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of all things, La ilaha illa Huwa.) means, the One Who does all of these things is Allah, the One, the Unique, the Creator of all things, besides Whom there is no other god or lord.

فَأَنَّى تُؤْفَكُونَ

(How then are you turning away) means, `how can you worship idols which cannot create anything but are themselves hand-made and carved'

كَذَلِكَ يُؤْفَكُ الَّذِينَ كَانُواْ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ

(Thus were turned away those who used to deny the Ayat of Allah) means, just as these people Quraysh were led astray by their worship of gods other than Allah, those who came before them also disbelieved and worshipped others, with no proof or evidence, but on the basis of ignorance and desires. They denied the signs and proof of Allah.

اللَّهُ الَّذِى جَعَـلَ لَكُـمُ الاٌّرْضَ قَـرَاراً

(Allah, it is He Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place) means, `He made it stable and spread it out for you, so that you might live on it and travel about in it; He strengthened it with the mountains so that it does not shake with you.'

وَالسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءً

(and the sky as a canopy,) means, `a roof covering and protecting the world.'

وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ

(and has given you shape and made your shapes good) means, `He created you in the best and most perfect form.'

وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ

(and has provided you with good and pure things.) means, of food and drink in this world. Allah states that that He is the Creator of the dwelling place and of the inhabitants and of the provision; He is the Creator and Provider, as He says in Surat Al-Baqarah:

يَـأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِىْ خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ - الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الاٌّرْضَ فِرَاشاً وَالسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءً وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَتِ رِزْقاً لَّكُمْ فَلاَ تَجْعَلُواْ للَّهِ أَندَاداً وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

(O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may have Taqwa. Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allah while you know.) (2:21-22) And here Allah says, after mentioning the creation of all these things:

ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُـمْ فَتَـبَـرَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

(That is Allah, your Lord, so Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all that exists.) meaning, exalted and sanctified and glorified be Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. Then He says:

هُوَ الْحَىُّ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(He is the Ever Living, La ilaha illa Huwa;) means, He is the Ever Living, from eternity to eternity, Who was, is and shall be, the First and the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden.

لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(La ilaha illa Huwa) means, there is none comparable or equal to Him.

فَـادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ

(so invoke Him making the religion for Him Alone.) means, affirm His Oneness by testifying that there is no God but He. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Imam Ahmad recorded that after ending every prayer, `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr used to say:

«لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ،لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ، لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَلَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ، لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الثَّنَاءُ الْحَسَنُ، لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُون»

(There is no (true) God except Allah Alone with no partner or associate, to Him belongs the dominion and praise, for He is able to do all things; there is no strength and no power except with Allah; there is no (true) God except Allah and we worship none but Him; to Him belong blessings and virtue and goodly praise; there is no (true) God except Allah, we worship Him in all sincerity even though the disbelievers may hate that.) He said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say the Tahlil in this fashion after every prayer." Similar was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i.

God it is Who made for you the earth as a stable abode and the heaven as a canopy a ceiling. And He formed you and perfected your forms and provided you with all the wholesome things. That then is God your Lord so blessed be God the Lord of the Worlds.

In verse 64, it was said: وَصَوَّرَ‌كُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَ‌كُمْ (and shaped you, and made your shapes so good -). Allah Ta’ ala has blessed the human person with the most distinct, superior and better-balanced form and shape out of all animals. He was given reason. He was given such hands and feet that he could get together materials to make things for his needs and comfort. Then, his eating and drinking is different, rather far distinct from common animals. They eat or graze or drink directly with their mouth. He uses hands. Common animals eat singles. Some eat meat, others eat grass or leaves, that too in singles. Contrary to that, man eats by combining different things like meat, vegetables, spices, herbs and fruits. He eats by making his food taste good. His culinary creativity knows no bounds when he would take a single fruit from nature, and turn it into all sorts of delicious eatables like pies, fruit cakes, jams, preserves and chutneys. فَتَبَارَ‌كَ اللَّـهُ رَ‌بُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Blessed is Allah, the Best Creator).

God is He who made the earth for you a settledness and the heaven a building. And He formed you, so He made your forms beautiful, and He provided you with the goodly things. This is another blessing and gentleness of which He reminds the servants, thus making the road of servanthood clear for them, showing them the traces of generosity and the indications of power, and placing a favor upon them. He is saying: “When I created heaven and earth, I created them for your sake. I made the earth your settledness, I built the heaven as your gazing place.” If from time to time there were no gazing on heaven, how would heaven have received this bestowal of eminence? We adorned the lowest heaven with lamps [41:12]. If earth were not the encampment of your majestic ruling authority, how would it have seen this caress? And earth, We laid it out-what excellent spreaders! [51:48]. The light of the moon, the brightness of the sun, the adornment of the stars-all is for you. The sun is your cook, the moon is your candle, the stars are your guideposts, heaven your roof, earth your carpet. Tomorrow when you are not there, the roof will be taken down, the carpet rolled up, and the stars will fall. When a carpet is spread for a friend and then the friend goes, the carpet will surely be taken away. “My servant, I created heaven to be your cupbearer: And We sent down from heaven pure water [25:48]. For today is the day of the veil, and there is no escape from the intermediary. But tomorrow will be the day of contemplation, and the intermediary will be of no use. The cupbearer will be My gentleness: And their Lord will pour for them a pure wine [76:21]. I built the earth as an intermediary to give you food: And therein We made grains grow, and vines and herbs, and olives and date-palms [80:27- 29]. Tomorrow will be the day of contemplation, and the intermediary will be of no use. I Myself will say, 'Eat and drink pleasantly' [69:24]. I created the sun to give you light, for today in the world of form the light of recognition is hidden within the curtains of the secret cores of the lovers' hearts.