Surah Saba ayat 9 Tafsir Quran 34:9

﴿أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ﴾
[ سبأ: 9]

34:9 Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or [could] let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back [to Allah].

Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them in other words what is above them and what is beneath them of heaven and earth? If We will it We can make the earth swallow them or let fall on them fragments read kisfan or kisafan ‘large pieces’ from the heaven a variant reading has the third person singular for all three verbs sc. yashā’ ‘He will’ yakhsif ‘He makes to swallow’ yusqit ‘He lets fall’. Surely in that which is observed there is a sign for every penitent servant turning back to his Lord signs indicating God’s power to resurrect and to do what He will.

Do they not see what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth and contemplate their existence, maintenance and conservation. If We willed We could eclipse them in one swallow by a yawning earthly chasm We create beneath them or cause a piece of heaven to fall upon them in the form of discs of cumuli; either incident is by itself a great inducement for lifting to Allah the inward sight by the votary devoted to religious observances and to repentance with a breast filled with reverential awe

The Disbelievers' Denial of Life after Death, and the Refutation of Their View Here Allah tells us how the disbelievers and heretics denied that the Hour will come, and mocked the Messenger ﷺ for speaking of it. وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ هَلْ نَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ إِذَا مُزِّقْتُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ ( Those who disbelieve say: "Shall we direct you to a man who will tell you (that ) when you have become fully disintegrated into dust with full dispersion...") means, when your bodies have disintegrated into the earth and dispersed without a trace, إِنَّكُمْ ( then you ) means, after this has happened, لَفِى خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ ( will be created (again ) anew) means, you will be restored to life and will receive provision anew.
`By telling us this, he is doing one of two things: either he is deliberately fabricating something and saying that Allah has revealed it to him, or he is not doing it deliberately, but he is deluded as crazy and insane people are.' They said: أَفْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً أَم بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ( Has he invented a lie against Allah, or is there a madness in him ) Allah said, refuting their words: بَلِ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ فِى الْعَذَابِ وَالضَّلَـلِ الْبَعِيدِ ( Nay, but those who disbelieve in the Hereafter are (themselves ) in a torment, and in far error.) meaning, the matter is not as they claim or as they think; on the contrary, Muhammad ﷺ is the one who is telling the truth, and is righteous and wise; he is the one who has brought the truth, and they are the foolish and ignorant liars. فِى الْعَذَابِ are themselves( in a torment, means, their disbelief, which will lead them to the torment of Allah. وَالضَّلَـلِ الْبَعِيدِ ( and in far error. ) far from the truth in this world.
Then Allah warns them of His power in the creation of heavens and earth, as He says: أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth ) meaning, wherever they go, in whatever direction, the heavens are above them and the earth is beneath them.
This is like the Ayah: وَالسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ - وَالاٌّرْضَ فَرَشْنَـهَا فَنِعْمَ الْمَـهِدُونَ ( With Hands did We construct the heaven.
Verily, We are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof.
And We have spread out the earth; how Excellent Spreader (thereof ) are We!) ( 51:47-48 ) إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ ( If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. ) means, `if We wished, We could do that to them because of their wrongdoing and Our power over them, but We delay it because We are Patient and Forgiving.' Then Allah says: إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ ( Verily, in this is a sign for every Munib servant. ) Ma`mar narrating from Qatadah, said that Al-Munib means every one who repents.
Sufyan narrated from Qatadah, that Al-Munib is the one who turns to Allah.
This means that in looking at the creation of the heavens and the earth, there is a sign for every servant who is intelligent and wise and who turns towards Allah.
There is a sign of the Allah's ability to recreate bodies and bring about the Resurrection, because the One Who was able to create these heavens -- with their vast reaches of space, and this earth, as deep and vast as it is -- is able to recreate bodies and revive decayed bones.
This is like the Ayat: أَوَلَـيْسَ الَذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم بَلَى ( Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, Able to create the like of them Yes, indeed! ) ( 36:81 ) لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ( The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not.
) ( 40:57 )

(34:9) Do they not see how the heavens and the earth encompass them from the front and the rear? We could, if We so wished, cause the earth to swallow them or let fragments of the sky fall upon them. *12 Verily there is a Sign in this for every servant (of Allah) who penitently turns to Him. *13

Then, do they not look at what meaning

*11) This is the first answer to their charge.
It means: " O foolish people, it is you who have lost your reason.
For you do not listen to the one who is informing you of the truth and arc recklessly galloping on the way that leads to Hell.
But the height of your stupidity is that you are calling the one who is anxious for your salvation, mad. "
*12) This is the second answer to their charge.
To understand it well one should bear in mind the fact that three things were most prominent among the reasons for which the disbelieving Quraish denied the life-after-death: ( 1 ) They did not want to believe in any kind of accountability before God, for after believing in such a thing they would be left with no freedom whatever to behave and act as they pleased in the world.
( 2 ) They thought it was inconceivable that Resurrection would take place and the present material order of the universe would be destroyed and replaced by a new order.
( 3 ) They thought it was impossible that the people who had died hundreds of thousands of years in the past and whose bones even had decayed and disintegrated, would be raised back to life.
With the same body and soul.
The answer given above covers alI these three aspects, and contains a severe warning as well.
The details of the theme contained in these brief sentences are given below:
( 1 ) If you ever had observed this earth and the heavens with clear sightedness, you would have seen that it is not a plaything nor has its creation come into being by accident.
Everything in this universe points to the fact that it has been created by an AII-Powerful Being with great wisdom.
In such a wise system it would be highly absurd to think that somebody could be left to live an irresponsible and unaccountable life after he had been given the faculties of intellect and discrimination and .
authority.

( 2 ) Anyone who sees the natural order with discerning eyes will realize that the occurrence of Resurrection is not at all difficult.
It can take place suddenly as soon as the system in which the earth and the heavens are bound together is disturbed.
And the same system testifies that the One Who has made and is running this world today can create another world again.
If it were difficult for Him to do so, this world would not have existed as it does today.

( 3 ) Your opinion and judgement about the Creator of the universe that it will be impossible for Him to resurrect the dead, is strange.
The bodies of the men who die may utterly decay and disintegrate and be scattered but nevertheless remain within the bounds of this very universe and do not go anywhere outside its bounds.
Then it is not at aII difficult for the God Who has created this earth and the heavens to gather together everything from the earth and water and air wherever it happens to be.
Whatever makes up your body today was collected and combined by Him, and brought out from this very earth, water and air.
When the collecting and assembling of these elements together is possible today, how will it be impossible tomorrow?
Besides these three arguments, the discourse also contains a subtle warning to the effect: " You arc surrounded by God's Kingdom on aII sides.
Wherever you may go, you would be covered and surrounded by the same universe.
You cannot find any place of refuge against God, and God's power is such that He can afflict you whenever He likes with a calamity from under your feet or from above your heads.
You do not know what forces might be working under the very surface of the earth which you find as an abode of perfect peace and safety for yourselves, and when they would cause an earthquake to take place and turn the' same earth into your grave.
You do not know when a disaster might befall you-a lightning.
or a devastating rain, or some other calamity-from the same sky under which you walk about with full peace and satisfaction of the heart as if it were the ceiling of your own house.
In a state like this, your fearlessness of God, your heedlessness of any thought of the Hereafter and your vain and nonsensical talk against the admonition of a well-wisher has no other meaning than that you are only inviting your own doom. "
*13) That is, " The person who is neither prejudiced nor obstinate and stubborn, but is a sincere seeker of guidance from his God, can learn many lessons from the observation of the earth and heavens; but the one whose heart is turned away from God, will sec everything in the universe, but will never perceive any Sign pointing to the Trnth. "
 

The Disbelievers' Denial of Life after Death, and the Refutation of Their View Here Allah tells us how the disbelievers and heretics denied that the Hour will come, and mocked the Messenger ﷺ for speaking of it. وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ هَلْ نَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ إِذَا مُزِّقْتُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ ( Those who disbelieve say: "Shall we direct you to a man who will tell you (that ) when you have become fully disintegrated into dust with full dispersion...") means, when your bodies have disintegrated into the earth and dispersed without a trace, إِنَّكُمْ ( then you ) means, after this has happened, لَفِى خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ ( will be created (again ) anew) means, you will be restored to life and will receive provision anew.
`By telling us this, he is doing one of two things: either he is deliberately fabricating something and saying that Allah has revealed it to him, or he is not doing it deliberately, but he is deluded as crazy and insane people are.' They said: أَفْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً أَم بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ( Has he invented a lie against Allah, or is there a madness in him ) Allah said, refuting their words: بَلِ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ فِى الْعَذَابِ وَالضَّلَـلِ الْبَعِيدِ ( Nay, but those who disbelieve in the Hereafter are (themselves ) in a torment, and in far error.) meaning, the matter is not as they claim or as they think; on the contrary, Muhammad ﷺ is the one who is telling the truth, and is righteous and wise; he is the one who has brought the truth, and they are the foolish and ignorant liars. فِى الْعَذَابِ are themselves( in a torment, means, their disbelief, which will lead them to the torment of Allah. وَالضَّلَـلِ الْبَعِيدِ ( and in far error. ) far from the truth in this world.
Then Allah warns them of His power in the creation of heavens and earth, as He says: أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth ) meaning, wherever they go, in whatever direction, the heavens are above them and the earth is beneath them.
This is like the Ayah: وَالسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ - وَالاٌّرْضَ فَرَشْنَـهَا فَنِعْمَ الْمَـهِدُونَ ( With Hands did We construct the heaven.
Verily, We are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof.
And We have spread out the earth; how Excellent Spreader (thereof ) are We!) ( 51:47-48 ) إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ ( If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. ) means, `if We wished, We could do that to them because of their wrongdoing and Our power over them, but We delay it because We are Patient and Forgiving.' Then Allah says: إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ ( Verily, in this is a sign for every Munib servant. ) Ma`mar narrating from Qatadah, said that Al-Munib means every one who repents.
Sufyan narrated from Qatadah, that Al-Munib is the one who turns to Allah.
This means that in looking at the creation of the heavens and the earth, there is a sign for every servant who is intelligent and wise and who turns towards Allah.
There is a sign of the Allah's ability to recreate bodies and bring about the Resurrection, because the One Who was able to create these heavens -- with their vast reaches of space, and this earth, as deep and vast as it is -- is able to recreate bodies and revive decayed bones.
This is like the Ayat: أَوَلَـيْسَ الَذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم بَلَى ( Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, Able to create the like of them Yes, indeed! ) ( 36:81 ) لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ( The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not.
) ( 40:57 )

( Have they not observed ) i.e. the disbelievers of Mecca ( what is before them ) what is above and below them of the sky and the earth ( and what is behind them ) and what is above and below them ( of the sky and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them ) and thus destroy them. ( Lo! herein ) in what I have mentioned concerning the sky and the earth ( surely is a portent ) a lesson ( for every slave who turneth (to Allah ) repentant) who hastens to Allah and to His obedience.

See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every faithful believer that [believes in the Oneness of Allah], and turns to Allah (in all affairs with humility and in repentance).

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