Wahuwa allathee khalaqa assamawati wal-arda fee sittati ayyamin wakana AAarshuhu AAala alma-i (surah Hud: 7)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(11:7) And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and [before that] His Throne was upon the water *7 that He may test you, who of you is better in conduct *8 If you were to say (O Muhammad): 'All of you will surely be raised after death', then those who disbelieve will certainly say: 'This is nothing but plain sorcery. *9

Wa Huwal lazee khalaqas samaawaati wal alrda fee sittati aiyaaminw wa kaana `Arshuhoo alal maaa`i liyablu wakum aiyukum ahsanu `amalaa; wa la`in qulta innakum mab`oosoona mim ba`dil mawti la yaqoolanal lazeena kafaroo in haazaaa illaa sihrum mubeen

*7). This is a parenthetical statement which was presumably made in response to some such query: 'If there was a time when the heavens and the earth did not exist, and then they were created - what is it that existed before?' Without explicitly mentioning any such query, an answer is briefly provided. The answer is: before all the heavens and the earth were created there was water everywhere. However, we are not in a position to state with certainty the meaning of the word 'water' used in the verse. Does it mean the 'water' known to us by that name now? Or has it been used metaphorically to refer to matter in its liquid form before it assumed its present form? As for the statement that God's Throne was on water, it means - as far as we have been able to grasp -that God's kingdom was over water.
*8). God created the earth and the heavens because He wanted to create man. Furthermore, He created man so as to entrust him with moral responsibility and to invest him with the power of God's vicegerency. Thereafter, it was to be seen how each human being would acquit himself of that responsibility and how he would make use of the power entrusted to him. It is possible to imagine that this was not the purpose of creating man and that God had willed man to have the powers that he now has and yet not put him to any test, nor question him about whether he used the powers granted to him appropriately or not. It is also possible to imagine that man would not be required to render any account to God nor be rewarded or punished for his deeds. It is also possible to imagine that man. who has been encumbered with moral responsibility, would simply end in dust. If all this is true, then we have no alternative but to consider this entire act of creation a senseless ploy, and human life an absolute futility.
*9). The unbelievers are so downright foolish that they consider the universe no more than the playhouse of some sportive fellow, and regard themselves merely as pranks to amuse him. They are so elated with this foolish concept that even when they are informed of the true purpose of creation and of their own life in it, they simply laugh it all away. They also go to the extent of flinging the gibe of sorcerer at the Prophet (peace be on him).