أَوَلَمْ يَنظُرُوا۟ فِى مَلَكُوتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ وَأَنْ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ قَدِ ٱقْتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمْ ۖ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَهُۥ يُؤْمِنُونَ 185
Translations
Do they not look into the realm of the heavens and the earth and everything that Allāh has created and [think] that perhaps their appointed time has come near? So in what statement [i.e., message] hereafter will they believe?
Transliteration
Awalam yanzuroo fee malakoot as-samawati wal-ardi wa ma khalaqa Allahu min shay'in wa anna 'asa an yakoon qad iqtaraba ajaluhum fa bi-ayyi hadeethin ba'dahu yu'minoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah calls upon the disbelievers to contemplate the majesty of Allah's creation in the heavens and earth as evidence of His existence and power, while reminding them that their appointed term of life is approaching. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that the signs (ayat) of Allah in creation are clear proofs of His oneness, and Al-Qurtubi notes that the ayah serves as a warning that death is inevitable and near, making it imperative to believe in Allah's message before it is too late.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-A'raf, which addresses the polytheists of Mecca who rejected the message despite the clear evidences around them. The ayah fits within the broader Meccan theme of calling people to tawhid (monotheism) through rational reflection on the cosmos and the inevitability of the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best supplication is the supplication on the Day of 'Arafah, and the best thing that I and the prophets before me have said is: There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing' (Tirmidhi 3585). Additionally, 'Contemplate the creation of Allah, but do not contemplate the essence of Allah' (Ibn Asakir), which relates to the command to observe creation.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should use reason and observation of the natural world as a means to strengthen their faith in Allah's existence and majesty, while remembering the transience of life to prioritize spiritual preparation. This ayah invites us to shift from heedlessness to mindfulness through contemplation of creation as a bridge to understanding our purpose and meeting our Lord.