أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى تُورُونَ 71
Translations
And have you seen the fire that you ignite?
Transliteration
Afaraaytumu an-nara allatee toorun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses humanity, asking them to reflect upon the fire (nar) that they kindle and produce by striking flint stones together. According to classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, this ayah is part of Allah's rhetorical challenge to mankind, directing them to consider the origin and creation of fire as evidence of divine power. The ayah serves as a prelude to questioning whether humans themselves created this fire or whether it was created by Allah, thereby redirecting focus from material causation to ultimate divine causation.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Waqi'ah, which emphasizes the inevitability of the Day of Judgment and Allah's absolute power over creation. The surrounding context (verses 71-73) presents a series of rhetorical questions about natural phenomena—fire, water, and trees—that humans use but do not create, serving as proofs of Allah's sovereignty and the reality of resurrection.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly addresses this verse, the theme of reflecting upon creation is supported by numerous hadiths encouraging contemplation (tafakkur), such as the hadith in Jami' at-Tirmidhi where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Reflect upon everything, but do not reflect upon the essence of Allah.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to pause and recognize that the everyday phenomena we utilize—such as fire—are ultimately created and sustained by Allah, encouraging humility and awareness of our dependence on the Divine in all matters.