وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَدَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنْهَـٰرًا ۖ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ جَعَلَ فِيهَا زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۖ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ 3
Translations
And it is He who spread the earth and placed therein firmly set mountains and rivers; and from all of the fruits He made therein two mates; He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
Transliteration
Wa huwa alladhī madda al-arda wa jaʿala fīha rawāsī wa anhāran, wa min kulli al-thamarāt jaʿala fīha zawjayn ithnayn, yughshī al-layla al-nahāra, inna fī dhālika la-āyāt li-qawm yatafakkarūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's creative power in establishing the earth with mountains as stabilizers, rivers for sustenance, and pairs of fruits for nourishment—demonstrating His perfect design and provision. The mention of night covering the day illustrates the cosmic order and Allah's control over time and celestial movements. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari emphasize that these signs are directed toward those who reflect and contemplate, making this ayah a call to intellectual engagement with creation as evidence of divine wisdom.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Ra'd, revealed in Medina, addresses the disbelievers' denial of Allah's signs and the Day of Judgment. This particular ayah falls within a section emphasizing Allah's sovereignty over creation and the natural phenomena surrounding the Meccan disbelievers, serving as rational evidence (ayāt) for those willing to ponder.
Related Hadiths
Hadith from Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh (Sahih Muslim): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The best act of worship is to contemplate Allah's creation.' This reinforces the ayah's emphasis on reflection (tafakkur). Additionally, the Prophet ﷺ said regarding mountains: 'Mountains are like pegs for the earth' (a concept affirmed in various hadith collections), supporting the ayah's mention of 'rawāsī' (mountains as stabilizers).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to observe and appreciate the intricate balance of creation—from mountains stabilizing the earth to the regular cycles of day and night—as manifestations of Allah's infinite wisdom, inspiring awe and gratitude. Modern believers should cultivate the habit of tafakkur (deep reflection) on creation as a means of strengthening their faith and understanding Allah's majesty.
Related Ayahs
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ طُوبَىٰ لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَـَٔابٍ
Those who have believed and done righteous deeds - a good state is theirs and a good return.
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى رَفَعَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ
It is Allāh who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne and made subject the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. He arranges [each] matter; He details the signs that you may, of the meeting with your Lord, be certain.
الٓمٓر ۚ تِلْكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ۗ وَٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Alif, Lām, Meem, Rā. These are the verses of the Book; and what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, but most of the people do not believe.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَمِنَ ٱلْأَحْزَابِ مَن يُنكِرُ بَعْضَهُۥ ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَلَآ أُشْرِكَ بِهِۦٓ ۚ إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُوا۟ وَإِلَيْهِ مَـَٔابِ
And [the believers among] those to whom We have given the [previous] Scripture rejoice at what has been revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], but among the [opposing] factions are those who deny part of it [i.e., the Qur’ān]. Say, "I have only been commanded to worship Allāh and not associate [anything] with Him. To Him I invite, and to Him is my return."