يَسْـَٔلُهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأْنٍ 29
Translations
Whoever is within the heavens and earth asks Him; every day He is in [i.e., bringing about] a matter.
Transliteration
Yas'aluhu man fi as-samawati wa-al-ardi. Kulla yawmin huwa fi sha'nin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that all creatures in the heavens and earth constantly beseech Allah for their needs—sustenance, protection, guidance, and other necessities. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that 'Kulla yawmin huwa fi sha'nin' (Every day He is in a state of affairs/engaged in some matter) signifies Allah's continuous divine action and management of creation, such as answering prayers, sustaining life, decreeing events, and managing the affairs of the universe, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty and providential care.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ar-Rahman (Medinan), a surah dedicated to enumerating the blessings and attributes of Allah (Ar-Rahman - The Beneficent). The broader context emphasizes Allah's mercy through creation, sustenance, and governance. There is no specific asbab al-nuzul recorded, but the ayah fits the surah's theme of reflecting on divine attributes and Allah's continuous care for all creation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, 'Your Lord is more merciful than a mother is to her child' (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 5652), which relates to the theme of Allah's constant attention to His creation's needs. Additionally, 'Every day He is in a state of affairs' connects to the hadith about Allah's continuous actions in managing creation (Jami' at-Tirmidhi and other sources).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Allah is continuously engaged in the affairs of His creation and hears the supplications of all creatures, encouraging constant reliance on Him through prayer and trust in His wisdom. It instills humility and gratitude, as it underscores human dependency on divine providence and the futility of placing ultimate trust in anything other than Allah.