وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَىٰهَا 5
Translations
And [by] the sky and He who constructed it
Transliteration
Wa as-sama'i wa ma banaha
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is part of Allah's oath by the sun and the sky, where Allah swears by the heaven and the One who built it, emphasizing His power and majesty in creation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Allah testifying to His own greatness through His creation, with 'the One who built it' (ma banaha) referring to Allah's perfect construction of the celestial realm. The ayah serves as an introduction to the surah's theme of human moral responsibility, as Allah grounds this obligation in the acknowledgment of His creative power.
Revelation Context
Surah Ash-Shams is a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period when the Quraysh rejected the message. This opening section uses cosmic oaths to emphasize the absolute power of Allah and establish the foundation for the subsequent message about human accountability and the consequences of choosing between righteousness and evil.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The most truthful speech is the speech of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi) This relates to how Allah's creation itself testifies to truth. Additionally, the Prophet emphasized reflecting on creation as mentioned in various hadiths about pondering the heavens and earth.
Themes
Key Lesson
By reflecting on the magnificence of the constructed heavens, believers are reminded of Allah's absolute power and wisdom, which should inspire awe and motivate them to fulfill their moral obligations toward good and righteousness. This ayah teaches that recognizing Allah's creative majesty is foundational to accepting moral responsibility in life.