وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَـٰطِلًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ 27
Translations
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.
Transliteration
Wa mā khalaqnā as-samāʾa wal-arḍa wa mā baynahumā bāṭilan. Dhālik ẓannu alladhīna kafarū. Fa-waylun lilladhīna kafarū mina an-nār.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah affirms that He did not create the heavens, the earth, and all that exists between them in vain or without purpose—a reality that disbelievers deny. This ayah emphasizes the purposeful creation of the universe and refutes the atheistic notion that existence is meaningless. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this statement serves as a powerful argument for monotheism and the existence of a Wise Creator, with the warning that those who reject this truth will face severe punishment in the Fire.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Sad, a Meccan chapter that addresses the disbelievers' rejection of the Quran and the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The broader context of the surah deals with arguments for the existence of Allah and refutations of disbelief, making this ayah part of the surah's systematic defense of Islamic monotheism against Meccan skepticism.
Related Hadiths
The concept of purposeful creation is reinforced in a hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) states that Allah created everything with wisdom and purpose. Additionally, Surah 3:191 complements this ayah, describing believers who reflect on creation and recognize its deliberate design.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to recognize the purposeful design in the universe as evidence of Allah's existence and wisdom, countering nihilism and meaninglessness. For modern readers, it encourages reflection on the order and precision of creation as a means of strengthening faith and rejecting worldviews that deny ultimate purpose or moral accountability.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰدَاوُۥدُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـٰكَ خَلِيفَةً فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌۢ بِمَا نَسُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْحِسَابِ
[We said], "O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth, so judge between the people in truth and do not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allāh." Indeed, those who go astray from the way of Allāh will have a severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Account.
إِنَّا سَخَّرْنَا ٱلْجِبَالَ مَعَهُۥ يُسَبِّحْنَ بِٱلْعَشِىِّ وَٱلْإِشْرَاقِ
Indeed, We subjected the mountains [to praise] with him, exalting [Allāh] in the [late] afternoon and [after] sunrise.
جَنَّـٰتِ عَدْنٍ مُّفَتَّحَةً لَّهُمُ ٱلْأَبْوَٰبُ
Gardens of perpetual residence, whose doors will be opened to them.
إِذْ دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ دَاوُۥدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ ۖ خَصْمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعْضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطِطْ وَٱهْدِنَآ إِلَىٰ سَوَآءِ ٱلصِّرَٰطِ
When they entered upon David and he was alarmed by them? They said, "Fear not. [We are] two adversaries, one of whom has wronged the other, so judge between us with truth and do not exceed [it] and guide us to the sound path.