سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَزْوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ 36
Translations
Exalted is He who created all pairs - from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.
Transliteration
Subhana alladhee khalaqa al-azwaja kullaha mimma tunbitu al-ard wa min anfusihim wa mimma la ya'lamun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah glorifies Allah's creative power by highlighting His creation of all pairs (azwaj) - male and female - in all creation, whether from what the earth produces (plants, animals) or from human beings themselves, and from things beyond human knowledge. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse demonstrates the perfection of Allah's creation through complementary pairs, which is a fundamental principle of existence reflecting divine wisdom and order.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the middle section of Surah Ya-Sin, a Meccan surah that focuses on Allah's oneness, the signs of His power in creation, and resurrection. The broader context involves refutation of polytheism and affirmation of tawhid (monotheism) through observable natural phenomena, with this ayah specifically illustrating the principle of duality and pairing throughout creation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Everything Allah has created is in pairs' (related to this concept in various tafsir works). Additionally, Quran 51:49 states a similar principle: 'And of all things We have created pairs,' which complements the teaching of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to recognize Allah's perfect design in the complementary nature of creation, humbling us before divine wisdom while acknowledging that much of creation remains beyond our comprehension—a reminder to maintain wonder and reverence toward the Creator in our daily observations of nature.