God's wisdom in creation and in Sending the Messengers

All-Anbiyā (The Prophets)

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ {١٦}

We did not create the heavens and earth and all that is between them for fun.

لَوْ أَرَدْنَا أَنْ نَتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَاتَّخَذْنَاهُ مِنْ لَدُنَّا إِنْ كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ {١٧}

If We had wished for a pastime, We could have had it from Our own, if We were to do so.

بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ وَلَكُمُ الْوَيْلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ {١٨}

Rather, We hurl the truth at falsehood, and it crushes it, so it vanishes. Woe to you for what you falsely ascribe [to Allah]!

وَلَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلَا يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ {١٩}

To Him belongs all those who are in the heavens and earth. Those [angels] who are with Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they ever grow weary.

يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ {٢٠}

They glorify Him day and night tirelessly.

أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا آَلِهَةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ هُمْ يُنْشِرُونَ {٢١}

Or have they taken gods from the earth who [cannot even] resurrect the dead?

لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آَلِهَةٌ إِلَّا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ {٢٢}

If there had been gods besides Allah in the heavens and earth, both realms would have fallen in disorder. Glory be to Allah – Lord of the Throne – far above what they ascribe [to Him].

لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ {٢٣}

He cannot be questioned for what He does, but they will be questioned.

أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ آَلِهَةً قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ هَذَا ذِكْرُ مَنْ مَعِيَ وَذِكْرُ مَنْ قَبْلِي بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقَّ فَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ {٢٤}

Or have they taken other gods besides Him? Say, “Bring your proof. Here is the Book of those who are with me, and the Book of those who came before me.” Yet most of them do not know the truth, so they turn away.

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ {٢٥}

“We never sent before you [O Prophet] any messenger without revealing to him that none has the right to be worshiped except Me, so worship Me.”

وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُكْرَمُونَ {٢٦}

They say, “The Most Compassionate has begotten offspring!” Glory be to Him! In fact, those [angels] are His honored slaves.

لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ {٢٧}

They do not speak before He speaks, and they only do as He commands.

يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى وَهُمْ مِنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ {٢٨}

He knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them. They cannot intercede except for whom He pleases, and they are fearful in awe of Him.

وَمَنْ يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّي إِلَهٌ مِنْ دُونِهِ فَذَلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ {٢٩}

If anyone of them were to say, “I am god besides Him,” We would punish him with Hell. This is how We punish the wrongdoers.

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ أَفَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ {٣٠}

Are the disbelievers not aware that the heavens and earth were joined together and then We split them apart? We created from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?

وَجَعَلْنَا فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلًا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ {٣١}

We have set on the earth firm mountains so it does not shake with them, and We have made therein broad pathways so that they may find their way.

وَجَعَلْنَا السَّمَاءَ سَقْفًا مَحْفُوظًا وَهُمْ عَنْ آَيَاتِهَا مُعْرِضُونَ {٣٢}

And We have made the sky a well-protected canopy, yet they turn away from its signs.

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ {٣٣}

It is He Who created the night and the day, the sun and the moon – each floating in its orbit.

وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ الْخُلْدَ أَفَإِنْ مِتَّ فَهُمُ الْخَالِدُونَ {٣٤}

We did not grant immortality to any human being before you [O Prophet]. So if you die, will they live forever?

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَنَبْلُوكُمْ بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ {٣٥}

Every soul will taste death; We test you with bad and good as a trial, then to Us you will all be returned.