Al-Anbya 21:16
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 323
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا لَٰعِبِينَ ١٦
And We did not create the heaven and earth and that between them in play.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 21:16
Commentary
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ (And We did not create the heavens and the earth ... 21:16.) It means that we have not created the sky and the earth, and everything that lies in between them for mere amusement. In the preceding verses a reference has been made to the annihilation of certain settlements. In this verse there is a suggestion that just as the creation of the earth and the sky and all other created things was according to a set design, the destruction of the settlements was also the result of a definite purpose. Having witnessed the marvels and wonders of creation which are so abundantly spread all over, manifesting Allah's omnipotence and omniscience, do they still think that all these things are futile and without significance?
The word لَاعِبِينَ is taken from لِعَب (play), which means having no useful objective (Raghib) while لَھَو (pastime) means an act which has no purpose at all except to provide amusement in free time. The disbelievers who argue against the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the Holy Qur'an and reject the Oneness of Allah and deny His Power, despite its abundant manifestations, then it is apparent that they have a notion that all this creation is meant for amusement and pastime. The verse rejects this false view and says that Allah's creation is not for fun and pastime. A little reflection will show that even the minutest particle of the universe has its utility and each and everything created by Allah has a purpose which speaks by itself for His omniscience and Oneness.
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21:11
وَكَمۡ قَصَمۡنَا مِن قَرۡيَةٖ كَانَتۡ ظَالِمَةٗ وَأَنشَأۡنَا بَعۡدَهَا قَوۡمًا ءَاخَرِينَ ١١
And how many a city which was unjust1 have We shattered and produced after it another people.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., its inhabitants persisting in wrongdoing. ↩
21:12
فَلَمَّآ أَحَسُّواْ بَأۡسَنَآ إِذَا هُم مِّنۡهَا يَرۡكُضُونَ ١٢
And when they [i.e., its inhabitants] perceived Our punishment, at once they fled from it.
21:13
لَا تَرۡكُضُواْ وَٱرۡجِعُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ مَآ أُتۡرِفۡتُمۡ فِيهِ وَمَسَٰكِنِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُسۡـَٔلُونَ ١٣
[Some angels said], "Do not flee but return to where you were given luxury and to your homes - perhaps you will be questioned."1
1 translator’s note
- About what happened to you. This is said to them in sarcasm and ridicule. ↩
21:14
قَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ ١٤
They said, "O woe to us! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."
21:15
فَمَا زَالَت تِّلۡكَ دَعۡوَىٰهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ جَعَلۡنَٰهُمۡ حَصِيدًا خَٰمِدِينَ ١٥
And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them [as] a harvest [mowed down], extinguished [like a fire].
21:16
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا لَٰعِبِينَ ١٦
And We did not create the heaven and earth and that between them in play.
21:17
لَوۡ أَرَدۡنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهۡوٗا لَّٱتَّخَذۡنَٰهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ ١٧
Had We intended to take a diversion,1 We could have taken it from [what is] with Us - if [indeed] We were to do so.
1 translator’s note
- Such as a wife or a child. ↩
21:18
بَلۡ نَقۡذِفُ بِٱلۡحَقِّ عَلَى ٱلۡبَٰطِلِ فَيَدۡمَغُهُۥ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٞۚ وَلَكُمُ ٱلۡوَيۡلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ ١٨
Rather, We dash the truth upon falsehood, and it destroys it,1 and thereupon it departs. And for you is destruction from that which you describe.2
21:19
وَلَهُۥ مَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَمَنۡ عِندَهُۥ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَلَا يَسۡتَحۡسِرُونَ ١٩
To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those near Him [i.e., the angels] are not prevented by arrogance from His worship, nor do they tire.
21:20
يُسَبِّحُونَ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ لَا يَفۡتُرُونَ ٢٠
They exalt [Him] night and day [and] do not slacken.
21:21
أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ ءَالِهَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ هُمۡ يُنشِرُونَ ٢١
Or have they [i.e., men] taken for themselves gods from the earth who resurrect [the dead]?
21:22
لَوۡ كَانَ فِيهِمَآ ءَالِهَةٌ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَاۚ فَسُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ٢٢
Had there been within them [i.e., the heavens and earth] gods besides Allāh, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is Allāh, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
21:23
لَا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفۡعَلُ وَهُمۡ يُسۡـَٔلُونَ ٢٣
He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.
21:24
أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةٗۖ قُلۡ هَاتُواْ بُرۡهَٰنَكُمۡۖ هَٰذَا ذِكۡرُ مَن مَّعِيَ وَذِكۡرُ مَن قَبۡلِيۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٱلۡحَقَّۖ فَهُم مُّعۡرِضُونَ ٢٤
Or have they taken gods besides Him? Say, [O Muḥammad], "Produce your proof. This [Qur’ān] is the message for those with me and the message of those before me."1 But most of them do not know the truth, so they are turning away.
1 translator’s note
- All previous prophets called for the worship of Allāh alone. ↩