Sad 38:27
The Letter "Saad" · Juz 23 · Page 455
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا بَٰطِلٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ فَوَيۡلٞ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ ٢٧
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.
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 38:27–29
The Wisdom behind the Creation of This World
Allah tells us that He did not create the creatures in vain; He created them to worship Him Alone, then He will gather them on the Day of Gathering and will reward the obedient and punish the disbelievers. Allah says:
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَآءَ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَطِلاً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ
(And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve!) meaning, those who do not think that the resurrection and the place of return will occur, but they think that there is nothing after this world.
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ
(Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire!) means, woe to them on the Day when they will be resurrected, from the Fire that is prepared for them. Then Allah explains that because of His justice and wisdom, He does not treat the believers and the disbelievers equally. Allah says:
أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّلِحَتِ كَالْمُفْسِدِينَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الْمُتَّقِينَ كَالْفُجَّارِ
(Shall We treat those who believe and do righteous good deeds as those who do mischief on the earth Or shall We treat Those who have Taqwa as the evildoers) meaning, `We shall not do that.' They are not equal before Allah, and since this is the case, there must inevitably be another realm in which those who obey Allah will be rewarded and the wicked will be punished. This teaching indicates to those of a sound mind and upright nature that there must inevitably be a resurrection and recompense. We see evildoers and criminals are prospering and increasing in wealth, children and luxury, until they die in that state. We see oppressed believers dying of grief and distress, so by the wisdom of the All-Wise, All-Knowing, All-Just who does not do even a speck of dust's weight of injustice, there should be a time when the rights of the oppressed are restored with due justice. If this does not happen in this world, there must be another realm where recompense may be made and consolation may be found. The Qur'an teaches sound aims based on a rational way of thinking, so Allah says:
كِتَبٌ أَنزَلْنَهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَرَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُواْ ءَايَتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُو الاٌّلْبَبِ
((This is) a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Ayat, and that men of understanding may remember.) meaning, those who are possessed of wisdom and reason.
Page 455
38:27
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا بَٰطِلٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ فَوَيۡلٞ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ ٢٧
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.
38:28
أَمۡ نَجۡعَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ كَٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ نَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ كَٱلۡفُجَّارِ ٢٨
Or should We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like corrupters in the land? Or should We treat those who fear Allāh like the wicked?
38:29
كِتَٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَيۡكَ مُبَٰرَكٞ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓاْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ ٢٩
[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.
38:30
وَوَهَبۡنَا لِدَاوُۥدَ سُلَيۡمَٰنَۚ نِعۡمَ ٱلۡعَبۡدُ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ ٣٠
And to David We gave Solomon. An excellent servant, indeed he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allāh].
38:31
إِذۡ عُرِضَ عَلَيۡهِ بِٱلۡعَشِيِّ ٱلصَّٰفِنَٰتُ ٱلۡجِيَادُ ٣١
[Mention] when there were exhibited before him in the afternoon the poised [standing] racehorses.
38:32
فَقَالَ إِنِّيٓ أَحۡبَبۡتُ حُبَّ ٱلۡخَيۡرِ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتۡ بِٱلۡحِجَابِ ٣٢
And he said, "Indeed, I gave preference to the love of good [things] over the remembrance of my Lord until it [i.e., the sun] disappeared into the curtain [of darkness]."
38:33
رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّۖ فَطَفِقَ مَسۡحَۢا بِٱلسُّوقِ وَٱلۡأَعۡنَاقِ ٣٣
[He said], "Return them to me," and set about striking1 [their] legs and necks.
1 translator’s note
- With his sword as expiation. Some commentaries have also suggested the meaning of "stroking" with the hand. ↩
38:34
وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا سُلَيۡمَٰنَ وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا عَلَىٰ كُرۡسِيِّهِۦ جَسَدٗا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ ٣٤
And We certainly tried Solomon and placed on his throne a body;1 then he returned.2
38:35
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَهَبۡ لِي مُلۡكٗا لَّا يَنۢبَغِي لِأَحَدٖ مِّنۢ بَعۡدِيٓۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡوَهَّابُ ٣٥
He said, "My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower."
38:36
فَسَخَّرۡنَا لَهُ ٱلرِّيحَ تَجۡرِي بِأَمۡرِهِۦ رُخَآءً حَيۡثُ أَصَابَ ٣٦
So We subjected to him the wind blowing by his command, gently, wherever he directed,
38:37
وَٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّآءٖ وَغَوَّاصٖ ٣٧
And [also] the devils [of jinn] - every builder and diver
38:38
وَءَاخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَصۡفَادِ ٣٨
And others bound together in irons.
38:39
هَٰذَا عَطَآؤُنَا فَٱمۡنُنۡ أَوۡ أَمۡسِكۡ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ ٣٩
[We said], "This is Our gift, so grant or withhold without account."
38:40
وَإِنَّ لَهُۥ عِندَنَا لَزُلۡفَىٰ وَحُسۡنَ مَـَٔابٖ ٤٠
And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.
38:41
وَٱذۡكُرۡ عَبۡدَنَآ أَيُّوبَ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ بِنُصۡبٖ وَعَذَابٍ ٤١
And remember Our servant Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, Satan has touched me with hardship and torment."
38:42
ٱرۡكُضۡ بِرِجۡلِكَۖ هَٰذَا مُغۡتَسَلُۢ بَارِدٞ وَشَرَابٞ ٤٢
[So he was told], "Strike [the ground] with your foot; this is a [spring for a] cool bath and drink."
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy