Ash-Shuraa 42:12
The Consultation · Juz 25 · Page 484
لَهُۥ مَقَالِيدُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٞ ١٢
To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. Indeed He is, of all things, Knowing.
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 42:9–12
Allah is the Protector, Ruler and Creator
Here Allah denounces the idolators for taking other gods instead of Allah, and declares that He is the True God, and it is not right to worship anyone except Him Alone. He is the One Who is able to bring the dead back to life and He is Able to do all things. Then He says:
وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِن شَىْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ
(And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah.) means, in whatever issue you differ. This is general in meaning and applies to all things.
فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ
(the decision thereof is with Allah.) means, He is the Judge of that, according to His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet . This is like the Ayah:
فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ
((And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger) (4:59).
ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبِّى
(Such is Allah, my Lord) means, (He is) the Judge of all things.
عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ
(in Whom I put my trust, and to Him I turn in repentance. ) means, `I refer all matters to Him.'
فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ
(The Creator of the heavens and the earth.) means, the Maker of them both and everything in between.
جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا
(He has made for you mates from yourselves,) means, of your own kind. As a blessing and a favor from Him, He has made your kind male and female.
وَمِنَ الاٌّنْعَمِ أَزْوجاً
(and for the cattle (also) mates.) means, and He has created for you eight pairs of cattle.
يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ
(By this means He creates you.) means, in this manner He creates you, male and female, generation after generation of men and cattle.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَىْءٌ
(There is nothing like Him,) means, there is nothing like the Creator of these pairs, for He is the Unique, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has no peer or equal.
وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
(He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.)
لَهُ مَقَلِيدُ السَّمَوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ
(To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. ) We have already discussed the interpretation of this phrase in Surat Az-Zumar (39:63), the conclusion of which is that He is the One Who is controlling and governing them.
يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَآءُ وَيَقَدِرُ
(He expands provision for whom He wills, and straitens.) means, He gives plentiful provision to whomsoever He wills and He reduces it for whomsoever He wills, and He is perfectly Wise and Just.
إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
(Verily, He is the All-Knower of everything.)
Page 484
42:11
فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا وَمِنَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ أَزۡوَٰجٗا يَذۡرَؤُكُمۡ فِيهِۚ لَيۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهِۦ شَيۡءٞۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ ١١
[He is] Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him,1 and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.2
42:12
لَهُۥ مَقَالِيدُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٞ ١٢
To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. Indeed He is, of all things, Knowing.
42:13
۞ شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِۦ نُوحٗا وَٱلَّذِيٓ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَا وَصَّيۡنَا بِهِۦٓ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰٓۖ أَنۡ أَقِيمُواْ ٱلدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُواْ فِيهِۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ مَا تَدۡعُوهُمۡ إِلَيۡهِۚ ٱللَّهُ يَجۡتَبِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ مَن يُنِيبُ ١٣
He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - to establish the religion and not be divided therein. Difficult for those who associate others with Allāh is that to which you invite them. Allāh chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him].
42:14
وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوٓاْ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡيَۢا بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٞ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗى لَّقُضِيَ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُورِثُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ لَفِي شَكّٖ مِّنۡهُ مُرِيبٖ ١٤
And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And if not for a word1 that preceded from your Lord [postponing the penalty] until a specified time, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, those who were granted inheritance of the Scripture after them are, concerning it, in disquieting doubt.
1 translator’s note
- Decree. See footnote to 10:19. ↩
42:15
فَلِذَٰلِكَ فَٱدۡعُۖ وَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَآ أُمِرۡتَۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡۖ وَقُلۡ ءَامَنتُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن كِتَٰبٖۖ وَأُمِرۡتُ لِأَعۡدِلَ بَيۡنَكُمُۖ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمۡۖ لَنَآ أَعۡمَٰلُنَا وَلَكُمۡ أَعۡمَٰلُكُمۡۖ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَكُمُۖ ٱللَّهُ يَجۡمَعُ بَيۡنَنَاۖ وَإِلَيۡهِ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ١٥
So to that [religion of Allāh] invite, [O Muḥammad],1 and remain on a right course as you are commanded and do not follow their inclinations but say, "I have believed in what Allāh has revealed of scripture [i.e., the Qur’ān], and I have been commanded to do justice among you. Allāh is our Lord and your Lord. For us are our deeds, and for you your deeds.2 There is no [need for] argument between us and you.3 Allāh will bring us together, and to Him is the [final] destination."
3 translator’s notes
Another meaning understood from the Arabic is "So because of that [division and separation into sects], invite [them back to Allāh]..."
[1415] i.e., the consequences thereof.
[1416] Since the truth has been made clear and since those who refuse it do so only out of stubbornness or worldly interests.
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Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy