21-30 Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were closed up, so We rent them. And We made from water everything living. Will they not then believe?a
أَوَلَمْ يَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًۭا فَفَتَقْنَـٰهُمَا ۖ وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَىٍّ ۖ أَفَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (۳۰)
21-30a: رَتْقًۭا and فَفَتَقْنَـا – رتق is the opposite of فتق and the meaning of فتق is rip, rent, tear, crack, fissure. فَتۡق also means a little rain and the break of dawn. رَتۡق means mending, patching, sewing-up, closing. Some commentators have said that the رَتۡق of the heavens is that it does not rain and the رَتۡق of the earth is that no vegetation grows. فتق in contrast, is for the rain to fall from the sky and for the earth to grow vegetation. This is also the interpretation of Zajjaj. رتق here means ذوی رتق were closed. The meaning of رَتۡق is also ignorance (LA).
Scholarly truths in the Quran that were unknown to the world at the time of its revelation:
The heavens and the earth being closed and then rent open can also mean that all the elements were in an indistinguishable mixed state, then Allah separated them into heavenly bodies and made them distinct from each other. This is indicated further on in the statement that they now كُلٌّۭ فِى فَلَكٍۢ يَسْبَحُونَ : All float in orbits (21:33). Other commentators have similar interpretations. This is consistent with what scientific research has discovered: the celestial system in its present form has developed from a nebula of indistinguishable material. Another meaning narrated by Ibn Abbas is the one mentioned above: the falling of rain and the growth of vegetation. This can be understood generally in terms of the observed physical phenomenon that when there is no rain, vegetation does not grow from the ground. It also refers to the beginning of creation, when Allah formed water and thus made it possible for the vegetation to grow. Scientific research corroborates these verses. The statement جَعَلْنَا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَىٍّ : And We made from water every living thing refers to the second meaning.
Everything living made from water: The statement that everything living has been made from water is a fact that is accepted by modern scientific research, whereas Allah provided this knowledge to the world through the words of an unlettered person in fourteenth century Arabia. Thus, in this verse three great scholarly truths have been revealed, that became known to the world relatively recently. These facts are presented as testimony for the truth of the faith. Just as in the physical world, life appears when water descends from the heavens, similarly a person’s heart is like the ground and when the rain of Divine revelation falls on it, the dead faculties of the heart come alive. If the prophets are not sent, the spiritual senses of the heart would remain barren. Accordingly, in the latter part of this section the destruction of the rejecters is mentioned because they deprive themselves of this rain, so they will inevitably suffer losses.
21-31 And We made firm mountains in the earth lest it be convulsed with them, and We made in it wide ways that they might follow a right direction.a
وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجًۭا سُبُلًۭا لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ (۳۱)
21-31a: فِجَاج – It is the plural of فج which is a mountain pass, or an opening between two mountains (R) or an open space between two mountains, and the word has been used for any wide path (R), as in مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍۢ : …from every remote path (22:27).
The subject of this verse is fully explained in 16-15a, and although يَهْتَدُونَ literally means finding the right way, it contains a subtle reference to how physical systems also guide us towards the underlying spiritual systems.
21-32 And We have made the heaven a guarded canopy; yet they turn away from its signs.a
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ سَقْفًۭا مَّحْفُوظًۭا ۖ وَهُمْ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِهَا مُعْرِضُونَ (۳۲)
21-32a: سَقۡف – means ceiling, roof, rooftop, and its plural is سُقۡف , as in لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفًۭا مِّن فِضَّةٍۢ roofs of silver for their houses (43:33) and every house that has a roof is called سَقِیف (R). Derived from it is سقیفة بنی ساعدہ where the Emigrants Muhajireen and the Helpers Ansar congregated after the death of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to select his successor.
محفوظ – The word حِفۡظ is used for every kind of تعھد protection, guardianship, preservation and custody (R). Examples include: إِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ :…We are its guardian (15:9) meaning that the Quran will be protected against tampering and mischief; وَٱلْحَـٰفِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَٱلْحَـٰفِظَـٰتِ …the men who guide their chastity and the women who guard… (33:35) where the protection is of chastity; حَـٰفِظُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ : Guard the prayers … (2:238); وَمَا جَعَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًۭا : And We have not appointed thee as a keeper over them… (6:107).
The heaven is called a سَقۡف ceiling and محفوظ guarded, and in another place سماء heaven is called بناء a structure. What is conveyed in the choice of these words is that the entire system of the universe is like a house that has an Owner. It is called محفوظ since it is protected from disorder, despite its remarkable vastness. Unless its Creator is a sagacious, ingenious and purposeful Being, this awe-inspiring system in which millions of celestial bodies are orbiting day and night, could not sustain itself. Verses like these are disregarded by the disbelievers, and they fail to reflect on the obvious truths in the universe.
21-33 And He it is Who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon. All float in orbits.a
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّۭ فِى فَلَكٍۢ يَسْبَحُونَ (۳۳)
21-33a: فَلَك – is مَجۡریَ الکواکِب the walking place of the planets (R) or مدارالنجوم where stars revolve (LA). The wave in the sea is also called فَلَك because it comes and goes. Zajjaj has stated about کل فی فَلَك یسجون that there is a فَلَك orbit for each one (LA). For سَبۡح refer to 2-30b. It means to pass through air or water at high speed.
The high speeds of celestial bodies in their orbit: The word يَسْبَحُون conveys that the planets themselves are travelling in their orbits at high speeds, rather than the orbit revolving with the planets. So فَلَك is the orbital path in which the various celestial bodies move, and that orbit is different for every celestial body, as stated by Zajjaj. The use of the singular in فی فَلَك is for a genus by which is meant all, as in کسا ھم حُلّة he dressed them in a robe does not mean one robe, but rather, a robe for every one of them (RM). Some have taken كُلٌّ to refer to the sun and the moon but it includes all celestial bodies, with the sun and the moon being distinguished because they are the brightest ones. According to some, the reference is to stars even if there is no mention of them, because the topic proves that the stars that are included in the discussion (RM). The revolution of celestial bodies in their orbits is another scholarly truth that is manifested in the Quran.
21-34 And We granted abiding forever to no mortal before thee. If thou diest, will they abide?a
وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍۢ مِّن قَبْلِكَ ٱلْخُلْدَ ۖ أَفَإِي۟ن مِّتَّ فَهُمُ ٱلْخَـٰلِدُونَ (۳۴)
21-34a: خُلد abiding forever provides evidence that Prophet Jesus and Al-Khidr are not alive: By خُلد is meant خلود (RM) for which refer to 2-25b. By taking the meaning of خُلد as مکث طویل to live for a long time, evidence is provided that Al-Khidr is not alive (RM). How can Prophet Jesus (upon him be peace) be excluded from this logical deduction?
21-35 Every soul must taste of death. And We test you by evil and good by way of trial. And to Us you are returned.a
كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةًۭ ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ (۳۵)
21-35a: In this verse فِتْنَةً is used in its literal sense which, according to Ibn Abbas is: ادخالُ الذَّ ھَبِ النار لِتَظۡھَرَ جَوۡ دتُهٗ من رِداءَتِهٖ Putting gold in the fire to separate pure gold from the dross. By شر and خیر are meant شِدِّۃ and خاء or hardship and ease, or pain and pleasure (RM).
21-36 And when those who disbelieve see thee, they treat thee not but with mockery: Is this he who speaks of your gods? And they deny when the Beneficent God is mentioned.
وَإِذَا رَءَاكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَذْكُرُ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ (۳۶)
21-37 Man is created of haste. Soon will I show you My signs, so ask Me not to hasten them.a
خُلِقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مِنْ عَجَلٍۢ ۚ سَأُو۟رِيكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِى فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونِ (۳۷)
21-37a: What is meant by humans are created of haste: The meaning of خُلِقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مِنْ عَجَلٍۢ cannot mean that Allah created humans hastily, or that humans were created in the latter part of the day when a little time was left. The phrase means that hastiness is so prevalent in the nature of humans that it is as if they were created of haste. Another statement in the same vein is: ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعْفٍۢ : Allah is He Who created you from a state of weakness… (30:54). Lisan al-Arab states that when a certain quality is found in abundance in a person, the Arabs say: خُلِقَت منهُ you are created of this. For example, to describe a person who plays a lot, they will say: خُلِقَت من لَعِبٍ you are created of play. The context confirms this understanding because it is immediately followed by advice not to be hasty.
21-38 And they say: When will this threat come to pass, if you are truthful?
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ (۳۸)
21-39 If those who disbelieve but knew the time when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor from their backs, and they will not be helped!
لَوْ يَعْلَمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ حِينَ لَا يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ ٱلنَّارَ وَلَا عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ (۳۹)
21-40 Nay, it will come to them all of a sudden and confound them, so they will not have the power to avert it, nor will they be respited.
بَلْ تَأْتِيهِم بَغْتَةًۭ فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ (۴۰)
21-41 And messengers before thee were indeed mocked, so there befell those of them who scoffed, that whereat they scoffed.a
وَلَقَدِ ٱسْتُهْزِئَ بِرُسُلٍۢ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِٱلَّذِينَ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ (۴۱)
21-41a: This verse shows clearly that the chastisement that the disbelievers demanded was a worldly calamity, because it was their destruction that overtook them, which was what they scoffed at. In fact, this is manifest from سَأُو۟رِيكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِى : …Soon will I show you My signs… (21:37) and فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونِ …so ask Me not to hasten them… (21:37) because the sign that they demanded hastily was their destruction and not the Resurrection. Allah’s promise was to show such a worldly sign. The Resurrection cannot be called a sign. The statement in verse 21:39 about not being able to ward off the fire from their faces and backs is a metaphorical reference to war. Faces and backs are mentioned to impress that they will suffer when they mount attacks and feel victorious, and also suffer when they turn their backs and flee. Further proof that a worldly sign was demanded is also clear from verse 21:40 because of the use of the word confounded, which is a state occurring when one is unable to counter the arguments presented.
Bayan-ul-Quran 