أَم لَهُم مُلكُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ وَما بَينَهُما ۖ فَليَرتَقوا فِي الأَسبابِ

Do they own the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them? [If so,] let them ascend [to the higher spheres] by the means [of ascension].

EXEGESIS

Yartaqū (they ascend) comes from irtiqāʾ, meaning to climb up or ascend into heights,^{‎[1]Zubaydi, 19/471.} such as the challenge of the faithless to the Prophet, we will not believe you until … you ascend (tarqā) into the sky (17:90-93).

Asbāb (means) is the plural of sabab and indicates anything used to reach a goal or purpose, whether that be a rope, a means, a method, an apparatus, a relationship, and so on.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 8/546.} For example, we read about Dhū al-Qarnayn that he followed a means (sabab) (18:85).

EXPOSITION

Still continuing with the declaration of verse 8, God addresses the Meccan elite, Do they own the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them? This verse is again referencing the might and pride in verse 1, as if to say that only the one who holds the kingdom of the heavens and the earth is the one that has true ʿizzah.^{‎[3]Tabari, 23/82.} If they were indeed in the position to choose who should receive revelation then let them manage the other affairs of creation as well, let them ascend, let them use any means at their disposal to ascend to the heavenly realms, to the realms of the unseen and the divine Throne, and from there designate who should become a prophet.^{‎[4]Zamakhshari, 4/74.}

This is, in effect, a ridicule aimed at the Meccan elite, comparing their foolishness to the impudence of Pharaoh, who said: O Hāmān! Build me a tower so that I may reach the routes (asbāb) – the routes of the heavens – and take a look at the God of Moses (40:36-37). It is pointing out how absurd their notions of God really were by following their notions to its logical conclusion. If one claims to know better than God who deserves to be a prophet, then let them try and take His place if they can.

Finally, we may note that this verse and the previous ones are also teasingly foreshadowing the main theme of the surah that will soon be returned to. The Meccan elite have not even left this small, dusty plane that they are on, they have no idea what wonders and miracles exist in God’s creation. Having only witnessed the smallest of portions of reality, they think they know it all and have grasped it all. That is their misplaced pride and conceit.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

The scholars have suggested different interpretations for let them ascend by the means:

1. Mujāhid, Qatādah, and others say it means the ‘doors of the heavens and its pathways’.^{‎[5]Tabrisi, 8/728; Tabari, 23/82.}
2. Thaʿlabī says it means they should go up the mountains to the skies.^{‎[6]Thalabi, 8/180.}
3. It has been suggested that it means ‘ropes’, as in let them climb ropes up to the sky.^{‎[7]Qurtubi, 15/153.}
4. Qurṭubī and others say it means they should try and stop Muhammad (s) from receiving revelation if they can.^{‎[8]Qurtubi, 15/153.} So, the previous verse told us that they do not possess the means to send down revelation, and in this verse we are told that they cannot stop it from coming down either.^{‎[9]Mizan, 17/184; Nemuneh, 19/225.}
5. Some have said it is the ‘means of cunningness’, meaning let them follow whatever crafts and guiles they may possess to gain access to the heavenly revelation if they think they can do that.^{‎[10]Tabrisi, 8/728.}
6. Others have said it is ‘the means of strength’, as in let them increase themselves in power.^{‎[11]Qurtubi, 15/153.}

While the second and the third opinion seem to apparently understand the verse in a strangely physical way – and if so are certainly incorrect – the first one and the final three are not in contradiction to what we mentioned earlier and could be considered to be looking at different perspectives of that.^{‎[12]In a similar vein, we could also mention that Razi, 26/370, has considered the kingdom of the heavens and earth to be one portion of the ‘treasuries’ of God mentioned in the previous verse (see also Baydawi, 5/25).}

We could also mention that medieval astrologers used to reference this verse as evidence that the movements of the stars and other heavenly bodies would affect things on earth, as they were causes of events on the earth.^{‎[13]Razi, 26/370.}

[1] Zubaydi, 19/471.
[2] Tibyan, 8/546.
[3] Tabari, 23/82.
[4] Zamakhshari, 4/74.
[5] Tabrisi, 8/728; Tabari, 23/82.
[6] Thalabi, 8/180.
[7] Qurtubi, 15/153.
[8] Qurtubi, 15/153.
[9] Mizan, 17/184; Nemuneh, 19/225.
[10] Tabrisi, 8/728.
[11] Qurtubi, 15/153.
[12] In a similar vein, we could also mention that Razi, 26/370, has considered the kingdom of the heavens and earth to be one portion of the ‘treasuries’ of God mentioned in the previous verse (see also Baydawi, 5/25).
[13] Razi, 26/370.