الَّذي خَلَقَ سَبعَ سَماواتٍ طِباقًا ۖ ما تَرىٰ في خَلقِ الرَّحمٰنِ مِن تَفاوُتٍ ۖ فَارجِعِ البَصَرَ هَل تَرىٰ مِن فُطورٍ
ثُمَّ ارجِعِ البَصَرَ كَرَّتَينِ يَنقَلِب إِلَيكَ البَصَرُ خاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسيرٌ
He, who created seven heavens in harmony. You do not see any discordance in the creation of the All-Beneficent. Look again! Do you see any crack?
Look again, once more. Your look will return to you humbled and weary.
EXEGESIS
Ṭibāqan: in harmony, or in layers. The term muṭābaqah is used when two things are placed one upon another, like one floor or layer that is above another. It is then used to describe the harmony or similitude between two things. This meaning would be more appropriate here given the middle part of the verse: You do not see any discordance in the creation of the All-Beneficent. Another possibility is that He has created seven heavens one upon another. Another possibility is that ṭibāqan means ‘with layers’ (dhāt-u ṭibāq, where dhāt would be implicit). That would mean that each of the heavens has several planes and layers.
If ṭibāqan means ‘layers’ here, the layers would refer to the existential planes in the spectrum of existence (wujūd). In other words, each heaven would be a different plane and realm of existence, as opposed to all of them falling under the physical world. This is confirmed by verse 5, which implies that all stars and heavenly bodies only make up the lowest heaven.
Tafāwut: conflict, discordance. The root term fawt means to lose something, such that one cannot get a hold of it. Tafāwut then means the difference between two things, where one is missing the traits of the other.
Fuṭūr: opening, crack. The denial of any crack in the creation confirms the previous statement: You do not see any discordance in the creation of the All-Beneficent.
In Arabic, number seven is sometimes used to describe something numerous. This might be the case in this verse. Or it might be that the verse refers to precisely seven heavens or realms. The heavens are mentioned in nakarah form (indefinite and unknown), which is used to describe something great and magnificent.
Khāsiʾ: dazzled, humbled. The root term khasʾ or khusūʾ means to repel or desert something with humiliation and disgrace. When used for the eye, it means the lack of vision and the weariness of the eye, as the eye is repelled and prevented from seeing.
Ḥasīr: weary. The root term ḥasr means to be naked. The derivatives ḥāsir and maḥsūr are especially used when someone becomes tired due to losing his energy (as he is stripped of his energy). Ḥasīr in this verse could mean either ḥāsir or maḥsūr. In the first case the eye would be the subject, which has made itself weary, and in the second case it would be the object, which has become weary due to looking again and again.
Karratayn literally means ‘twice’, but here what is meant is ‘many times’. That is: look again and again, you shall never find any crack in God’s creation. It is like labbayk wa saʿdayk, which means: I accept and answer you constantly, again and again (number two represents multitude in these cases).
EXPOSITION
Verse 3 verse offers another reason for God’s blessedness. He has abundant and persistent good because He has created the heavens in total harmony and without any conflict. Every part of His creation is geared in such a way that does not contravene another part or the whole. Or, the verse might be a reason for any other attribute of God that was mentioned in the last two verses, such as being all-mighty and all-forgiving, all-powerful, and having the kingdom in His hands.
The middle part of the verse could be a generalisation of the first part: not only are the heavens in harmony, but all of God’s creation is in harmony. The last part of the verse serves to emphasise this harmony by challenging the reader to look around and find any case of disagreement in God’s system of creation.
Referring to God as the All-Beneficent (al-raḥmān), suggests that God’s creation – and especially the harmony that is seen in it – is due to His mercy. Therefore, it emphasises the idea of the previous verse: creation is a manifestation of God’s mercy, so that people can reach their perfections through righteous acts. The harmony between the various elements of God’s creation also serves this purpose. This can only be the case, for when the actual creation of something is intended for a purpose in the first place, then the qualities and attributes of that thing should also be in line with that purpose. Therefore, the attribute of mercy has some significance and relevance to the lack of any conflict in the universe. If there were any conflict in the universe, that would have been against God’s mercy. Conflict and discordance between the elements of a system would cause the waste of energy and resources, and would slow down the movement of the system toward its perfection and goal. That is against God’s widespread and constant diffusion that encompasses everything (7:156). It is also possible that al-raḥmān here means allāh, because the Quran has used the two interchangeably as proper names for God (17:110).
Changing the language from that of absence to one of address has the impact of involving the reader in what is being said, and making the concepts more tangible for him. The addressee may be the Prophet or any given reader.
You do not see any discordance is a negation in nakarah (indefinite and unknown) form. Such a negation is used to negate something entirely and altogether. There is no discordance in God’s creation whatsoever. These two verses as well as the next verse have been summarised in the verse, Have they not, then, observed the sky above them, how We have built it and adorned it, and that there are no cracks in it (50:6).
The lack of any conflict or disagreement between the elements of a system indicates that the system is a united whole, and points to a single force or wisdom behind it. The order of the universe is one of the clearest proofs of God’s unity (tawḥīd). God says elsewhere in the Quran: Had there been gods in them [in the heavens and the earth] other than Allah, they would surely have fallen apart. Clear is Allah, the Lord of the Throne, of what they allege [concerning Him] (21:22).
All these images and figures full of grace
Were a single flash of the Tapster’s face
That shone on the glass of time and space.
This is about the book of creation – and so is the case about the book of revelation. One of the proofs that the Holy Quran is sent by God is that it is a united whole, and the different parts of it confirm and conform to one another: Do they not contemplate the Quran? Had it been from [someone] other than Allah, they would have surely found much discrepancy in it (4:82); Allah has sent down the best of discourses, a scripture [composed] of similar motifs (39:23).
The differences that we see within God’s creation are like the difference between the pans of a scale: they differ from one another, but they serve the same purpose of showing the weight of the objects. Likewise, the different forces and beings in this world are all in line with the purpose of creation, and compose a single system.
The troubles that we find unfitting and out of grace,
In the whole system, they are all in their place.
The order and congruence that one sees in the world indicates that God’s creation is not vain. That means that there must be an afterlife, for it would be vain to set up this whole complex and orderly system for only a few days. Thus, the verse sets the ground for the next verses that talk about the hereafter. Also, the order of the universe is a sign of God’s infinite power, which leaves no doubt in the possibility of resurrection.
‘The pen of creation’ our master said,
‘Made no error when it had to draw.’
Bravo to his look, so pure it was,
He looked at the world and saw no flaw.
Verse 4 continues the challenge that was posed in the previous verse. Therefore, it is an emphasis on the fact that there is no incongruity or disagreement in God’s creation. It says: look again and again, do you see any conflict? Is there any crack or defect in the creation of God? Everything is in its place. Even death – which is the ultimate fear of some people – has been created out of wisdom and serves an existential purpose, as noted in verse 2.
Your look will return to you is an elegant expression. It depicts one’s eye or vision as an agent that one sends on a mission, but only to return from its mission humbled and worn out. Also, ordering the reader to look again might be an allusion to the possibility of error in sensual perceptions.
Thy shadow doesn’t fall short of anyone’s height;
If there is a problem, it’s the shortness of our sight.
The verse basically orders the reader to look closely and study God’s creation with care and attention. It is not something to pass by heedlessly: We made the sky a preserved roof and yet they are disregardful of its signs (21:32); How many a sign there is in the heavens and the earth that they pass by while they are disregardful of it (12:105).
It is very interesting how these verses do not suffice to just making a statement and commanding the reader to accept it (by threat, for instance). Rather, the reader is urged to see for himself, do a complete study, and look again and again. When it comes to beliefs and what relates to the purpose of our creation and our eternal life, the Quran unfolds the matter so that we may go through life with understanding and knowledge. These verses basically present the logic and methodology that the Quran seeks in its readers: a methodology of research, reason, knowledge, and comprehension. This scientific and knowledge-based approach is referred to in verse 10, where the inhabitants of hell confess to their shortcoming: And they will say: ‘Had we listened or applied reason, we would not have been among inmates of the blaze.’
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- Hārūn al-Rashīd (the fifth Abbasid caliph) wrote to Imam al-Kāẓim (a) asking him for a short advice. The Imam wrote back to him: ‘There is an advice in anything that your eyes see.’
Note: This is why God has ordered His audience in many places in the Quran – including this verse – to look and ponder upon His creation.
- Imam Ali (a) was asked about the distance between truth and falsehood. He said: ‘It is a distance of four fingers.’ Then he placed his hand between his ear and eye and said: ‘What your eyes see is the truth, and what your ears hear are mostly false.’
Note: This narration emphasises the need to not accept anything except with solid proof. One should investigate and study thoroughly before accepting or rejecting anything.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Some exegetes have argued that based on this verse, things like sinning, lying, disbelief, and ignorance are not created by God, for they involve an aspect of discordance and evil, while there is no discordance or evil in God’s creation.
In response to that argument, some Asharite exegetes have contended exactly the opposite: there is no discordance in any of these acts because they are part of God’s creation, and there is no discordance in God’s creation. Anything that God does is good, because there is nothing to define good except God’s action.
In terms of logic, both arguments are valid but neither is sound. It is true that Allah is the creator of all things (13:16, 39:62), but it is important to realise the meaning of ‘thing’ (shayʾ). God is the creator of anything that exists, for He is absolute existence, and there is no other source of existence because anything other than existence is non-existence. The key to this argument is to distinguish between two aspects in anything including sinning, lying, disbelief, and ignorance. One aspect is their existential aspect, which would include the aspects of life, power, knowledge, will, speech, and so on. The other aspect is their non-existential aspect, where every discordance and incongruity would be because of it. That is because discordance is the lack of accordance and incongruity is the lack of congruity. They are deficiencies, and since deficiency is the lack of existence, it cannot be ascribed to God. Thus, God is the creator of any existential matter – be that in an infidel or polytheist – but not the creator of discordance and evil, and there is no contradiction in that (see 3:78-79).
Evil, deception, sorrow and greed,
Are the children of nonbeing, all of them indeed.
But being is pure; it produces and breeds,
Nothing but good and the rightness of deeds.
There is another problem with the Asharite argument: according to their interpretation, this verse would not deny any discordance in reality, but it only defines accordance and congruity in a way that would fit any form of creation. Thus, the verse would not prove any point of virtue or perfection for God or His creation, while that is not true. Any action that emanates from God can only be good, yet good and evil have real, set definitions. Good and evil are defined by God’s perfection, and not by any ad hoc and random act that He may do. In fact, it is impossible that He commits or creates anything that is against His utter perfection.
As mentioned earlier, the root term fawt means to lose something, such that one cannot get a hold of it. Thus, some exegetes have taken the verse to allude to the gravitational force and attraction that there is between everything in the universe, such that everything is connected together. But as Ālūsī has pointed out, that is not really the primary intention of the verse. It is not so much a matter of a physical or natural observation, but it is a metaphysical claim: all creation is a single unit; everything that is created is interconnected because it is all created by the same Creator; they are all parts of a uniform system.
[1] Raghib, under ṭ-b-q.
[2] Razi, 30/57.
[3] Raghib, under f-w-t.
[4] Lisan, under f-ṭ-r.
[5] Tahqiq, under kh-s-ʾ.
[6] Raghib, under ḥ-s-r.
[7] Razi, 30/59.
[8] Zamakhshari, 4/135; Tabrisi, 10/69.
[9] Razi, 30/57-58.
[10] Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 111.
[11] Mizan, 19/350.
[12] Sabzawārī, Sharḥ al-Manẓūmah, 2/422.
[13] Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 105.
[14] Razi, 30/58.
[15] Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 71.
[16] Mizan, 19/350.
[17] Amali.S, p. 509, h. 8.
[18] Khisal, 1/236, h. 78; Nahj, sermon 141.
[19] Tibyan, 10/59; Tabrisi, 10/69.
[20] Razi, 30/58.
[21] Narāqī, Ṭāqdīs, p. 76.
[22] Alusi, 15/8.