هُوَ الَّذي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الأَرضَ ذَلولًا فَامشوا في مَناكِبِها وَكُلوا مِن رِزقِهِ ۖ وَإِلَيهِ النُّشورُ

It is He who made the earth tractable for you; so walk on its flanks and eat of His provision, and towards Him is the resurrection.

EXEGESIS

Dhalūl: tractable, manageable, submissive. Its root is the opposite of ʿizz, which means to be tough and impenetrable. When used for the earth, dhalūl means a land that is tractable and manageable.^{‎[1]Raghib, under dh-l-l.} It could refer to the aspect of farming and cultivation, or the aspect of travelling on the earth. That is, it is possible to travel across the earth as it is not all mountainous or unsuitable terrain. The subsequent part of the verse bears witness to both aspects. Dhalūl is also used to describe a steed, mount, or livestock (2:71). In this sense, the earth is described as a docile and submissive mount on which humans are mounted and move.^{‎[2]Qamus, under dh-l-l.} Even though the earth moves at a very rapid speed, it is a very peaceful and liveable environment for mankind because of the force of gravity which holds its inhabitants in place.

Manākib: sides, flanks, shoulders. It is metaphorically used to mean the surface of the earth, just like the term ẓahr (lit. back) has been used in this meaning in 35:45.^{‎[3]Raghib; Tahqiq, under n-k-b.} This may be a reference to three things: 1. The fact that the earth bears and carries humankind – Did We not make the earth a resting place? (78:6). 2. The fact that the earth provides mankind with their sustenance and livelihood, as if it carries the load of their provision on its shoulders.^{‎[4]Qaraati, 10/153.} 3. The flattening of the earth, its accessibility, and the fact that it is possible to travel across the lands: He spread out the earth (79:30); And We spread out the earth (15:19, 50:7). Mujāhid has interpreted manākib as the roads and paths on the earth.^{‎[5]Tibyan, 10/65.} Ibn Abbas and Qatādah, however, have interpreted it to mean the mountains on the earth,^{‎[6]Tibyan, 10/65.} which are in a way the shoulders of the earth, and comply with many other verses that make mention of mountains along with the earth (16:15, 21:31, 31:10). However, this is not a likely meaning because the verse talks about the ease and ability to walk on the earth’s manākib.

Walk (mashy) in this context is not limited to the specific meaning of moving on foot. Rather, it includes any kind of movement and travel. This is like eating (akl) in many verse of the Quran (2:188, 2:275, 3:130, 4:2, 4:6, 4:29), where it does not mean to take in food by the mouth, but it means any kind of acquisition, earning, and usage. Hence, walk here means to move across the earth, whether by foot, animals, or other means of transportation (16:8).

EXPOSITION

This verse provides another proof for the blessedness and power of God, and also sets the ground for the threats posed in the following verses. God is so blessed that He has made the earth smooth and tractable for your life. You can travel across it, and it bears your provision. Therefore, there are two bounties mentioned concerning the earth: 1. The fact that mankind can travel across the earth. 2. The fact that their provision grows out of the earth and the great capacity of the earth to provide for all people.

These two qualities of the earth have been described in the following verses: And We spread out the earth, and cast in it firm mountains, and We grew in it every kind of balanced thing, and made in it [various] means of livelihood for you and for those whom you do not provide for (15:19-20); We set firm mountains in the earth lest it should shake with them, and We made broad ways in them so that they may be guided [to their destinations] (21:31); Have We not made the earth a receptacle for the living and the dead, and set in it lofty [and] firm mountains, and given you agreeable water to drink? (77:25-27).

In fact, not only does the earth bear the sustenance of mankind, but also the sustenance of their livestock (20:53-54, 79:30-33, 80:24-32). It is interesting that these discussions in the Quran are always followed by a transition to the subject of resurrection, and so is the case here; after describing the tractability of the earth, the verse concludes: and towards Him is the resurrection. This mention of the hereafter can be regarded in two ways: either as a logical and obvious consequence of the first part of the verse, or as a reminder and admonition to the audience. What is implicit in the first interpretation is that the creation of the earth and the life of this world cannot be all there is to existence. It would be vain to create such a perfect system for only a few days of this life. Thus, it only makes sense to have a resurrection, toward God who is eternal and infinite.

In the second interpretation, the verse is warning man to keep his behaviour in check and under control, lest he is carried away by the life of this world, especially because he has a suitable environment and habitat. The verse states: indeed the earth has been made tractable for you, you can travel all around it, and it gives you provision; but do not forget your ultimate goal and destination: towards Him is the resurrection. In other words, not only the earth, but everything in the heavens and the earth, has been created for you (45:13, 2:29); however, you have not been created for these things. You are only a passenger in this life, where you neighbour these creatures of God for only a few days. Your final destination is to meet with your Lord: O man! You are labouring toward your Lord laboriously, and you will encounter Him (84:6). This second interpretation is more appropriate and relevant, especially given the next verses that involve warnings and threats.

Towards Him is the resurrection sets a limit and condition for so walk on its flanks and eat of His provision. That is, do not be carried away by moving around on the earth and seeking your material provision. Rather, your movement, earning, and eating should all be with the remembrance of your resurrection, and under the light of your main journey. Do not engage in this world heedlessly, but do whatever you do as one who is on a return:

The sun and the moon are moving with speed;

The clouds and the wind are doing their deed;

To provide your provision and feed you indeed,

So that you may eat with attention and heed.^{‎[7]Saʿdī, Gulistān.}

The tractability of the earth refers to anything that relates to its being a suitable place for life. For example, the earth is not too hard or rocky, because in that case it would have been impossible to dig into it and obtain building materials from it. Likewise, had it been made out of metals or hard rocks, it would have become too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.^{‎[8]Razi, 30/591.}

There is also an aspect of threat in this verse, for God is saying: I am the one who made the earth so submissive and tractable for you, so do not feel too secure and self-sufficient from Me. This threat is explicated in the verses that follow.^{‎[9]Razi, 30/591.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some of the later exegetes have argued that since the verse says in an imperative form walk on its flanks and eat of His provision, striving and struggling for sustenance is a condition for its achievement.^{‎[10]Kashif, 7/378; Qaraati, 10/154.} This conclusion – whether true or not – cannot be deduced from this verse. The subject and theme of this verse is the bounties and favours of God upon the people. Thus, walk on its flanks is not really an order, but a permission (ibāḥah) or a favour (imtinān). And so is the case with eat of His provision. Just as there are cases when a declarative sentence implies an imperative, there are cases when an imperative implies a declarative sentence. This is observed in many verses of the Quran, where the trend and theme of the verses clearly show that the apparent instruction is only intended as a permission (2:168, 2:172, 2:187). Ālūsī has rightfully identified the main theme of this verse.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.^{‎[11]Deuteronomy 32:13.}

[1] Raghib, under dh-l-l.
[2] Qamus, under dh-l-l.
[3] Raghib; Tahqiq, under n-k-b.
[4] Qaraati, 10/153.
[5] Tibyan, 10/65.
[6] Tibyan, 10/65.
[7] Saʿdī, Gulistān.
[8] Razi, 30/591.
[9] Razi, 30/591.
[10] Kashif, 7/378; Qaraati, 10/154.
[11] Deuteronomy 32:13.