الَّذي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الأَرضَ مَهدًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم فيها سُبُلًا لَعَلَّكُم تَهتَدونَ

He, who made the earth a cradle for you and made in it ways for you, so that you may be guided [to your destinations].

EXEGESIS

Alladhī (he who) is not connected to the polytheists’ previous statement, The All-Mighty, the All-Knowing, but rather it is a predicate for an implicit subject huwa (he). In the context of the preceding verse, this would be understood as stating: The creator of the heavens and the earth is the one who made the earth a cradle for you.[1]

Mahd (cradle) originates from the verb mahada which signifies preparing a place for rest and comfort. Examples of such spaces include a cradle for a child, a cultivable land, and a bed for sleeping and resting.[2] Besides making the earth a cradle for you, God also made the earth a place of repose (firāsh) (2:22), an abode (qarār) (40:64), tractable (dhalūl) (67:15), and a receptacle (kifāt) for the living and the dead (77:25-26).

Subul (ways) is the plural form of sabīl, which refers to a path that extends and flows from a point. It represents an easy, natural, and extended route leading to a desired destination, be it material or spiritual. This differs from ṭarīq, a term derived from ṭaraqa, meaning striking and pounding. Thus, ṭarīq denotes a path created through challenging and laborious efforts.[3] The phrase so that you may be guided can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, it may signify God’s provision of roads and passages on earth, enabling us to reach our desired destinations.[4] Alternatively, it might imply that these blessings are meant to guide humanity towards Allah and His unity, serving as signs for people to find their way to Him.[5] Some scholars argue that both interpretations may be valid and intended within the context of the text.[6]

There is a grammatical shift of pronouns from addressing the Prophet directly in the previous verse whilst speaking about the polytheists in the third person, to now speaking directly to the polytheists. Perhaps the reason for this was to elicit a confession from the polytheists that their claims were contradictory since they acknowledge that Allah is the Creator, but their idols are in charge of running the affairs of the world. Whereas this form of maintaining the affairs (tadbīr) of the universe is an inherent part of creation.[7]

EXPOSITION

The presented verses draw attention to six significant blessings of Allah, collectively showcasing the elaborate design of the universe. This theme recurs throughout the Quran, serving as a reminder that acknowledging Allah’s abundant blessings can rekindle humanity’s innate connection to divine nature (fiṭrah).[8]

The first blessing is that the earth is a comfortable place for man to live on and enjoy the blessings of Allah. Even though the earth is constantly moving or rotating around its axis and is subject to many physical changes due to physical and chemical forces being applied to it, such as the pull of gravity or the layer of gases that surround it, yet man does not feel any of these. These different forces are completely in sync and complement each other.

It is therefore likely that the reason why the earth has been likened to a cradle is because man finds peace and comfort on the earth, similar to how a baby finds peace in a cradle.[9]

It is noteworthy that this verse implicitly signifies that the earth, on its own and independently, was not habitable for humans, but rather it is a blessing of Allah that He made it such that humans could comfortably stay on it.[10]

According to Rāzī, the metaphor of earth as a cradle embodies several divine bounties, including its cultivability for agriculture, stability for constructing buildings and homes, and its ability to provide a final resting place for the deceased.[11]

The second blessing, often overlooked, pertains to earth’s traversable landscape. Mountains, hills, and plateaus cover the terrain, yet pathways and roads exist between even the largest formations, ensuring human passage remains largely uninterrupted. Only rarely do mountains present impenetrable barriers.[12] The verse’s mention of ways may not be limited to land routes, but could also encompass water channels connecting various regions, a remarkable blessing from Allah.[13]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

As to why the earth has been likened to a cradle, some have suggested this is an indication towards how the earth rotates around its axis similar to how cradles rock back and forth and are usually in constant motion.[14]

Some understand mahd as representing a child’s carpet, likening earth to a spread carpet. This interpretation does not contradict the planet’s roundness, as the focus lies in the earth’s flat surfaces, which offer benefits to humans and serve as the primary source of blessing emphasised in this verse.[15]

Another interpretation suggests that subul may refer to means or methods. In this context, the verse highlights Allah’s blessing of granting humans the knowledge and understanding necessary for navigating earth, thereby facilitating travel.[16]

[1] Munyah, 25/166.
[2] Tahqiq, 2/541.
[3] Tahqiq, 5/52.
[4] Mizan, 18/86.
[5] Tibyan, 9/184; Mudarrisi, 12/434.
[6] Amthal, 16/19.
[7] Mizan, 18/86.
[8] Qaraati, 8/438.
[9] Abu al-Futuh, 17/154.
[10] Qaraati, 8/438.
[11] Razi, 27/620.
[12] Amthal, 16/18.
[13] Mudarrisi, 12/433; Amthal, 16/18.
[14] Makhzan, 12/8.
[15] Ibn Ashur, 25/219; Alusi, 13/67.
[16] Ibn Ashur, 25/219.