but I really want to understand the verses of the Quran a little better, my question is regarding the creation. 1.) Did Allah create the heavens first, and then the Earth? I ask this because i am confused with the following verses: Surah 2, Verse 29: YUSUFALI: It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge. and Surah 79 Verses 27-30 079.027 YUSUFALI: What! Are ye the more difficult to create or the heaven (above)? (Allah) hath constructed it: 079.028 YUSUFALI: On high hath He raised its canopy, and He hath given it order and perfection. 079.029 YUSUFALI: Its night doth He endow with darkness, and its splendour doth He bring out (with light). 079.030 YUSUFALI: And the earth, moreover, hath He extended (to a wide expanse); Again, am i misreading the verses? i really would appreciate if you can help me understand these verses better
Praise
be to Allah.
The Holy Qur’an indicates in two places that the earth was
created before the heavens. That is in the verses in which Allah, may He
be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“He it is Who
created for you all that is on earth. Then He Istawa (rose over) towards the
heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the All-Knower of everything”
[al-Baqarah 2:29]
And:
“Say (O
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)): Do you verily
disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days and you set up rivals
(in worship) with Him? That is the Lord of the ‘Alameen (mankind, jinns and
all that exists).
He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above
it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its
dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four days were equal in the
length of time), for all those who ask (about its creation).
Then He Istawa (rose over) towards the heaven when it was
smoke, and said to it and to the earth: ‘Come both of you willingly or
unwillingly.’ They both said: ‘We come, willingly’”
[Fussilat 41:9-11].
This does not contradict the passage in Soorat an-Naazi‘aat
in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Are you more difficult to create, or is the heaven that He
constructed?
He raised its height, and He has equally ordered it,
Its night He covers with darkness, and its forenoon He brings
out (with light).
And after that He spread the earth;
And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture”
[an-Naazi‘aat 79:27-31].
So the earth was created first, not spread, then the heaven
was created, then the earth was spread, by bringing forth water and pasture
from it, i.e., trees, crops and so on.
What is meant by the words of Allah, may He be exalted,
“He
it is Who created for you all that is on earth”
[al-Baqarah 2:239] is
the earth itself, and He measured out what would be upon it of provision and
other things. The word khalaqa (translated as created) here means measured.
This is in accordance with the words in Soorat Fussilat: “and
measured [qaddara] therein its sustenance”
[Fussilat 41:10].
Al-‘Allaamah Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shinqeeti (may Allah have
mercy on him) said:
First of all, it should be understood that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may
Allah be pleased with him) was asked about reconciling between the verse in
Soorah Fussilat and the verse in an-Naazi‘aat, and he responded by saying
that Allah, may He be exalted, created the earth first, before the heaven,
but it was not spread. Then He rose over towards the heaven and fashioned it
as seven heavens in two days, then He spread the earth after that, and
placed in it mountains, rivers and so on.
So the creation of the earth itself came before the creation
of the heavens, and then came the spreading of the earth with its mountains,
trees and so on, after the creation of the heavens.
This is indicated by the fact that He says:
“And
after that He spread the earth”
[an-Naazi‘aat 79:30] and
He did not say that He created it. Then He explained what is meant by
spreading it by saying: “And
brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture”
[an-Naazi‘aat 79:31]. The way in which Ibn ‘Abbaas reconciled between these
two verses is clear and there is no problem with it, as may be understood
from the apparent meaning of the Holy Qur’an. End quote.
Then he mentioned the verse in Soorat al-Baqarah, and
explained that what is meant by creation there is measuring, or creating the
earth itself.
He also mentioned another way of reconciling between the
verses, which is that the verse “And
after that He spread the earth”
[an-Naazi‘aat 79:30]
means with that, So the word ba‘d (translated here as “after”) may
mean ma‘a “with”. This reconciliation may be supported by an odd mode
of recitation, according to which Mujaahid recited it as wa’l-arda
ma‘a dhalika dahaahaa [instead of wa’l-arda ba‘da
dhalika dahaahaa]. Based on this mode of recitation, the verse in an-Naazi‘aat
does not mention the order in which the heavens and the earth were created,
therefore there is no contradiction between it and the verses in al-Baqarah
and Fussilat.
See: Daf‘ Eehaam al-Idtiraab ‘an Aayaat al-Kitaab by
al-‘Allaamah Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shinqeeti, printed with his tafseer
Adwa’ al-Bayaan (10/16-18)
And Allah knows best.
