“Say, ‘Do you indeed disbelieve in the One Who created the earth in two days, and set up equals with Him? That is the Lord of all worlds. (9) He placed upon it firm mountains rising above it, blessed it, and apportioned within it its sustenance in four days—equally for all who ask. (10) Then He turned to the heaven while it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth, “Come, willingly or unwillingly.” They said, “We come willingly.” (11)’”

His saying, Exalted is He, “Say, ‘Do you indeed disbelieve in the One Who created the earth in two days’”: namely, Sunday and Monday; “and set up equals with Him? That is the Lord of all worlds.”

“He placed upon it”—that is, upon the earth—“firm mountains,” meaning stable mountains, “rising above it,” that is, above the earth. “And He blessed it,” meaning the earth, through the seas, rivers, trees, and fruits that He created within it. “And apportioned within it its sustenance”: al-Hasan and Muqatil said, “He distributed throughout the earth the provisions of people and beasts.” Ikrimah and al-Dahhak said, “In every land, He appointed what He did not appoint in another, so that some may live through trade with others, from one land to another.” (1) Al-Kalbi said, “He appointed bread for the people of one region, dates for the people of another, millet for the people of another, and fish for the people of another; and likewise with its other provisions.”

“In four days”: that is, He created what is on the earth and apportioned its provisions in two days—Tuesday and Wednesday—which, together with Sunday and Monday, make four days. The latter period is connected in wording to the former, as when one says, “Yesterday I married one woman, and today two,” one of whom is the woman he married yesterday. “Equally for all who ask”: Abu Ja'far recited it in the nominative, meaning: it is equal. Ya'qub recited it in the genitive as an adjective qualifying “in four days,” while the others recited it in the accusative (2) as a verbal noun, meaning: it was made equal—namely, with complete equality. Its meaning is: equally, for those who ask about this matter. Qatadah and al-Suddi said: “Whoever asks about it, this is how the matter stands: exactly so, without increase or decrease”—as an answer to one who asks, “In how many days were the earth and its provisions created?”

“Then He turned to the heaven”: that is, He directed Himself to the creation of the heaven, “while it was smoke”; and that smoke was water vapor. “Then He said to it and to the earth, ‘Come, willingly or unwillingly’”: that is, come to what I command you—meaning, do it—just as one says, “Do what is best,” meaning, do it.

Tawus reported from Ibn Abbas: “Come” means: “Bring forth” (3)—that is, bring forth the benefits that I have created within you for the welfare of My servants.