(164) He then mentioned the detailed proofs, saying:
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth; the alternation of night and day; the ships that sail through the sea carrying what benefits people; the water Allah sends down from the sky, giving life thereby to the earth after its death and dispersing throughout it every kind of living creature; the directing of the winds; and the clouds subjected between heaven and earth—there are surely signs for people who reason.”
The Exalted informs us that these magnificent created things contain signs—that is, evidence of the Creator’s oneness and divinity, His immense dominion and mercy, and all His other attributes. Yet these signs are “for people who reason”; that is, those who possess intellects and put them to use for the purpose for which they were created. A servant benefits from the signs and recognizes them through his reason, reflection, and contemplation in proportion to the intellect Allah has bestowed upon him.
Thus, in “the creation of the heavens”—their elevation and vastness, their firm and flawless construction, the sun, moon, and stars Allah placed within them, and the way He ordered them for the welfare of His servants—there are signs.
There are also signs in His creation of “the earth” as a resting place for created beings, upon which they can settle, benefit from all that it contains, and take heed. All this demonstrates that Allah alone creates and governs. It manifests the immense power by which He created it; the wisdom by which He perfected, beautified, and ordered it; and the knowledge and mercy by which He placed within it all the benefits, interests, necessities, and needs of created beings. This is the clearest proof of His perfection and of His right to be worshiped alone, for He alone creates and governs and attends to the affairs of His servants.
And in “the alternation of night and day”—their constant succession, as one follows whenever the other departs; their variation between heat, cold, and moderate conditions; their varying length and the balance between them; and the seasons that result, through which the welfare of human beings, their animals, and everything upon the earth, including trees and plants, is maintained—all this occurs with an order, governance, and subjection that astounds the mind and surpasses the understanding of even the most accomplished men. It demonstrates the power of the One who directs them, His knowledge and wisdom, His vast mercy and all-encompassing kindness, His unique direction and governance, His greatness, and the greatness of His kingdom and authority. All this requires that He be worshiped as God and singled out for love and veneration, fear and hope, and that every effort be devoted to what He loves and what pleases Him.
And in “the ships that sail through the sea”—vessels, boats, and the like—there are also signs. Allah inspired His servants to build them and created for them the inward and outward means that enabled them to do so.
He then subjected to them this vast sea and the winds that carry the ships together with their passengers, possessions, and merchandise, all of which benefit people, uphold their interests, and bring order to their livelihoods.
Who inspired them to build these vessels, enabled them to do so, and created for them the tools with which they build them? Who subjected the sea to the vessels so that they sail through it by His permission and subjection, and who subjected the winds? Who created fire and metals for conveyances on land and sea, thereby enabling them to travel and carry the goods they contain? Did these things arise by chance? Or did this weak and helpless creature independently produce them—this creature who emerged from his mother’s womb possessing neither knowledge nor ability, after which his Lord gave him ability and taught him whatever He willed to teach him? Or is the One who subjected all this a single Lord, all-wise and all-knowing, whom nothing can frustrate and nothing can resist? Rather, all things submit to His lordship, yield before His greatness, ⦗79⦘ and bow to His irresistible might.
The weak servant’s role goes no further than Allah making him one component among the causes through which these tremendous things came into being. This demonstrates Allah’s mercy and care for His creation, requiring that all love be devoted to Him, together with fear, hope, obedience, humility, and veneration.
“The water Allah sends down from the sky” is the rain that descends from the clouds.
“Giving life thereby to the earth after its death”: the earth then brings forth varieties of food and many kinds of plants that are essential to created beings and without which they cannot live.
Is this not evidence of the power of the One who sent down the rain and brought forth through it all that He did, as well as of His mercy, His kindness toward His servants, His care for their welfare, and their utter need and dependence upon Him in every respect? Does this not require that He be their object of worship and their God? Is it not evidence that He will resurrect the dead and recompense them for their deeds?
“And dispersing throughout it”—that is, throughout the earth—“every kind of living creature”: He spread throughout every region of the earth diverse kinds of creatures that testify to His power, greatness, oneness, and immense authority. He subjected them to people, who benefit from them in every possible way.
Some provide meat for them to eat and milk for them to drink; some serve as mounts; some work for their welfare and protection; and some provide lessons from which they may take heed. Although (1) He has dispersed throughout the earth every kind of creature, He alone provides their sustenance and guarantees their food. There is no creature on earth whose provision is not incumbent upon Allah, and He knows its dwelling place and its place of deposit.
There are also signs in “the directing of the winds”: cold and hot, southerly and northerly, easterly and westerly, and every direction in between. At times they stir up the clouds; at times they gather them together; at times they fertilize them; at times they cause them to pour forth rain; and at times they disperse them and remove their harm. Sometimes they are a mercy, while at other times they are sent as a punishment.
Who directs them in all these ways, places within them benefits without which His servants cannot live, and subjects them so that all living creatures may survive and bodies, trees, crops, and plants may flourish? Who could it be but the Almighty, the All-Wise, the Most Merciful, who is kind to His servants and deserves all humility, submission, love, devoted return, and worship?
There are also signs in the subjection of the clouds between heaven and earth. Despite their lightness and delicate nature, they carry abundant water. Allah drives them wherever He wills, bringing life through them to lands and people and watering hills and valleys. He sends down rain upon His creation when they need it, but when its abundance would harm them, He withholds it from them. He sends it down in mercy and kindness and diverts it out of care and compassion. How magnificent is His authority, how abundant His beneficence, and how gracious His favors!
Is it not shameful for His servants to enjoy His provision and live by His beneficence while using those very blessings to do what incurs His wrath and to disobey Him? Is this not evidence of His forbearance and patience, His pardon and forgiveness, and His all-encompassing kindness?
To Him belongs all praise, at the beginning and the end, inwardly and outwardly.
In sum, whenever a rational person contemplates these created things, lets his thought penetrate the marvels of all that has been brought into existence, and reflects ever more deeply upon their workmanship and the subtle manifestations of beneficence and wisdom placed within them, he comes to know that they were created for a true purpose and in truth. They are pages inscribed with signs and books filled with evidence for what Allah has stated concerning Himself and His oneness, and for what the messengers have reported concerning the Last Day. He also realizes that they are all subjected, possessing neither governance of their own nor any ability to resist the One who governs and directs them.
You thus come to know that everything in the upper and lower realms is dependent upon Him and turns to Him for all its needs, while He is intrinsically self-sufficient and has no need of any created being. There is no deity except Allah and no Lord besides Him.