(25–27) “And among His signs is that the heaven and earth stand firm by His command. Then, when He calls you once from the earth, behold, you will come forth. * To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and earth; all are devoutly obedient to Him. * He is the One who originates creation, then repeats it, and that is easier for Him. To Him belongs the highest description in the heavens and earth, and He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.”
That is, among His tremendous signs is that the heavens and earth were established, settled, and made firm by His command. They do not tremble, nor does the heaven fall upon the earth. By the same tremendous power with which He keeps the heavens and earth from passing away, He is able, when He calls creation once from the earth, to bring them forth at once: “The creation of the heavens and earth is surely greater than the creation of humankind.”
“To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and earth”: all are His creatures and belong to Him. He disposes of them without rival, helper, or opponent, and they are all devoutly obedient before His majesty and submissive before His perfection.
“He is the One who originates creation, then repeats it, and that is”—that is, restoring creation after their death—“easier for Him” than originating them. This is in relation to human minds and reason: if He is able to originate creation, as you acknowledge, then His power to restore it—which is easier—would be(1) all the more evident.
After mentioning such tremendous signs, by which those who reflect take heed, believers remember, and the rightly guided gain insight, He mentioned the momentous matter and great objective, saying: “To Him belongs the highest description in the heavens and earth.” This comprises every attribute of perfection, the perfection of each such attribute, the complete and perfect love and devotion found in the hearts of His sincere servants, and their exalted remembrance and worship of Him. Thus, the highest description comprises His supreme attributes and all that follows from them.
For this reason, scholars employ a fortiori reasoning with respect to the Creator. They say: Every attribute of perfection found in created beings belongs even more rightfully to their Creator, in a manner in which no one shares it with Him. Likewise, any imperfection from which a created being is deemed free must all the more necessarily be denied of the Creator.
“And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.” That is, His is perfect might and vast wisdom. Through His might He brought created beings into existence and caused His commands to take effect; through His wisdom He perfected what He made and made excellent what He legislated.
(1) Both manuscripts read kāna (the masculine form).