Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (906)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(6–16) “Have We not made the earth a resting place, * and the mountains as stakes, * and created you in pairs, * and made your sleep a repose, * and made the night a covering, * and made the day a time for livelihood, * and built above you seven mighty heavens, * and made a blazing lamp, * and sent down from the rain clouds abundant, pouring water, * so that through it We may bring forth grain and vegetation, * and gardens dense with foliage?”

That is: Have We not bestowed magnificent blessings upon you? We made “the earth a resting place”—that is, leveled and prepared (1) for you and your interests, including cultivated lands, dwellings, and roads.

“And the mountains as stakes,” holding the earth firm so that it does not quake and sway beneath you.

“And created you in pairs”—that is, males and females of the same kind, so that each may find tranquility in the other, thus giving rise (2) to affection and mercy, and producing offspring. Implicit in this is also the favor of the pleasure of marital intimacy.

“And made your sleep a repose”—that is, a rest for you and a cessation of your occupations, which would harm your bodies if they continued without interruption. Thus, Allah made night and sleep envelop people so that their harmful exertions would cease (3) and they would obtain beneficial rest.

“And built above you seven mighty heavens”—that is, seven heavens of the utmost strength, solidity, and firmness. Allah holds them in place by His power and has made them a roof over the earth, containing many benefits for them. He therefore mentioned the sun as one of their benefits, saying: “And made a blazing lamp.” By calling it a lamp, He draws attention to the blessing of its light, which has become virtually indispensable to creation; and by describing it as blazing, which signifies heat, He draws attention to its warmth and the benefits it provides (4).

“And sent down from the rain clouds”—that is, the clouds—“abundant, pouring water,” meaning water in tremendous abundance.

“So that through it We may bring forth grain,” including wheat, barley, millet, rice, and other foods eaten by human beings.

“And vegetation” includes all other plants that Allah has made sustenance for their livestock.

“And gardens dense with foliage”—that is, thickly intertwined orchards containing every kind of delicious fruit.

(1) In B: “made tractable.” (2) In B: “and thus they develop.” (3) In B: “so that they may come to rest.” (4) In B: “which has become indispensable to creation; and by ‘blazing’—that is, its heat—He draws attention to the ripening effects and benefits it provides.”

﴿٦ - ١٦﴾ ﴿أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الأرْضَ مِهَادًا * وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا * وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا * وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا * وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا * وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا * وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا * وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا * وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا * لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا * وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا﴾ أي: أما أنعمنا عليكم بنعم جليلة، فجعلنا لكم ﴿الأرْضَ مِهَادًا﴾ أي: ممهدة مهيأة (١) لكم ولمصالحكم، من الحروث والمساكن والسبل. ﴿وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا﴾ تمسك الأرض لئلا تضطرب بكم وتميد. ﴿وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا﴾ أي: ذكورا وإناثا من جنس واحد، ليسكن كل منهما إلى الآخر، فتكون (٢) المودة والرحمة، وتنشأ عنهما الذرية، وفي ضمن هذا الامتنان، بلذة المنكح. ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا﴾ أي: راحة لكم، وقطعا لأشغالكم، التي متى تمادت بكم أضرت بأبدانكم، فجعل الله الليل والنوم يغشى الناس لتنقطع (٣) حركاتهم الضارة، وتحصل راحتهم النافعة. ﴿وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا﴾ أي: سبع سموات، في غاية القوة، والصلابة والشدة، وقد أمسكها الله بقدرته، وجعلها سقفا للأرض، فيها عدة منافع لهم، ولهذا ذكر من منافعها الشمس فقال: ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا﴾ نبه بالسراج على النعمة بنورها، الذي صار كالضرورة للخلق، وبالوهاج الذي فيه الحرارة على حرارتها وما فيها من المصالح (٤) . ﴿وَأَنزلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ﴾ أي: السحاب ﴿مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا﴾ أي: كثيرا جدا. ﴿لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا﴾ من بر وشعير وذرة وأرز، وغير ذلك مما يأكله الآدميون. ﴿وَنَبَاتًا﴾ يشمل سائر النبات، الذي جعله الله قوتا لمواشيهم. ﴿وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا﴾ أي: بساتين ملتفة، فيها من جميع أصناف الفواكه اللذيذة.

(١) في ب: مذللة. (٢) في ب: فتتكون. (٣) في ب: لتسكن. (٤) في ب: الذي صار ضرورة للخلق، وبالوهاج وهي: حرارتها على ما فيها من الإنضاج والمنافع.