(29) “He is the One who created for you all that is on earth. Then He turned toward heaven and fashioned them into seven heavens. And He has full knowledge of all things.”
“He is the One who created for you all that is on earth.” That is, out of kindness and mercy toward you, He created everything on earth for you to benefit from, enjoy, and draw lessons from.
This great verse (1) establishes that the basic principle regarding things is that they are permissible and pure, for the verse is presented in the context of divine favor. Foul things are thereby excluded, since [their prohibition also] is inferred from the implication of the verse and from understanding its intended meaning. He created these things for our benefit, so whatever is harmful falls outside this principle. Part of His perfect favor is that He has forbidden us foul things, thereby preserving us from them.
And His saying: “Then He turned toward heaven and fashioned them into seven heavens. And He has full knowledge of all things.”
The word istawā occurs in the Quran with three meanings. At times it is used without an accompanying preposition, in which case it means maturity and completeness, as in His statement concerning Moses: “When he reached full strength and attained maturity.” At other times it means “to rise” and “to ascend”; this is when it is construed with alā (“over”), as in the words of Allah Most High: “Then He rose over the Throne” (2) and “that you may settle upon their backs.” At still other times it means “to turn toward”; this is when it is construed with ilā (“toward”), as in this verse. That is, after Allah Most High created the earth, He turned to creating the heavens: “and fashioned them into seven heavens.” Thus, He created them, formed them soundly, and perfected them. “And He has full knowledge of all things”: He “knows whatever enters the earth and whatever emerges from it, whatever descends from heaven and whatever ascends into it,” and He “knows what you conceal and what you disclose.” He knows the secret and what is yet more hidden.
He frequently couples His creation of created beings with the affirmation of His knowledge, as in this verse and in the words of Allah Most High: “Would the One who created not know, when He is the Most Subtle, the All-Aware?” For His creation of all beings is the clearest proof of His knowledge, wisdom, and power.