al-Dahhāk about His words:

“No calamity befalls the earth or yourselves without being in a Record before We bring it into being.”

He said: Ibn ‘Abbās said:

“Allah created the Throne and rose over it, then created the Pen and commanded it to write by His permission. The Pen’s size was equal to the distance between heaven and earth. The Pen said, ‘What shall I write, my Lord?’ He said, ‘Whatever I shall create and whatever shall occur among My creation, whether rain, vegetation, a soul, an effect—meaning a deed—provision, or an appointed term.’ So the Pen wrote everything that would occur until the Day of Resurrection. Allah recorded it in the Book kept concealed with Him beneath the Throne.”

Section

His words, glorified is He,

“And who determined and guided,”

imply that He determined what was to be for created beings and guided them to it. He knew what provision people and animals would need, so He created that provision and fashioned it, and He created living creatures, fashioned them, and guided them to that provision. He also guided other living beings to bring that provision to them. He created the earth and determined its need for rain, and He determined the clouds and the rain they carry. He created angels whom He guided to drive those clouds to that land