Overview (Verses 4 - 5)

Six Days of Creation

Those whom God’s Messenger is ordered to warn were polytheists, people who associated partners with God. Therefore, the sūrah explains God’s attribute by which they know the truth of Godhead. It also distinguishes who deserves to have this great name, God, and who must never be associated with His status: God it is who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days, and established Himself on the Throne. You have none to protect you from God, and none to intercede with Him for you. Will you not, then, reflect? He regulates and governs all that exists, from the celestial space to the earth; and in the end all shall ascend to Him [for judgement] on a day the length of which is one thousand years by your reckoning. Such is He who knows all that is beyond the reach of human perception, and all that can be witnessed, the Almighty, the Most Merciful, who makes most excellent everything that He creates. He begins the creation of man out of clay; then He causes his progeny to be begotten out of the essence of a humble fluid; then He fashions him and breathes into him of His spirit. Thus He endows you, mankind, with hearing and sight and hearts. Yet seldom are you grateful! (Verses 4-9) Such is God, and such are the effects and indications of Godhead. They are seen all over the universe, felt in the realm that lies beyond human perception, and recognized in the origins of man and the stages of his development. God tells them about these in His true book. “God it is who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days.” (Verse 4) The heavens and the earth and what is in between them refer to the great many creatures about which we know very little, while there is much more which we do not know anything about. They constitute this huge kingdom of unlimited dimensions which fascinates us. We stand speechless, overwhelmed at the accurate design and perfect system that run through it all. It combines this greatness with captivating beauty in which neither sight nor any of our senses finds defect. No one is ever tired of contemplating it. Repetition and familiarity do not detract from its self-renewing appeal. This kingdom includes such a great variety of creatures, with countless races and species, endless shapes, sizes, characteristics, qualities, features and tasks. They are all subject to the same law, coherently fulfilling one great activity, looking up to one source from whom they receive their directives and to whom they submit in complete obedience.

It is God who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. Hence, He is the One who deserves this name. Their creation was in six days,’ and these were certainly not the earth days with which we are familiar. Earth days are a measure of time which results from the revolving of the earth around itself while moving in orbit around the sun. When it completes one round, it completes one 24- hour cycle applicable only to our earth, a tiny little planet when compared to the universe. This time measure only came into existence after the sun and the earth were set in their respective positions. It is also the one most suitable for us who live on this planet.

Of what nature are the six days mentioned in the Qur’ān? This is known only to God, while we cannot define or measure them. They belong to God’s days which He describes in the verse that says: “Well, in your Lord’s sight a day is like a thousand years of your reckoning.” (22: 47) These six days might have been six epochs which the heavens and the earth went through until they reached their present status; or might have been six stages of creation and formation, or six aeons the length of which is known only to God. They are definitely something different from the earth days which we know. We take them as something belonging to the realm beyond the reach of our perception, which means that we cannot know exactly what they were. Mentioning them serves to remind us of the elaborate planning of God’s creation, in accordance with His knowledge, wisdom and perfect creation.

“And established Himself on the Throne.” (Verse 4) This expression refers to the fact that God is above all creation. We cannot say anything about the throne, except to take it as a name. The word istawā, which is translated as ‘established Himself’ is different, as it clearly indicates elevation and exaltation. The Arabic text also uses the word thumma, which is the conjunction ‘then’, but it is clear here that it does not indicate any chronological order, because no change of situation applies to God. He, limitless is He in His glory, is not in a certain situation, nor does He then move to a new one. This does not apply to God. It is only an abstract order. His exaltation means that His is a level high above that of His creation, and this is expressed in the way the verse is composed.

With this absolute glory of God, the sūrah tells them of the fact that applies directly to them: “You have none to protect you from God, and none to intercede with Him for you.” (Verse 4) Who could have? ‘Where does such protection come from? It is God who controls the throne, the heavens, the earth and all that is between them. It is He who has created the heavens and the earth and all who live in them. Who, then, can protect or intercede for anyone against His will? “Will you not, then, reflect.” (Verse 4) It is sufficient to remember this fact and reflect on it for people to acknowledge God and to turn to Him alone, abandoning all else.

In addition to all that has been said about creation and elaborate planning, it is now stated that whatever takes place in the heavens, the earth or in between them will be presented to Him on the Day of Judgement when He will determine their fates: “He regulates and governs all that exists, from the celestial space to the earth; and in the end all shall ascend to Him [for judgement] on a day the length of which is one thousand years by your reckoning.” (Verse 5) The expressions used here provide a great, broad perspective: ‘from the celestial space to the earth.’ Thus, human perception is given an impression that it can contemplate. In fact, the domain of what God regulates and governs is far greater than that of the heavens and the earth. For us, however, it is sufficient that we look at this broad expanse and reflect on the fact that God regulates everything in it when we cannot even imagine the figures of its dimensions.

Everything that has been determined and planned, with its results and consequences, is then put to Him, in His exalted presence, on the day He has determined for reviewing the results of actions, words, objects and living creatures. It is “a day the length of which is one thousand years by your reckoning.” (Verse 5) Nothing of this is created in vain or abandoned or neglected. All run their course in accordance with God’s design to an appointed time. They all “ascend to Him,” because everything and every position and stage is below that of God Almighty. Hence they ascend or are raised to Him, by His permission, when He wills.