Surah Al-An'aam: Verse 12 - قل لمن ما في السماوات... - English

Commentary

In the opening verse (12), قل لِّمَن مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ the disbelievers have been asked as to who is the Master of the entire universe and all that it contains. Then, Allah Himself gives the answer through the blessed words of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that Allah is the Master of all. The reason for answering the question, rather than waiting for the disbelievers to answer it, is that the answer given was an accepted fact with the disbelievers of Makkah as well, for they were, though involved with Shirk and idolatry, no deniers of the fact that Allah Al-mighty was the Master of the heavens and the earth and everything they contained.

The word, اِلٰی :ila (towards) in the next sentence: لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ He will surely gather you towards a day of doom) has been used either in the sense of tawaffa meaning to take in full, bring to a finish, or gather, (as in the translation of the meaning given here), in which case, it would mean that Allah Ta` ala will gather everyone, from the beginning to the end, on the day of Qiyamah - or, it could mean ` to gather in the graves,' in which case, it would mean that human beings will be kept being gathered into their resting places unto the day of Qiyamah when they will be raised back to life. (Qurtubi)

As for the sentence: كَتَبَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّ‌حْمَةَ (He has prescribed for Himself to be merciful) appearing a little earlier in verse 12, a narration from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ in the Sahih of Muslim reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: When Allah Ta` la made His creation, He made a promise to Himself in writing which is with Him, written in which are the words: اِنَّ رَحمَتِی تَغلِبُ عَلٰی غَضَبِی that is, ` My mercy shall remain dominant over My wrath.' (Qurtubi)

The sentence which appears at the end of the verse: الَّذِينَ خَسِرُ‌وا أَنفُسَهُمْ (Those who have brought loss to themselves ... ) indicates that the deprivation of the disbelievers from the universal mercy of Allah Almighty mentioned earlier was caused by their own deeds, for they did not take to the way which brings mercy - that is, the way of belief and faith. (Qurtubi)

Allah is the Creator and the Sustainer

Allah states that He is the King and Owner of the heavens and earth and all of what is in them, and that He has written mercy on His Most Honorable Self. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs, that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,

(When Allah created the creation, He wrote in a Book that He has with Him above the Throne; `My mercy overcomes My anger.') Allah said;

(Indeed He will gather you together on the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt.) swearing by His Most Honored Self that He will gather His servants,

(For appointed meeting of a known Day.) 56:50, the Day of Resurrection that will certainly occur, and there is no doubt for His believing servants in this fact. As for those who deny and refuse, they are in confusion and disarray. Allah's statement,

(Those who destroy themselves) on the Day of Resurrection,

(will not believe. ) in the Return and thus do not fear the repercussions of that Day. Allah said next,

(And to Him belongs whatsoever exists in the night and the day.) meaning, all creatures in the heavens and earth are Allah's servants and creatures, and they are all under His authority, power and will; there is no deity worthy of worship except Him,

(and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.) He hears the statements of His servants and knows their actions, secrets and what they conceal. Allah then said to His servant and Messenger Muhammad , whom He sent with the pure Tawhid and the straight religion, commanding him to call the people to Allah's straight path;

(Say: "Shall I take as a guardian any other than Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth") Similarly, Allah said,

(Say: "Do you order me to worship other than Allah, O you fools") 39:64. The meaning here is, I will not take a guardian except Allah, without partners, for He is the Creator of the heavens and earth Who orignated them without precedent,

(And it is He Who feeds but is not fed.) For He sustains His creatures without needing them. Allah also said;

(And I created not the Jinn and humans except that they should worship Me (Alone).) 51:56 Some scholars read it, وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يَطْعَمُ "And it is He Who feeds but He does not eat." meaning, Allah does not eat. Abu Hurayrah narrated, "A man from Al-Ansar from the area of Quba' invited the Prophet to eat some food, and we went along with the Prophet . When the Prophet ate and washed his hands, he said,

(All praise is due to Allah, Who feeds but is never fed, He bestowed bounty unto us, Who gave us guidance and fed us, gave us something to drink, covered our nakedness; and for every favor He has given us. All praise is due to Allah, praise that should not be neglected, my Lord, all the while affirming that we will never be able to duly thank Him; nor be appreciative enough of Him, nor be free of needing Him. All thanks and praises are due to Allah Who fed us the food, gave us the drink, covered our nudity, guided us from misguidance, gave us sight from blindness, and honored us above many of His creaturers. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all that exists.")

(Say: "Verily, I am commanded to be the first of those who submit themselves to Allah as (Muslims).") from this Ummah,

(And be not you of the idolaters. Say: "I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the torment of a Mighty Day.") 6:14-15, the Day of Resurrection,

(Who is averted from) such a torment,

(on that Day, He has surely been Merciful to him) meaning, Allah will have been merciful to him,

(And that would be the obvious success.) Allah also said,

(And whoever is moved away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful.) 3:185, success here indicates acquiring profit and negates loss.