Surah Ar-Rahmaan: Verse 10 - والأرض وضعها للأنام... - English

It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures: (10)

وَالْأَرْ‌ضَ وَضَعَهَا لِلْأَنَامِ (And the earth is placed by Him for creatures...55:10). The word 'anam with fatha [=a ] on the first letter on the grammatical measure of سَحَاب sahab, refers to all the creatures that are on the surface of the earth. Baidawi translates the word as 'everything having a soul'. Evidently, the word 'anam in the verse refers to mankind and the jinn, because only these two species of Allah's creation are obligated to observe the precepts of Shari` ah. Furthermore, they are addressed throughout the Surah. For instance in the refrain verse فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَ‌بِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (So, [ 0 mankind and Jinn,] which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?...55:13) The dual second person attached pronouns and the dual forms of the verbs second person sustained throughout Surah Ar-Rahman are addressed to Jinn and mankind.

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