Commentary
NUMBER 6: This verse introduces Allah to us in a unique fashion and tells us that our Lord is Allah – the One who created the skies and the earth in six periods – however we must note that this does not mean that Allah could not create it instantaneously or in the ‘blink of an eye.’
From this point, Allah reminds us that He maintains and controls everything, and this is the meaning of ‘establishing Himself on the Throne of Authority.’ It is not that Allah creates and then forgets about us, and then things just run on their own like a machine – of course not! He is ever present in our lives and in the workings of the worlds; and that is why at the end of the verse He confirms that to Him belongs the khalq – meaning the creations - and also the amr – that is, the command or the continuous oversight of the workings of what He put together.
The fact that the system has been running for thousands of years and continues to function in this way, and that these celestial bodies - the sun, the moon and the stars which we all benefit from every second of our lives have been made ‘subservient’ to us is also something for us to reflect upon – and not only reflect, but to thank and praise Allah for putting such a process in place for His creations.
One of the outcomes of our study of astronomy and the order which we see in the celestial plains is not simply to be amazed by it, but rather, once we have witnessed His glory in creation, we must then thank Allah and praise Him for putting together such a world for us, and that this planet contains everything that we need to live a prosperous life.
Point of Reflection
The creator of the universe, Allah, is the same One who also manages everything – they are one and the same – He did not just create everything and then leave it alone. He is continuously showering us with His blessings and benedictions – but do we continuously praise and thank Him?!