Topic: Proportions, Measure
View Aspects
وَٱلْأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَٰهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مَّوْزُونٍ
13:4.
16:16; 21:32.
The words, Wal Arda Madadna-ha, mean, 'We have spread out the earth' or, 'We have enriched it.' Both meanings are applicable here. The verse signifies that God has made the earth so large that in spite of its being round, man feels no discomfort on account of its roundness; or it means that God has enriched the earth with fertilizers. Astronomical researches have disclosed the fact that the earth continues to acquire new strength and fertility from the stars from which particles of matter fall on it in the form of meteors or meteoric dust, which serves to increase its fertility.
The earth needs a good supply of water to grow food. For this purpose God has created mountains which serve as reservoirs of water, storing it in the form of snow and distributing it over the earth by means of rivers.
13:4.
16:16; 21:32.
Important Words:
مددناھا (have We spread out) is derived from مد. They say مدالشیء i.e. he spread out the thing. مدالارض means, he added extraneous soil or fertilizer to the earth in order to enrich it. مدالرجل means, he helped the man (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The words, والارض مددناھا mean, "We have spread out the earth" or, "We have enriched it." Both meanings are applicable here. The verse signifies that God has made the earth so large that in spite of its being round, man feels no discomfort on account of its roundness; or it means that God has enriched the earth with fertilizers. It is a well-known fact that the earth continues to acquire new strength and fertility from the stars. Astronomical researches have disclosed the important fact that particles of matter have ever continued to fall on the earth from the stars in the form of meteors or meteoric dust which serves to increase the fertility of the earth. Next to such food the earth needs a good supply of water. For this purpose God has created mountains, which serve as reservoirs of water, storing it in the form of snow and distributing it over the earth by means of rivers.
Similarly, both the meanings of the word انبت viz. "to grow" and "to increase" apply here. God has made all things required for the needs of man to grow in the earth and to increase. The verse means that all the requirements of man have been determined by God in a proper proportion and as the process of consumption is also going on, the things needed by man have been suitably made to grow and increase in the earth.
The relation of this verse to the preceding one is that in the latter mention was made of the revelation of the Quran and of the special provision made for its protection and this was illustrated by comparison with certain celestial phenomena. In the present verse, however, another illustration of such protection has been furnished by a terrestrial phenomenon. The verse states that God has made special arrangements for fertilizing the earth and for replenishing and making good its losses. Some of these arrangements are external and some internal e.g. (1) matter falling to the earth from the stellar spaces; (2) the mountains; (3) the inherent powers of the earth. The same is the case with Divine Scriptures. The external arrangement made for their protection is the help which they get from heaven in the form of divine teachers who appear in the fullness of time to safeguard the spirit of these Scriptures; and the internal arrangements are their intrinsic beauties and excellences which attract the hearts of all good men.
a
13:4.
b
16:16; 21:32.
a
13:4.
b
16:16; 21:32.
1726
Important Words:
مددناھا (have We spread out) is derived from مد. They say مدالشیء i.e. he spread out the thing. مدالارض means, he added extraneous soil or fertilizer to the earth in order to enrich it. مدالرجل means, he helped the man (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The words, والارض مددناھا mean, "We have spread out the earth" or, "We have enriched it." Both meanings are applicable here. The verse signifies that God has made the earth so large that in spite of its being round, man feels no discomfort on account of its roundness; or it means that God has enriched the earth with fertilizers. It is a well-known fact that the earth continues to acquire new strength and fertility from the stars. Astronomical researches have disclosed the important fact that particles of matter have ever continued to fall on the earth from the stars in the form of meteors or meteoric dust which serves to increase the fertility of the earth. Next to such food the earth needs a good supply of water. For this purpose God has created mountains, which serve as reservoirs of water, storing it in the form of snow and distributing it over the earth by means of rivers.
Similarly, both the meanings of the word انبت viz. "to grow" and "to increase" apply here. God has made all things required for the needs of man to grow in the earth and to increase. The verse means that all the requirements of man have been determined by God in a proper proportion and as the process of consumption is also going on, the things needed by man have been suitably made to grow and increase in the earth.
The relation of this verse to the preceding one is that in the latter mention was made of the revelation of the Quran and of the special provision made for its protection and this was illustrated by comparison with certain celestial phenomena. In the present verse, however, another illustration of such protection has been furnished by a terrestrial phenomenon. The verse states that God has made special arrangements for fertilizing the earth and for replenishing and making good its losses. Some of these arrangements are external and some internal e.g. (1) matter falling to the earth from the stellar spaces; (2) the mountains; (3) the inherent powers of the earth. The same is the case with Divine Scriptures. The external arrangement made for their protection is the help which they get from heaven in the form of divine teachers who appear in the fullness of time to safeguard the spirit of these Scriptures; and the internal arrangements are their intrinsic beauties and excellences which attract the hearts of all good men.
a
13:4.
b
16:16; 21:32.
1489
The words, Wal Arda Madadna-ha, mean, 'We have spread out the earth' or, 'We have enriched it.' Both meanings are applicable here. The verse signifies that God has made the earth so large that in spite of its being round, man feels no discomfort on account of its roundness; or it means that God has enriched the earth with fertilizers. Astronomical researches have disclosed the fact that the earth continues to acquire new strength and fertility from the stars from which particles of matter fall on it in the form of meteors or meteoric dust, which serves to increase its fertility.
1489A
The earth needs a good supply of water to grow food. For this purpose God has created mountains which serve as reservoirs of water, storing it in the form of snow and distributing it over the earth by means of rivers.
ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٌ فِى ٱلْمُلْكِ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ تَقْدِيرًا
2:117; 10:69; 17:112; 18:5; 19:89; 21:27; 39:5; 43:82.
2:117; 10:69; 17:112; 18:5; 19:89; 21:27; 39:5; 43:82.
The clause, 'and has determined its proper measure,' signifies that there is a limit to the powers and functions or development of everything which it cannot defy or go beyond. These limitations point to one law that operates in the whole universe and hence to one Designer, Creator and Controller—a Creator Whose powers are limitless but Who has imposed limits on all things.
2:117; 10:69; 17:112; 18:5; 19:89; 21:27; 39:5; 43:82.
Commentary:
The most fundamental and pivotal teaching of the Quran, around which all its other teachings revolve, is the belief in the Oneness of God and it is for the dissemination and establishment of this belief on earth that it has primarily been revealed. The present and the next few verses mention the following six indispensable attributes which the Divine Being Who alone should command our adoration and unconditional and unreserved surrender and submission must possesses: (i) He should be the sole and undisputed Master of what is in the heavens and the earth; (ii) He should need no son to succeed Him or help Him in the control and governance of the universe; (iii) There should be no one to dispute with Him the possession or control of this kingdom; (iv) He should have created everything and have endowed it with proper qualities and attributes and should have ordained proper measure for its continued existence and develop-ment; (v) unlike false deities He should have the power to do good or harm; and (vi) He should possess complete control over life and death. God, the Almighty, possesses all these qualities in full measure; and as He is the Creator of heavens and earth and the undisputed Master of everything that is in and between them, His word must be, and in fact is, in perfect harmony with the laws of nature and therefore its rejection or acceptance constitutes not only the denial or acceptance of a revealed Law but amounts also to flouting or submitting to the laws of nature.
The word ولد is used for both male and female and for singular and plural forms. Thus it means, son or daughter, a child or children. The words, "Who has created everything," signify that God is the Creator of both the matter and the soul. Matter and soul are not uncreated or co-existent with God as is mistakenly held by those who believe in the theory of the transmigration of souls. The clause, "and has given it its proper proportion," means that everything does its allotted task regularly, punctually and without fail and that there is a limit to the powers and functions or development of everything which it cannot defy or go beyond. These limitations point to one law that operates in the whole universe and hence to one Designer, Creator and Controller—a Creator Whose powers are limitless and Who has imposed these limits on all other things.
b
2:117; 10:69; 17:112; 18:5; 19:89; 21:27; 39:5; 43:82.
a
2:117; 10:69; 17:112; 18:5; 19:89; 21:27; 39:5; 43:82.
2642
Commentary:
The most fundamental and pivotal teaching of the Quran, around which all its other teachings revolve, is the belief in the Oneness of God and it is for the dissemination and establishment of this belief on earth that it has primarily been revealed. The present and the next few verses mention the following six indispensable attributes which the Divine Being Who alone should command our adoration and unconditional and unreserved surrender and submission must possesses: (i) He should be the sole and undisputed Master of what is in the heavens and the earth; (ii) He should need no son to succeed Him or help Him in the control and governance of the universe; (iii) There should be no one to dispute with Him the possession or control of this kingdom; (iv) He should have created everything and have endowed it with proper qualities and attributes and should have ordained proper measure for its continued existence and develop-ment; (v) unlike false deities He should have the power to do good or harm; and (vi) He should possess complete control over life and death. God, the Almighty, possesses all these qualities in full measure; and as He is the Creator of heavens and earth and the undisputed Master of everything that is in and between them, His word must be, and in fact is, in perfect harmony with the laws of nature and therefore its rejection or acceptance constitutes not only the denial or acceptance of a revealed Law but amounts also to flouting or submitting to the laws of nature.
The word ولد is used for both male and female and for singular and plural forms. Thus it means, son or daughter, a child or children. The words, "Who has created everything," signify that God is the Creator of both the matter and the soul. Matter and soul are not uncreated or co-existent with God as is mistakenly held by those who believe in the theory of the transmigration of souls. The clause, "and has given it its proper proportion," means that everything does its allotted task regularly, punctually and without fail and that there is a limit to the powers and functions or development of everything which it cannot defy or go beyond. These limitations point to one law that operates in the whole universe and hence to one Designer, Creator and Controller—a Creator Whose powers are limitless and Who has imposed these limits on all other things.
b
2:117; 10:69; 17:112; 18:5; 19:89; 21:27; 39:5; 43:82.
2064
The clause, 'and has determined its proper measure,' signifies that there is a limit to the powers and functions or development of everything which it cannot defy or go beyond. These limitations point to one law that operates in the whole universe and hence to one Designer, Creator and Controller—a Creator Whose powers are limitless but Who has imposed limits on all things.
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلْمِيزَانَ
42:18; 57:26.
42:18; 57:26.
The whole universe is subject to one uniform law and all its constituent parts unite to form a glorious harmony of structure and motion. If this harmony or equilibrium between different things is in the least disturbed, the whole universe would fall to pieces. But God has kept all the laws that regulate the world under His exclusive control, beyond the reach of man.
42:18; 57:26.
Important Words:
المیزان (measure) is derived from وزن. They say وزن الشیء i.e. he raised the thing in order to know its weight or measure. وزن الرجل (wazuna), means, the man was or became of sound and weighty opinion. وزن means, weight; measure; توازن means to be equal to one another in weight, measure or value; equilibrium; المیزان means, balance; measure; counterpart; justice. They say, استقام میزان النھار i.e. it was midday (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The whole universe is subject to a uniform law and all its constituent parts unite to form a glorious harmony of structure and motion. If this harmony or equilibrium between different things is in the least disturbed, the whole universe would fall to pieces. But God has kept all the laws that regulate the world under His exclusive control, beyond the reach of man.
d
42:18; 57:26.
a
42:18; 57:26.
4049
Important Words:
المیزان (measure) is derived from وزن. They say وزن الشیء i.e. he raised the thing in order to know its weight or measure. وزن الرجل (wazuna), means, the man was or became of sound and weighty opinion. وزن means, weight; measure; توازن means to be equal to one another in weight, measure or value; equilibrium; المیزان means, balance; measure; counterpart; justice. They say, استقام میزان النھار i.e. it was midday (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The whole universe is subject to a uniform law and all its constituent parts unite to form a glorious harmony of structure and motion. If this harmony or equilibrium between different things is in the least disturbed, the whole universe would fall to pieces. But God has kept all the laws that regulate the world under His exclusive control, beyond the reach of man.
d
42:18; 57:26.
2921
The whole universe is subject to one uniform law and all its constituent parts unite to form a glorious harmony of structure and motion. If this harmony or equilibrium between different things is in the least disturbed, the whole universe would fall to pieces. But God has kept all the laws that regulate the world under His exclusive control, beyond the reach of man.