Reflection on the Verse 42:29 – “And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth”
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ خَلْقُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِيهِمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ جَمْعِهِمْ إِذَا يَشَآءُ قَدِيرٌۭ
“And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and what He has scattered throughout them of living creatures; and He, for gathering them when He wills, is All-Powerful.”
(Qur’an, Ash-Shūrā 42:29)
Explanation and Commentary
The noble verse calls the believer to contemplate one of the profound signs of Allah’s majesty — the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the multitude of living beings spread throughout them.
The scholar al-‘Āllāmah al-‘Ansi (may Allah have mercy on him) explained:
“He created the heavens and the earth as He willed, and spread within them every kind of living creature.”
These living beings encompass all forms of life — every soul endowed with vitality — dispersed and spread across the expanses of the inhabited world.
Regarding Allah’s saying:
“And He, for gathering them when He wills, is All-Powerful,”
al-‘Ansi interpreted this as referring to the Day of Resurrection, when all creatures will be gathered together before their Creator.
On the Phrase “When He Wills”
It may be asked: why does Allah, exalted be He, include the phrase “when He wills” although the gathering of all beings on the Day of Resurrection is a definite and certain matter — as in His saying:
“It will not be but a single shout, and at once they will all be brought before Us.” (Yā Sīn 36:53)
The scholars clarify that the phrase “when He wills” is not to suggest doubt, but rather to emphasize Allah’s absolute power and His determination of the appointed time.
In other words, Allah is fully capable of gathering all creatures at whatever time He decrees. Thus, the divine will (mashī’ah) here pertains to the timing of the gathering, not the act of gathering itself.
When that appointed time arrives — by His will — every soul and every creature will be present before Him in the great assembly.
Summary of Meanings
This verse reminds the believer of three profound truths:
- The vastness of Allah’s creation — the heavens, the earth, and the diversity of life within them.
- His absolute power and sovereignty — over life, death, and resurrection.
- His divine will — which governs all things, including the appointed moment of the final gathering.
Conclusion
The verse is both a sign of divine creation and a reminder of divine accountability. It invites reflection upon the might of Allah, the perfection of His order, and the certainty of the Resurrection.
Answered by:
Ustadh al-Kāẓim al-Zaydī — may Allah grant him success and increase him in knowledge.
اللهم صلِّ على محمدٍ وآلِ محمد.