The Bee — Verse 17

Signs in the Oceans, Mountains, Rivers, Roads and Stars Allah tells us how He has subjected the seas, with their waves lapping the shores, and how He blesses His servants by subjecting the seas for them so that they may travel on them, and by putting fish and whales in them, by making their flesh permissible to eat - whether they are caught alive or dead - at all times, including when people are in a state of Ihram. He has created pearls and precious jewels in the oceans, and made it easy for His servants to recover ornaments that they can wear from the ocean floor. He made the sea such that it carries the ships which plow through it. He is the One Who taught mankind to make ships, which is the inheritance of their forefather Nuh. He was the first one to travel by ship, he was taught how to make them, then people took this knowledge from him and passed it down from generation to generation through the centuries, so that they could travel from country to country and from place to place, bringing goods from here to there and from there to here. Thus Allah says: وَلِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ (that you may seek from His bounty and that you may perhaps be grateful.) - for His bounty and blessings. Then Allah mentions the earth and how He placed in it mountains standing firm, which make it stable and keep it from shaking in such a manner that the creatures dwelling on it would not be able to live. Hence Allah says, وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا (And the mountains He has fixed firmly.) (79: 32). وَأَنْهَـراً وَسُبُلاً (and rivers and roads) meaning He has made rivers which flow from one place to another, bringing provision for His servants. The rivers arise in one place, and bring provision to people living in another place. They flow through lands and fields and wildernesses, through mountains and hills, until they reach the land whose people they are meant to benefit. They meander across the land, left and right, north and south, east and west - rivers great and small - flowing sometimes and ceasing sometimes, flowing from their sources to the places where the water gathers, flowing rapidly or moving slowly, as decreed by Allah. There is no god besides Him and no Lord except Him. He also made roads or routes along which people travel from one land or city to another, and He even made gaps in the mountains so that there would be routes between them, as He says: وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجاً سُبُلاً (And We placed broad highways for them to pass through.) 21:31 وَعَلامَـتٍ (And landmarks) meaning, signs like great mountains and small hills, and so on, things that land and sea travelers use to find their way if they get lost. وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ (and by the stars (during the night), they (mankind) guide themselves.) meaning, in the darkness of the night. This was the opinion of Ibn `Abbas. Worship is Allah's Right Then Allah tells us of His greatness, and that worship should be directed to Him alone, not to any of the idols which do not create but are rather themselves created. Thus He says أَفَمَن يَخْلُقُ كَمَن لاَّ يَخْلُقُ أَفَلا تَذَكَّرُونَ (Is then He, Who creates, the same as one who does not create Will you not then reflect)(16:17). Then He shows His servants some of the many blessings He granted for them, and the many kinds of things that He has done for them. He says; وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَآ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (And if you would try to count the favors of Allah, you would never be able to count them. Truly, Allah is Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (16:18) meaning that He pardons and forgives them. If He were to ask you to thank Him for all of His blessings, you would not be able to do so, and if He were to command you to do so, you would be incapable of it. If He punishes you, He is never unjust in His punishment, but He is Forgiving and Most Merciful, He forgives much and rewards for little. Ibn Jarir said: "It means that Allah is Forgiving when you fail to thank Him properly, if you repent and turn to Him in obedience, and strive to do that which pleases Him. He is Merciful to you and does not punish you if you turn to Him and repent."

Is He then Who creates — namely God — as he who does not create namely idols so that you associate them with Him in worship? No. Will you not then remember this and so become believers?

Is He who creates like him who does not create? Will the created thing ever be like the Creator? Will the enacted thing ever be similar to the Enac- tor? In the seven heavens and seven earths, it is God who is one and unique. In Essence He is without similar, in measure without equal, in attributes without peer. Fancying that the Creator is like the created is an error, and the road of declaring similarity is disloyalty. But affirming at- tributes is not declaring similarity, and to declare holy by negating attributes is nothing but the position of Iblis. Declaring similarity does not come by way of saying that there is, but rather by saying that there is similarity. Whoever declares similarity is an unbeliever, just as whoever says that there is no similarity is an unbeliever. Whenever someone says that God is like himself has said that God has more than a thousand associates. Whoever declares God's attributes ineffectual has abased himself in the two worlds.

Is He who creates like him who does not create? Will the created thing ever be like the Creator? Will the enacted thing ever be similar to the Enac- tor? In the seven heavens and seven earths, it is God who is one and unique. In Essence He is without similar, in measure without equal, in attributes without peer. Fancying that the Creator is like the created is an error, and the road of declaring similarity is disloyalty. But affirming at- tributes is not declaring similarity, and to declare holy by negating attributes is nothing but the position of Iblis. Declaring similarity does not come by way of saying that there is, but rather by saying that there is similarity. Whoever declares similarity is an unbeliever, just as whoever says that there is no similarity is an unbeliever. Whenever someone says that God is like himself has said that God has more than a thousand associates. Whoever declares God's attributes ineffectual has abased himself in the two worlds.

Is He who creates like him who does not create? Will the created thing ever be like the Creator? Will the enacted thing ever be similar to the Enac- tor? In the seven heavens and seven earths, it is God who is one and unique. In Essence He is without similar, in measure without equal, in attributes without peer. Fancying that the Creator is like the created is an error, and the road of declaring similarity is disloyalty. But affirming at- tributes is not declaring similarity, and to declare holy by negating attributes is nothing but the position of Iblis. Declaring similarity does not come by way of saying that there is, but rather by saying that there is similarity. Whoever declares similarity is an unbeliever, just as whoever says that there is no similarity is an unbeliever. Whenever someone says that God is like himself has said that God has more than a thousand associates. Whoever declares God's attributes ineffectual has abased himself in the two worlds.

Is He who creates like him who does not create? Will the created thing ever be like the Creator? Will the enacted thing ever be similar to the Enac- tor? In the seven heavens and seven earths, it is God who is one and unique. In Essence He is without similar, in measure without equal, in attributes without peer. Fancying that the Creator is like the created is an error, and the road of declaring similarity is disloyalty. But affirming at- tributes is not declaring similarity, and to declare holy by negating attributes is nothing but the position of Iblis. Declaring similarity does not come by way of saying that there is, but rather by saying that there is similarity. Whoever declares similarity is an unbeliever, just as whoever says that there is no similarity is an unbeliever. Whenever someone says that God is like himself has said that God has more than a thousand associates. Whoever declares God's attributes ineffectual has abased himself in the two worlds.

Is He who creates like him who does not create?Will the created thing ever be like the Creator? Will the enacted thing ever be similar to the Enac- tor? In the seven heavens and seven earths, it is God who is one and unique. In Essence He is without similar, in measure without equal, in attributes without peer. Fancying that the Creator is like the created is an error, and the road of declaring similarity is disloyalty. But affirming at- tributes is not declaring similarity, and to declare holy by negating attributes is nothing but the position of Iblis. Declaring similarity does not come by way of saying that there is, but rather by saying that there is similarity. Whoever declares similarity is an unbeliever, just as whoever says that there is no similarity is an unbeliever. Whenever someone says that God is like himself has said that God has more than a thousand associates. Whoever declares God's attributes ineffectual has abased himself in the two worlds.

أتجعلون الله الذي يخلق كل هذه الأشياء وغيرها في استحقاق العبادة كالآلهة المزعومة التي لا تخلق شيئًا؟ أفلا تتذكرون عظمة الله، فتفردوه بالعبادة؟

ثم نبه تعالى على عظمته وأنه لا تنبغي العبادة إلا له دون ما سواه من الأوثان التي لا تخلق شيئا بل هم يخلقون ولهذا قال "أفمن يخلق كمن لا يخلق أفلا تذكرون".

والاستفهام فى قوله - سبحانه - : ( أَفَمَن يَخْلُقُ كَمَن لاَّ يَخْلُقُ . . ) للإِنكار والتوبيخ لأولئك المشركين الذين عبدوا غير الله - تعالى -أى : أفمن يخلق هذه الأشياء العجيبة ، والمخلوقات البديعة ، التى بينا لكم بعضها ، وهو الله - عز وجل - كمن لا يخلق شيئا على سبيل الإِطلاق ، بل هو مخلوق ، كتلك الأصنام والأوثان وغيرها ، التى أشركتموها فى العبادة مع الله - تعالى -؟إن فعلكم هذا لدليل واضح على جهلكم - أيها المشركون - وعلى انطماس بصيرتكم ، وقبح تفكيركم .قال صاحب الكشاف : فإن قلت من لا يخلق أريد به الأصنام ، فلماذا جئ بمن الذى هو لأولى العلم؟ .قلت : فيه أوجه : أحدها أنهم سموها آلهة وعبدوها فأجروها مجرى أولى العلم .الثانى : المشاكلة بينه وبين من يخلق .الثالث : أن يكون المعنى : أن من يخلق ليس كمن لا يخلق من أولى العلم ، فكيف بما لا علم عنده . كقوله - تعالى - ( أَلَهُمْ أَرْجُلٌ يَمْشُونَ بِهَآ . . ) يعنى أن الآلهة - التى عبدوها - حالهم منحطة عن حال من لهم أرجل وأيد وآذان وقلوب لأن هؤلاء أحياء وهم أموات ، فكيف تصح لهم العبادة ، لا أنها لو صحت لهم هذه الأعضاء لصح أن يعبدوا .فإن قلت الآية إلزام للذين عبدوا الأوثان وسموها آلهة تشبيها بالله - تعالى - : فكان من حق الإِلزام أن يقال : أفمن لا يخلق كمن يخلق؟قلت حين جعلوا غير الله مثل الله فى تسميته باسمه والعبادة له ، وسووا بينه ، فقد جعلوا الله من جنس المخلوقات وشبيها بها ، فأنكر عليهم ذلك بقوله : ( أَفَمَن يَخْلُقُ كَمَن لاَّ يَخْلُقُ . . ) .وقوله - سبحانه - : ( أفلا تذكرون ) زيادة فى توبيخهم وفى التهكم بهم .أى : أبلغ بكم السفه والجهل أنكم سويتم فى العبادة بين من يخلق ومن لا يخلق ، والحال أن هذه التسوية لا يقول بها عاقل ، لأن من تفكر أدنى تفكر ، وتأمل أقل تأمل ، عرف وتيقن أنه لا يصح التسوية فى العبادة بين الخالق والمخلوق ، فهلا فكرتم قليلا فى أمركم ، لكى تفيئوا إلى رشدكم ، فتخلصوا العبادة لله الخلاق العليم .

يقول تعالى ذكره لعبدة الأوثان والأصنام: أفمن يخلق هذه الخلائق العجيبة التي عددناها عليكم وينعم عليكم هذه النعم العظيمة، كمن لا يخلق شيئا ولا ينعم عليكم نعمة صغيرة ولا كبيرة؟ يقول: أتشركون هذا في عبادة هذا؟ يعرّفهم بذلك عظم جهلهم ، وسوء نظرهم لأنفسهم ، وقلَّة شكرهم لمن أنعم عليهم بالنعم التي عدّدها عليهم ، التي لا يحصيها أحد غيره، قال لهم جلّ ثناؤه موبخهم (أَفَلا تَذَكَّرُونَ) أيها الناس يقول: أفلا تذكرون نعم الله عليكم ، وعظيم سُلطانه وقُدرته على ما شاء، وعجز أوثانكم وضعفها ومهانتها، وأنها لا تجلب إلى نفسها نفعا ولا تدفع عنها ضرّا، فتعرفوا بذلك خطأ ما أنتم عليه مقيمون من عبادتكموها وإقراركم لها بالألوهة؟كما حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله (أَفَمَنْ يَخْلُقُ كَمَنْ لا يَخْلُقُ أَفَلا تَذَكَّرُونَ) والله هو الخالق الرازق، وهذه الأوثان التي تعبد من دون الله تخلق ولا تخلق شيئا، ولا تملك لأهلها ضرّا ولا نفعا، قال الله (أَفَلا تَذَكَّرُونَ) . وقيل (كَمَنْ لا يَخْلُقُ) هو الوثن والصنم، و " من " لذوي التمييز خاصة، فجعل في هذا الموضع لغيرهم للتمييز، إذ وقع تفصيلا بين من يخلق ومن لا يخلق ، ومحكيّ عن العرب: اشتبه عليّ الراكب وجمله، فما أدرى من ذا ومن ذا، حيث جمعا ، وأحدهما إنسان حسنت من فيهما جميعا. ومنه قول الله عزّ وجلّ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى بَطْنِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى أَرْبَعٍ وقوله .

( أفمن يخلق ) يعني الله تعالى ، ( كمن لا يخلق ) يعني الأصنام ، ( أفلا تذكرون )

بعد أن أقيمت الدلائل على انفراد الله بالخلق ابتداء من قوله تعالى { خلق السماوات والأرض بالحق } [ سورة النحل : 3 ] وثبتت المنّة وحقّ الشّكر ، فرع على ذلك هاتان الجملتان لتكونا كالنتيجتين للأدلّة السابقة إنكاراً على المشركين . فالاستفهام عن المساواة إنكاري ، أي لا يستوي من يخلق بمن لا يخلق . فالكاف للمماثلة ، وهي مورد الإنكار حيث جعلوا الأصنام آلهة شريكة لله تعالى . ومن مضمون الصّلتين يعرف أي الموصولين أولى بالإلهية فيظهر مورد الإنكار .وحين كان المراد بمن لا يخلق الأصنام كان إطلاق من الغالبة في العاقل مشاكلة لقوله { أفمن يخلق }.وفرع على إنكار التسوية استفهامٌ عن عدم التذكّر في انتفائها . فالاستفهام في قوله : { أفلا تذكرون } مستعمل في الإنكار على انتفاء التذكر ، وذلك يختلف باختلاف المخاطبين ، فهو إنكار على إعراض المشركين عن التذكر في ذلك .

لما ذكر تعالى ما خلقه من المخلوقات العظيمة، وما أنعم به من النعم العميمة ذكر أنه لا يشبهه أحد ولا كفء له ولا ند له فقال: { أَفَمَنْ يَخْلُقُ } جميع المخلوقات وهو الفعال لما يريد { كَمَنْ لَا يَخْلُقُ } شيئا لا قليلا ولا كثيرا، { أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ } فتعرفون أن المنفرد بالخلق أحق بالعبادة كلها، فكما أنه واحد في خلقه وتدبيره فإنه واحد في إلهيته وتوحيده وعبادته.

قوله تعالى : أفمن يخلق كمن لا يخلق أفلا تذكرون قوله - تعالى - : أفمن يخلق هو الله - تعالى - . كمن لا يخلق يريد الأصنام . أفلا تذكرون أخبر عن الأوثان التي لا تخلق ولا تضر ولا تنفع ، كما يخبر عمن يعقل على ما تستعمله العرب في ذلك ; فإنهم كانوا يعبدونها فذكرت بلفظ من كقوله : ألهم أرجل . وقيل : لاقتران الضمير في الذكر بالخالق . قال الفراء : هو كقول العرب : اشتبه علي الراكب [ ص: 85 ] وجمله فلا أدري من ذا ومن ذا ; وإن كان أحدهما غير إنسان . قال المهدوي : ويسأل ب " من " عن البارئ - تعالى - ولا يسأل عنه ب " ما " ; لأن " ما " إنما يسأل بها عن الأجناس ، والله - تعالى - ليس بذي جنس ، ولذلك أجاب موسى - عليه السلام - حين قال له : فمن ربكما ياموسى ولم يجب حين قال له : وما رب العالمين إلا بجواب " من " وأضرب عن جواب ما حين كان السؤال فاسدا . ومعنى الآية : من كان قادرا على خلق الأشياء المتقدمة الذكر كان بالعبادة أحق ممن هو مخلوق لا يضر ولا ينفع ; هذا خلق الله فأروني ماذا خلق الذين من دونه أروني ماذا خلقوا من الأرض .

Whatever things there are in the world, none of them has the power of creating (i.e. bringing non-existent things into existence). It stands proved therefore that this world is not its own creator. Only that being can be its creator who has the inherent power in Him to bring a thing into existence which does not already exist. Therefore the belief in one God is absolutely natural. There can be no rational explanation of the universe without accepting the existence of God who possesses the perfect capability to create. Whatever partner-gods the polytheists have concocted or whatever things the atheists have tried to establish as substitutes for God—none of them has its own inherent capability to create anything. This, in itself, is enough to prove that all gods concocted by people are absolutely imaginary, because it is absolutely baseless to claim that one who has no power of creativity in him/it, is the god of a universe which has been created. How can one who has no substantial existence, give existence to other things? The best that God can expect from His subjects is their gratefulness for His bounties. Though God’s bounties far outweigh human gratitude, being above all that, He accepts a very little gratitude for His very great blessings. However, this gratitude should be genuine and not simply a kind of formal recitation of praises.

Commentary Verses appearing immediately earlier described the many blessings of Allah Ta` ala in details, proved that He alone is their Creator and established that He is unique in this matter. Now, in the present verses, there comes an admonition against the failure of people to recognize that there is a fact behind the statement describing all these blessings - and that is Tauhid, the Oneness of Allah Ta’ ala, except whom there is none worthy of worship. Therefore, it was said: When it stands proved that Allah alone made the heavens and the earth, made the mountains and rivers, vegetation and animals, trees and plants with their fruits and flowers, how can that most sacred Being that is the Creator of all these things become, for no reason, like idols and icons which cannot create anything? Why would you not understand something so elementary?

(Is He then Who createth) Allah (as him who createth not?) as him who cannot create: i.e. idols. (Will ye not then remember?) will you not take heed in that which Allah has created for you?