Al-Qur'an Surah Hud Verse 7

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days, while His throne was on water, so that He might test you as to who among you is better in deed. And if you say, “You shall be raised after death,” the disbelievers will surely say, “This is nothing but sheer magic.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days[[ See footnote for {7:54}. ]]—and His Throne was upon the waters—in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And if you ˹O Prophet˺ say, “Surely you will ˹all˺ be raised up after death,” the disbelievers will certainly say, “That is nothing but pure magic!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

It is He Who created the heavens and earth in six Days – and His Throne was upon the water – so that He may test you as to which of you is best in deed. But if you say to them, “You will certainly be raised after death,” the disbelievers will surely say, “This is nothing but clear magic!”

A. J. Arberry

And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne was upon the waters -- that He might try you, which one of you is fairer in works. And if thou sayest, 'you shall surely be raised up after death,' the unbelievers will say, 'This is naught but a manifest sorcery.'

Abdul Haleem

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six Days––His rule extends over the waters too––so as to test which of you does best. Yet [Prophet], if you say to them, ‘You will be resurrected after death,’ the disbelievers are sure to answer, ‘This is clearly nothing but sorcery.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And He it is who hath created the heavens and the earth in six days -and His throne was upon the water--that he might prove you, as to which of you is excellent in work. And if thou sayest: ye shall verily be raised after death, surely those who disbelieve will say: naught is this but sorcery manifest.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was over the waters - that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. But if thou wert to say to them, "Ye shall indeed be raised up after death", the Unbelievers would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious sorcery!"

Abul Ala Maududi

And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and [before that] His Throne was upon the water that He may test you, who of you is better in conduct If you were to say (O Muhammad): 'All of you will surely be raised after death', then those who disbelieve will certainly say: 'This is nothing but plain sorcery.

Ahmed Ali

It is He who created the heavens and the earth In six spans, and has control over the waters (of life) so that he may bring out the best that everyone of you could do. Yet if you said to them: "You shall certainly be raised from the dead," the unbelievers will say: "This will be nothing but sorcery."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And it is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six days – and His Throne was upon the water – so that He might test you, as to who among you have the best deeds*; and if you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) say, “Indeed you will be raised again after death”, the disbelievers will surely say, “This is nothing but clear magic.” (* The creation of all things is in order to test mankind.)

Ali Quli Qarai

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days—and His Throne was [then] upon the waters—that He may test you [to see] which of you is best in conduct. Yet if you say, ‘You will indeed be raised up after death,’ the faithless will surely say, ‘This is nothing but plain magic.’

Ali Ünal

He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six days – His Supreme Throne was upon the water – that He might make trial of you to manifest which of you is best in conduct. Yet, if you say (to people), "(Your proper abode is the Hereafter, where you will be either in bliss or suffering according to your conduct in the world. That is why) you are bound to be raised after death," those who persist in unbelief will say: "This is clearly nothing but an enchanting delusion."

Amatul Rahman Omar

And it is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six aeons and His Throne (of power ever) rests on water (to which the life is due), that He might show whoever of you is best in deeds and conduct. And if you were to say (to them), `You are indeed going to be raised after death,´ those who disbelieve will certainly say, `This is naught but an obvious hoax.´

English Literal

And He is who created the skies/space and the earth, in six days/times, and His throne was/is on the water, to test you which of you (is) best/better (in) deed(s), and if (E) you said: "That you are being resurrected/revived from after the death/lifelessness." Those who disbelieved will say (E): "That, this (is) except clear/evident magic/sorcery."

Faridul Haque

And it is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and His Throne was upon the water - so that He might test you, as to who among you have the best deeds *; and if you (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) say, "Indeed you will be raised again after death", the disbelievers will surely say, "This is nothing but clear magic." (* The creation of all things is in order to test mankind.)

Hamid S. Aziz

There is no creature that walks upon the earth but its provision is from Allah. He knows its permanent settlement and its temporary resting-place. All is in the Perspicuous Book (or in a Clear Record).

Hilali & Khan

And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was on the water, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds. But if you were to say to them: "You shall indeed be raised up after death," those who disbelieve would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious magic."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And there is no animal in the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it, and He knows its resting-place and its depository. All is in a clear record.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods-- and His dominion (extends) on the water-- that He might manifest to you, which of you is best in action, and if you say, surely you shall be raised up after death, those who disbelieve would certainly say: This is nothing but clear magic.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was upon the water - that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. Yet if thou (O Muhammad) sayest: Lo! ye will be raised again after death! those who disbelieve will surely say: This is naught but mere magic.

Muhammad Sarwar

God created the heavens and the earth in six days. His Throne existed on water so that He could test you and find out those among you who do good deeds. (Muhammad), if you were to tell them that after death they would be brought back to life again, the unbelievers would say, "This is nothing but obvious magic."

Qaribullah & Darwish

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days and His Throne was upon the waters that He might try you, (and see) which of you excel in works. If you say: 'After death you shall be raised up' the unbelievers will say: 'This is nothing but clear sorcery'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was over the water, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds. But if you were to say to them: "You shall indeed be raised up after death," those who disbelieve would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious magic."

Wahiduddin Khan

Enthroned above the waters, it was He who created the heavens and the earth in six Days [periods], in order to test which of you is best in conduct. If you say, "You will [all] be raised up after death," those who deny the truth will say, "This is just sheer sorcery!"

Talal Itani

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days—and His Throne was upon the waters—in order to test you—which of you is best in conduct. And if you were to say, “You will be resurrected after death,” those who disbelieve would say, “This is nothing but plain witchcraft.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, the first of which was Sunday and the last, Friday -- and His Throne, before creating them, was upon the water, borne by the winds -- that He might try you (li-yabluwakum is semantically connected to khalaqa, `He [Who] created'), in other words, He created them and all that is beneficial and good for you in them, in order to test you; which of you is best in conduct, that is, [which of you] is most obedient to God. And if you were to say, O Muhammad (s), to them; `Truly you shall be raised again after death', those who disbelieve will say, `This, Qur'n that speaks of resurrection -- or, [this] that you are saying -- is nothing but manifest, clear, sorcery' (sihrun; a variant reading has shirun, `sorcerer', in which case the reference is to the Prophet (s).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah created the Heavens and the Earth in Six Days

Allah says;

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَق السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء

And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was over the water,

Allah, the Exalted, informs of His power over all things, and that He created the heavens and the earth in six days. He mentions that His Throne was over the water before that, just as Imam Ahmad recorded that Imran bin Husayn said,

"The Messenger of Allah said,

اقْبَلُوا الْبُشْرَى يَا بَنِي تَمِيم

Accept the glad tidings, O tribe of Tamim!

They said, `Verily you have brought us glad tidings and you have given us.'

Then he said,

اقْبَلُوا الْبُشْرَى يَا أَهْلَ الْيَمَن

Accept the glad tidings, O people of Yemen!

They said, `We accept. Therefore, inform us about the beginning of this matter and how it was.'

He said,

كَانَ اللهُ قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ وَكَتَبَ فِي اللَّوْحِ الْمَحْفُوظِ ذِكْرَ كُلِّ شَيْء

Allah was before everything and His Throne was over the water. He then wrote in the Preserved Tablet mentioning everything.

Then a man came to me and said, "O `Imran, your she camel has escaped from her fetter."

I then went out after her and I do not know what was said after I left."

This Hadith has been recorded in the Two Sahihs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim with a variety of wordings.

In Sahih Muslim, it is recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ قَدَّرَ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلَيِقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء

Verily Allah measured the amount of sustenance of the creatures fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water.

Under the explanation of this verse, Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said,

قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْك

Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said, `Spend and I will spend on you.'

And he said,

يَدُ اللهِ مَلَْى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَار

Allah's Hand is full, and it is not diminished by spending throughout the night and the day.

He also said,

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَمِينِهِ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ وَبِيَدِهِ الْمِيزَانُ يَخْفِضُ وَيَرْفَع

Have you seen what has been spent since the creation of the heavens and the earth! Verily it does not diminish what is in His Right Hand (in the slightest) and His Throne was over the water. In His Hand is the Scale and he lowers and raises it.

Concerning Allah's statement,

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلً

that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds.

This means that He created the heavens and the earth for the benefit of His servants, whom He created so that they may worship Him and not associate anything with Him as a partner.

Allah did not create this creation (of the heavens and the earth) out of mere frivolity.

This is similar to His statement,

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَأءَ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَـطِلً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ


And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire! (38;27)

Allah the Exalted, said,

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ عَبَثاً وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ

فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ لَا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

Did you think that We created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us! So Exalted is Allah, the True King;there is no God but He, the Lord of the Supreme Throne! (23;115-116)

Allah, the Exalted, said,

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالاِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ

And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). (51;56)

Concerning the statement of Allah,

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ
(that He might try you),

It means so that He (Allah) may test you.

Concerning the statement,

أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلً
(which of you is the best in deeds),

It is important to note here that Allah did not say, "Which of you has done the most deeds." Rather, He said, "Best in deeds."

A deed cannot be considered a good deed until it is done sincerely for Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and it must be in accordance with the legislation of the Messenger of Allah. Whenever a deed lacks one of these conditions, then it is null and void.
The Polytheists hasten their Torment by arguing against Resurrection after Death

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلَيِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِن بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ

But if you were to say to them;"You shall indeed be raised up after death."

Allah, the Exalted, is saying, "O Muhammad, if you were to inform these polytheists that Allah is going to resurrect them after their death, just as He created them originally (they would still reject)." Even though they know that Allah, the Exalted, is the One Who created the heavens and the earth, just as He said,

وَلَيِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say;"Allah." (43;87)

Allah says,

وَلَيِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

And if you were to ask them;"Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon!" They will surely reply;"Allah." (29;61)

Even after their awareness of this (Allah's creating), they still reject the resurrection and the promised return on the Day of Judgement. Yet, in reference to ability, the resurrection is easier (for Allah to perform) than the original creation.

As Allah said,

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ

And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it (after it has perished); and this is easier for Him. (30;27)

Allah also said,

مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ إِلاَّ كَنَفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ

The creation of you all and the resurrection of you all are only as (the creation and resurrection of) a single person. (31;28)

Concerning the statement,

لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ

those who disbelieve would be sure to say,

إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ



"This is nothing but obvious magic."

The polytheists say this due to their disbelief and obstinacy. They say, "We do not believe your claim that resurrection will occur."

They also say, "He (Muhammad) only says this (resurrection of the dead) because he is bewitched, and he wants you to follow him in what his bewitchment tells him."

Concerning Allah's statement