Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 54

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely, your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He positioned himself on the Throne. He covers the day with the night that pursues it swiftly. (He created) the sun and the moon and the stars, subjugated to His command. Lo! To Him alone belong the creation and the command. Glorious is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days,[[ The word day is not always used in the Quran to mean a 24-hour period. According to {22:47}, a heavenly Day is 1000 years of our time. The Day of Judgment will be 50 000 years of our time (see {70:4}). Hence, the six Days of creation refer to six eons of time, known only by Allah. ]] then established Himself on the Throne. He makes the day and night overlap in rapid succession. He created the sun, the moon, and the stars—all subjected by His command. The creation and the command belong to Him ˹alone˺. Blessed is Allah—Lord of all worlds!

Ruwwad Translation Center

Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and earth in six days, and then rose over [istawa] the Throne. He makes the night and day overlap in rapid succession. He made the sun, the moon, and the stars – all subservient to His command. Behold, His is the creation and the command. Blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.

A. J. Arberry

Surely your Lord is God, who created the heavens and the earth in six days -- then sat Himself upon the Throne, covering the day with the night it pursues urgently -- and the sun, and the moon, and the stars subservient, by His command. Verily, His are the creation and the command. Blessed be God, the Lord of all Being.

Abdul Haleem

Your Lord is God, who created the heavens and earth in six Days, then established Himself on the throne; He makes the night cover the day in swift pursuit; He created the sun, moon, and stars to be subservient to His command; all creation and command belong to Him. Exalted be God, Lord of all the worlds!

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself on the Throne, making the night cover the day, seeking it swiftly, and created the sun and the moon and the stars subjected to service by His command. Lo! His is the creation and the command. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority); He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession; He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws under His command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds!

Abul Ala Maududi

Surely your Lord is none other than Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then ascended His Throne; Who causes the night to cover the day and then the day swiftly pursues the night; Who created the sun and the moon and the stars making them all subservient to His command. Lo! His is the creation and His is the command. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the universe.

Ahmed Ali

Surely your Lord is God who created the heavens and the earth in six spans of time, then assumed all power. He covers up the day with night which comes chasing it fast; and the sun and moon and the stars are subject to His command. It is His to create and enjoin. Blessed be God, the Lord of all the worlds.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Indeed your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then in the manner befitting His Majesty, ascended the Throne (of control); He covers the night with the day, which hastily follows it, and made the sun and the moon and the stars subservient to His command; pay heed! Only He has the power to create and command; Most Auspicious (Propitious) is Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then settled on the Throne. He draws the night’s cover over the day, which pursues it swiftly, and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, [all of them] disposed by His command. Look! All creation and command belong to Him. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

Ali Ünal

Indeed your Lord is God, Who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He has established Himself on the Supreme Throne, covering the day with the night, each pursuing the other swiftly, with the sun, the moon, and the stars obedient to His command. Know well that His is the creation and His is the command. Blessed and Supreme is God, the Lord of the worlds.

Amatul Rahman Omar

As a matter of fact your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in six aeons and at the same time He is well established on the Throne of Authority. He covers the night with the day which follows (the night) incessantly. And He created the sun and the moon and the stars all subservient (to mankind) by His command. Beware! His is all, the creation and the command. Blessed be Allâh, Lord of the worlds.

English Literal

That your Lord (is) God who created the skies/space and the earth/Planet Earth in six days/times, then He aimed to/sat on/straightened on the throne/royal bed/palace , the daytime covers/darkens the night, it seeks/wants it quickly/urgently , and the sun and the moon and the stars/planets (are) manipulated/subjugated with His order/command, is (it) not to Him the creation and the order/command/matter/affair? Blessed (is) God the creatures all together`s/(universes`) Lord.

Faridul Haque

Indeed your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then in the manner befitting His Majesty, ascended the Throne (of control); He covers the night with the day, which hastily follows it, and made the sun and the moon and the stars subservient to His command; pay heed! Only He has the power to create and command; Most Auspicious (Propitious) is Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days; then mounted He the Throne (of Authority and Power). He covers night with the day - it pursues it incessantly- and the sun and the moon and the stars are subject to His command. Aye! - His is the Creation and the Commandment - Blessed be Allah the Lord of the Worlds!

Hilali & Khan

Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Do they wait for aught but its final sequel? On the day when its final sequel comes, those who neglected it before will say: Indeed the messengers of our Lord brought the truth. Are there any intercessors on our behalf so that they should intercede for us? Or could we be sent back so that we should do (deeds) other than those which we did? Indeed they have lost their souls, and that which they forged has failed them.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, and He is firm in power; He throws the veil of night over the day, which it pursues incessantly; and (He created) the sun and the moon and the stars, made subservient by His command; surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then mounted He the Throne. He covereth the night with the day, which is in haste to follow it, and hath made the sun and the moon and the stars subservient by His command. His verily is all creation and commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!

Muhammad Sarwar

Your Lord is God who established His dominion over the Throne (of the realm) after having created the heavens and the earth in six days. He made the night darken the day which it pursues at a (considerable) speed and He made the sun and the moon submissive to His command. Is it not He Who creates and governs all things? Blessed is God, the Cherisher of the Universe.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Your Lord is Allah, who, in six days created the heavens and the earth, and then willed to the Throne. He throws the veil of night over the day. Swiftly they follow one another. The sun, the moon, and the stars are compelled to His order. His is the creation, His is the command. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne. He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His command. Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all that exists!

Wahiduddin Khan

Your Lord is God, who created the heavens and the earth in six Days [periods] and then settled Himself firmly on the throne. He throws the veil of night over the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession. It was He who created the sun, the moon and the stars, and made them subservient to His will. His is the creation, His the command. Blessed be God, Lord of the universe!

Talal Itani

Your Lord is God; He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself on the Throne. The night overtakes the day, as it pursues it persistently; and the sun, and the moon, and the stars are subservient by His command. His is the creation, and His is the command. Blessed is God, Lord of all beings.

Tafsir jalalayn

Surely your Lord is God, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, of the days of this world, that is to say, in the equivalent thereof, since there was no sun then. Had He willed He could have created them in an instant; but the reason for His not having done so is that He wanted to teach His creatures to be circumspect; then presided upon the Throne, a presiding befitting of Him (al-`arsh, `throne', in the [classical] language is the elevated seat on which a king sits). He cloaks (read yughsh or yughashsh) the night with the day, that is, He covers each one with the other; each following the other in swift pursuit -- and the sun and the moon and the stars (if all of these are read in the accusative, then they constitute a supplement to al-samwt, `the heavens', and if in the nominative, then they constitute the subject of the sentence, the predicate of which follows) have been made subservient, [have been] subdued, by His command, by His power. Verily, His is, all, creation and the command, in its entirety. Blessed, Magnified, be God, the Lord, the Master, of the Worlds!

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Universe was created in Six Days

Allah says;

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ

Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days,

Allah states that He created the universe, the heavens and earth and all that is in, on and between them in six days, as He has stated in several Ayat in the Qur'an.

These six days are;Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Friday, the entire creation was assembled and on that day, Adam was created. There is a difference of opinion whether these days were the same as our standard days as suddenly comes to the mind, or each day constitutes one thousand years, as reported from Mujahid, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, and from Ibn Abbas according to Ad-Dahhak's narration from him. As for Saturday, no creation took place in it since it is the seventh day of (of the week). The word `As-Sabt' means stoppage, or break.

Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Hurayrah saying;

Allah's Messenger told me;

خَلَقَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ التُّرْبَةَ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ وَخَلَقَ فِيهَا الْجِبَالَ يَوْمَ الاَْحَدِ وَخَلَقَ الشَّجَرَ يَوْمَ الاْثْنَيْنِ وَخَلَقَ الْمَكْرُوهَ يَوْمَ الثُّلَثَاءِ وَخَلَقَ النُّورَ يَوْمَ الاَْرْبِعَاءِ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا الدَّوَابَّ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ وَخَلَقَ ادَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَمُ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ مِنْ يَوْم الْجُمُعَةِ فِي اخِرِ الْخَلْقِ فِي اخِرِ سَاعَةٍ مِنْ سَاعَاتِ الْجُمُعَةِ فِيمَا بَيْنَ الْعَصْرِ إِلَى اللَّيْل

Allah created the dust on Saturday, and He created the mountains on Sunday, and He created the trees on Monday, and He created the unpleasant things on Tuesday and He created the light on Wednesday and He spread the creatures through out it on Thursday and He created Adam after Asr on Friday. He was the last created during the last hour of Friday, between Asr and the night.
Meaning of Istawa

As for Allah's statement,

ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ

and then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne.

the people had several conflicting opinions over its meaning. However, we follow the way that our righteous predecessors took in this regard, such as Malik, Al-Awza`i, Ath-Thawri, Al-Layth bin Sa`d, Ash-Shafi`i, Ahmad, Ishaq bin Rahwayh and the rest of the scholars of Islam, in past and present times.

Surely, we accept the apparent meaning of, Al-Istawa, without discussing its true essence, equating it (with the attributes of the creation), or altering or denying it (in any way or form). We also believe that the meaning that comes to those who equate Allah with the creation is to be rejected, for nothing is similar to Allah,

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَىْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (42;11)

Indeed, we assert and affirm what the Imams said, such as Nu`aym bin Hammad Al-Khuza'i, the teacher of Imam Al-Bukhari, who said,

"Whoever likens Allah with His creation, will have committed Kufr.

Whoever denies what Allah has described Himself with, will have committed Kufr.

Certainly, there is no resemblance (of Allah with the creation) in what Allah and His Messenger have described Him with.

Whoever attests to Allah's attributes that the plain Ayat and authentic Hadiths have mentioned, in the manner that suits Allah's majesty, all the while rejecting all shortcomings from Him, will have taken the path of guidance."
The Day and the Night are among the Signs of Allah

Allah said,

يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا

He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly,

meaning, the darkness goes away with the light, and the light goes away with the darkness. Each of them seeks the other rapidly, and does not come late, for when this vanishes, the other comes, and vice versa.

Allah also said;

وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ الَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ النَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظْلِمُونَ

وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَـا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَـهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّى عَادَ كَالعُرجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ

لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَأ أَن تدْرِكَ القَمَرَ وَلَا الَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ

And a sign for them is the night. We withdraw therefrom the day, and behold, they are in darkness. And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. And the moon, We have measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it returns like the old dried curved date stalk. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit. (36;37-40)

Allah's statement,
وَلَا الَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ
(Nor does the night outstrip the day) (36;40) means,

the night follows the day in succession and does not come later or earlier than it should be.

This is why Allah said here,

يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ

seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His command.

meaning, all are under His command, will and dominion.

Allah alerted us afterwards,

أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالَامْرُ

Surely, His is the creation and commandment,

the dominion and the decision.

Allah said next,

تَبَارَكَ اللّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ



Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the all that exists!

which is similar to the Ayah,

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ فِى السَّمَأءِ بُرُوجاً

Blessed be He Who has placed in the heaven big stars. (25;61)

Abu Ad-Darda' said a supplication, that was also attributed to the Prophet,

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْمُلْكُ كُلُّـهُ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ كُلُّهُ وَإِلَيْكَ يُرْجَعُ الاَْمْرُ كُلُّهُ أَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّه

O Allah! Yours is all the kingdom, all the praise, and Yours is the ownership of all affairs. I ask You for all types of good and seek refuge with You from all types of evil