Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ghashiyah Verse 20

Mufti Taqi Usmani

and at the earth, how it is spread out?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

and the earth—how it was levelled out?

Ruwwad Translation Center

and the earth, how it is spread out?

A. J. Arberry

how the earth was outstretched?

Abdul Haleem

how the earth is spread out?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And at the earth, how it is outspread?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And at the Earth, how it is spread out?

Abul Ala Maududi

And the earth: how it was spread out?

Ahmed Ali

And the earth, how it was spread out?

Ahmed Raza Khan

And the earth – how it has been spread out?

Ali Quli Qarai

and the earth, how it has been surfaced?

Ali Ünal

And the earth, how it has been spread out?

Amatul Rahman Omar

And at the earth, how it is spread out?

English Literal

And to the earth/Planet Earth how it was outspread/surfaced ?

Faridul Haque

And the earth - how it has been spread out?

Hamid S. Aziz

And at the earth how it is spread out?

Hilali & Khan

And at the earth, how it is spread out?

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So remind. Thou art only one to remind.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And the earth, how it is made a vast expanse?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And the earth, how it is spread?

Muhammad Sarwar

and how the earth is spread out?

Qaribullah & Darwish

And how the earth was outstretched?

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And at the earth, how it is outspread

Wahiduddin Khan

and on the earth, how it is spread out?

Talal Itani

And at the earth—how it is spread out?

Tafsir jalalayn

And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, `laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars of the [revealed] Law, and not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it, even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

And at the earth, how it is outspread,

meaning, how it has been spread out, extended and made smooth.

Thus, He directs the Bedouin to consider what he himself witnesses. His camel that he rides upon, the sky that is above his head, the mountain that faces him, and the earth that is under him, all of this is proof of the power of the Creator and Maker of these things. These things should lead him to see that He is the Lord, the Most Great, the Creator, the Owner, and the Controller of everything. Therefore, He is the God other than Whom none deserves to be worshipped.

The Story of Dimam bin Tha`labah

These are the things Dimam swore by after questioning the Messenger of Allah. This can be seen in what Imam Ahmad recorded from Thabit, who reported that Anas said,

"We were prohibited from asking the Messenger of Allah anything. Thus, it used to amaze us when an intelligent man from the people of the desert (Bedouin Arabs) would come and ask him about something while we were listening. So a man from the people of the desert came and said,

`O Muhammad! Verily, your messenger has come to us and he claims that you claim that Allah sent you.'

He (the Prophet) said,
صَدَق
(He told the truth.)

The man said, Who created the heaven؟

He (the Prophet) replied,
الله
,(Allah)

The man said, Who created the earth؟

He (the Prophet) replied,
الله
,(Allah).

The man said, `Who erected these mountains and placed in them whatever is in them'

He (the Prophet) replied,
الله
,(Allah).

Then the man said, `By the One Who created the heaven, the earth, and erected these mountains, did Allah send you'

He (the Prophet ) said,
نَعَم
(Yes.)

The man then said, `Your messenger claims that we are obligated to pray five prayers during our day and night.'

He (the Prophet ) said,
صَدَق
(He told the truth.)

The man then said, `By He Who has sent you, did Allah command you with this'

He (the Prophet ) replied,
نَعَم
(Yes.)

The man then said, `Your messenger also claims that we are obligated to give charity from our wealth.'

He (the Prophet ) said,
صَدَق
(He told the truth.)

Then the man said, `By He Who has sent you, did Allah command you with this'

He (the Prophet) replied,
نَعَم
(Yes.)

The man then said, `Your messenger claims that we are obligated to perform pilgrimage (Hajj) to the House (the Ka`bah), for whoever is able to find a way there.'

He (the Prophet ) said,
صَدَق
(He told the truth.)

Then the man turned away to leave while saying,

`By He Who has sent you with the truth, I will not add anything to these things and I will not decrease anything from them.'

The Prophet then said,

إِنْ صَدَقَ لَيَدْخُلَنَّ الْجَنَّة

If he has spoken truthfully, he will certainly enter Paradise.

This Hadith was recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.
The Messenger is only charged with delivering the Message

Allah says,

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ