As-Sajdah 32:4 - Linguistic Miracle

Allah alone created the heavens, the earth and what is between them in six days then established Himself over the throne. You have, besides him, no Wali nor a Shafīʿ. Will you not strongly consider?

After mentioning that the purpose of the Qurʾān is to guide people, Allah mentions the central pillar of guidance; monotheism; as if to say that this is what the center, core and heart of guidance is - that Allah alone created everything and He alone is the ruler.

Six days - There are three possibilities. One is that these are days like our days, second that these are six days where each day equals a thousand years; and the third that these are six stages as opposed to days.

The Qurʾān has stated that one day with God is as a thousand years with us. So six days here could mean six days as in how we experience them or it can refer to six thousand years where each day equals a thousand years. The third opinion is based on the fact that the word youm in Arabic, can linguistically mean any period of time, not necessarily a day. This has attestations in the Qurʾān as well such as in surah 8:16. In this reading, it would mean that Allah created the universe in six stages, one after

the other; stage after stage, realm after realm, level after level, creation after creation. I hold this third position. The Qurʾān has not mentioned how long each stage took and we do not indulge in it either. Each of the six stages could have taken billions of years.

Allah has set a pattern of cause and effect in this world. Allah created the universe with this chain of cause and effect, stage after stage. One stage completes, then another starts and so on. One stage serves as the root and cause of the next stage. This is profound. The previous verse described that the main role of the Prophet ﷺ

was to be a nadhīr. To warn people of this cycle of action and consequence. What we do, good or bad, has consequences. This is a chain of cause and effect. In the same manner, based on this same principle of cause and effect, was this universe created. One stage was the cause of the next stage and so on until six stages were completed. Islam is merely warning you that the same principle with which the universe exists, must also exist inside the Earth and our lives since we are a part of this universe. You are here, you can see the universe, it came into existence under this principle, which applies to you and your actions as well. Since the earth is part of the universe, this principle necessarily extends to this earth and to you. You cannot escape it.

Established Himself Over the Throne - This means what it does. Allah is above the throne. Those who denied this, did so on the basis of philosophical concepts alien to the Qurʾān. We cannot understand the Qurʾān through an outside lens, be it Aristotelian metaphysics or anything else; but rather through its own text. When reading the Qurʾān, we need to take into account two things. The literal meaning of the words and the text, and its contextual meaning. Why does it say these words, in this context?

When Allah has mentioned the creation of the universe in six stages in the Qurʾān, He has mentioned the fact that He is established above the throne because this is an indirect expression (kināyah) of kingship. The throne belongs to the king. The kingdom of the entire universe and all creation, belongs to Allah. This is its contextual meaning and does not override the literal meaning of these words; which is precisely where many mutakallimūn went astray.

You have, besides Him, no Wali nor Shafīʿ - These two words, Wali and Shafīʿ, are closely related to each other in their meanings. The root of the word Wali means closeness, adherence and taking charge whereas the root of the word Shafi’ means pairing, mediating and intervening. Wali is direct, continuous, and binding allegiance while Shafi’ is occasional and intermediary support. You do not have any true Wali- a continuous and unwavering source of support- nor any Shafi’: even an occasional supporter or helper. If you don’t have a Wali, you could have a Shafi because Wali implies constant unwavering allegiance and support. If such support does not exist,

it is possible for an occasional, intermediary support to be available; but Allah negates even that. There is simply no way out. This will be referred back to in verse 20 where the disbelievers will not find anyone to help them inside Hell-fire.

Will you not strongly consider- This is phrased as a question because what is being said is “After knowing all of this, will you STILL not deeply think and ponder over the truth of this book?” Will you not strongly consider this fact and hence, rectify your actions knowing that they will bear consequences for you? Hence, you will see later that the conversation shifts to Judgment day itself.

Lastly, the word تتذكرون - translated as - ‘strongly consider’ - has the emphatic form.

There are two ways to say it, tazakkarun with one ta and tatazakkarun with two ta. Here it has two ta, which implies repetition and consistency. The call is to consider and reflect on this strongly and consistently; not just one moment of reflection.