Juz 11: At-Tawbah 93 to Hūd 5
Section 12 of 17 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
13 Signs of Allah in Creation
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala draws humanity's attention to His magnificent signs in creation, which serve as evidence of His power, wisdom, and divinity. After addressing the basics of faith and belief, Allah presents compelling arguments from the natural world that surround us daily, yet often go unnoticed or unappreciated.
In Surah Yunus, from verse 22 onwards, Allah describes how people behave during times of ease versus times of hardship. This demonstrates the inherent fitrah (natural disposition) within humans that recognizes Allah's sovereignty, especially in moments of crisis:
هُوَ الَّذِي يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِي الْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُوا بِهَا جَاءَتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَاءَهُمُ الْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ ۙ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ
“He is the One who enables you to travel on land and sea, until when you are aboard the boats, and they sail with those on board, with a favorable wind, and they are pleased with it, there comes upon them a violent wind, and the wave comes upon them from every direction, and they think that they are surrounded from all sides, they pray to Allah, having faith exclusively in Him, (and say,) 'If You deliver us from this, we shall be grateful indeed.'" [10:22]”
This powerful imagery illustrates how people, when confronted with life-threatening situations such as turbulent seas and violent storms, instinctively turn to Allah alone, abandoning all false deities. This natural response confirms the innate recognition of divine unity embedded in the human soul. Yet tragically, as soon as they reach safety on shore, they return to their sinful ways, forgetting Allah's mercy in saving them.
This pattern of behavior—seeking Allah in hardship but forgetting Him in ease—remains consistent throughout human history. The pandemic and other global calamities demonstrate this same phenomenon: many people turn to faith during crisis but quickly revert to their previous ways when the danger passes.
Allah continues by highlighting His numerous signs in the heavens and earth, challenging people to ponder these manifestations:
قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَمَن يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَمَن يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ ۚ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُ ۚ فَقُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
“Say, 'Who gives you sustenance from the sky and the earth? Or, who controls the (powers of) hearing and seeing? And who brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living? And who manages everything?' They will say, 'Allah.' Then, say, 'Would you not, then, fear Allah?'" [10:31]”
In verse 33, Allah poses rhetorical questions about the sources of sustenance and the miraculous transformations in nature. Even pagans would acknowledge it is Allah who provides these blessings. The emergence of life from lifelessness (like plants from soil or birds from eggs) and the process of decay after death are constant reminders of Allah's creative power.
The heavenly bodies also serve as divine signs. Allah mentions:
هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَاءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ ۚ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ۚ يُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
“He is the One who made the sun a glow, and the moon a light, and determined for it stages, so that you may learn the number of years, and the calculation (of time). Allah has not created all this but for a rightful purpose. He elaborates the signs for a people who understand." [10:5]”
The distinction between the sun's radiance (ḍiyā') and the moon's reflected light (nūr), along with the precise lunar phases that enable timekeeping and calendar systems, point to intentional design rather than random coincidence. Allah created these celestial mechanisms with purpose and precision.
These verses establish that those who contemplate these signs with sincerity become separated from those who remain blind to them. The former group grows in faith and certainty, while the latter remains in denial and disbelief despite the abundance of evidence surrounding them.