Juz 21: Al-ʿAnkabūt 46 to Al-Aḥzāb 30
Section 8 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
8. Signs of Allah's Creative Power | Verses: Ar-Rum 30:8-27
Following the remarkable prophecy about the Romans, Surah Ar-Rum transitions to a profound discourse on the signs of Allah's creative power spread throughout the universe. These verses invite contemplation on the natural world as evidence of divine design and omnipotence.
Allah begins this section by contrasting the fate of believers and disbelievers:
وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَفَرَّقُونَ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَهُمْ فِي رَوْضَةٍ يُحْبَرُونَ
“And on the Day when the Hour will take place, they will be separated from each other. Then those who believed and did righteous deeds—they will be in a garden, full of joy.”
The believers who accept Allah's signs will enjoy the meadows of Paradise, while those who rejected faith and the evidences of Allah's power will face severe punishment. This establishes the stakes for the discussion that follows—recognizing Allah's signs is not merely an intellectual exercise but carries eternal consequences.
The verses then present a remarkable series of natural phenomena as evidence of Allah's creative power. Each sign is introduced as being "among His signs," emphasizing that the natural world testifies to its Creator:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ يُخْرِجَ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجَ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَيُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا
“And among His signs is that He brings out the living from the dead, and brings the dead from the living, and He gives life to the earth after its death.”
This verse describes the continuous cycle of life and death—how Allah brings forth living creatures from seemingly lifeless matter. Plants emerge from apparently dead soil, chicks from eggs, and conversely, lifeless matter from living organisms. This constant transformation demonstrates Allah's power to create life and is a sign pointing to the resurrection on the Day of Judgment.
Among the most profound signs mentioned is the creation of human beings and the establishment of loving relationships between spouses:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً
“And among His signs is that He created for you wives from among yourselves so that you may find tranquility in them, and He placed between you love and mercy.”
The verses continue to enumerate other remarkable signs:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ
“And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors.”
The diversity of human languages and physical appearances across the globe, all despite sharing common ancestry, is presented as evidence of divine design. Similarly,