In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Reflection On Surah Al-Faatir

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۚ يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the (only) Originator [or the (only) Creator] of the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings, – two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things. Whatever of mercy Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [Surah Al-Faatir. 1-2]

[الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ  – All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the (only) Originator of the heavens and the earth]: Meaning, the One who created and brought them into existence prior to their non-existence.

[جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ – Who made the angels messengers with wings, – two or three or four]: Meaning, Allaah sends them to the Prophets and for other affairs as He wills. They have wings – some two wings, some three and some four. [ يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاءُ- He increases in creation what He wills]: Muqaatil [rahimahullaah] said, “Allaah increased the wings of the angels as He wills]. [Ref 1]

He gave some of His creation more than others in relation to their physical characteristics, strength, beauty, additional limbs (or faculties) and beautiful voices. [ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِير-Verily, Allah is Able to do all things]: Meaning, by His Power He does whatever He wills and nothing can escape Him, and in relation to this is that He gave some of His creation more than others. [Ref2]

[مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ – Whatever of mercy Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter]: Meaning, the good things and provisions. This shows that Allaah alone is the true deity because none is able to withhold what He has granted nor give what He withholds. [Ref 3]

[وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ   – And He is the Almighty, The All-wise]:

[وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ  – And He is the Almighty]: Meaning, He has subdued all things.

[الْحَكِيمُ – The All-Wise]: Meaning, He places all things in their appropriate places. [Ref 4]

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi. Slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from Zaadul Maseer Fee Ilmit Tafseer’ By Imaam Ibnul Jawzi. Slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 3: An Excerpt from Zaadul Maseer Fee Ilmit Tafseer’ By Imaam Ibnul Jawzi. Slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 4: An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi. Slightly paraphrased]