Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty)

3. Who has created the seven heavens one above another and you can see no flaw in the Creation of the Most Gracious. Then, behold again: “Can you see any rifts?”

4. Then, behold time and again. Your sight will return to you in a state of humbleness and exhaustion.

The system of Creation is based on Divine Mercy. It is the best system of Creation into which neither defect nor flaw may find its way. Knowing God Almighty should be based on observation and exactitude so that many may strengthen his belief in Divine Omnipotence and the Majesty of the world of existence.

Thus, the blessed Verses in question treat of the universal system of Creation encouraging man to study the organic system of the world of existence so that he may prepare himself for the great trial, saying that the Lord created the seven heavens one above another. The seven heavens were briefly treated above under 65:12:

“It is Allah Who has created the seven heavens and the earth and from the later the like thereof. His Command descends between them at all times that you may know that Allah is Omnipotent over all things and His Omniscience encompasses surrounds all things.” The Arabic nominal form tibaqan (“in layers, one on top of the other”) reflects that the seven heavens are above on another and the cognate verbal noun mutabiqa literally denotes being placed on top of another.

Now, if we take the seven heavens a reference to the seven planets of the solar system, visible to the naked eye, having their fixed distance from the sun and one is above another. If we regard all the stars and planets visible to the unarmed eye as belonging to the first heaven, it may be said that other worlds exist in higher heavens that one is above another.

The blessed Verse proceeds to say that man may find neither contradiction nor defect nor flaw in the Creation of the Most Gracious Lord. Despite all its greatness, the world of creation is based on systematicity, consistency, well-measured constituents, and precise laws such that had any disorder found its way into the world of creation, it would have caused its destruction.

The marvelous systematicity prevailing amongst atoms and their constituent elements, i.e. protons, neutrons, and electrons, and in the entirety of the solar system and other systems and galaxies reflect precise laws that make them proceed on specific courses. At any rate, laws, system, and well-measured plans are to found everywhere.

The blessed Verse closes with further emphasis, urging man to behold once more and observe the world further attentively to find out that there is neither flaw, nor defect, nor inconsistency in the system of the world of creation.

The Arabic nominal form futur literally means splitting lengthwise, though it also connotes breaking the fast, inconsistency, and corruption and the last sense is intended herein. The blessed Verse is saying that no matter how attentively man studies the world of Creation, he may not find the least defect or disharmony in it.

To lay further emphasis on the same point, the blessed Verse 4 says:

“Then, behold time and again. Your sight will return to you in a state of humbleness and exhaustion.”

The Arabic dual nominal form

karratayn (“once more, again”)

derives from the root k-r-r denoting attend and return to something. The nominal form karra denotes repetition whose dual form is karratayn. However, some Qur’an exegetes maintain that the dual form herein does not designate duality, but it connotes repetitive and consecutive attentiveness.

Thus, the blessed Qur’anic Verses urges people to observe the world of creation thrice and thereby study the secrets of creation. In other words, they are encouraged to be attentive time and again so that they see for themselves that there is not a single flaw in such marvelous system of creation and thereby gain further acquaintance with the Omnipotence and Omniscience of the Creator of such system and the world of existence.

The Arabic adverb of manner khasi’an, employed concerning the eye, denotes “with exhaustion.” When it is used about dogs, it denotes “drive away.” The Arabic adjective hasir derives from the root h-s-r (“undress”) since when man is exhausted it is as if he is “nude” of all his faculties, hence the meaning of “exhaustion.

At any rate, two significant conclusions may be drawn out of these blessed Verses:

1. The Holy Qur’an emphatically enjoins all those treading the path of truth to summon their utmost attentiveness as to the secrets of the world existence and the marvels of the world of creation without being content with insufficient observation, since many a secret may not be revealed at the first and second attempts but sharp eyes and insight are required in this regard.

2. The more man exercises attentiveness and precision, the more he may perceive the systematicity and total flawlessness. Many a phenomena, e.g. earthquakes, floods, ailments, and other afflictions, appear as blights and blemishes at the first glance, but further studies reveal that there are significant and precise causes behind them.

Further details may be found in the book titled The Creator of the World (Àfaridigar-i Jahan). The blessed Verses in question explicitly indicate that systematicity and organicism reflect the knowledge and might behind them.