Saba (Sheba)

2. “He knows whatever goes down into the earth and whatever comes out of it, and whatever comes down from the heaven and whatever goes up to it; and He is the Merciful, the Forgiving.”

This verse, following the attributes of Allah mentioned in the previous verse as Wise and Aware, refers to a part of His infinite knowledge and says:

“He knows whatever goes down into the earth and whatever comes out of it…”

Yes, He is aware of all of the drops of rain which come down from sky and the waves of floods, the water of which penetrates into the depth of the earth and will be stored there for men.

He is aware of the seeds of the plants which will be spread in earth by the help of winds or insects and go under the soil and grow so that one day they are seen as some green plants. He knows how the roots of trees go down into the depth of the ground to seek food and water.

Allah knows the electric waves, the different gases and the atoms in the air which penetrate into the ground. He is aware of the living creatures that go through the land and give life to it. He knows all treasures and precious things buried inside this vast ground as well as the corpses of the dead irrespective of men and other animals. Yes, He is aware of all of these things.

Also Allah knows all the plants that come out of the earth.

He knows the men who have raised from it; the springs that gush out from it; the gases come from inside of it; the volcanoes emerge from it; the insects which have nests in the earth and originate from it; and, in short, He is aware of all the creatures that come out of the depths of the ground, whether we know or we do not know.

Then the verse adds that He also knows whatever comes down from the sky, and whatever goes up to it, among them are the drops of rain, the life giving rays of the sun, the powerful waves of revelation and heavenly religious affairs, the angels who come down to the earth in order to convey the messengership or to perform other things, the heavenly rays which come from beyond the atmosphere unto the earth globe, the piercing flames and wandering meteorites which are attracted toward the earth.

Allah is aware of all of them.

It continues saying:

“…and whatever comes down from the heaven and whatever goes up to it…”

Allah also knows the servants’ deeds which ascend to the heaven; of the angels, that after fulfilling their duty, return to the heaven; of the Satans that go to the heavens to eavesdrop; of the branches of thick tall trees; of the vapours that rise from the sea and form the pieces of cloud in the sky; of the moan of an oppressed that ascends to the heaven. Yes, He knows all of these things.

Is there anyone to be aware of these affairs but He? Can the knowledge of all learned men among human beings dominate a part of His knowledge?

So, at the end of the verse, it says:

“…and He is the Merciful, the Forgiving.”

Allah being qualified by these two attributes is either for the sake that among the things ascend to the heaven there are the deeds of the servants and their souls, and it is He Who takes them under the cover of His mercy and forgiveness.

Or it is for the sake that the descent of all the heavenly blessings and merits are produced by His Mercy; and the righteous deeds of the believing servants, which, basing on the Qur’anic sentence:

“…it is He Who exalts the righteous deeds…”1 ,

ascend up and will be involved of His forgiveness.

Or, it says that those who so thank for these blessings deserve His mercy, and those who are faulty, if do not exceed the limits, will have forgiveness.

Shortly speaking, the above verse has a vast meaning in all its dimensions and it must not be limited in one side.