35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)
Mecca Period 43
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الْحَمْدُ
لِلَّهِ
...
35; 1. Praise be to Allah,
C3869. See n. 3785 to 34:1.
When we praise Allah, it means that we understand and bring to mind that His glory and power are exercised for the good of His Creation, and this is the subject-matter of the Surah.
... فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ...
Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth,
C3870. As man's knowledge of the processes of nature advances, he sees how complex is the evolution of matter itself, leaving out the question of the origin of Life and the spiritual forces, which are beyond the ken of experimental science.
But this knowledge itself becomes a sort of "veil of Light": man becomes so conscious of the proximate causes, that he is apt, in his pride, to forget the primal Cause, the ultimate hand of Allah in Creation.
And then, creation is such a complex process: see some of the ideas involved explained by different words in n. 120 to 2:117.
The word fatara here used means the creation of primeval matter, to which further creative processes have to be added by the hand of Allah, or Allah "adds to His Creation as He pleases", not only in quantity, but in qualities, functions, relations and variations in infinite ways.
... جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ...
Who made the angels messengers with wings -- two, or three, or four (Pairs):
C3871. They are Messengers or Instruments of Allah's Will, and may have a few or numerous Errands entrusted to them.
Cf. the description of the Spirit of Inspiration in 26:193, and of the spirits or angels for executing the Commands of Allah in 79:1-5.
... يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاء... ...
He adds to Creation as He pleases:
C3872. See n. 3870 above, where the complexities of the creative processes is referred to Allah's creation did not stop at some past time: it continues, for He has all power, and His mercies are ever poured forth without stint.
... إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١﴾
for Allah has power over all things.
مَا
يَفْتَحِ
اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ
مِن رَّحْمَةٍ
فَلَا مُمْسِكَ
لَهَا...
35: 2. What Allah out of His Mercy doth bestow on mankind there is none can withhold:
... وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ ...
what He doth withhold, there is none can grant, apart from Him:
C3873. As Allah is the Creator and Sustainer of all beings and things, so does His kindness extend to all Creatures.
No one can intercept Allah's mercies and gifts. Whatever is His Will and Plan and Purpose He can and does carry out. And if from any creature He withholds any particular gifts, there is no other person or power that can give those gifts. But such withholding is not arbitrary. He is full of wisdom and goodness, and every act of His, whether He withholds or gives, is full of kindness and mercy to His creatures.
... وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿٢﴾
and He is the Exalted in Power, Full of Wisdom.
Asad’s Version:
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
35:1
ALL PRAISE is due to God, Originator of the heavens and the earth, who causes the angels to be [His] message-bearers, endowed with wings, two, or three, or four. 1
[Unceasingly] He adds to His creation whatever He wills: 2 for, verily, God has the power to will anything.
(35:2) Whatever grace God opens up to man, none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds, none can henceforth release: for He alone is almighty, truly wise.