59. Al-Hashr (The Gathering)
Medina Period [101]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
59: 24. He is Allah,
- the Creator,
C5405. Allah's attributes of Goodness and Power having been referred to, we are now told of His creative energy, of which three aspects are here mentioned, as explained in the following note. The point is emphasised that He does not merely create and leave alone; He goes on fashioning, evolving new forms and colours, and sustaining all the energies and capacities which He has put into His Creation, according to various laws which He has established.
... الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ ....
- the Evolver,
- the Bestower of Forms (or colors).
C5406. The act or acts of creation have various aspects, and the various words used in this connection are summarized in n. 120 to 2:117, as supplemented by n. 916 to 6:94 and n. 923 to 6:98.
Khalaqa is the general term for creation, and the Author of all Creation is Khaliq.
Baraa implies a process of evolving from previously created matter or state; the Author of this process is Bariu, the Originator.
Sawwara implies giving definite form or colour, so as to make a thing exactly suited to a given end or object: hence the title Musawwir, Fashioner for this shows the completion of the visible stage of creation.
.. لَهُ الْأَسْمَاء الْحُسْنَى...
To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names:
C5407. Cf. 7:180, n. 1154; and 17:110, n. 2322.
... يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ...
Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory:
C5408. Thus the argument of the Sura is rounded off on the same note as was struck at the beginning 59:1.
The first verse and the last verse of the Surah are the same, except as regards the tense of the verbsabbaha.
In the first verse it is the optative form of the preterite sabbaha: everything declares the Glory of Allah! After the illustrations given, the declaratory form of the aorist is appropriate, yusabbihu: "everything doth declare the Glory of Allah'.
... وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿٢٤﴾
and He is the exalted in Might, the Wise.
Asad’s Version:
59:24 He is God, the Creator, the Maker who shapes all forms and appearances!"
His [alone] are the attributes of perfection. 32 All that is in the heavens and on earth extols His limitless glory: for He alone is almighty, truly wise!
[[Asad’s notes -
32 For this rendering of al-asma' al-husna, see surah 7, note 145. ]]