67. Al-Mulk (Dominion)

Mecca 77

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ ...

67:19.  Do they not observe the birds above them,

C5576. The flight of birds is one of the most beautiful and wonderful things in nature. The make and arrangement of their feathers and bones, and their stream-line shapes, from beak to tail, are instances of purposive adaptation. They soar with outstretched wings; they dart about with folded wings; their motions upwards and downwards, as well as their stabilization in the air, and when they rest on their feet, have given many ideas to man in the science and art of aeronautics.

But who taught or gave to birds this wonderful adaptation?

None but Allah, Whose infinite Mercy provides for every creature just those conditions which are best adapted for its life.

... صَافَّاتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ ...

spreading their wings and folding them in?

C5577. In the Arabic, there is an artistic touch which it is not possible to reproduce in the translation. Saffat(spreading their wings) is in the form of the active participle, suggesting the continuous soaring on outspread wings; while yaqbidhna (folding them in) is in the Aorist form, suggesting the spasmodic flapping of wings.

... مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا الرَّحْمَنُ ...

None can uphold them except (Allah) Most Gracious:

إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيرٌ ﴿١٩﴾

truly it is He that watches over all things.

Asad’s Version:

67:19 Have they, then, never beheld the birds above them, spreading their wings and drawing them in? None but the Most Gracious upholds them: for, verily, He keeps all things in His sight.