57 Al-Hadid (Iron)
Medina Period
Asad’s version
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
57:1 ALL THAT IS in the heavens and on earth extols God's limitless glory: for He alone is almighty, truly wise!
(57:2) His is the dominion over the heavens and the earth; He grants life and deals death; and He has the power to will anything.
57:3 He is the First and the Last, 1 and the Outward as well as the Inward: 2 and He has full knowledge of everything.
(57:4) He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and is established on the throne of His almightiness. 3 He knows all that enters the earth, and all that comes out of it, as well as all that descends from the skies, and all that ascends to them. 4 And He is with you wherever you may be; and God sees all that you do.
57:5 His is the dominion over the heavens and the earth; and all things go back unto God [as their source].
Ali’s version and the Arabic text
لَهُ
مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ
يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ
...
57:2. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; it is He Who gives life and Death;
وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿٢﴾
and He has Power over all things.
هُوَ
الْأَوَّلُ
وَالْآخِرُ
وَالظَّاهِرُ
وَالْبَاطِنُ
...
57:3. He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Hidden:
وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٣﴾
and He has full knowledge of all things.
هُوَ
الَّذِي خَلَقَ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضَ
فِي سِتَّةِ
أَيَّامٍ ...
4. He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days,
... ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ...
and is moreover firmly established on the Throne (of authority).
...يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاء وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا...
He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven and what mounts up to it.
...وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ...
And He is with you wheresoever ye may be.
... وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿٤﴾
And Allah sees well all that ye do.
[[Asad’s notes-
1 I.e., His Being is eternal, without anything preceding His existence and without anything outlasting its infinity: an interpretation given by the Prophet himself, as recorded in several well- authenticated Traditions. Thus, "time" itself- a concept beyond maris understanding - is but God's creation.
2 I.e., He is the transcendental Cause of all that exists and, at the same time, immanent in every phenomenon of His creation - cf the oft-repeated Qur'anic phrase (e.g., inverse S), "all things go back unto God [as their source]"; in the words of Tabari, "He is closer to everything than anything else could be". Another - perhaps supplementary - rendering could be, "He is the Evident as well as the Hidden": i.e., "His existence is evident (zahir) in the effects of His activity, whereas He Himself is not perceptible (ghayr mudrak) to our senses" (Zamakhshari).
3 Cf. the identical phrase in 7:54 and the corresponding note 43.
4 See 4 note 1 on 34:2. ]]
[[ Ali’s notes : C5276. Allah is Evident in so far as there is ample evidence of His existence and providence all around us. On the other hand, Allah is Hidden in so far as intellect cannot grasp His essence nor can He be seen in the present world.
The following tradition in Sahih Muslim is also significant for an understanding of this verse.
The Prophet (peace be on him) said:
"Thou art the First, so that there was nothing before Thee;
and Thou art the Last, so that there is nothing after Thee;
and Thou art Evident, (or Ascendant) so that there is nothing above Thee,
and Thou art the the Hidden, the Knower of hidden things, so that there is nothing hidden from Thee." [Eds.]
C5277. "In six Days": see 41:9-12, and notes;
also more briefly, n. 1031 to 7:54.
It is not that Allah completed His Creation in six days and rested on the seventh day, or rests now.
Certain external forms of the universe were by Allah's Command completed in six periods of evolution. But His creative process still goes on, and He is still, and will always be, in full control, knowing all and guiding all affairs. (R).
C5279. Allah watches over man and observes his deeds. His knowledge comprehends all, the earth, heavens, what is in them or above them or whatever is in between them, comes out of them or goes into them, for "not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge", and "there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is inscribed in a Record". (6:59). [Eds.]]]