Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Hud, Ayah 7
Common Words
Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days the first of which was Sunday and the last Friday — and His Throne before creating them was upon the water borne by the winds — that He might try you li-yabluwakum is semantically connected to khalaqa ‘He Who created’ in other words He created them and all that is beneficial and good for you in them in order to test you which of you is best in conduct that is which of you is most obedient to God. And if you were to say O Muhammad (s) to them ‘Truly you shall be raised again after death’ those who disbelieve will say ‘This Qur’ān that speaks of resurrection — or this that you are saying — is nothing but manifest clear sorcery’ sihrun a variant reading has sāhirun ‘sorcerer’ in which case the reference is to the Prophet s.
Related Hadiths
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water.
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Hani with the same chain of transmitters, but there is no mention of" His Throne was upon water."
Ibn Abbas Commentary
(And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days) six days of the beginning of this world: each day the equivalent of one thousand years, the first day being Sunday and the last Friday (and His Throne) before the creation of the heavens and earth (was upon the water) and Allah was before the Throne and before water (that He might try you) that He may test you in the interval between life and death, (which of you is best in conduct) which of you is more sincere in his works. (Yet if thou (O Muhammad) sayst) to the people of Mecca: (Lo! ye will be raised again) you will be brought back to life again (after death! those who disbelieve) the disbelievers of Mecca (will surely say: This) which Muhammad (pbuh) is saying (is naught but mere magic) manifest lies which will never happen.