Surah Ghafir >> Currently viewing Surah Ghafir Ayat 57 (40:57)

Surah Ghafir Ayat 57 in Arabic Text

لَخَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَكۡبَرُ مِنۡ خَلۡقِ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
Lakhalqus samaawaati wal ardi akbaru min khalqin naasi wa laakinna aksaran naasi laa ya’lamoon

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 57

Sahih International
The creation of the heavens and earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of the people do not know.

Yusuf Ali
Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater (matter) than the creation of men: Yet most men understand not.

Abul Ala Maududi
Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater act than the creation of human beings. But most people do not know.

Muhsin Khan
The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind, yet most of mankind know not.

Pickthall
Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind; but most of mankind know not.

Dr. Ghali
Indeed the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind; but most of mankind do not know.

Abdel Haleem
The creation of the heavens and earth is greater by far than the creation of mankind, though most people do not know it.

Muhammad Junagarhi
آسمان و زمین کی پیدائش یقیناً انسان کی پیدائش سے بہت بڑا کام ہے، لیکن (یہ اور بات ہے کہ) اکثر لوگ بےعلم ہیں

Quran 40 Verse 57 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Ghafir ayat 57, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(40:57) Surely[78] the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater act than the creation of human beings. But most people do not know.[79]


78. After reviewing the conspiracies and plots of the chiefs of the Quraish in (Surah Ghafir, ayat 21-56), the address is now being directed towards the common people, and they are being made to understand that the truths to which Muhammad (peace be upon him) is inviting them, are absolutely rational, as if to say: Your own good and well-being lies in accepting them, and rejecting them is ruinous for your own selves. In this connection, first of all arguments have been given for the doctrine of the Hereafter, for the disbelievers regarded this very doctrine as most bewildering and incomprehensible.

79. This is an argument for the possibility of the Hereafter. The disbelievers thought it was impossible for man to be resurrected after death. In answer to this, it is being said: Those who talk like this are, in fact, ignorant. If they use their common sense, they will easily understand that for that God Who has created this wonderful Universe it cannot at all be difficult to create men once again.

Ibn-Kathir

57. The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of the people do not know. 58. And not equal are the blind and those who see; nor those who believe, and do righteous good deeds, and those who do evil. Little do you remember! 59. Verily, the Hour is surely coming, there is no doubt about it, yet most men believe not.


Life after Death

Allah tells us that He will bring back His creation on the Day of Resurrection. That is very easy for Him, because He created the heavens and the earth, and creating them is greater than creating mankind, the first time and when He creates them again. The One Who is able to do that is able to do anything that is less than that. As Allah says:

﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَلَمْ يَعْىَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى بَلَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴾

(Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead Yes, He surely is able to do all things.) (46:33) And Allah says here:

﴿لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

(The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not.) hence they do not think about or ponder this proof. Similarly, many of the Arabs recognized that Allah had created the heavens and the earth, but they denied and rejected the idea of the resurrection; they acknowledged something which was greater than that which they denied. Then Allah says:

﴿وَمَا يَسْتَوِى الاٌّعْـمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ وَلاَ الْمُسِىءُ قَلِيـلاً مَّا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ ﴾

(And not equal are the blind and those who see; nor are those who believe, and do righteous good deeds, and those who do evil. Little do you remember!) The blind man who cannot see anything is not the same as the sighted man who can see everything as far as his eyesight reaches — there is a huge difference between them. By the same token, the righteous believers and the immoral disbelievers are not equal.

﴿قَلِيـلاً مَّا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ﴾

(Little do you remember!) means, most of the people remember little.

﴿وَإِنَّ السَّاعَةَ لآتِيَةٌ﴾

(Verily, the Hour (Day of Judgement) is surely coming,) means, it will indeed come to pass.

﴿لاَّ رَيْبَ فِيهَا وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

(there is no doubt about it, yet most men believe not.) means, they do not believe in it, and in fact they doubt its existence altogether.

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surah ghafir ayat 57
surah ghafir ayat 58
surah ghafir ayat 59
surah ghafir ayat 60
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