Quran Universe
29:61

وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَكُونَ

Walain saaltahum man khalaqa alssamawati waalarda wasakhkhara alshshamsa waalqamara layaqoolunna Allahu faanna yufakoona

If you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" they would surely say, "Allah." Then how are they deluded?

Word by word
  1. وَلَئِنAnd if
  2. سَأَلۡتَهُمyou ask them
  3. مَّنۡWho
  4. خَلَقَcreated
  5. ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِthe heavens
  6. وَٱلۡأَرۡضَand the earth
  7. وَسَخَّرَand subjected
  8. ٱلشَّمۡسَthe sun
  9. وَٱلۡقَمَرَand the moon
  10. لَيَقُولُنَّSurely they would say
  11. ٱللَّهُۖAllah
  12. فَأَنَّىٰThen how
  13. يُؤۡفَكُونَare they deluded
Al-'Ankabut · 29:61Makkah

They knew Allah created everything, yet looked elsewhere.

Admitting the Creator but trusting others

Their own answer
who made the sky?the sun and moon too
they said
Allahno hesitation
yet worshipped
idolspartners beside Him
The gap
He made it allthey admitted it
so why
trust anyone else?how are they deluded

The idolaters of Makkah admitted Allah alone created the heavens, the earth, the sun and the moon. Ibn Kathir notes their own pilgrimage chant said He had no partner, then added one. His point: if He alone creates and controls, why worship or trust anyone else? That gap is the delusion.

Ask yourself who controls your life and you will say Allah. Then watch where your heart goes when the contract is late: the boss, the connection, the lucky charm, the horoscope app. The verse asks you to close the gap between what you say and where you lean.

Of course I believe Allah is in control.

If I really believe it, my worry and my hope should go to Him first.

Try this

Next time you feel anxious today, notice who you think of first. Turn to Allah before them.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And if you were to ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" They will surely reply: "Allah." How then are they deviating (61)Allah expands the provision for whom He wills of His servants, and straitens it for whom (He wills). Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything (62)And if you were to ask them: "Who sends down water from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death?" They will surely reply: "Allah." Say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah!" Nay, most of them have no sense (63)

Evidences of Tawhid

Allah states that there is no God but He. The idolators who worshipped others besides Him recognized that He was the sole creator of the heavens and earth, the sun and the moon, alternating the night and day. They acknowledged that He was the Creator Who provided for His servants and decreed how long they should live. He made them and their provision different, so that some were rich and some were poor, and He knew best what was suitable for each of them, who deserved to be rich and who deserved to be poor. So, Allah stated that He has alone created everything, and that He alone is controlling them – if this is how it is, then why worship anyone else? Why put one's trust in anyone else? Since dominion is His Alone, then let worship be for Him Alone. Allah often establishes His divinity by referring to their acknowledgement of His Unique Lordship, because the idolators used to acknowledge His Lordship, as they said in their Talbiyah (during Hajj and 'Umrah: "At Your service, You have no partner, except the partner that You have, and You possess him and whatever he has."