Surah 20:53
Show Full Scripture Context (20:53-56) — 4 Verses
ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مَهۡدٗا وَسَلَكَ لَكُمۡ فِيهَا سُبُلٗا وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزۡوَٰجٗا مِّن نَّبَاتٖ شَتَّىٰ
(It is He) who made the earth as a cradle for you, and put (path)ways in it for you, and sent down water from the sky. And by means of it We brought forth pairs of various (kinds of) vegetation.
كُلُواْ وَٱرۡعَوۡاْ أَنۡعَٰمَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلنُّهَىٰ
Eat (of it) and pasture your livestock (on it). Surely in that are signs indeed for those with reason.
۞مِنۡهَا خَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمۡ وَمِنۡهَا نُخۡرِجُكُمۡ تَارَةً أُخۡرَىٰ
We created you from it, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you forth another time.’
وَلَقَدۡ أَرَيۡنَٰهُ ءَايَٰتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَىٰ
Certainly We showed him Our signs, all of them, but he called (them) a lie and refused.
This is from the completion of Musa’s speech concerning the description of His Lord when Fir'awn asked him about Him. He (Musa) said,
Then, Fir'awn attempted to present some argumentative rebuttal during Musa’s reply. Yet, Musa continued by saying, “He is the One Who made the earth as a bed for you.” Some recited the word as Mihadan and others recited it as Mahdan, which means ‘a place of rest that you settle down upon.’ It also may mean ‘that which you stand upon, sleep upon or travel upon its back.’
This means, 'He made roads for you to walk upon their shoulders.’ This is just as He, the Exalted, said.
And placed therein broad highways for them to pass through, that they may be guided.
referring to the various species of plants, such as vegetation and fruits. Some are sour, some are sweet, some are bitter and there are other kinds as well.
meaning, ‘something that is food for you and a palatable fruit for you, and something that is for your cattle as fodder for them, both green and dry.’
This means proofs, signs and evidences.
{ifor men of understanding.} meaning those who possess correct and upright intelligence realizing that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and there is no true Lord other than Him.
meaning, ‘the earth is your beginning. For your father, Adam, was created with dirt from the surface of the earth. You also will be returned to the earth. This means that you will become dirt when you die and decay.’ The statement, “And from it We shall bring you out once again,” means,
This Ayah is similar to Allah’s statement,
He said: "Therein you shall live, and therein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out."
Fir‘awn showed all of the Signs but He did not believe
Concerning Allah’s statement,
This means that the proofs, signs and evidences were established against Fir'awn and he saw them with his own eyes, but he still denied and rejected them due to his disbelief, abstinence and transgression. This is as Allah, the Exalted, says,
And they belied them wrongfidly and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 6, Page 350-352)