Surah Al-Ankabut 29:61
سُورَةُ العَنكَبُوتِ · Meccan · Verse 61 of 69
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ
Translation
If you ask the disbelievers who created the heavens and earth and who harnessed the sun and moon, they are sure to say, ‘God.’ Then why do they turn away from Him?
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse invites us to ponder a profound contradiction in human nature, highlighted through specific word choices. Allah, speaking to the Prophet, addresses the idolaters, revealing a fundamental inconsistency in their beliefs.
Their Certain Confession
The verse begins with "وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ" (And if you ask them, "Who created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" they will surely say, "Allah."). The structure of this phrase, using the emphatic "لئن" (la'in – "and if surely") followed by "ليقولُنَّ" (layaqūlunn – "they will surely say"), underscores the undeniable truth the idolaters themselves acknowledge. It's not a hesitant or uncertain answer; it's a firm confession they cannot escape. Even with their polytheistic practices, they know in their hearts who the ultimate Creator and Controller is.
Creation and Subjection
Notice the distinct verbs used: "خَلَقَ" (khalaqa – created) for the heavens and the earth, and "سَخَّرَ" (sakhkhara – subjected or made subservient) for the sun and the moon. As Imam al-Razi points out, simply *creating* the sun and moon is one thing, but their *subjection* to specific movements and laws is what brings about profound wisdom. The sun and moon are not merely brought into existence; they are made to function in perfect harmony, causing day and night, seasons, and precise timings beneficial for humanity. Ibn Ashur adds that this specific mention highlights the immense power and favor (minnah) Allah bestows upon people through their regulated movements. These choices of words reveal Allah's all-encompassing power, not just in bringing things into being, but in maintaining their intricate operations for the benefit of all.
The Bewildering Deviation
Following their clear acknowledgment, the verse concludes with a startling question: "فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ" (Fa'annā yu'fakūn – So how are they deluded/turned away?). This "how?" is not a request for information but an expression of utter astonishment and denial, as Ibn Ashur notes. The word "يُؤْفَكُونَ" (yu'fakūn), explained by scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Jalalayn, means to be turned away, deluded, or diverted. It implies an irrational shift from a known truth. How can people who admit Allah is the Sole Creator and Sustainer then turn away from Him and worship others who create nothing? This rhetorical question serves as a powerful rebuke, forcing both the idolaters and us to reflect on the logical inconsistency of turning from the obvious truth.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Ankabut 29:61 is discussed in 6 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Ankabut 29:61 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.