Surah Ar-Rum 30:21
سُورَةُ الرُّومِ · Meccan · Verse 21 of 60
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Translation
Another of His signs is that He created spouses from among yourselves for you to live with in tranquillity: He ordained love and kindness between you. There truly are signs in this for those who reflect.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This beautiful verse from Surah Ar-Rum invites us to ponder one of Allah's most intimate and profound signs. It begins by establishing that the creation of spouses is `وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ`, "And among His signs" – a clear indication of His magnificent power and wisdom. This address is to all of humankind, men and women, highlighting a universal blessing.
From Your Own Kind
The verse tells us Allah created `مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا`, "from yourselves, spouses." This phrase is deeply significant. As scholars like al-Razi and Ibn Ashur explain, it means spouses are from the same human species, not from a different kind. This shared nature fosters compatibility and belonging. The fact that a man's partner is not a creature of an entirely different type, but rather from his own kind, is fundamental to the harmony and emotional connection that follows.
The Purpose: Tranquility
The very purpose of this creation is expressed in `لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا`, "so that you may find tranquility in them." The word `sukun` (tranquility) here signifies a deep sense of peace, repose, and comfort. Al-Razi clarifies that the preposition `إِلَيْهَا` (towards her, or them) indicates a spiritual and heartfelt inclination, a deep inner calmness, rather than just physical proximity. Ibn Ashur further notes that this `sukun` removes the agitation of loneliness and grief, replacing it with the joy and familiarity that comes from companionship. It's an inner calm that settles the soul.
Gifts of Affection and Mercy
Beyond merely creating partners, Allah also `وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ وَرَحْمَةً`, "and He placed between you affection and mercy." This is a divine gift, not something that naturally arises from a contract. `Mawaddah` (affection) is a strong love and fondness, while `rahmah` (mercy) is a compassionate caring. Al-Razi insightfully points out that `mawaddah` often comes first, a joyful attraction, but `rahmah` is what truly sustains the bond. It is the mercy and compassion that endures through life's changes, even when youth fades or illness strikes. This mercy ensures that the relationship is not merely based on transient desires but on a deeper, lasting care and protection. Ibn Ashur also highlights that these profound feelings arise between two individuals who might have been complete strangers before marriage.
A Call to Reflect
The verse concludes with `إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ`, "Indeed, in that are signs for people who reflect." The emphasis on "signs" (plural) and the word `yatatafakkaroon` (those who deeply ponder and reflect) underlines that these aspects of marriage – the creation from our own kind, the purpose of tranquility, and the divine placement of affection and mercy – are not trivial matters. They are profound indicators of Allah's power and intricate design, inviting us to go beyond the surface and truly contemplate the blessings and wisdom embedded in this fundamental human relationship.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Ar-Rum 30:21 is discussed in 24 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
- Marriage (Nikah) (key verse)
- Women (Nisa') (key verse)
- The Family (Usrah)
- Reconciliation (Islah)
- Reflection (Tafakkur)
- Unlawful Intercourse (Zina)
- Cosmic Signs (Ayat Kawniyyah)
- Chastity (Ihsan)
- Seeking Permission (Isti'dhan)
- Compulsion (Ikrah)
- Motherhood (Umumah)
- Security (Amn)
- Man (Insan)
- Mercy (Rahmah)
- Righteousness (Birr)
- Nurturing (Tarbiyah)
- Monotheism (Tawhid)
- Sorcery (Sihr)
- Abominations (Fawahish)
- Mankind (Nas)
- Moderation (Wasatiyyah)
- Reconciliation (Silm)
- Modesty (Iffah)
- Social Relations (Alaqat Ijtima'iyyah)
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Ar-Rum 30:21 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.