We made several highways one over the other above you. We are not neglectful of creation.
And indeed We have created seven paths above you; and We are not unmindful of the creation.
And We created above you seven ways, and We were not heedless of creation.
And, indeed, We have created above you seven [celestial] orbits: and never are We unmindful of [any aspect of Our] creation.
And assuredly We created above you seven paths, and of the creation We have not been neglectful.
And indeed We have created above you seven heavens (one over the other), and We are never unaware of the creation.
We created above you seven pathways, and We are never heedless of the creation.
We have indeed fashioned above you seven paths. Never were We unaware of the task of creation.
And indeed We have created above you seven Tara'iq, and We are never unaware of the creation.
And We have created above you seven paths, and We are never unmindful of creation.
Certainly We created above you seven levels and We have not been oblivious of the creation.
We have created seven ways above you; of Our creation, We are never inattentive.
And We have created above you seven layered heavens, and never have We been of [Our] creation unaware.
We have created seven heavens above you and have never been neglectful to Our Creation.
And certainly We made above you seven heavens; and never are We heedless of creation.
Walaqad khalaqn<u>a</u> fawqakum sabAAa <u>t</u>ar<u>a</u>iqa wam<u>a</u> kunn<u>a</u> AAani alkhalqi gh<u>a</u>fileen<b>a</b>
We have created seven paths above you; We have never been unmindful of Our creation.
And We have made, above you, seven tracts; and We are never unmindful of (our) Creation.
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ ٱلْخَلْقِ غَٰفِلِينَ
O people! Verily, I created seven heavens over you, one above the other. I am never neglectful of My creation, nor am I One to forget it.
O people! Verily, I created seven heavens over you, one above the other. I am never neglectful of My creation, nor am I One to forget it.
<p>وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَ‌ائِقَ</p><p>And We created upon you seven paths (heavens) - 23:17</p><p>طَرَ‌ائِقَ is the plural of طَرِیقَۃ which may also be used as a synonym for طَبقَہ (tier) in which case the meaning would be that Allah created seven skies overhead row upon row in tiers. The other and more common meaning of the word طَرِیقَۃ is "road" or "passage" in which case the verse would mean that these skies provide a path for the angels who bring commands from Allah to the earth.</p><p>وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَافِلِينَ (And We were never neglectful of the creation - 23:17). The verse means that Allah did not just abandon man after creating him, but was ever mindful of his needs and provided the means for his sustenance and growth. To this end He first created the skies and from the skies He sent forth rains upon the earth which then produced food for men's nourishment.</p><p>The Divine system of providing water to meet human needs</p><p>وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَافِلِينَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَافِلِينَ</p><p>And We sent down water from the sky in due measure, then We lodged it in the earth, and of course, We are able to take it away. - 23:18</p>
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَ‌ائِقَAnd We created upon you seven paths (heavens) - 23:17طَرَ‌ائِقَ is the plural of طَرِیقَۃ which may also be used as a synonym for طَبقَہ (tier) in which case the meaning would be that Allah created seven skies overhead row upon row in tiers. The other and more common meaning of the word طَرِیقَۃ is "road" or "passage" in which case the verse would mean that these skies provide a path for the angels who bring commands from Allah to the earth.وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَافِلِينَ (And We were never neglectful of the creation - 23:17). The verse means that Allah did not just abandon man after creating him, but was ever mindful of his needs and provided the means for his sustenance and growth. To this end He first created the skies and from the skies He sent forth rains upon the earth which then produced food for men's nourishment.The Divine system of providing water to meet human needsوَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَافِلِينَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَافِلِينَAnd We sent down water from the sky in due measure, then We lodged it in the earth, and of course, We are able to take it away. - 23:18
<h2 class="title">His Sign in the creation of the Heavens</h2><p>After mentioning the creation of man, Allah then mentions the creation of the seven heavens. Allah often mentions the creation of the heavens and earth alongside the creation of man, as He says elsewhere:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ</div><p>(The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind) 40:57. A similar Ayah appears at the beginning of Surat As-Sajdah, which the Messenger of Allah used to recite on Friday mornings. At the beginning it mentions the creation of the heavens and earth, then it says how man was created from semen from clay, and it also discusses the resurrection and rewards and punishments, and other matters.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ</div><p>(seven Tara'iq.) Mujahid said, "This means the seven heavens." This is like the Ayat:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَـوَتُ السَّبْعُ وَالاٌّرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ</div><p>(The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him) 17:44</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَلَمْ تَرَوْاْ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقاً </div><p>(See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another) 71:15</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ وَمِنَ الاٌّرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الاٌّمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِّتَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمَا </div><p>(It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof. His command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds all things in (His) knowledge) 65:12 Similarly, Allah says here:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَـفِلِينَ </div><p>(And indeed We have created above you seven Tara'iq, and We are never unaware of the creation.) meaning, Allah knows what goes into the earth and what comes out of it, what comes down from heaven and what goes up into it. He is with you wherever you are, and Allah sees what you do. No heaven is hidden from Him by another and no earth is hidden from Him by another. There is no mountain but He knows its features, and no sea but He knows what is in its depths. He knows the numbers of what is in the mountains, the hills, the sands, the seas, the landscapes and the trees.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ</div><p>(And not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.) 6:59</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً بِقَدَرٍ فَأَسْكَنَّاهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَإِنَّا عَلَى ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَـدِرُونَ </div>
His Sign in the creation of the HeavensAfter mentioning the creation of man, Allah then mentions the creation of the seven heavens. Allah often mentions the creation of the heavens and earth alongside the creation of man, as He says elsewhere:لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ(The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind) 40:57. A similar Ayah appears at the beginning of Surat As-Sajdah, which the Messenger of Allah used to recite on Friday mornings. At the beginning it mentions the creation of the heavens and earth, then it says how man was created from semen from clay, and it also discusses the resurrection and rewards and punishments, and other matters.سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ(seven Tara'iq.) Mujahid said, "This means the seven heavens." This is like the Ayat:تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَـوَتُ السَّبْعُ وَالاٌّرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ(The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him) 17:44أَلَمْ تَرَوْاْ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقاً (See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another) 71:15اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ وَمِنَ الاٌّرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الاٌّمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِّتَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمَا (It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof. His command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds all things in (His) knowledge) 65:12 Similarly, Allah says here:وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَـفِلِينَ (And indeed We have created above you seven Tara'iq, and We are never unaware of the creation.) meaning, Allah knows what goes into the earth and what comes out of it, what comes down from heaven and what goes up into it. He is with you wherever you are, and Allah sees what you do. No heaven is hidden from Him by another and no earth is hidden from Him by another. There is no mountain but He knows its features, and no sea but He knows what is in its depths. He knows the numbers of what is in the mountains, the hills, the sands, the seas, the landscapes and the trees.وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ(And not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.) 6:59وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً بِقَدَرٍ فَأَسْكَنَّاهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَإِنَّا عَلَى ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَـدِرُونَ 