Tafseer of The Romans · Ar-Room · 30:54
Allah is the one who created you from weakness, then made after weakness strength, then made after strength weakness and white hair. He creates what He wills, and He is the Knowing, the Competent.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The statement concerning the explanation of His word, exalted is He: اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفًا وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْقَدِيرُ (30:54) ("Allah is the One who created you from weakness, then after weakness gave strength, then after strength gave weakness and grey hair; He creates what He wills, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful").
He, exalted is His remembrance, says to those who deny the resurrection among the polytheists (mushrikīn) of Quraysh, while He adduces against them that He is capable of that and of whatever He wills: اللهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ ("Allah is the One who created you"), O people, مِنْ ضَعْفٍ ("from weakness"). He says: from a drop of sperm (nuṭfa) and a paltry water, and He brought you forth as a well-formed human being; ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً ("then after weakness gave strength"). He says: then He gave you strength for action, after His creating you from weakness, and after your weakness in smallness and childhood; ثُم جَعَلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ قُوةٍ ضَعْفًا وَشَيْبَةً ("then after strength gave weakness and grey hair"). He says: then He brought forth in you the weakness, through old age and advanced years, after that in which you were strong in your youth, and grey hair.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ ضَعْفٍ ("who created you from weakness"), that is to say: from a drop of sperm; ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفًا ("then after weakness gave strength, then after strength gave weakness"): old age; وَشَيْبَةً ("and grey hair"): the greying of the hair.
And His word: يَخْلُقُ ما يَشاءُ ("He creates what He wills"). He, exalted is His remembrance, says: He creates what He wills of weakness and strength, and youth and grey hair; وَهُوَ العَلِيمُ ("and He is the All-Knowing") in the governance of His creation, القَدِيرُ ("the All-Powerful") over whatever He wills; nothing that He wills is impossible for Him. For just as He did these things, so likewise He causes His creation to die and brings it to life when He wills. He says: and know that He who performed these deeds by His power brings the dead to life when He wills.
