Tafseer of The Announcement · An-Naba · 78:12
And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
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 explanation of His words, the Exalted: وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا ("And We built above you seven strong [heavens]") (78:12).
Allah, whose mention is exalted, says: وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ ("And We built above you"), that is: and We placed above you a roof. He called the roof here a "building," because the Arabs used to call the roofs of houses — which are their sky — a "building," and because the heaven is a roof for the earth. Thus He addressed them in their own language, since the revelation came down in their language. And He said سَبْعًا شِدَادًا ("seven strong"), because they are firm and solid in their creation, with no fissures or cracks in them, and because the passing of the nights and the days does not wear them out.
