Tafseer of The Sun · Ash-Shams · 91:6
And [by] the earth and He who spread it
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.
His statement: وَالأرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا ("By the earth and by Him who spread it out") — this too is similar to what precedes it, and the meaning of the words is: and by the earth and by Him who spread it out.
The meaning of His word طَحَاهَا ("He spread it out") is: He stretched it out to the right and to the left and in every direction.
The exegetes (ahl al-taʾwīl) have differed over the meaning of His word طَحَاهَا . Some of them said: its meaning is: and by the earth and by what He created in it.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: وَالأرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا — he says: what He created in it.
Others said: what is meant by it is: and by Him who spread it out.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿUmāra related to me, saying: ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Mūsā related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning his word: وَالأرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا , he said: He spread it out (daḥāhā).
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning His word وَمَا طَحَاهَا , he said: He stretched it out.
Others said: no, its meaning is: and by Him who divided it up.
* Mention of who said that:
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: وَالأرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا , he says: He divided it up.
