In the Name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful
Ha. Mim. This book is bestowed from on high by God, the Almighty, the Wise. Surely, in the heavens and the earth there are signs for those who believe. And in your own creation, and in the animals God scatters on earth there are signs for people of sure faith. And in the alternation of night and day, and in the means of subsistence God sends down from the skies, reviving with it the earth after it had been lifeless, and in the shifting of the winds there are signs for those who use their reason. (Kneeling Down; Al-Jathiyah: 45: 1-5)
The surah begins by mentioning the revelation of this book, the Qur’an, by God, the Almighty, the Wise after having introduced the two separate Arabic letters Ha, Mim, to point to this book’s source. In speaking about the separate letters introduced at the beginning of a number of surahs, we mentioned in the past that they highlight the fact that the Qur’an is composed of the letters forming the Arab’s own language, yet they cannot produce even a very small portion like it. This, then, constitutes permanent evidence that the Qur’an is bestowed from on high by God, the Almighty who can do whatever He wishes, the Wise who creates everything according to a certain measure and to serve a particular purpose. This is an apt comment that fits the ambience of the surah and its discussion of different types of people.
Before speaking about the unbelievers and their attitude toward the Qur’an, the surah refers to signs pointing to the Creator that are available everywhere in the world around them. Alone, these signs should have been enough to direct them to believe in God. Now, the surah turns their minds to such signs so that they may open their hearts to them and realize that it is God who has bestowed this book from on high and that it is He who has created this great universe: “Surely, in the heavens and the earth there are signs for those who believe.” The signs scattered everywhere in the heavens and the earth are not limited to any area or situation. Wherever we look around us we find signs. Is there anything in this wonderful universe that is not a sign pointing to its great Maker?