Surah Al-A‘râf 7:54

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ

7:54Ayyâm أَيَّامٍ is a plural of Yaum يوم. Yaum is applied to any period of time (Tâj). In 55:29, a day is equal to a moment. In 22:47 and 32:5 a day is a thousand years by our reckoning, and in 70:4 the day is 50,000 years. The word ayyâm أيٌام is also used metaphorically as in 14:5. The expression “Days of Allâh” refers not so much to time as to the growth in us of spiritual senses and awareness of Allâh’s all-embracing Mercy and His displeasure, and His dealings with the righteous and the wicked. Sittat-i-Ayyâm سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ - “six eons” refers to the history of earth, suggesting six epochs of evolution.

ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ ۗ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Al-‘Arshالْعَرْشِ - “The Throne” is a symbol of Allâh’s might, power, authority, eminence and one of His transcendental Attributes. Transcendental Attributes (Sifât al-Tanzîyyah) are those Attributes of Allâh that are not to be found in His creation. Imâm Râghib says, “Al-‘Arshof Allâh is one of the things, which a human being cannot perceive or imagine, as he does not know in reality but only by name, and it is not as the imagination of ordinary people hold it to be”.

In the sense of this passage, having created the heavens and the earth, He manifested Himself to His Creation with His Attributes of resemblance or similitude (Sifât al-Tashbihiyah) of the Nourisher (Rabb ربٌ), the Most Gracious (Al-Rahmân الرحمان), the Ever Merciful (Al-Rahîm ألرحيم) and the Master (Mâlik مالك). These four Attributes of similitude are said to be the bearers of His Arsh – His Throne of Might, Power and Majesty, and with these bearers He is established on His Throne of Glory and Authority (Istawâ اسْتَوَىٰ). As “there is none His likeness” (42:11), so is His status of Istawâ on His Throne - a status that is beyond what is already beyond and the farthest away from creation; beyond Sidrah al-Muntahâ, which stands at the farthest end of knowledge (53:14).

It is incorrect to think that Arsh of Allâh is the “resting-place for Allâh”. The phrase اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ “He is well established on the throne of Glory and Authority” is used in the Holy Qur’ân in six other places (cf. 10:3; 13:2; 20:5; 25:59; 34:4 and 57:4). A reference to all these places will show that the phrase is invariably used after mentioning the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in relation to the Divine control of His creation and the law and order to which the universe is subservient. After creating the universe, Allâh has not left it to run its course independently, but His command holds sway and He regulates the affairs as He has planned them as the words “His is all the creation and the command” أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ tell us. These words are to avoid any infatuation with the false idea from the Old Testament that after the creation of the heavens and the earth Allâh rested on the seventh day (may be on Saturday or Sunday). Similarly, it is wrong to think that creation now runs by itself. His authority is being exercised constantly and "Every moment He manifests Himself in a new state of Glory" (55:29). He not only creates but also maintains, governs and regulates the affairs of His entire creation, which is continuously evolving and is advancing from one stage to another towards perfection. To make it even clearer, the verse ends with the words “Blessed be Allâh, Lord Nourisher of the worlds to perfection” (تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ). The spiritual perfection of the human being is mentioned in connection with ‘Arsh(cf. 40:15). Still more clearly, the righteous servants of Allâh symbolized as angels, who deliver the Divine messages of Allâh to the people are called the bearers of the throne of Allâh (39:75).

Then He says أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ “His is all, the creation and the command”. The difference between khalaqخلق “creation” and Al-Amrألامر - “command” is that while the former generally means the measuring out or evolving of a thing out of pre-existing matter, the latter (Al-Amr) means bringing into being out of nonexistence. These two Attributes of Allâh came into play in the creation of cosmos.