Is He [not best] who made the earth a stable ground and placed within it rivers and made for it firmly set mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier? Is there a deity with Allāh? [No], but most of them do not know.
Verse 61 of Surah An-Naml (27:61), a Meccan surah, is in juz 20, on page 382 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 61 of Surah An-Naml
79 recitations by 73 reciters: pick one and it plays in the player.
All voices (79)
Tafsir of verse 61
Al-Mukhtasar
Is He not best who made the earth firm and still, without it shaking those on it, and made within it rivers that flow, and made for it firm mountains, and made between two seas, salty and sweet, a barrier which stops the salty mixing with the sweet so that it does not spoil it and then making it unsuitable for drinking? Is there a true god alongside Allah who can make all that happen? No, but most of them do not know. Had they known, they would not have associated any of Allah’s creation with Him as a partner.
Is He [not better] Who made the earth a stable place to live, and caused rivers to flow through it, and placed therein firm mountains, and made a barrier between two flowing bodies of water18? Is there any god besides Allah? No, but most of them do not know.
Notes
[18] See footnote 25:53.
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water)? Is there any ilâh (god) with Allâh? Nay, but most of them know not!
Is not He (best) Who made the earth a fixed abode, and placed rivers in the folds thereof, and placed firm hills therein, and hath set a barrier between the two seas? Is there any Allah beside Allah? Nay, but most of them know not!
Or, Who has made the earth firm to live in; made rivers in its midst; set thereon mountains immovable; and made a separating bar between the two bodies of flowing water? (can there be another) god besides Allah? Nay, most of them know not.
Or, Who made the earth a restingplace, and made in it rivers, and raised on it mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier. Is there a god with Allah? Nay! most of them do not know!
Is not He (Most Charitable) Who made the earth a residence, and made amidst it rivers, and made for it anchorages, (i.e., firm mountains) and made a partition between the two seas? Is there a god with Allah? No indeed, (but) most of them do not know.
It is Allāh who made for you the earth a place of settlement and the sky a structure [i.e., ceiling] and formed you and perfected your forms and provided you with good things. That is Allāh, your Lord; then blessed is Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
And it is He who has released [simultaneously] the two seas [i.e., bodies of water], one fresh and sweet and one salty and bitter, and He placed between them a barrier and prohibiting partition.
And when adversity touches you at sea, lost are [all] those you invoke except for Him. But when He delivers you to the land, you turn away [from Him]. And ever is man ungrateful.
And your Lord is the Free of need, the possessor of mercy. If He wills, He can do away with you and give succession after you to whomever He wills, just as He produced you from the descendants of another people.
And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "[All] praise is [due] to Allāh"; but most of them do not know.
And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse - and Allāh is most knowing of what He sends down - they say, "You, [O Muḥammad], are but an inventor [of lies]." But most of them do not know.
Allāh presents an example: a man [i.e., slave] owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allāh! But most of them do not know.
Allāh presents an example: a slave [who is] owned and unable to do a thing and he to whom We have provided from Us good provision, so he spends from it secretly and publicly. Can they be equal? Praise to Allāh! But most of them do not know.
Or have they taken gods besides Him? Say, [O Muḥammad], "Produce your proof. This [Qur’ān] is the message for those with me and the message of those before me." But most of them do not know the truth, so they are turning away.
[More precisely], is He [not best] who created the heavens and the earth and sent down for you rain from the sky, causing to grow thereby gardens of joyful beauty which you could not [otherwise] have grown the trees thereof? Is there a deity with Allāh? [No], but they are a people who ascribe equals [to Him].
