What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: "He directs the affair from the heaven to the earth, then it ascends to Him in a day whose measure is a thousand years of what you count," and His saying:

The questioner : He says: I hope you will clarify the meaning of these two verses and whether there is a contradiction between them. The first verse is from Surat al-Sajdah, where Allah the Exalted says: , and the second verse is from Surat al-Ma'arij, where Allah the Exalted says: ?

The Shaykh : Before answering this question, I would like to clarify that there is absolutely no contradiction in the Book of Allah or in what is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Contradiction only appears to a person due to a deficiency in his understanding or a lack in his knowledge. Otherwise, there is no contradiction whatsoever in the Book of Allah or in what is authentic from His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah the Exalted said: So, if it appears to you, my brother, that there is any contradiction between two verses of the Book of Allah, or between two hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), or between a verse and a hadith, then review the matter again and again. The truth and the way of reconciling them will become clear to you. If you are unable to do so, then know that it is due to a deficiency in your understanding or a lack in your knowledge. Never suspect the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) or what is authentic from His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) of contradiction or inconsistency. After this introduction, I say that the two verses cited by the questioner in his question, namely the saying of Allah the Exalted in Surat al-Sajdah: and His saying in Surat al-Ma'arij: to the end, are reconciled as follows: The verse in Surat al-Sajdah refers to this world, for He (Glorified and Exalted is He) directs the affair from the heaven to the earth, and then it ascends to Him in a day whose measure is a thousand years of what we count. However, it occurs in a single day; if it were according to the years we count, it would be a thousand years. Some scholars have said that this points to what came in the hadith from the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him): So, when it descends from the heaven and then ascends to the earth, this is a thousand years. As for the verse in Surat al-Ma'arij, that refers to the Day of Resurrection, as He the Exalted said: So, His saying: is connected to His saying: , and His saying: is not connected to His saying: , but it is connected to what came before it, namely His saying: . Thus, this punishment that befalls the disbelievers is in a day whose measure is fifty thousand years. And His saying: is an interjected sentence. By this, the verse in Surat al-Ma'arij is established as referring to the Day of Resurrection. It is established in Sahih Muslim, in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah regarding the story of the one who withholds zakah, that it will be heated in the Fire of Hell, and he will be branded with it on his side, his forehead, and his back. Every time it cools, it is returned to him in a day whose measure is fifty thousand years. This makes it clear that there is no contradiction between the two verses due to the difference in their contexts. And Allah knows best.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.