[All] praise is [due] to Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth
الحمد لله الذي له ما في السماوات وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ
as ownership and creation
to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens
الذي له ما في السماوات
This is like an explanation for the praise, because this description indicates the cause; that is, Allah praises Himself because He is the Owner of what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. And His saying:
whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth
ما في السماوات وما في الأرض
includes the rational beings and the non-rational beings. For this reason, He used
not
ما
in order to include both these and those. The non-rational beings are predominant because they are more numerous in terms of type. As for the number, there is doubt in this, because the angels (peace be upon them) are undoubtedly rational beings, and none can count them except Allah. There is no place in the heavens the size of four fingers but that there is an angel in it. And His saying:
the heavens and whatever is on the earth
السماوات وما في الأرض
"the heavens" is plural, and it is plural because they are multiple. How many? Seven heavens, each one above the other. It is derived from "samaw" which means height and elevation.
and whatever is on the earth
وما في الأرض
"the earth" is singular, but the intended meaning is the genus, so it includes the seven earths, because the earths are seven by the explicit text of the Sunnah and seven by the apparent meaning of the Qur'an. So they are seven by the explicit text of the Sunnah, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever cuts off a span of the earth unjustly without right, will be encircled with it on the Day of Resurrection from seven earths
من اقتطع من الأرض شبراً ظلماً بغير حق طوقه يوم القيامة من سبع أراضين
And by the apparent meaning of the Qur'an, due to His saying the Exalted:
It is Allah who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them
اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ
[Al-Talaq:12]^So the similarity here is definitely not in attribute, but in number. And the author's saying:
"as ownership and creation" means that He is the One who created them, Glorified and Exalted is He, and He is the Owner of them and the Manager. If the author had said "and management," it would have been clearer, even though the word "ownership" includes management. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has what is in the heavens and what is in the earth as creation; so none created them except Allah. And as ownership; so none owns them except Allah. And as management; so no one manages them in any absolute sense except Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And His saying:
and to Him belongs [all] praise in the Hereafter
وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الآخِرَةِ
