Then, is He Who creates, like one who does not create? Will you not then be mindful? (Al Quran, Surah An Nahl, Chapter 16: Verse 17)
The above verse should be read in context with Verses 1-25, please refer to the commentary below the verses:
16-1: The commandment of Allah will come to pass so do not desire to hasten it. Glory be to Him and He is high above that which they associate (with Him as partners).
16-2: He sends down the angels with the spirit by His command on whom he wills of His servants (with the message) that, “”Warn that there is no god but Me, so fear Me.””
16-3: He created the skies and the earth in reality, He is high above that which they associate (with Him as partners).
16-4: He created man from a sperm, even then he is an open disputant.
16-5: And He created the cattle for you, (you have) in their (skins) warm clothing and (other) uses, and (some) of them you eat.
16-6: And there is a beautiful (sight) for you in them, when you bring them home (in the evening) and when you take them out (for pasture, in the morning).
16-7: And they carry your heavy (things) to a land which you could not have reached but with hardship to yourselves, your Fosterer is certainly full of pity, Merciful.
16-8: And (He created) horses and mules and asses that you may ride upon them and as an ornament and He creates that which you do not know.
16-9: And on Allah (rests) the direction (towards the right) way and (some) of the (ways) turn aside and had He willed He would have guided all (of you). (R 1)
16-10: He it is Who sends down water from the sky for you, from it you drink and through it (grow) trees on which you feed your cattle,
16-11: through it He causes vegetation to grow for you and (also) the olives and the date palms and the grapes and all (kinds) of fruits. There is certainly a sign in that for a people who reflect.
16-12: And He compelled the night and the day and the sun and the moon (to follow His laws) for your (service), and the stars (too) are compelled (to follow His laws) by His command. There are certainly signs in that for a people who understand.
16-13: And He has produced for you in the earth (things) differing in their colours. There is certainly a sign in that for a people who are mindful.
16-14: And He it is Who compelled the ocean (to follow His laws) that you may eat fresh flesh (of fish) from it and bring out form it ornaments (pearls) which you wear, and you see the ships cleaving (the water and sailing) in it, that you may seek of His grace and that you may be grateful (to Him).
16-15: And He has put in the earth mountains lest it should shake with you {2} and (He has made) rivers and roads that you may find guidance (to their desired destination).
16-16: And (through) landmarks and through the stars they find guidance (to your desired destination).
16-17: Then, is He Who creates, like one who does not create? Will you not then be mindful?
16-18: And if you count the favours of Allah you will not be able to compute them. Allah is certainly Protectively Forgiving, Merciful.
16-19: And Allah knows that which you keep secret and that which you make public.
16-20: And those whom they pray to, besides Allah, they do not create anything, while they are themselves created.
16-21: (They are) dead, not alive and they do not perceive when they will be raised. (R2)
16-22:Your God is one God, so those who do not believe in the hereafter, their hearts do not recognize(this) and they consider themselves great.
16-23:Allah assuredly knows that which they keep as secret and that which they make public. He certainly does not like those who consider themselves great.
16-24: And when it is said to them, “”What has your Fosterer sent down?”” They say, “”Stories of the ancient,”
16-25: that they may bear their own burdens in full on the day of resurrection, along with the burdens of these whom they mislead without knowledge. Beware! evil is that which they will bear. (R3)
Summarized Commentary:
When Allah (SWT) commands, it has to be implemented. He it is Who chooses messengers to warn human beings that there is no god except Him so that they should fear Him alone. He is high above that which people wrongly associate with Him as His partners. Man did not create himself but was created by Allah (SWT) from an ordinary sperm.
The Arabic word ‘Khaseem” means one who disputes, and every dispute involves a tussle. It must be an open tussle for one particular male sperm to reach and fertilize a specific female egg, overcoming the obstruction caused by Millions of other sperms. The pronoun ‘huwa’ meaning ‘he’ may refer to man as a finished product or man in the making, in the form of a sperm in the womb, in which case the translation of the verse would be: “He created man from a sperm when he (in the form of a sperm) was involved in an open tussle.”
He also created the cattle and horses for the utility of mankind. The credit of being guided to the right path also goes to Allah (SWT). He produces the rain and grows vegetation through it. He alternates the night and the day by rotating the heavy earth. The colours too are produced by Him. The hydrostatic and hydrodynamic laws were layed down by Him, He makes the ships to sail in water and has created in it fish as food and pearls as ornaments. In the ‘Theory of Isostacy’ it is suggested that there are a set conditions of the floating blocks of light mountains and heavy ocean basins, which give equilibrium to our rotating globe, but which, if disturbed, will lead to earth movements. This implies that in the absence of mountains, the earth could have been in a continuous state of disturbance. Allah (SWT) has made the rivers, roads, landmarks, stars as means of reaching destinations, in addition to other purposes they serve. We cannot count the favours of Allah (SWT) Who alone knows everything. Allah (SWT) is One, the only Creator, rest is His creation. Some of the things which people worship are dead (idols). Allah (SWT) does not love the proud who do not recognize Him and consider the Divine message (the Quran) as a collection of the stories of the ancient people for which they will be punished.