أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً ۗ وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَابٍ مُّنِيرٍ (20)
(31:20) Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to your service all that is in the heavens *35 and on the earth and has abundantly bestowed upon you all His bounties, both visible and invisible? *36 Yet some persons dispute regarding Allah *37 without having any knowledge or guidance or any illuminating Book. *38
*35) A thing can be subjected to somebody in two ways: (11 The thing may be made subordinate to him and he may be authorised to use and exploit it as he likes, and 12) the thing may be subjected to a law and system so that it becomes useful for him and serves his interests accordingly. AIIah has not subjected everything in the earth and heavens to man in one and the same sense, but has subjected certain things in the first sense and certain others in the second sense. For example, He has subjected the air, water, earth, fire, vegetation, minerals, cattle and many other things in the first sense, and the sun, the moon, etc. in the second sense.
*36) "Visible favours" imply those favours which are perceived by man in one way or the other, or arc known to him. And the "invisible favours" arc those which are neither perceived by him nor arc known to him. There are countless things in mans own body and in the world outside him, which are working in his interest, but man is utterly unaware of the means which his Creator has provided for his protection and safety, for his development and provision of sustenance to him, and for his well-being and happiness. Research of man in the different branches of science is revealing many such favours of God as were hidden from him before. And the favours and blessings which have so far been revealed are insignificant as against those which still lie hidden froth man.
*37) 'Who wrangle about AIIah": Who wrangle and dispute aborts questions such as these: Dces AIIah exist or not? Is He One God alone, or are there other gods also? What are His attributes and what is their nantre? What is the nantre of His relationship with His creations etc.?
*38) That is, `They neither have any means of knowledge by which they might themselves have observed or experienced the reality directly, nor do they have the guidance of a guide available to them, who might have guided them after observing the reality, nor do they possess a Divine Book, which might be the basis of their belief."