And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days the first of which was Sunday and the last Friday — and His Throne before creating them was upon the water borne by the winds — that He might try you li-yabluwakum is semantically connected to khalaqa ‘He Who created’ in other words He created them and all that is beneficial and good for you in them in order to test you which of you is best in conduct that is which of you is most obedient to God. And if you were to say O Muhammad (s) to them ‘Truly you shall be raised again after death’ those who disbelieve will say ‘This Qur’ān that speaks of resurrection — or this that you are saying — is nothing but manifest clear sorcery’ sihrun a variant reading has sāhirun ‘sorcerer’ in which case the reference is to the Prophet s.
