Scope
The ayah encompasses:
- the heavens
- the earth
- and whatever lies between them
Ayah 50:38 — Creation in six days; no exhaustion
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ
“And We certainly created the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between them in six days, and no form of exhaustion touched Us at all”.
Heavens
What lies between
Earth
Six Days
1
2
3
4
5
6
Key affirmations from 50:38
Timeframe
“in six days” — creation occurred over six distinct days.
Absolute negation of fatigue
“and no form of exhaustion touched Us at all.”
Exhaustion: none.
Language focus
وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ
Lughoob (لُغُوبٍ) carries the meaning of “tiredness” and “exhaustion”. It does not just describe physical exhaustion but also mental exhaustion that can affect behavior negatively and cause irritability or a bad mood.
It highlights exhaustion and the tendencies that can accompany it. It is an attribute that humans are characterized by but has no reality with Allah ‘Azza Wa Jalla.
لَغْب (Laghb)
Laghb (لَغْب) is used to refer to speech that doesn’t make sense or is out of place, which occurs when someone is exhausted or feels stress due to being overworked.
This linguistic note clarifies the nuance of Lughoob by relating it to how exhaustion can distort speech and behavior.
From rhetorical question to explicit statement
Something resembling this was previously mentioned in this Surah in the form of a rhetorical question:
أَفَعَيِينَا بِالْخَلْقِ الْأَوَّلِ
“Did we lack the strength or power (or become tired by) with the first (or initial) creation?”
In 50:38 it comes as a direct explicit statement of fact: no exhaustion touched Allah in the creation of the heavens and the earth.