Allah created the earth in six days! Why so much time?

This is a question that may come to the mind of certain people that if Allah Ta’ala has the absolute power and ability to create anything in less than a fraction of a second, although Allah Ta’ala does not even need time to do something, then why did Allah Ta’ala create the skies and the earth in six days?

Yet, Allah Ta’ala said: "And Our command is but once like the blinking of an eye." (54:50)

He also said: "When He decides anything, all He has to say is “Be!” and it comes into being." (19:35)

To answer this question, the great eminent Taabi'i and Mufassir (commentator of the Qur’an-e-Kareem), Sa'eed bin Jubeir (Rahmatullahi 'alayh), said:

"Undoubtedly, Allah Ta’ala has the ability to bring everything into existence in a fraction of a second but there is wisdom in creating the skies and the earth in six days. The wisdom is that Insaan may learn and develop in him the fact of carrying out every task gradually and properly; and not hurriedly, thereby not producing a good result.”

Just as Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said in a Hadith: "Doing a task calmly and seriously comes from Allah Ta’ala and carrying it out hastily comes from Shaitan." (Baihaqi in Shu'bul Imaan)

Therefore, Insaan must ponder and analyse the pros and cons of every task and he must not hurry to accomplish it. Otherwise, the result will not be good. He will have to pay the consequences and he will regret. And if he does the task calmly without rushing, there will be Barakah and ease.

[English version of "Allah fine crée la terre dans six jours! Ki faire tout sa le temps là" – Al Jamiat – Vol.1 No. 2]