Surah Al-Mulk, verse 19

أَوَلَمۡ یَرَوۡا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّیۡرِ فَوۡقَهُمۡ صَـٰۤفَّـٰتࣲ وَیَقۡبِضۡنَۚ مَا یُمۡسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَیۡءِۭ بَصِیرٌ

And did they not see the birds above them, spreading and closing their wings? None except the Most Gracious holds them up; indeed He sees all things.

The verse is from Surah Al-Mulk, verse 19.

This verse is a sign of God's power and mercy. The verse invites us to look at the birds and how they fly in the air with ease and grace. They spread their wings to glide and fold them to dive. They are supported by the air that God has created and controlled. They are sustained by the provision that God has bestowed on them. They are protected by the mercy that God has enveloped them with. They are watched by the eye that God has over all things.

This verse is a proof of God's oneness and wisdom. The verse shows us that the birds are like flying machines that are operated by a single power and a single will. They are not independent or self-sufficient. They are dependent on God who created them, who gives them life, who guides them, who provides for them, who regulates their movements, who preserves their species, who knows their needs, who hears their praises, who sees their actions.

This verse is a challenge to the disbelievers who deny the resurrection and the accountability. The verse asks them to reflect on the phenomenon of flight and how it demonstrates God's ability to create and revive. If God can create the birds and make them fly in the air by His command, then He can also create the human beings and make them rise from their graves by His command. If God can hold the birds in the air by His power, then He can also hold the human beings accountable for their deeds by His justice.

This verse is a lesson in gratitude and obedience. The verse reminds us of the blessings that God has given us through the birds. They are a source of beauty, joy, food, clothing, transportation, communication, and education for us. They are also a model of submission, worship, praise, patience, trust, and cooperation for us. They are a sign of God's favor and grace for us. Therefore, we should be thankful to God for creating them and we should obey God who sustains them.

The verse contrasts God’s action yumsikuhunna which means “holds them” or “sustains them” with His creation’s action yakdhibuna which means “deny” or “reject”. This shows God’s power and support for His creation versus His creation’s ingratitude and defiance towards Him.