31:20
Do ye not see that Allah has subjected to your (use) all things in the heavens and on earth, and has made his bounties flow to you in exceeding measure, (both) seen and unseen? Yet there are among men those who dispute about Allah, without knowledge and without guidance, and without a Book to enlighten them!
The Qurʾān frequently describes the natural world as functioning according to divine command and serving human needs. For example, it states that God created the heavens and the earth, sends down rain that produces fruits for human sustenance, and has subjected ships, rivers, the sun, the moon, the night, and the day to human benefit. These descriptions emphasize the idea that various elements of the natural world operate under divine direction and contribute to the order and functioning of human life.
Some modern interpreters have explored the concept of malāʾikah (angels) in relation to these processes. Ghulam Ahmed Pervez, for instance, notes that the Qurʾān sometimes describes angels as messengers (Qurʾān 22:75), but also attributes to them roles associated with directing or governing events in the universe (e.g., Qurʾān 51:4; 79:5). From this perspective, the term malāʾikah can be understood more broadly as referring to forces or agents that carry out divine commands in the natural order. According to this interpretation, these forces operate without independent will or discretion and instead function according to the laws established by God.
Pervez further suggests that human beings are granted knowledge about aspects of creation and the functioning of these forces, referring to Qurʾān 2:31, which describes God teaching Adam the names of things. This knowledge allows humans to understand and utilize natural forces within the limits established by divine law. In this interpretive framework, the Qurʾānic statement that the angels bowed before Adam (Qurʾān 2:34) is understood symbolically as representing the subjection of natural forces to human knowledge and capacity.