Ayah 22- A review of verses linked together

Sahih International

[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him].

1. 2nd verse of this surah (al baqarah) provides answer to supplication made in Surah Al Fatiha,"Guide us on the straight path"
2. guidance man prayed for is i this book from beginning to end
3. then surah divided men in three groups {you can further look here}
4. then the present verses 21 & 22 addressing all three together: the message for which the Holy Quran has been revealed
5. asking men to give up worship of created beings and worship Allah Alone
6. this above verse recounts some other qualities of Allah with regard act of nurturing

• man's being has 2 dimensions, internal (anfus) external (afaq)-encompass all kinds of blessings upon man from Allah
• among cosmic blessing, 1st is earth as a bed
• not soft nor fluid like water which none can settle nor hard like stone or steel(difficult to harness) BUT has a middle between soft and hard for man to utilize it best for daily living
• Firash in  Arabic means bed or spread out does not imply that earth is not round-the onlooker always sees it flat so that an average man literate illiterate can understand
• 2nd bount Sky :ornamented beautiful ceiling
• 3rd water from sky
• 4th fruits with this water and to provide nourishment
• These bounties are only from Allah alone