“Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity” [Al-Suddi said: Or did they not know?]. Al-Hasan said: It means, sticking one upon the other. “And We separated them,” meaning: He placed the earth and raised the heaven.

Muhammad said: His saying “They were a joined entity,” because the heavens are expressed as heaven in the singular form, and likewise the earth. The meaning of (ratqan), i.e., one single thing.