The Koran, in different words: the idea is theirs, but this popular wording has been altered from the original.
SourceQur'an 21:16 (Surat al-Anbiya), reworded; compare 44:38 and 23:115
Evidence: quran.com · How we check
Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction
“The heavens and the earth and all that is between them, do you think they were created in jest?”
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا لَٰعِبِينَ
Wama khalaqna alssamaa waalarda wama baynahuma laʿibeena
Text: quran-json: Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia text, Tanzil transliteration (CC BY 4.0)
The Koran (n.d.). The heavens and the earth and all that is between them, do you think they were created in jest? [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2927-the-heavens-and-the-earth-and-all-that/
The Koran. “The heavens and the earth and all that is between them, do you think they were created in jest?” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2927-the-heavens-and-the-earth-and-all-that/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.
The Koran. “The heavens and the earth and all that is between them, do you think they were created in jest?” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2927-the-heavens-and-the-earth-and-all-that/.