Quran-16:48 Surah An-nahl English Translation,Transliteration and Tafsir(Tafseer).

أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَيۡءٖ يَتَفَيَّؤُاْ ظِلَٰلُهُۥ عَنِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَٱلشَّمَآئِلِ سُجَّدٗا لِّلَّهِ وَهُمۡ دَٰخِرُونَ

Transliteration:( Awa lam yaraw ilaa maa khalaqal laahu min shai'iny-yatafaiya'u zilaaluhoo 'anil yameeni washshamaaa' ili sujjadal lillaahi wa hum daakhiroon )

48. Have they not seen what Allah has created, how their shadows incline to the right [100] and the left, prostrating to Allah, while they are humbled before Him [102]? (Kanzul Imaan Translation)

(48) Have they not considered what things Allāh has created? Their shadows incline to the right and to the left, prostrating to Allāh, while they [i.e., those creations] are humble. (Saheen International Translation)

Surah An-Nahl Ayat 48 Tafsir (Commentry)



  • Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
  • Ibn Kathir
  • Ala-Madudi
  • Shaheen International

100. This means the shadow of everything is moving according to the movement of the sun. When the sun is in the east, the shadow is in the west. When the sun is in the south, its shadow is in the north. Since they are powerless to change the movement of their shadow, why do they not obey Allah Almighty? 

101. This means are their shadows submissive to Allah Almighty. Here the word prostration denotes obedience, and not the conventional prostration - SAJDAH. It is possible that this could mean the formal prostration as well. Thus, He is beyond our comprehension. Everything in the presence of Allah Almighty is in a state of prostration, even if we are unable to see it.

102. This means the polytheist themselves or their shadows are obedient because in creative commands they are completely helpless ie. they do as they are told, they die on being killed, sleep on being made to sleep, are awake when awakened. Therefore, they should obey Allah Almighty in matters of  religion as well.

 

Ibn-Kathir

48. Have they not observed things that Allah has created: (how) their shadows shift from right to left, prostrating to Allah while they are humble 49. And to Allah prostrate all that are in the heavens and all that are in the earth, the moving creatures and the angels, and they are not proud ﴿i.e. they worship their Lord (Allah) with humility. 50. They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded.


Everything prostrates to Allah

Allah informs us about His might, majesty and pride, meaning that all things submit themselves to Him and every created being – animate and inanimate, as well as the responsible – humans and Jinns, and the angels – all humble themselves before Him. He tells us that everything that has a shadow leaning to the right and the left, i.e., in the morning and the evening, is by its shadow, prostrating to Allah. Mujahid said, “When the sun passes its zenith, everything prostrates to Allah, may He be glorified.” This was also said by Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others.

﴿لِلَّهِ وَهُمْ﴾

(while they are humble) means, they are in a state of humility. Mujahid also said: “The prostration of every thing is its shadow”, and he mentioned the mountains and said that their prostrations are their shadows. Abu Ghalib Ash-Shaybani said: “The waves of the sea are its prayers”. It is as if reason is attributed to these inanimate objects when they are described as prostrating, so Allah says:

﴿وَلِلَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ مِن دَآبَّةٍ﴾

(And to Allah prostrate all that are in the heavens and all that are in the earth, of the moving creatures) As Allah says:

﴿وَللَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَظِلَـلُهُم بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالاٌّصَالِ ﴾

(And to Allah (alone) all who are in the heavens and the earth fall in prostration, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in the afternoons.) (13:15)

﴿وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ وَهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ﴾

(and the angels, and they are not proud.) means, they prostrate to Allah and are not too proud to worship Him.

﴿يَخَـفُونَ رَبَّهُمْ مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ﴾

(They fear their Lord above them) means, they prostrate out of fear of their Lord, may He be glorified.

﴿وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ﴾

(and they do what they are commanded.) meaning they continually obey Allah, doing what He tells them to do and avoiding that which He forbids.

(16:48) Do the people not see how the objects Allah has created cast their shadows right and left, prostrating themselves in utter submission to Allah?[41]

Ala-Maududi

(16:48) Do the people not see how the objects Allah has created cast their shadows right and left, prostrating themselves in utter submission to Allah?[41]


41. The argument is this: The fact that everything a man, an animal, a tree or a mountain casts its shadow, is a clear proof of its material nature, and everything which is made of matter, is a creation of Allah and is subject to a universal law. In this case the law is that every material thing casts its shadow, which is symbolical of its servitude, and it cannot have any share whatsoever in Godhead.

(48) Have they not considered what things Allāh has created? Their shadows incline to the right and to the left, prostrating to Allāh, while they [i.e., those creations] are humble.

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