Transliteration:( Awa lam yaraw ilaa maa khalaqal laahu min shai'iny-yatafaiya'u zilaaluhoo 'anil yameeni washshamaaa' ili sujjadal lillaahi wa hum daakhiroon )
"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]?"
This means the shadow of everything moves 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, the shadow falls to the north. Since they are powerless to alter the direction or movement of their shadows, why do they not submit in obedience to Allah Almighty?
This means their shadows are submissive to Allah Almighty. Here, “prostration” denotes obedience, not necessarily the conventional prostration (sajdah). However, it is also possible that it refers to actual prostration, the reality of which only Allah knows.
In essence, everything in existence is in a state of prostration before Allah, even if we cannot perceive it.
This means that the polytheists themselves, or their shadows, are obedient by nature because in creative matters, they are completely helpless—they act when compelled, die when destined, sleep when made to sleep, and wake up when awakened.
Therefore, just as they submit in natural commands, they should also obey Allah Almighty in religious matters.
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.
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.
(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:
(And to Allah prostrate all that are in the heavens and all that are in the earth, of the moving creatures) As Allah says:
(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)
(and the angels, and they are not proud.) means, they prostrate to Allah and are not too proud to worship Him.
(They fear their Lord above them) means, they prostrate out of fear of their Lord, may He be glorified.
(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]
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.
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