Transliteration:( Alam tara annal laaha yoolijul laila fin nahaari wa yoolijun nahaara fil laili wa sakhkharash shamsa wal qamara kulluny yajreee ilaaa ajalim musammanw wa annal laaha bimaa ta'maloona Khabeer )
"O listener! Did you not see that Allah turns night into the day [63] and returns the day in the night [64], and He makes the sun and the moon serve you? Each one pursues the course till an appointed term [65], and Allah is aware of your deeds."
This verse encourages reflection on the alternation of night and day, which are among the clear signs of Allah’s absolute power. The study of mathematics and astronomy is beneficial here, as it leads one to recognize the precision of divine order and enhances understanding of Allah's control over the universe.
Through these sciences, we determine prayer times, fasting periods, and other religious obligations—thus combining secular knowledge with spiritual purpose.
Allah causes changes in the length of day and night, depending on the seasons—long days in summer, long nights in winter. The increase of one results in the decrease of the other. This continuous interchange reflects a perfect divine system that governs the natural world with precision and balance.
From this we understand that the sun, moon, and stars move in their designated orbits, as Allah says: “Each one is floating in an orbit” (Surah Ya-Sin 36:40). In contrast, the earth and the sky are stationary, fulfilling their fixed roles by divine command.
This verse also indirectly rejects modern and ancient philosophical errors—the former denies the existence of the sky, and the latter believes the sky cannot be torn apart. Both are false. Only the statements of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ are reliable and true in all matters—whether scientific or spiritual.
Ultimately, the verse reminds us that Allah is fully aware of our actions, both seen and unseen, and every sign in nature leads back to His knowledge and authority.
29. See you not that Allah merges the night into the day, and merges the day into the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running its course for a term appointed; and that Allah is All-Aware of what you do. 30. That is because Allah, He is the Truth, and that which they invoke besides Him is falsehood; and that Allah, He is the Most High, the Most Great.
(merges the night into the day,) meaning, He takes from the night and adds to the day, so that the day becomes longer and the night shorter, which is what happens in summer when the days are longest; then the day starts to become shorter and the night longer, which is what happens in winter.
(and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running its course for a term appointed;) It was said that this means, each runs within its set limits, or it means until the Day of Resurrection; both meanings are correct. The first view is supported by the Hadith of Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, in the Two Sahihs, according to which the Messenger of Allah said:
(O Abu Dharr! Do you know where this sun goes) I (Abu Dharr) said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said:
(It goes and prostrates beneath the Throne, then it seeks permission from its Lord, and soon it will be said: “Go back from whence you came.”) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, “The sun is like flowing water, running in its course in the sky during the day. When it sets, it travels in its course beneath the earth until it rises in the east.” He said, “The same is true in the case of the moon.” Its chain of narration is Sahih.
(and that Allah is All-Aware of what you do.) This is like the Ayah,
(Know you not that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and the earth) (22:70). The meaning is that Allah is the Creator Who knows all things, as He says:
(It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof) (65:12).
(That is because Allah, He is the Truth, and that which they invoke besides Him is falsehood;) means, He shows you His Signs so that you may know from them that He is the Truth, i.e., He truly exists and is truly divine, and that all else besides Him is falsehood. He has no need of anything else, but everything else is dependent on Him, because everything in heaven and on earth is created by Him and is enslaved by Him; none of them could move even an atom’s weight except with His permission. If all the people of heaven and earth were to come together to create a fly, they would not be able to do so. Allah says:
(That is because Allah, He is the Truth, and that which they invoke besides Him is falsehood; and that Allah, He is the Most High, the Most Great.) meaning, He is the Most High and there is none higher than Him, and He is the Most Great Who is greater than everything. Everything is subjugated and insignificant in comparison to Him.
(31:29) Do you not see that Allah makes the night phase into the day and makes the day phase into the night and has subjected the sun and the moon[50] to His will so that each of them is pursuing its course till an appointed time? (Do you not know that)[51] Allah is well aware of all that you do?
50. That is, nothing in the world, whether the sun or the moon, or any other star or planet, in the universe, is eternal and ever-lasting. Everything has a term for it and can function only till its expiry. Everything has a beginning in time before which it was not there and an end in time after which it will not be there. This means to imply that such temporal and powerless things cannot become the deities of men.
51. That is, “The real Sovereign is Allah. He alone is the real Owner of power and authority over the creation and its disposal.”
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