14. Surah Ibrahim
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
اللّهُ الَّذِي
خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالأَرْضَ...
14: 32. It is Allah Who hath created the heavens and the earth
...وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ...
and sendeth down rain from the skies, and with it bringeth out fruits wherewith to feed you;
...وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ...
it is He Who hath made the ships subject to you, that they may sail through the sea by His command;
...وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الأَنْهَارَ ﴿٣٢﴾
and the rivers (also) hath He made subject to you.
C1908. We must realise that behind all our strength, skill, and intelligence there is the power and goodness of Allah, Who gave us all these things. Man can understand and control the forces of nature so as to bring them to his own service: he can only do so, because
- he has got these gifts from Allah, and
- Allah has fixed definite laws in nature, of which he can take advantage by Allah's command and permission.
He has been made Vicegerent on earth (2:30);
Allah commanded the highest creatures to bow down to Adam (2:34).
Man, by Allah's command, can use rain to produce food for himself; make ships to sail the seas; use rivers as highways, and cut canals for traffic and irrigation.
Not only this, but even the heavenly bodies can (by Allah's command) contribute to his needs (see next verse).
وَسَخَّر
لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ
وَالْقَمَرَ
دَآئِبَينَ...
14: 33. And He hath made subject to you the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses:
C1909. The sun gives out heat, which is the source of all life and energy on this planet, and produces the seasons of the year, by utilizing which man can supply his needs, not only material, but immaterial in the shape of light, health, and other blessings.
The sun and the moon together produce tides, and are responsible for atmospheric changes which are of the highest importance in the life of man.
The succession of Day and Night is due to the apparent daily course of the sun through the skies; and the cool light of the moon performs other services different from those of warm day-light.
Because there are laws here, which man can understand and calculate, he can use all such things for his own service, and in that sense the heavenly bodies are themselves made subject to him by Allah's command.
...وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ﴿٣٣﴾
and the Night and the Day hath He (also) made subject you.
Pickthall’s Version:
14: 32
Pickthall Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth, and causeth water to descend from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you, and maketh the ships to be of service unto you, that they may run upon the sea at His command, and hath made of service unto you the rivers;
Transliteration Alla_hul lazi khalaqas sama_wa_ti wal arda wa anzala minas sama_'i ma_'an fa akhraja bihi minas samara_ti rizqal lakum, wa sakhkhara lakumul fulka litajriya fil bahri bi amrih(i), wa sakhkhara lakumul anha_r(a).
14: 33
Pickthall And maketh the sun and the moon, constant in their courses, to be of service unto you, and hath made of service unto you the night and the day.
Transliteration Wa sakhkhara lakumusy syamsa wal qamara da_'ibain(i), wa sakhkhara lakumul laila wan naha_r(a).
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16. Sura al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَسَخَّرَ
لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ
وَالْنَّهَارَ
وَالشَّمْسَ
وَالْقَمَرَ...
16: 12. He has made subject to you the Night and the Day;
the Sun and the Moon;
C2031. The Night and the Day are caused by astronomical rotations.
What is important for man to note is how Allah has given intelligence to man to make use of this alternation for work and rest;
how man can, as soon as he rises from the primitive stage, get over their inequalities by artificial illuminants, such as vegetable or mineral oils, coal, gas, or electricity, which ultimately are derived from the stored-up energy of the sun;
how the sun's heat can be tempered by various artificial means and can be stored up for use by man as required, how man can be independent of the tides caused by the moon and the sun, which formerly controlled navigation, but which no longer stand in man's way, with his artificial harbours and great sea-going ships, how navigation was formerly subject to direct observation of the Polar Star and other stars, but how the magnetic needle and charts have now completely altered the position, and man can calculate and to a certain extent control magnetic variations, etc.
In such ways the sun, the moon, and the stars themselves become useful servants to him, all by Allah's gift and His Command, without which there would have been no laws governing them and no intelligence to make use of them.
... وَالْنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَاتٌ بِأَمْرِهِ...
and the Stars are in subjection by His Command:
... إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٢﴾
verily in this are Signs for men who are wise.
16: 12
Asad And He has made the night and the day and the sun and the moon subservient to you; and all the stars are subservient to His command: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who use their reason!
Pickthall And he hath constrained the night and the day and the sun and the moon to be of service unto you, and the stars are made subservient by His command. Lo! herein indeed are portents for people who have sense.
Transliteration Wa sakhkhara lakummul laila wan naha_r(a), wasy syamsa wal qamar(a), wan nuju_mu musakhkhara_tum bi amrih(i), inna fi za_lika la a_ya_til liqaumiy ya'qilu_n(a),
[Asad note 9: see 14:33…]
[Ruby’s note: It is extremely important to note how the two ideas are dealt here: the first is regarding the day-night-sun-moon are subservient to human. Because they are related to the Solar System where human live. However when God is talking about stars, He is simply saying that these are under His command, and not particularly subservient to or created to serve human existence. ]