31. Surah Luqman
Mecca Period [57]
[[Ruby’s note – changes of day and night’s length is tied with the courses of the Sun and Moon]]
Asad’s Version:
31:29
Art thou not aware that it is God who makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and makes the day grow longer by shortening the night, and that He has made the sun and the moon subservient [to His laws], each running its course for a term set [by Him] 27 - and that God is fully aware of all that you do?
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَلَمْ
تَرَ
أَنَّ اللَّهَ
يُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ
فِي النَّهَارِ
وَيُولِجُ
النَّهَارَ
فِي اللَّيْلِ...
31:29. Seest thou not that Allah merges Night into Day and He merges Day into Night;
Even when we can form a conception of Allah's infinitude by His dealings with each individual in His Creation as in verse 28 above, it is still inadequate.
What is an individual himself?
What is his relation to the universal Laws of Allah?
In outer nature we can see that there is no clear-cut line between night and day: each merges into the other. Yet the sun and moon obey definite laws. Though they seem to go on for ever, yet their existence and duration themselves are but an atom in Allah's great universe.
How much more "merging" and imperceptible gradation there is in the inner and spiritual world?
Our actions themselves cannot be classified and ticketed and labeled when examined in relation to motives and circumstances. Yet they are like an open book before Allah.
...وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى...
that He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His Law), each running its course for a term appointed:
...وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿٢٩﴾
and that Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do?
35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)
Mecca Period 43
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يُولِجُ
اللَّيْلَ فِي
النَّهَارِ
وَيُولِجُ
النَّهَارَ
فِي اللَّيْلِ...
35: 13. He merges Night into Day, and He merges Day into Night,
C3891. Cf. 22:61.
The phases of Light in nature may have other uses. But for man they mark periods of rest and activity, and have great influence on his physical, moral, and spiritual life.
... وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى...
and He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His Law): each one runs its course for a term appointed.
C3892. Cf. 13:2.
The sun and the moon mark phases of light, and serve man during the periods of the day and the night.
The sun marks the seasons, and is the source of heat and energy and physical life for the whole solar system.
The sun and the moon run according to fixed laws, and they will continue to do so, not for ever, but for the period appointed for their duration by Allah.
... ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ...
Such is Allah your Lord: to Him belongs all Dominion.
C3893. Allah's might and majesty, and Allah's goodness and wisdom, having been shown by a few examples, it follows that it is folly to seek or worship any other power but Allah. It only throws off man into false paths, and takes him farther and farther away from the Truth.
... وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ ﴿١٣﴾
And those whom ye invoke besides Him have not the least power.
C3894. Qitmir: the thin, white skin that covers the date-stone. It has neither strength nor texture, and has no value whatever.
Any one relying on any power other than that of Allah relies on nothing whatever. The Qitmir is worse than the proverbial "broken reed".
Cf. 4:53 and 4:124, where the word naqir, 'the groove in a date-stone', is used similarly for a thing of no value or significance.
Asad’s Version:
35: 13
He makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and He makes the day grow longer by shortening the night; and He has made the sun and the moon subservient [to His laws], each running its course for a term set [by Him]. 12 Thus is God, your Sustainer: unto Him belongs all dominion - whereas those whom you invoke instead of Him do not own so much as the husk of a date-stone!
[[Asad’s note - 12 See surah 13, note 5. ]]