22. [al-Hajj, Medina 103]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَسْجُدُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ وَالنُّجُومُ ...

22: 18. Seest thou not that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth -- the sun, the moon, the stars;

C2790. Cf. 21:79, and n. 2733.

All created things, animate and inanimate, depend on Allah for their existence, and this dependence can be construed as their Sajdah or bowing down in worship.

Their very existence proclaims their dependence. How can they be objects of worship?

...وَالْجِبَالُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَابُّ...

the hills, the trees, the animals;

...وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ...

and a great number among mankind?

...وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَذَابُ...

But a great number are (also) such as are fit for Punishment:

For haqqa in this verse. Cf. 15:64, n. 1990.

...وَمَن يُهِنِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّكْرِمٍ...

and such as Allah shall disgrace -- none can rise to honor:

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاء ﴿١٨﴾

for Allah carries out all that He wills.

C2791. Cf. 22:16. There the argument was that those who work in harmony with Allah's Law and Will will get their reward, for Allah always carries out His Plan.

Here is the Parallel argument: those who defy Allah's Will must suffer pain and disgrace, for Allah is well able to carry out His Will.

Other Versions:

22: 18

Arabic Source and Roman Transliteration
Arabic	أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَسْجُدُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ وَالنُّجُومُ وَالْجِبَالُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَابُّ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَذَابُ ۗ وَمَن يُهِنِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّكْرِمٍ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۩	&#x21E8
Transliteration	Alam tara anna Allaha yasjudu lahu man fee alssamawati waman fee al-ardi waalshshamsu waalqamaru waalnnujoomu waaljibalu waalshshajaru waalddawabbu wakatheerun mina alnnasi wakatheerun haqqa AAalayhi alAAathabu waman yuhini Allahu fama lahu min mukrimin inna Allaha yafAAalu ma yasha/o	&#x21E8

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad	ART THOU NOT aware that before God prostrate themselves all [things and beings] that are in the heavens and all that are on earth the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and the beasts? And many human beings [submit to God consciously], whereas many [others, having defied Him,] will inevitably have to suffer [in the life to come]; and he whom God shall scorn [on Resurrection Day] will have none who could bestow honour on him: for, verily, God does what He wills.	&#x21E8
M. M. Pickthall	Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honour. Lo! Allah doeth what He will.	&#x21E8
Shakir	Do you not see that Allah is He, Whom obeys whoever is in the heavens and whoever is in the earth, and the sun and the moon and the stars, and the mountains and the trees, and the animals and many of the people; and many there are against whom chastisement has become necessary; and whomsoever Allah abases, there is none who can make him honorable; surely Allah does what He pleases.	&#x21E8
Yusuf Ali	Seest thou not that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth,- the sun, the moon, the stars; the hills, the trees, the animals; and a great number among mankind? But a great number are (also) such as are fit for Punishment: and such as Allah shall disgrace,- None can raise to honour: for Allah carries out all that He wills.	&#x21E8
Wahiduddin Khan	Do you not see that whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, as well as the sun and the moon, and the stars and the mountains, and the trees and the beasts and many human beingsall submit to God? But there are many who have become deserving	&#x21E8
[Al-Muntakhab]	Do you not see O you who are oblivious of Allah's Omnipotence that to Allah do all creatures in the heavens and on earth prostrate in adoration, praise and worship, and so do the sun and the moon, the stars and the mountains, the trees and the animals and a great many among mankind! Moreover, a great many have deserved punishment. And he whom Allah defames or treats with contempt shall no one be able to restore his honour. Allah does what He will.	&#x21E8
[Progressive Muslims]	Did you not see that to God submit what is in the heavens and what is in the Earth, and the sun and the moon and the stars and the mountains and the trees and what moves, and many of mankind, and many who have deserved the retribution. And whoever God disgraces, then none can honour him. God does what He pleases.

[[Asad’s note -

21 For the meaning of this "prostration", see 13:15 and 16:48-9, and the corresponding notes. My rendering of the relative pronoun man, in this context, as "all [things and beings] that..." is explained in note 33 on 13:15.

22 According to Zamakhshari and Razi, this interpolated phrase - with its stress on "consciously" is an elliptically implied predicate (khabar) linked with the preceding nominal subject (mubtada 1 ): the purport being that although everything in creation "prostrates itself" before God, willingly or unwillingly (cf 13:15), not all human beings do so consciously. ]]

[[ Ali’s notes:

18. Seest thou not that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth -- the sun, the moon, the stars;