A true creator is the one who creates something in totality, leaving no flaw in it. And when it comes to the Ultimate Creator, that is none other than Allah, He has mot merely created the man but also provided him every facility so that he lives comfortably and happily. Imagine if there was no night which could provide rest to a tired man who has been busy all day, toiling the land or working like a bull. Allah knows that after a hard day's work man needs rest in total peace in the fold of night. All creatures and animals also rest so as to provide a calm and silent dark night for everyone to relax and take rest before the sun dawns and everything comes to life once again and the life cycle continues.
But despite all these bounties and blessings of Allah, there a re many a people who are ungrateful and do not utter a word of gratitude to Allah for His countless bounties. We have chosen the 61st verse of Surah 40. Al Mu'min in which Allah reminds man of his ungratefulness:
اَللّٰهُ الَّذِىۡ جَعَلَ لَـكُمُ الَّيۡلَ لِتَسۡكُنُوۡا فِيۡهِ وَالنَّهَارَ مُبۡصِرًا ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَذُوۡ فَضۡلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَ لٰـكِنَّ اَكۡثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشۡكُرُوۡنَ
(40:61) Allah it is Who made the night so that you may seek repose in it, and made the day radiant. Surely Allah is Most Bounteous to people; but most people do not give thanks.
Tafsir Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi:
This verse comprises two important themes: First, the night and the day have been presented in it as an argument for Tauhid, because their alternating regularly means that One God alone is ruling over the earth and the sun, and their alternation’s being beneficial for man and other earthly creatures is an express proof of the fact that the same One God is also the Creator of all these things and has devised this system with such great wisdom that it should be beneficial and useful for all His creatures. Secondly, in this verse the atheists and the polytheists have been to realize how great a blessing has Allah bestowed on them in the shape of the night and the day and what ungrateful wretches they are that while they are benefiting from this blessing of His they are being disloyal and rebellious to Him day and night.
This verse is similar to the 62nd verse of Surah 25. Al Furqan:
(25:62) He it is Who has appointed night and day to succeed one another (as a Sign) for him who desires to take heed, or desires to be thankful.
Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: Signs of the Power and Oneness of Allah
Allah reminds us of His grace towards His creation in that He has given them the night in which they rest and relax from their activities so that they can go back to them for their livelihood during the day. He has given them the day with its light, so that they can undertake their journeys and engage in their business.
(Truly, Allah is full of bounty to mankind; yet, most of mankind give no thanks.) means, they do not express gratitude for the favors which Allah bestows upon them.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:
The succession of Day and Night in our physical life is frequently appealed to, as a symbol to draw our attention to the Mercy and Bounty of Allah. If we viewed these things aright, we should serve Allah and seek Light from Him and Rest from Him, and celebrate His praises with gratitude.
Qur'an Wiki:
It is God who has made for you the night in which to rest, and the day to make you see. God is limitless in His bounty to man, but most people do not give thanks. Such is God, your Lord, the Creator of all that exists: there is no deity other than Him. How deluded can you be? Such it is: far deluded are those who knowingly deny God's revelations. It is God who has made the earth a resting place for you and the sky a canopy. He has moulded you into a comely shape and provided you with wholesome things. Such is God, your Lord. So glory be to God, the Lord of all the worlds. He is the Ever-Living. There is no deity other than Him. So call on Him, sincere in your faith in Him. All praise is due to God, the Lord of all the worlds. (Verses 61-65)
Man's constitution is equipped to live on this planet. His eyes are made to receive the light frequency which he needs to see. His ears pick up the sound frequencies he needs to hear. Every single organ in his constitution is designed for the environment in which he lives, with a limited ability to adapt to changing conditions. Man is created to live in this particular environment and to have a mutual impact on it. There is a close relationship between him and his environment, i.e. with the earth and the skies. Therefore, the Qur'an mentions man's shape in the same verse in which it mentions the earth and sky. How fitting!
Let us now briefly discuss the text itself: "It is God who has made for you the night in which to rest, and the day to make you see." Rest at night is necessary for every living thing. A period of darkness is needed so that living cells can rest before resuming their activity during the day. Sleeping is not enough to afford the needed rest; darkness is also necessary. A living cell that is exposed to light continuously reaches a degree of fatigue that ruins its structure.
"And the day to make you see." A literal translation would render this phrase as, 'and the day able to see.' The expression brings the day alive as if it is a living entity that can look at and see things. In fact, it is people that can see during the day, but this quality is given to the day itself because it is almost universal.
The succession of the day and the night in this way is a blessing that involves further blessings. Had one or the other of them stretched permanently, or if it were merely several times as long, life would come to an end.
May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources:
- Towards Understanding the Quran
- Tafsir Ibn Khatir
- Muhammad Asad Translation
- Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
- Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
- Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.
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