سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 48
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ يَتَفَيَّؤُا۟ ظِلَـٰلُهُۥ عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَٱلشَّمَآئِلِ سُجَّدًا لِّلَّهِ وَهُمْ دَٰخِرُونَ ﴿48﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have they not observed things that Allâh has created: (how) their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allâh, and they are lowly?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَوَلَمْ
awalam
Have not
يَرَوْا۟
yaraw
they seen
إِلَىٰ
ilā
[towards]
مَا
mā
what
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
Allah has created
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah has created
مِن
min
from
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
a thing
يَتَفَيَّؤُا۟
yatafayya-u
Incline
ظِلَـٰلُهُۥ
ẓilāluhu
their shadows
عَنِ
ʿani
to
ٱلْيَمِينِ
l-yamīni
the right
وَٱلشَّمَآئِلِ
wal-shamāili
and to the left
سُجَّدًۭا
sujjadan
prostrating
لِّلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
وَهُمْ
wahum
while they
دَٰخِرُونَ
dākhirūna
(are) humble
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah48) ➊ {اَوَ لَمْ يَرَوْا اِلٰى مَا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ … : ’’ يَّتَفَيَّؤُا ‘‘ ’’فَاءَ يَفِيْءُ فَيْئًا‘‘} is from the form Taf‘ul of (to return). By the returning of the shadows is meant, after the sun rises, the movement of the shadow from one place to another until after the zenith it completely shifts to the other side. {’’دٰخِرُوْنَ‘‘} {’’دَخِرَ يَدْخَرُ دُخُوْرًا ‘‘} is from (ع), {’’دَخِرَ فُلَانٌ لِفُلَانٍ ‘‘} means so-and-so person became completely obedient, humble, and submissive before another. In {’’ اَوَ لَمْ يَرَوْا ‘‘}, the interrogative is not for asking but for rebuking, that do these polytheists not see? Surely, they see all this, that every thing in the universe is prostrating and humble and obedient before Allah, but they are using the free will given by Allah, instead of humility, obedience, and worship like all His creation, in rebellion and disbelief and polytheism.
➋ { اِلٰى مَا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ …:} means anything in the world that Allah has created, such as mountains, trees, and humans, etc., whose shadow increases, decreases, and shifts, each one is, by nature (without its own will), engaged in obedience to Allah Almighty, and cannot deviate even a hair’s breadth from the law of nature. Here, by giving precedence to those with intellect over all things, it is said {’’ دٰخِرُوْنَ ‘‘}. (Ruh al-Ma‘ani) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) describing the manner of this prostration writes: “Everything stands upright at noon, its shadow also stands; when the day declines, the shadow bends, then keeps bending until by evening it lies on the ground, just as in prayer from standing to bowing and from bowing to prostration, in the same way every thing performs prayer with its shadow.” (Muwadhih) {’’ الْيَمِيْنِ ‘‘} is used in the singular for brevity and {’’ الشَّمَآىِٕلِ ‘‘} in the plural for detail. The first refers to the genus, which includes all individuals, the second refers to all the sides on the left.
➋ { اِلٰى مَا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ …:} means anything in the world that Allah has created, such as mountains, trees, and humans, etc., whose shadow increases, decreases, and shifts, each one is, by nature (without its own will), engaged in obedience to Allah Almighty, and cannot deviate even a hair’s breadth from the law of nature. Here, by giving precedence to those with intellect over all things, it is said {’’ دٰخِرُوْنَ ‘‘}. (Ruh al-Ma‘ani) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) describing the manner of this prostration writes: “Everything stands upright at noon, its shadow also stands; when the day declines, the shadow bends, then keeps bending until by evening it lies on the ground, just as in prayer from standing to bowing and from bowing to prostration, in the same way every thing performs prayer with its shadow.” (Muwadhih) {’’ الْيَمِيْنِ ‘‘} is used in the singular for brevity and {’’ الشَّمَآىِٕلِ ‘‘} in the plural for detail. The first refers to the genus, which includes all individuals, the second refers to all the sides on the left.
