سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 33
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ ﴿33﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(is) the One Who
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
created
ٱلَّيْلَ
al-layla
the night
وَٱلنَّهَارَ
wal-nahāra
and the day
وَٱلشَّمْسَ
wal-shamsa
and the sun
وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ
wal-qamara
and the moon
كُلٌّۭ
kullun
each
فِى
fī
in
فَلَكٍۢ
falakin
an orbit
يَسْبَحُونَ
yasbaḥūna
floating
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.
(Ayah 33) ➊ {وَ هُوَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ الَّيْلَ وَ النَّهَارَ:} In the previous verse, the turning away of the polytheists from the signs of the heavens and the earth was mentioned; in this verse, some of those signs are mentioned, namely the night, the day, the sun, and the moon. After mentioning the great signs, there was no need to mention the smaller signs, such as the stars, etc. For details, see Surah Bani Isra'il (12), Qasas (71, 72), Yunus (5, 6), Furqan (61, 62), An'am (96), and Ya-Sin (37 to 40).
➋ { كُلٌّ فِيْ فَلَكٍ يَّسْبَحُوْنَ : ’’ فَلَكٍ ‘‘} Actually, "falak" refers to the round leather that spins on the spindle of a spinning wheel to make thread, then every circle is called "falak." {’’سَبَحَ يَسْبَحُ‘‘} (fa) means to swim. Moving very swiftly is also likened to swimming, as Mutanabbi has said:
{أَعَزُّ مَكَانٍ فِي الدُّنْيَا سَرْجُ سَابِحٍ ¤ وَ خَيْرُ جَلِيْسٍ فِي الزَّمَانِ كِتَابُ}
"The most honorable place in the world is the saddle of a swimming horse, and the best companion in time is a book."
The meaning is that the sun, the moon, and all the planets are revolving in their respective orbits with great speed. None deviates from its appointed orbit, nor does it stop due to malfunction. No accident occurs in any of them, nor is there any collision. It is said: «{ ذٰلِكَ تَقْدِيْرُ الْعَزِيْزِ الْعَلِيْمِ }» [ یٰسٓ : ۳۸ ] "This is the determined measure of Him who is the All-Powerful, All-Knowing."
➋ { كُلٌّ فِيْ فَلَكٍ يَّسْبَحُوْنَ : ’’ فَلَكٍ ‘‘} Actually, "falak" refers to the round leather that spins on the spindle of a spinning wheel to make thread, then every circle is called "falak." {’’سَبَحَ يَسْبَحُ‘‘} (fa) means to swim. Moving very swiftly is also likened to swimming, as Mutanabbi has said:
{أَعَزُّ مَكَانٍ فِي الدُّنْيَا سَرْجُ سَابِحٍ ¤ وَ خَيْرُ جَلِيْسٍ فِي الزَّمَانِ كِتَابُ}
"The most honorable place in the world is the saddle of a swimming horse, and the best companion in time is a book."
The meaning is that the sun, the moon, and all the planets are revolving in their respective orbits with great speed. None deviates from its appointed orbit, nor does it stop due to malfunction. No accident occurs in any of them, nor is there any collision. It is said: «{ ذٰلِكَ تَقْدِيْرُ الْعَزِيْزِ الْعَلِيْمِ }» [ یٰسٓ : ۳۸ ] "This is the determined measure of Him who is the All-Powerful, All-Knowing."
