سُوْرَةُ فَاطِرٍ
Surah Faatir (35) — Ayah 13
يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He merges the night into the day (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the night is added to the hours of the day), and He merges the day into the night (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the day is added to the hours of the night). And He has subjected the sun and the moon: each runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allâh, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmîr (the thin membrane over the date-stone).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يُولِجُ
yūliju
He causes to enter
ٱلَّيْلَ
al-layla
the night
فِى
fī
in (to)
ٱلنَّهَارِ
l-nahāri
the day
وَيُولِجُ
wayūliju
and He causes to enter
ٱلنَّهَارَ
l-nahāra
the day
فِى
fī
in (to)
ٱلَّيْلِ
al-layli
the night
وَسَخَّرَ
wasakhara
and He has subjected
ٱلشَّمْسَ
l-shamsa
the sun
وَٱلْقَمَرَ
wal-qamara
and the moon
كُلٌّۭ
kullun
each
يَجْرِى
yajrī
running
لِأَجَلٍۢ
li-ajalin
for a term
مُّسَمًّۭى ۚ
musamman
appointed
ذَٰلِكُمُ
dhālikumu
That (is)
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
رَبُّكُمْ
rabbukum
your Lord
لَهُ
lahu
for Him
ٱلْمُلْكُ ۚ
l-mul'ku
(is) the Dominion
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
And those whom
تَدْعُونَ
tadʿūna
you invoke
مِن
min
besides Him
دُونِهِۦ
dūnihi
besides Him
مَا
mā
not
يَمْلِكُونَ
yamlikūna
they possess
مِن
min
even
قِطْمِيرٍ
qiṭ'mīrin
(as much as) the membrane of a date-seed
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 13) ➊ { يُوْلِجُ الَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ …:} For its explanation, see Surah Al-Imran (27), Hajj (61), and Surah Luqman (29).
➋ { كُلٌّ يَّجْرِيْ لِاَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى :} That is, all these will continue until the Day of Resurrection; when the Resurrection comes, their functioning will cease and this system will no longer remain.
➌ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ تَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖ …:’’ قِطْمِيْرٍ ‘‘} It refers to the thin membrane on a date stone, meaning the One whose attributes have been mentioned above is in reality your true Lord, who alone is the King of the heavens and the earth, and those whom you call upon considering them as fulfillers of needs and removers of difficulties, they are so helpless that not only are they not kings, they do not even own the thin membrane on a date stone. Some commentators have taken {’’ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖ ‘‘} to mean idols, but in reality, it includes everyone besides Allah Almighty, even to the extent that Allah Almighty commanded the Chief of the First and the Last (peace be upon him) to openly declare that he does not possess for himself any benefit or harm, nor for anyone else; then what status does any other saint or ascetic have? See Surah Al-A'raf (188) and Surah Al-Jinn (21). One proof of this is the following words of the next verse: « وَ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ يَكْفُرُوْنَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ» [ فاطر : ۱۴ ] "And on the Day of Resurrection, they will deny your association (shirk)." It is clear that on the Day of Resurrection, it will not be the idols who deny their shirk, but rather the angels, prophets, and righteous people whose idols they used to make and whom they used to call upon, as Allah Almighty has quoted the statement of Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him). See Surah Al-Ma'idah (116).
➋ { كُلٌّ يَّجْرِيْ لِاَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى :} That is, all these will continue until the Day of Resurrection; when the Resurrection comes, their functioning will cease and this system will no longer remain.
➌ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ تَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖ …:’’ قِطْمِيْرٍ ‘‘} It refers to the thin membrane on a date stone, meaning the One whose attributes have been mentioned above is in reality your true Lord, who alone is the King of the heavens and the earth, and those whom you call upon considering them as fulfillers of needs and removers of difficulties, they are so helpless that not only are they not kings, they do not even own the thin membrane on a date stone. Some commentators have taken {’’ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖ ‘‘} to mean idols, but in reality, it includes everyone besides Allah Almighty, even to the extent that Allah Almighty commanded the Chief of the First and the Last (peace be upon him) to openly declare that he does not possess for himself any benefit or harm, nor for anyone else; then what status does any other saint or ascetic have? See Surah Al-A'raf (188) and Surah Al-Jinn (21). One proof of this is the following words of the next verse: « وَ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ يَكْفُرُوْنَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ» [ فاطر : ۱۴ ] "And on the Day of Resurrection, they will deny your association (shirk)." It is clear that on the Day of Resurrection, it will not be the idols who deny their shirk, but rather the angels, prophets, and righteous people whose idols they used to make and whom they used to call upon, as Allah Almighty has quoted the statement of Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him). See Surah Al-Ma'idah (116).
