سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 37
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِ ٱلَّيْلُ وَٱلنَّهَارُ وَٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ ۚ لَا تَسْجُدُوا۟ لِلشَّمْسِ وَلَا لِلْقَمَرِ وَٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ ﴿37﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Prostrate yourselves not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate yourselves to Allâh Who created them, if you (really) worship Him.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمِنْ
wamin
And of
ءَايَـٰتِهِ
āyātihi
His Signs
ٱلَّيْلُ
al-laylu
(are) the night
وَٱلنَّهَارُ
wal-nahāru
and the day
وَٱلشَّمْسُ
wal-shamsu
and the sun
وَٱلْقَمَرُ ۚ
wal-qamaru
and the moon
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَسْجُدُوا۟
tasjudū
prostrate
لِلشَّمْسِ
lilshamsi
to the sun
وَلَا
walā
and not
لِلْقَمَرِ
lil'qamari
to the moon
وَٱسْجُدُوا۟
wa-us'judū
but prostrate
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the One Who
خَلَقَهُنَّ
khalaqahunna
created them
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you
إِيَّاهُ
iyyāhu
Him alone
تَعْبُدُونَ
taʿbudūna
worship
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 37) ➊ {وَ مِنْ اٰيٰتِهِ الَّيْلُ وَ النَّهَارُ … :} In the previous verses, inviting towards Allah was declared the best of all words. Now, for the invitation towards Allah, a few more things are mentioned as evidence, some of which are related to the heavens and some to the earth, and it is clarified that all these are signs of Allah’s oneness and His power.
➋ Among the things visible to humans, the greatest and brightest are the sun and the moon, which is why many people considered them to be the Lord. Some considered them as manifestations of Allah, that Allah appeared in their form, and began to worship and prostrate to them, as the Sabeans and Zoroastrians do. The people of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) were involved in various forms of polytheism; along with other things, they also worshipped the sun, moon, and stars. Ibrahim (peace be upon him) very wisely clarified their lack of power and that they are not Lord. (See Surah Al-An’am: 76 to 82) The purpose of the verses under commentary is to refute these polytheists. Thus, it is stated that the night, day, sun, and moon are among the signs and evidences of Allah’s existence and His power. The mention of night and day before the sun and moon is because the setting of the sun and the appearance of the moon at night, and the setting of the moon and the appearance of the sun during the day, clearly indicate that neither of them is the Lord or a manifestation of the Lord in which He Himself appears, but both are helpless and powerless creations, subjugated under the command of the Lord, and bound by His order in their rotation and rising and setting. If they themselves were Lord, then the sun of the day would not allow the night and the moon to come, and similarly, the night would stand against the day and not let it take place. But their continuous rotation without any incident occurring is evidence of the existence of the One Lord, who is running everything under His wisdom.
➌ For the night and day being signs of Allah and for the reference to the verses in which this is detailed, see the commentary of Surah Bani Isra’il, verse (12).
➍ { لَا تَسْجُدُوْا لِلشَّمْسِ وَ لَا لِلْقَمَرِ … :} From this, it is understood that prostrating to creation is forbidden; prostration is only for Allah, who created all of this.
➎ { اِنْ كُنْتُمْ اِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُوْنَ:} Some people, fabricating intellectual excuses, say that we do not prostrate to these things, but through them, we prostrate to Allah, just as the polytheists used to say: « مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ اِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُوْنَاۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ زُلْفٰى » [ الزمر : ۳ ] “We do not worship them except that they may bring us nearer to Allah.” In response, it is said: If you truly worship Allah alone, then what is the need for these intermediaries? Why do you not prostrate directly to Him?
➏ For the difference between the prostration of worship and the prostration of respect, and for the prohibition of the prostration of respect, see Surah Al-Baqarah (34) and Surah Yusuf (100).
➋ Among the things visible to humans, the greatest and brightest are the sun and the moon, which is why many people considered them to be the Lord. Some considered them as manifestations of Allah, that Allah appeared in their form, and began to worship and prostrate to them, as the Sabeans and Zoroastrians do. The people of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) were involved in various forms of polytheism; along with other things, they also worshipped the sun, moon, and stars. Ibrahim (peace be upon him) very wisely clarified their lack of power and that they are not Lord. (See Surah Al-An’am: 76 to 82) The purpose of the verses under commentary is to refute these polytheists. Thus, it is stated that the night, day, sun, and moon are among the signs and evidences of Allah’s existence and His power. The mention of night and day before the sun and moon is because the setting of the sun and the appearance of the moon at night, and the setting of the moon and the appearance of the sun during the day, clearly indicate that neither of them is the Lord or a manifestation of the Lord in which He Himself appears, but both are helpless and powerless creations, subjugated under the command of the Lord, and bound by His order in their rotation and rising and setting. If they themselves were Lord, then the sun of the day would not allow the night and the moon to come, and similarly, the night would stand against the day and not let it take place. But their continuous rotation without any incident occurring is evidence of the existence of the One Lord, who is running everything under His wisdom.
➌ For the night and day being signs of Allah and for the reference to the verses in which this is detailed, see the commentary of Surah Bani Isra’il, verse (12).
➍ { لَا تَسْجُدُوْا لِلشَّمْسِ وَ لَا لِلْقَمَرِ … :} From this, it is understood that prostrating to creation is forbidden; prostration is only for Allah, who created all of this.
➎ { اِنْ كُنْتُمْ اِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُوْنَ:} Some people, fabricating intellectual excuses, say that we do not prostrate to these things, but through them, we prostrate to Allah, just as the polytheists used to say: « مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ اِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُوْنَاۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ زُلْفٰى » [ الزمر : ۳ ] “We do not worship them except that they may bring us nearer to Allah.” In response, it is said: If you truly worship Allah alone, then what is the need for these intermediaries? Why do you not prostrate directly to Him?
➏ For the difference between the prostration of worship and the prostration of respect, and for the prohibition of the prostration of respect, see Surah Al-Baqarah (34) and Surah Yusuf (100).
