سُوْرَةُ الرَّعْدِ
Surah Ar-Ra'd (13) — Ayah 15
وَلِلَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَظِلَـٰلُهُم بِٱلْغُدُوِّ وَٱلْـَٔاصَالِ ۩ ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And unto Allâh (Alone) falls in prostration whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in the afternoons.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلِلَّهِ
walillahi
And to Allah
يَسْجُدُ
yasjudu
prostrates
مَن
man
whoever
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
طَوْعًۭا
ṭawʿan
willingly
وَكَرْهًۭا
wakarhan
or unwillingly
وَظِلَـٰلُهُم
waẓilāluhum
and (so do) their shadows
بِٱلْغُدُوِّ
bil-ghuduwi
in the mornings
وَٱلْـَٔاصَالِ ۩
wal-āṣāli
and in the afternoons
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
15. To Allah prostrate all those in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and evenings [22][23].
[22]
The Meaning of the Things in the Universe Prostrating to Allah:
That is, every thing in the universe is bound by and helpless before those natural laws which Allah Almighty has established for it. For example, the law for water is that it flows towards lower ground, and it is impossible for water to start flowing upwards against this law. Similarly, it is impossible for water not to maintain its level surface. This very thing is its prostration before Allah. In the same way, every thing in the universe is prostrating before Allah. Even man is bound by and helpless before these laws. For example, if he wishes to live without eating or drinking, he cannot do so, or if he wishes to prevent death from coming to him, he cannot do so. His choice is only in those matters in which he has been given the power of will and choice, and it is in these that he is tested.
[23] That is, shadows are bound by the law prescribed for them, and that is that light always travels in a straight path, and the mention of morning and evening is because at these times shadows are very long and spread out, and the increase and decrease of shadows happens gradually in the same proportion as the sun travels in a certain direction.
[22]
The Meaning of the Things in the Universe Prostrating to Allah:
That is, every thing in the universe is bound by and helpless before those natural laws which Allah Almighty has established for it. For example, the law for water is that it flows towards lower ground, and it is impossible for water to start flowing upwards against this law. Similarly, it is impossible for water not to maintain its level surface. This very thing is its prostration before Allah. In the same way, every thing in the universe is prostrating before Allah. Even man is bound by and helpless before these laws. For example, if he wishes to live without eating or drinking, he cannot do so, or if he wishes to prevent death from coming to him, he cannot do so. His choice is only in those matters in which he has been given the power of will and choice, and it is in these that he is tested.
[23] That is, shadows are bound by the law prescribed for them, and that is that light always travels in a straight path, and the mention of morning and evening is because at these times shadows are very long and spread out, and the increase and decrease of shadows happens gradually in the same proportion as the sun travels in a certain direction.
