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 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.
48. Have they not observed anything among the things Allah has created, how their shadows shift from the right and from the left [46.1], prostrating to Allah in humility [47]? And all these things express utmost submission.
[46۔1] For example, if you stand facing south in the early part of the day, your shadow will be on your right side, and if you face north, it will be on your left side. Then, when the sun is overhead, your shadow will be at your feet, and in winter, it will be directly towards the north. In the latter part of the day, the direction will be completely opposite. In this verse, Allah has used the singular form (yameen) for the right side and the plural form (shama'il, singular shimal) for the left side. This too is an idiom of the Arabs and a type of their eloquence. When the Arabs want to bring two plural forms together, they make one singular. Another example of this in the Quran is: ﴿خَتَمَ اللّٰهُ عَليٰ قُلُوْبِهِمْ وَعَليٰ سَمْعهِمْ﴾
[47]
How Does Everything in the Universe Prostrate?
Whatever Allah has created, He has bound it to certain natural laws. Abiding by these laws itself indicates that the creation is prostrating before its Creator, being utterly compelled and expressing extreme humility. For example, a law has been made for light that if it passes through a single type of matter, it always travels in a straight line. According to this law, the shadow of everything is formed, decreases and increases, and another aspect of this is that only material and solid things have shadows, and all these things are Allah’s creation. They are all bound by Allah’s all-encompassing law, and since they are created, they will also be destroyed at some point. Therefore, there is not even a hint of divinity in them; rather, all are bound by Allah’s command and are His humble creation.
[46۔1] For example, if you stand facing south in the early part of the day, your shadow will be on your right side, and if you face north, it will be on your left side. Then, when the sun is overhead, your shadow will be at your feet, and in winter, it will be directly towards the north. In the latter part of the day, the direction will be completely opposite. In this verse, Allah has used the singular form (yameen) for the right side and the plural form (shama'il, singular shimal) for the left side. This too is an idiom of the Arabs and a type of their eloquence. When the Arabs want to bring two plural forms together, they make one singular. Another example of this in the Quran is: ﴿خَتَمَ اللّٰهُ عَليٰ قُلُوْبِهِمْ وَعَليٰ سَمْعهِمْ﴾
[47]
How Does Everything in the Universe Prostrate?
Whatever Allah has created, He has bound it to certain natural laws. Abiding by these laws itself indicates that the creation is prostrating before its Creator, being utterly compelled and expressing extreme humility. For example, a law has been made for light that if it passes through a single type of matter, it always travels in a straight line. According to this law, the shadow of everything is formed, decreases and increases, and another aspect of this is that only material and solid things have shadows, and all these things are Allah’s creation. They are all bound by Allah’s all-encompassing law, and since they are created, they will also be destroyed at some point. Therefore, there is not even a hint of divinity in them; rather, all are bound by Allah’s command and are His humble creation.
