The Criterion, The Standard — Verse 45

Evidence of the existence of the Creator and the extent of His Power Here Allah begins explaining the evidence for His existence and His perfect power to create various things and pairs of opposites. Allah says: أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ (Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow.) Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Abu Malik, Masruq, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, An-Nakha`i, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others said, "This refers to the period from the beginning of the dawn until the sun rises." وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِناً (If He willed, He could have made it still) meaning, immobile, never changing. This is like the Ayat: قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الَّيْلَ سَرْمَداً (Say : "Tell me! If Allah made the night continuous for you...") (28:71) ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلاً (but We have made the sun its guide.) means, were it not for the sun rising, it would not be there, for a thing can only be known in contrast to its opposite. Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "The sun is a guide which follows the shade until the shade disappears. " ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَـهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضاً يَسِيراً (Then We withdraw it towards Ourselves -- a gradual withdrawal.) This refers to the shade. يَسِيراً (gradual) meaning slowly. As-Suddi said: "A gentle, concealed, withdrawal until there is no shade left on earth except under a roof or a tree, and the sun is shining on whatever is above it." قَبْضاً يَسِيراً (a gradual withdrawal.) Ayyub bin Musa said: "Little by little. وَهُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ لِبَاساً (And it is He Who makes the night a covering for you,) It covers and conceals all things. This is like the Ayah: وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى (By the night as it envelops) (92:1). وَالنَّوْمَ سُبَاتاً (and the sleep a repose,) means, a halt to movement so that bodies may rest. For the faculties and limbs get tired from their constant movement during the day when one goes out to earn a living. When night comes, and it becomes quiet, they stop moving, and rest; so sleep provides a rejuvenation for both the body and the soul. وَجَعَلَ النَّهَارَ نُشُوراً (and makes the day Nushur) meaning, people get up and go out to earn a living and attend to their business. This is like the Ayah: وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَلِتَبتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ (It is out of His mercy that He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and that you may seek of His bounty...) (28:73) وَهُوَ الَّذِى أَرْسَلَ الرِّيَـحَ بُشْرَى بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً طَهُوراً

Have you not seen contemplated the work of your Lord how He extends the twilight shadow? from the point of daybreak to the point of sunrise. For had He your Lord willed He would have made it still ever-present so that it does not disappear with the rising of the sun. Then We made the sun an indicator of it of the shadow; were it not for the sun the shadow would not have been known.

Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow? Had He willed, He would have made it still. Then We made the sun an indicator of it. In terms of outwardness, this verse explains a miracle of MuṣṬafā, but in the meaning understood by the folk of the realities, it alludes to the special favors and redoublings of generosity he received. The explanation of the miracle is that during one of his journeys, God's Messenger dismounted under a tree at the time of the afternoon nap. All the companions were with him, but the tree's shadow was small. To make manifest a miracle for MuḤammad, the Exalted Lord pulled out that shadow by His power such that the whole army of Islam had a place in the tree's shadow. In that state the Exalted Lord sent down this verse, and this miracle became manifest. As for the explanation of his being singled out for proximity and nearness, it is that Dost thou not see thy Lord is addressed to those who have presence and declares the eminence of the proxi- mate. In the station of whispered prayer Moses wanted to see the Real: “Show me, that I may gaze upon Thee!”[7:143]. The exalted majesty of the Unity pulled the bodkin of severity across the eyes of his holiness: “Thou shalt not see Me” [7:143]. To MuṣṬafā He said, “Dost thou not see thy Lord?”: “Do you not see Me and gaze upon Me? What do you want with another?” O chevalier! Do not suppose that when someone reaches the contemplation of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty, his passion and yearning will become less by one iota. In the liver of a fish there is a heat that will not settle down by one iota even if you gather together all the oceans of the world. A heart that is a heart is at work today and it will also be at work tomorrow. Today it is in yearning itself and tomorrow it will be in tasting itself. One of the secrets of Dost thou not see thy Lord? is that mortal man, though he is singled out for the special favors of proximity, would never reach the point where he requests the vision of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty if mutual seeing had not come at the request of Beauty.

Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow? Had He willed, He would have made it still. Then We made the sun an indicator of it. In terms of outwardness, this verse explains a miracle of MuṣṬafā, but in the meaning understood by the folk of the realities, it alludes to the special favors and redoublings of generosity he received. The explanation of the miracle is that during one of his journeys, God's Messenger dismounted under a tree at the time of the afternoon nap. All the companions were with him, but the tree's shadow was small. To make manifest a miracle for MuḤammad, the Exalted Lord pulled out that shadow by His power such that the whole army of Islam had a place in the tree's shadow. In that state the Exalted Lord sent down this verse, and this miracle became manifest. As for the explanation of his being singled out for proximity and nearness, it is that Dost thou not see thy Lord is addressed to those who have presence and declares the eminence of the proxi- mate. In the station of whispered prayer Moses wanted to see the Real: “Show me, that I may gaze upon Thee!”[7:143]. The exalted majesty of the Unity pulled the bodkin of severity across the eyes of his holiness: “Thou shalt not see Me” [7:143]. To MuṣṬafā He said, “Dost thou not see thy Lord?”: “Do you not see Me and gaze upon Me? What do you want with another?” O chevalier! Do not suppose that when someone reaches the contemplation of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty, his passion and yearning will become less by one iota. In the liver of a fish there is a heat that will not settle down by one iota even if you gather together all the oceans of the world. A heart that is a heart is at work today and it will also be at work tomorrow. Today it is in yearning itself and tomorrow it will be in tasting itself. One of the secrets of Dost thou not see thy Lord? is that mortal man, though he is singled out for the special favors of proximity, would never reach the point where he requests the vision of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty if mutual seeing had not come at the request of Beauty.

Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow? Had He willed, He would have made it still. Then We made the sun an indicator of it. In terms of outwardness, this verse explains a miracle of MuṣṬafā, but in the meaning understood by the folk of the realities, it alludes to the special favors and redoublings of generosity he received. The explanation of the miracle is that during one of his journeys, God's Messenger dismounted under a tree at the time of the afternoon nap. All the companions were with him, but the tree's shadow was small. To make manifest a miracle for MuḤammad, the Exalted Lord pulled out that shadow by His power such that the whole army of Islam had a place in the tree's shadow. In that state the Exalted Lord sent down this verse, and this miracle became manifest. As for the explanation of his being singled out for proximity and nearness, it is that Dost thou not see thy Lord is addressed to those who have presence and declares the eminence of the proxi- mate. In the station of whispered prayer Moses wanted to see the Real: “Show me, that I may gaze upon Thee!”[7:143]. The exalted majesty of the Unity pulled the bodkin of severity across the eyes of his holiness: “Thou shalt not see Me” [7:143]. To MuṣṬafā He said, “Dost thou not see thy Lord?”: “Do you not see Me and gaze upon Me? What do you want with another?” O chevalier! Do not suppose that when someone reaches the contemplation of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty, his passion and yearning will become less by one iota. In the liver of a fish there is a heat that will not settle down by one iota even if you gather together all the oceans of the world. A heart that is a heart is at work today and it will also be at work tomorrow. Today it is in yearning itself and tomorrow it will be in tasting itself. One of the secrets of Dost thou not see thy Lord? is that mortal man, though he is singled out for the special favors of proximity, would never reach the point where he requests the vision of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty if mutual seeing had not come at the request of Beauty.

Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow? Had He willed, He would have made it still. Then We made the sun an indicator of it. In terms of outwardness, this verse explains a miracle of MuṣṬafā, but in the meaning understood by the folk of the realities, it alludes to the special favors and redoublings of generosity he received. The explanation of the miracle is that during one of his journeys, God's Messenger dismounted under a tree at the time of the afternoon nap. All the companions were with him, but the tree's shadow was small. To make manifest a miracle for MuḤammad, the Exalted Lord pulled out that shadow by His power such that the whole army of Islam had a place in the tree's shadow. In that state the Exalted Lord sent down this verse, and this miracle became manifest. As for the explanation of his being singled out for proximity and nearness, it is that Dost thou not see thy Lord is addressed to those who have presence and declares the eminence of the proxi- mate. In the station of whispered prayer Moses wanted to see the Real: “Show me, that I may gaze upon Thee!”[7:143]. The exalted majesty of the Unity pulled the bodkin of severity across the eyes of his holiness: “Thou shalt not see Me” [7:143]. To MuṣṬafā He said, “Dost thou not see thy Lord?”: “Do you not see Me and gaze upon Me? What do you want with another?” O chevalier! Do not suppose that when someone reaches the contemplation of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty, his passion and yearning will become less by one iota. In the liver of a fish there is a heat that will not settle down by one iota even if you gather together all the oceans of the world. A heart that is a heart is at work today and it will also be at work tomorrow. Today it is in yearning itself and tomorrow it will be in tasting itself. One of the secrets of Dost thou not see thy Lord? is that mortal man, though he is singled out for the special favors of proximity, would never reach the point where he requests the vision of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty if mutual seeing had not come at the request of Beauty.

Dost thou not see thy Lord, how He stretched out the shadow? Had He willed, He would have made it still. Then We made the sun an indicator of it.In terms of outwardness, this verse explains a miracle of MuṣṬafā, but in the meaning understood by the folk of the realities, it alludes to the special favors and redoublings of generosity he received. The explanation of the miracle is that during one of his journeys, God's Messenger dismounted under a tree at the time of the afternoon nap. All the companions were with him, but the tree's shadow was small. To make manifest a miracle for MuḤammad, the Exalted Lord pulled out that shadow by His power such that the whole army of Islam had a place in the tree's shadow. In that state the Exalted Lord sent down this verse, and this miracle became manifest.As for the explanation of his being singled out for proximity and nearness, it is that Dost thou not see thy Lord is addressed to those who have presence and declares the eminence of the proxi- mate. In the station of whispered prayer Moses wanted to see the Real: �Show me, that I may gaze upon Thee!�[7:143]. The exalted majesty of the Unity pulled the bodkin of severity across the eyes of his holiness: �Thou shalt not see Me� [7:143]. To MuṣṬafā He said, �Dost thou not see thy Lord?�: �Do you not see Me and gaze upon Me? What do you want with another?�O chevalier! Do not suppose that when someone reaches the contemplation of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty, his passion and yearning will become less by one iota. In the liver of a fish there is a heat that will not settle down by one iota even if you gather together all the oceans of the world. A heart that is a heart is at work today and it will also be at work tomorrow. Today it is in yearning itself and tomorrow it will be in tasting itself.One of the secrets of Dost thou not see thy Lord? is that mortal man, though he is singled out for the special favors of proximity, would never reach the point where he requests the vision of the exaltedness of the Possessor of Majesty if mutual seeing had not come at the request of Beauty.

ألم تر كيف مدَّ الله الظل من طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس؟ ولو شاء لجعله ثابتًا مستقرًا لا تزيله الشمس، ثم جعلنا الشمس علامة يُستَدَلُّ بأحوالها على أحواله، ثم تَقَلَّصَ الظل يسيرًا يسيرًا، فكلما ازداد ارتفاع الشمس ازداد نقصانه. وذلك من الأدلة على قدرة الله وعظمته، وأنه وحده المستحق للعبادة دون سواه.

من ههنا شرع سبحانه وتعالى في بيان الأدلة الدالة على وجوده وقدرته التامة على خلق الأشياء المختلفة والمتضادة فقال تعالى: "ألم تر إلى ربك كيف مد الظل"؟ قال ابن عباس وابن عمر وأبو العالية وأبو مالك ومسروق ومجاهد وسعيد بن جبير والنخعي والضحاك والحسن وقتادة: هو ما بين طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس "ولو شاء لجعله ساكنا" أي دائما لا يزول كما قال تعالى: "قل أرأيتم إن جعل الله عليكم الليل سرمدا" الآيات وقوله تعالى: "ثم جعلنا الشمس عليه دليلا" أي لولا أن الشمس تطلع عليه لما عرف فإن الضد لا يعرف إلا بضده. وقال قتادة والسدي دليلا تتلوه وتتبعه حتى تأتي عليه كله.

ثم تنتقل السورة بعد ذلك إلى الحديث عن مظاهر قدرة الله - تعالى - وعن جانب من الآلاء التى أنعم بها على عباده ، فإن من شأن هذه النعم المبثوثة فى هذا الكون ، أن تهدى المتفكر فيها إلى منشئها وواهبها وإلى وجوب إخلاص العبادة له ، قال - تعالى - : ( أَلَمْ تَرَ . . . ) .قال القرطبى : قوله - تعالى - : ( أَلَمْ تَرَ إلى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظل . . ) يجوز أن تكون هذه الرؤية من رؤية العين ، ويجوز أن تكون من العلم .قال الحسن وقتادة وغيرهما : مد الظل من طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس . وحكى أبو عبيدة عن رؤبة أنه قال : " كل ما كانت عليه الشمس فزالت عنه فهو فىء وظل ، وما لم تكن عليه الشمس فهو ظل " .والجملة الكريمة شروع فى بعض دلائل قدرته - سبحانه - وواسع رحمته ، إثر بيان جهالات المشركين ، وغفلتهم عما فى هذا الكون من آثار تدل على وحدانية الله - تعالى - .والخطاب للرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم والاستفهام للتقرير .والمعنى لقد رأيت - أيها الرسول الكريم - بعينيك ، وتأملت بعقلك وبصيرتك ، فى صنع ربك الذى أحسن كل شىء خلقه ، وكيف أنه - سبحانه - مد الظل ، أى : بسطه وجعله واسعا متحركا مع حركة الأرض فى مواجهة الشمس ، وجعله مكانا يستظل فيه الناس من وهج الشمس وحرها ، فيجدون عنده الراحة بعد التعب . . . وهذا من عظيم رحمة ربك بعباده .وقوله - تعالى - : ( وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِناً ) جملة معترضة لبيان مظهر من مظاهر قدرته - تعالى - . أى : " ولو شاء " - سبحانه - لجعل هذا الظل " ساكنا " أى : ثابتا دائما مستقرا على حالة واحدة بحيث لا تزيله الشمس ، ولا يذهب عن وجه الأرض ، ولكنه - سبحانه - لم يشأ ذلك ، لأن مصلحة خلقه ومنفعتهم فى وجوده على الطريقة التى أوجده عليها بمقتضى حكمته .وقوله - سبحانه - : ( ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشمس عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلاً ) معطوف على قوله ( مَدَّ الظل ) داخل فى حكمه . أى : ألم ترى إلى عجيب صنع ربك كيف مد الظل ، ثم جعلنا بقدرتنا وحكمتنا الشمس دليلا عليه ، إذ هو يزول بتسلطها عليه ويظهر عند احتجاجها عنه ، ويستدل بأحوالها على أحواله ، فهو يتبعها كما يتبع الإنسان من يدله على الشىء ، من حيث إنه يزيد كلما احتجبت عنه ، ويتقلص كلما ظهرت عليه .قال الجمل : قوله : ( ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشمس عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلاً ) أى : جعلنا الشمس بنسخها الظل عند مجيئها دالة على أن الظل شىء ، لأن الأشياء تعرف بأضدادها ، ولولا الشمس ما عرف الظل ، ولولا النور ما عرفت الظلمة . . . ولم يؤنث الدليل - وهو صفة الشمس - لأنه فى معنى الاسم ، كما يقال : الشمس برهان ، والشمس حق .

يقول تعالى ذكره: ( أَلَمْ تَرَ ) يا محمد ( كَيْفَ مَدَّ ) ربك ( الظِّلَّ ) وهو ما بين طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني عليّ, قال: ثنا عبد الله, قال: ثني معاوية, عن عليّ, عن ابن عباس, قوله: ( أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ ) يقول: ما بين طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس.حدثني محمد بن سعد, قال: ثني أبي, قال: ثني عمي, قال: ثني أبي, عن أبيه, عن ابن عباس, قوله: ( أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ ) قال: مدّه ما بين صلاة الصبح إلى طلوع الشمس.حدثنا ابن حميد, قال: ثنا يعقوب, عن جعفر, عن سعيد بن جُبير, في قوله: ( أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ) قال: الظلّ: ما بين طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس.حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله بن بزيع, قال: ثنا أبو محصن, عن حصين, عن أبي مالك, قال: ( أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ ) قال: ما بين طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس.حدثني محمد بن عمرو, قال: ثنا أبو عاصم, قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث, قال: ثنا الحسن, قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد, قوله: ( كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ ) قال. ظلّ الغداة قبل أن تطلع الشمس.حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, عن ابن جُرَيج, عن مجاهد, قال: الظلّ: ظلّ الغداة.قال: ثني حجاج, عن ابن جُرَيج, عن عكرمة, قوله: ( أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ ) قال: مدّه من طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس.حُدثت عن الحسين, قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: أخبرنا عبيد, قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله: ( أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ ) يعني: من صلاة الغداة إلى طلوع الشمس.قوله: ( وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ) يقول: ولو شاء لجعله دائما لا يزول, ممدودا لا تذهبه الشمس, ولا تنقصه.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني علي, قال: ثنا أبو صالح, قال: ثني معاوية, عن عليّ, عن ابن عباس, قوله: ( وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ) يقول: دائما.حدثني محمد بن عمرو, قال: ثنا أبو عاصم, قال: ثنا عيسى; وحدثني الحارث, قال, ثنا الحسن, قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد, قوله: ( وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ) قال: لا تصيبه الشمس ولا يزول.حدثنا القاسم. قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, عن ابن جُرَيج, عن مجاهد ( وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ) قال: لا يزول.حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد, في قوله: ( وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ) قال: دائما لا يزول.وقوله: ( ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلا ) يقول جلّ ثناؤه: ثم دللناكم أيها الناس بنسخ الشمس إياه عند طلوعها عليه, أنه خلْق من خلق ربكم, يوجده إذا شاء, ويفنيه إذا أراد; والهاء في قوله: " عليه " من ذكر الظلّ. ومعناه: ثم جعلنا الشمس على الظلّ دليلا. قيل: معنى دلالتها عليه أنه لو لم تكن الشمس التي تنسخه لم يعلم أنه شيء, إذا كانت الأشياء إنما تعرف بأضدادها, نظير الحلو الذي إنما يعرف بالحامض والبارد بالحارِّ, وما أشبه ذلك.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك، قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني عليّ, قال: ثنا أبو صالح, قال: ثني معاوية, عن عليّ, عن ابن عباس, قوله: ( ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلا ) يقول: طلوع الشمس.حدثني محمد بن عمرو, قال: ثنا أبو عاصم, قال: ثنا عيسى; وحدثني الحارث, قال: ثنا الحسن, قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد ( ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلا ) قال: تحويه.حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, عن ابن جُرَيج, عن مجاهد, مثله.حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد, في قول الله: ( ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلا ) قال: أخرجت ذلك الظل فذهبت به وقوله: ( ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَاهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًا يَسِيرًا ) يقول تعالى ذكره: ثم قبضنا ذلك الدليل من الشمس على الظلّ إلينا قبضا خفيا سريعا بالفيء الذي نأتي به بالعشيّ.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني محمد بن عمرو, قال: ثنا أبو عاصم, قال: ثنا عيسى; وحدثني الحارث, قال: ثنا الحسن, قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد.

قوله - عز وجل - : ( ألم تر إلى ربك كيف مد الظل ) معناه ألم تر إلى مد ربك الظل ، وهو ما بين طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس ، جعله ممدودا لأنه ظل لا شمس معه ، كما قال : " في ظل الجنة " ، " وظل ممدود " ( الواقعة - 30 ) إذ لم يكن معه شمس . ( ولو شاء لجعله ساكنا ) دائما ثابتا لا يزول ولا تذهبه الشمس . قال أبو عبيدة : " الظل " : ما نسخته الشمس ، وهو بالغداة ، و " الفيء " : ما نسخ الشمس ، وهو بعد الزوال ، سمي فيئا لأنه فاء من جانب المشرق إلى جانب المغرب ، ( ثم جعلنا الشمس عليه دليلا ) أي : على الظل . ومعنى دلالتها عليه أنه لو لم تكن الشمس لما عرف الظل ، ولولا النور لما عرفت الظلمة ، والأشياء تعرف بأضدادها .

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلًا (45)

أي: ألم تشاهد ببصرك وبصيرتك كمال قدرة ربك وسعة رحمته، أنه مد على العباد الظل وذلك قبل طلوع الشمس { ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ } أي: على الظل { دَلِيلًا } فلولا وجود الشمس لما عرف الظل فإن الضد يعرف بضده.

قوله تعالى : ألم تر إلى ربك كيف مد الظل ولو شاء لجعله ساكنا ثم جعلنا الشمس عليه دليلا[ ص: 36 ] ألم تر إلى ربك كيف مد الظل يجوز أن تكون هذه الرؤية من رؤية العين ، ويجوز أن تكون من العلم . وقال الحسن وقتادة وغيرهما : مد الظل من طلوع الفجر إلى طلوع الشمس . وقيل : هو من غيوبة الشمس إلى طلوعها . والأول أصح ; والدليل على ذلك أنه ليس من ساعة أطيب من تلك الساعة ; فإن فيها يجد المريض راحة والمسافر وكل ذي علة ، وفيها ترد نفوس الأموات والأرواح منهم إلى الأجساد ، وتطيب نفوس الأحياء فيها . وهذه الصفة مفقودة بعد المغرب . وقال أبو العالية : نهار الجنة هكذا ; وأشار إلى ساعة المصلين صلاة الفجر . أبو عبيدة : الظل بالغداة والفيء بالعشي ; لأنه يرجع بعد زوال الشمس ; سمي فيئا لأنه فاء من المشرق إلى جانب المغرب . قال الشاعر ، وهو حميد بن ثور يصف سرحة وكنى بها عن امرأة :فلا الظل من برد الضحا تستطيعه ولا الفيء من برد العشي تذوقوقال ابن السكيت : الظل ما نسخته الشمس والفيء ما نسخ الشمس . وحكى أبو عبيدة عن رؤبة قال : كل ما كانت عليه الشمس فزالت عنه فهو فيء وظل ، وما لم تكن عليه الشمس فهو ظل . ولو شاء لجعله ساكنا أي دائما مستقرا لا تنسخه الشمس . ابن عباس : يريد إلى يوم القيامة ، وقيل : المعنى لو شاء لمنع الشمس الطلوع . ثم جعلنا الشمس عليه دليلا أي جعلنا الشمس ينسخها الظل عند مجيئها دالة على أن الظل شيء ومعنى ; لأن الأشياء تعرف بأضدادها ولولا الشمس ما عرف الظل ، ولولا النور ما عرفت الظلمة . فالدليل " فعيل " بمعنى الفاعل . وقيل : بمعنى المفعول كالقتيل والدهين والخضيب : أي دللنا الشمس على الظل حتى ذهبت به ; أي أتبعناها إياه . فالشمس دليل أي حجة وبرهان ، وهو الذي يكشف المشكل ويوضحه . ولم يؤنث الدليل وهو صفة الشمس لأنه في معنى الاسم ; كما يقال : الشمس برهان والشمس حق .

The phenomenon which in the present age is known as the axial rotation of the earth has been set down here in layman’s language. The earth rotates on its axis once in twenty-four hours, due to which day and night follow upon each other. This is a wonderful miracle of Almighty God’s power. Had there been no axial rotation of the earth, half of it would have been continuously under the blazing sun, while the other half would have been continuously enveloped by night. Thus it would have been extremely difficult to live on the earth. There are many lessons in this system of the earth. Just as the light of day necessarily follows the darkness of night; in the same way untruth will be followed by Truth. Similarly, waking up in the morning after sleeping at night is symbolic of resurrection in the life after death. Likewise, there is a lesson hidden in the system of the rains. Just as the dead earth is revived thanks to the rains, so also does God’s guidance instil faith and fear of God in a heart which otherwise would have become as lifeless as an arid land.

Commentary Relationship between causes and effects and their being subject to Allah's will The above verses describe complete and total omnipotence of Allah Ta’ ala and His bounties and favors showered on human kind. This also proves Oneness of Allah and that no one can share His right of worship. أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ (Have you not turned your vision to your Lord, how He prolonged the shadow? - 25:45). Sunlight and shade are such blessings of God that without them it would not have been possible for mankind to survive and carry on its day to day functions. If there is sunlight all the time, it will create problems not only for humans but for all living things. On the other hand, if there is shade all the time, then also neither man nor other living creatures can survive. Allah Ta’ ala has created these two blessings by His limitless power and made them beneficial for the mankind. At the same time Allah Ta’ ala, through His infinite wisdom, has tied up all created things with specific causes in the sense that these things come into existence only when such causes are available, and if they are absent, these things do not exist. Similarly, if the causes are strong and available in abundance, the existence of their effects is also strong and abundant, and vice versa. Creation of crops and grass is dependent upon availability of land, water and air. Similarly, light is dependent on availability of the sun and the moon. Rain is dependent on clouds and air. Then there is such a strong bond between these causes and effects that it binds them together in such a way that there has not been the slightest deviation in the working of things even after the passage of centuries. For instance look at the solar system. This system has been working for centuries, yet there has not been the minutest change or deviation in its working, nor has there been a split of a second's difference in the movements of the entire system. Neither there is any change in the movements of the sun and the moon nor do they require any overhauling or repair work. They are moving along their orbits since the origin of the universe at a defined speed. One can calculate their movements with precision and predict their positions in advance for centuries. This marvelous system of causes and effects was, in fact, a masterpiece of Allah's creation and a solid proof of His boundless power and infinite wisdom, but it was this firmness of the system which ultimately made people neglectful of Allah's power. When they perceived that all the 'effects' in this universe are linked with some visible causes, they confined their eyes to these visible causes only and started believing them to be the original creator of all these events. The real power of the Creator which was the original cause of all causes remained hidden behind the covers of visible causes only. The prophets are sent and the divine books are revealed to remind human beings that they must rise above this shortsightedness, and see behind the cover of these apparent causes and the omnipotence of their creator who is in fact running and controlling the whole system. This is the only way to discover the real truth about this universe. The verses under consideration are meant to point out to this reality. In the verse أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ (Have you not turned your vision to your Lord, how He prolonged the shadow? - 25:45). People are reminded of the perfect solar system and the benefits people draw from it. It is a common experience to see the sun rising from the east when the shades are long. Then with the passage of time they are shortened and at noon become the shortest. Then again as the sun moves toward west the shades start lengthening and before the sunsets become the longest. In this whole process the entire humanity draws unlimited benefits from sunlight and its shades, and clearly realizes that there are the effects of the movements of the sun between East and West, but little attention is paid to the question as to who has created this sun and who has bound it to a well - planned system. Answer to this question cannot be found by one's eyes, but it can be perceived by the insight of heart and mind. If He so willed, Allah would have made sunlight and shades stationary so that where there was sunlight it would have stayed as such, and where there was shade it would have remained such forever. Just think of the problems it would have brought about. But in His Wisdom He has not done so and instead created things which are beneficial and useful for humanity. The next verse وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا (and if He so willed, He would have made it stand still - 45) means exactly that. In order to explain the phenomenon of lengthening and shortening of shades, it is stated in the verse قَبَضْنَاهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًا يَسِيرً‌ا (46) that is "We pulled it toward Us in a gradual manner." It is well known that Allah Ta’ ala is beyond the purview of body or direction and hence there is no question of the shade being pulled toward Him. What it means is that shortening of the shades takes place by His Supreme Power.

(Hast thou not seen how thy Lord hath spread the shade) after sunrise and before sunset, from the East to the West. (And if He willed He could have made it) i.e. the shade (still) with no sun, (then We have made the sun its) the shade's (pilot) wherever one finds the sun one expects to find the shade before that; it is also said that this means: a guide which comes after it;