Surah Al-Ma'arij — Verse 40

Word Meanings:

• Al-Mashāriq (المشارق): The places of sunrise — referring to the rising points of the sun, moon, and stars throughout the year.
• Al-Maghārib (المغارب): The places of sunset — the corresponding points where these celestial bodies set.
• L-Qādirūn (لقادرون): Indeed fully capable and powerful, with absolute ability over all things.

Explanation of the Verse:

Allah Almighty swears by His own noble Self, taking an oath as the Lord of all the rising points and all the setting points of the sun, the moon, and every celestial body across the heavens. This refers to the countless different points of sunrise and sunset that occur each day of the year — a sign of His perfect order and infinite wisdom. The response to this oath is: "Indeed, We are fully capable" — capable of everything He wills, including replacing these disbelievers with a better people who are more obedient to Him, and capable of resurrecting them after death and bringing them to account. No one can escape His power, nor can anyone outrun His decree, for He is the Almighty who has absolute control over all creation.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

Dear reader, pause and contemplate this magnificent oath. The Lord of the heavens and the earth — the One who sets the sun in its course and brings forth the dawn each day — swears by His own majesty that He is fully capable. If He can command the sun to rise from a different point each day, and the stars to follow their precise orbits without deviation, then how could He not be capable of resurrecting you after death? How could He not be able to hold you to account for your deeds? This verse fills the believer's heart with awe and hope: awe of a God whose power knows no limits, and hope that His justice will prevail. Let this certainty draw you closer to Him, for the One who controls the rising and setting of every star is surely able to grant you success in this life and the next. Turn to Him, submit to His will, and you will find that His power is always on the side of those who trust in Him.