Surah Nahl ayat 48 Tafsir Quran 16:48

﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِن شَيْءٍ يَتَفَيَّأُ ظِلَالُهُ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَالشَّمَائِلِ سُجَّدًا لِّلَّهِ وَهُمْ دَاخِرُونَ﴾
[ النحل: 48]

16:48 Have they not considered what things Allah has created? Their shadows incline to the right and to the left, prostrating to Allah, while they are humble.

Or have they not observed the things which God has created which cast a shadow such as trees or a mountain how their shadows incline to the right and to the left shamā’il is the plural of shimāl in other words towards both sides at the beginning of the day and at its end prostrating to God sujjadan is a circumstantial qualifier that is to say subservient to Him with respect to what is required of them and how they the shadows are subject? humbled they the shadows are likened to rational beings in this description.

Did they -the infidels- not see into Allahs cosmic sign of the shadow, and how everything that He has created casts its shadow -or image- upon a surface by intercepting the direct rays of the great luminary and other luminaries, and how do objects turn their shadows right and left according to the relative position of the source of light, and how such shadows are governed by cosmic laws in comely prostration to Allah incensed by humiliation

Everything prostrates to Allah Allah informs us about His might, majesty and pride, meaning that all things submit themselves to Him and every created being - animate and inanimate, as well as the responsible - humans and Jinns, and the angels - all humble themselves before Him.
He tells us that everything that has a shadow leaning to the right and the left, i.e., in the morning and the evening, is by its shadow, prostrating to Allah.
Mujahid said, "When the sun passes its zenith, everything prostrates to Allah, may He be glorified." This was also said by Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others. لِلَّهِ وَهُمْ ( while they are humble ) means, they are in a state of humility.
Mujahid also said: "The prostration of every thing is its shadow", and he mentioned the mountains and said that their prostrations are their shadows.
Abu Ghalib Ash-Shaybani said: "The waves of the sea are its prayers".
It is as if reason is attributed to these inanimate objects when they are described as prostrating, so Allah says: وَلِلَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ مِن دَآبَّةٍ ( And to Allah prostrate all that are in the heavens and all that are in the earth, of the moving creatures ) As Allah says: وَللَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَظِلَـلُهُم بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالاٌّصَالِ ( And to Allah (alone ) all who are in the heavens and the earth fall in prostration, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in the afternoons.) ( 13:15 ) وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ وَهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ( and the angels, and they are not proud. ) means, they prostrate to Allah and are not too proud to worship Him. يَخَـفُونَ رَبَّهُمْ مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ ( They fear their Lord above them ) means, they prostrate out of fear of their Lord, may He be glorified. وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ ( and they do what they are commanded. ) meaning they continually obey Allah, doing what He tells them to do and avoiding that which He forbids.

(16:48) And don't they observe anything created by Allah how it casts its shadow right and left, prostrating itself before Allah? *41 Thus all things express their humility.

Have they not considered what things Allah meaning

*41) The argument is this: The fact that everything-a man, an animal, a tree or a mountain-casts its shadow, is a clear proof of its material nature, and everything which is made of matter, is a creation of Allah and is subject to a universal law.
In this case the law is that every material thing casts its shadow, which is symbolical of its servitude, and it cannot have any share whatsoever in Godhead.

 

Everything prostrates to Allah Allah informs us about His might, majesty and pride, meaning that all things submit themselves to Him and every created being - animate and inanimate, as well as the responsible - humans and Jinns, and the angels - all humble themselves before Him.
He tells us that everything that has a shadow leaning to the right and the left, i.e., in the morning and the evening, is by its shadow, prostrating to Allah.
Mujahid said, "When the sun passes its zenith, everything prostrates to Allah, may He be glorified." This was also said by Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others. لِلَّهِ وَهُمْ ( while they are humble ) means, they are in a state of humility.
Mujahid also said: "The prostration of every thing is its shadow", and he mentioned the mountains and said that their prostrations are their shadows.
Abu Ghalib Ash-Shaybani said: "The waves of the sea are its prayers".
It is as if reason is attributed to these inanimate objects when they are described as prostrating, so Allah says: وَلِلَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ مِن دَآبَّةٍ ( And to Allah prostrate all that are in the heavens and all that are in the earth, of the moving creatures ) As Allah says: وَللَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَظِلَـلُهُم بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالاٌّصَالِ ( And to Allah (alone ) all who are in the heavens and the earth fall in prostration, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in the afternoons.) ( 13:15 ) وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ وَهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ( and the angels, and they are not proud. ) means, they prostrate to Allah and are not too proud to worship Him. يَخَـفُونَ رَبَّهُمْ مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ ( They fear their Lord above them ) means, they prostrate out of fear of their Lord, may He be glorified. وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ ( and they do what they are commanded. ) meaning they continually obey Allah, doing what He tells them to do and avoiding that which He forbids.

( Have they ) the people of Mecca ( not observed all things that Allah hath created ) of trees and beasts, ( how their shadows incline to the right ) in the morning ( and to the left ) in the afternoon, ( making prostration unto Allah ) and their shadows also making prostration to Allah in the morning and in the afternoon, ( and they are lowly? ) and they are obedient.

Have they not observed things that Allah has created, (how) their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly?

Page 272 English transliteration