The sun and the moon are subjected to man:
Dear believing brothers, we stopped at the following Ayaat last lesson of the interpretation of Surat Ibrahim, peace be upon him. Allah the Almighty says
﴾ Allah is He Who has created the heavens and the earth and sends down water (rain) from the sky, and thereby brought forth fruits as provision for you; and He has made the ships to be of service to you, that they may sail through the sea by His Command; and He has made rivers (also) to be of service to you* And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you; and He has made the night and the day, to be of service to you* And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever (an extreme ingrate, denies Allah's Blessings by disbelief, and by worshipping others besides Allah, and by disobeying Allah and His Prophet Muhammad PBUH). ﴿
[ Ibrahim, 32-34
]
Pay attention to this part of the Ayah, please:
﴾ And He has made the sun and the moon… ﴿
Despite the great nature of both the sun and the moon, they are subjected to man. Which is greater the subjected objects or the one to whom these objects are subjected? Of course the one to whom these objects are subjected is even greater.
Allah the Almighty has subjected everything in the universe to you, O man. What do you do about this? How do you react to such an honor? Have you reacted to it by obedience or disobedience? Have you expressed your gratefulness to Allah for this honor or you have been ungrateful and you have just denied it? Have you reacted to it by offering good deeds or bad ones? Have you praised Allah and remembered Him for such an honor or you have been heedless of Him? How have you reacted to such an honor?
﴾ And He has made the sun.. ﴿
[ Ibrahim, 33
]
All of us know that there is no life without the sun. It gives earth heat, without which the temperature would be -250, and the earth would be a lifeless frozen planet. Besides heat, the sun provides the earth with light, which is necessary for the plants to grow, so without it, plants would die, and humankind and animals that depend on plants on their food would die as well.
﴾ And He has made the sun… ﴿
You have light and warmth due to the sun. In addition, the sun has the function of sterilization; it gets rid of harmful creatures that only live in darkness, so when the sun rises, it purifies your environment from everything that harms you.
The sun, as you know, is 156 million kilometers away from the earth, and the light travels this distance in eight minutes. Moreover, the sun is one million 300.000 times larger than the earth. In other words, the sun fits one million and 300.000 earths. Consider how big the earth is with all its dimensions!
The temperature of the sun's surface is more that 6.000°C degrees, while the temperature of its core exceeds 20°C million degrees. So, if the earth were placed in the sun, it would vaporize in one second. Scientists estimate the age of the sun to be 5.000 million years.
﴾ And He has made the sun and the moon… ﴿
[ Ibrahim, 33
]
The sun and the moon are subjected to man. Our Lord, Exalted and Sublime be He, narrates what our Master Ibrahim said to the Nimrod:
﴾ Have you not looked at him who disputed with Ibrahim (Abraham) about his Lord (Allah), because Allah had given him the kingdom? When Ibrahim (Abraham) said (to him): "My Lord (Allah) is He Who gives life and causes death." He said, "I give life and cause death." Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "Verily! Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; then cause it you to rise from the west." So the disbeliever was utterly defeated. And Allah guides not the people, who are Zalimoon (wrong-doers, etc.). ﴿
Can any power on earth cause the sun to change the direction of its rising and setting? Can any power stop it from rising or prevent it from setting? I repeat the Ayah:
﴾ "Verily! Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; then cause it you to rise from the west." So the disbeliever was utterly defeated. ﴿
Making things fixed while others moving manifests Allah's Profound Wisdom:
We come to the meaning of Allah's following Words:
﴾ And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you… ﴿
The delicate fact is that due to Allah's Wisdom, there are fixed things and moving ones. For instance, the course of the sun, its rising, setting and their direction never change. They are fixed due to Allah's Will, Exalted and Sublime be He, so that our life keeps organized. If the sun rose in fluctuated timing, our life would be in a mess.
Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, has made many things fixed. No one worries about not noticing the sun rising upon waking up in the morning. Well, there is no Du'a in Shari'ah to make the sun rise. It is not like the case of rain for which we make Du'a to Allah asking Him to send us rain.
Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, has intended to make the sun and everything related to it fixed in order to keep our life stable and organized, because time is based on the movement of the sun, the earth and the moon.
Allah the Almighty mentions in the following Ayah that they are constantly pursuing their courses:
﴾ And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you… ﴿
The fixed courses never change, and the constant solar system is one of Allah's Blessings, Exalted and Sublime be He. There are many other unchangeable things, like planting the seeds to get certain vegetables or fruits. For instance, when you plant apple seeds, you will get apple, not any other type of fruits, and no one on earth will get any fruit other than apple upon planting apple seeds. This constant fact about seeds is one of Allah's Blessings.
Unlike the seeds of the plants, the rainfall is not fixed. It is among the changeable things Allah the Almighty has created. In some years, it rains heavily, so the land becomes green, but in other years, there is drought due to the scarcity of rainfall.
If Allah the Almighty made everything fixed, including rainfall and man's physical systems, man would become dispensable for his Lord, and by this dispensable attitude, he would live a miserable life. So, think deeply of the Divine Wisdom behind making things fixed whereas other things are changeable. The sun and the moon constantly pursue their constant courses. Therefore, man will never ever get worried about having a change in the direction of the sunrise and the sunset, because the sun is subjugated to man.
The sun is one of Allah's Signs that indicate His Greatness:
In spite of the fact we have just mentioned about the sun, listen to Allah's Words:
﴾ And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. ﴿
There must be a day when the function of the sun ends:
﴾ When the sun Kuwwirat (wound round and lost its light and is overthrown ). ﴿
The heedless person enjoys the light and heat of the sun, but he never tries to know Allah through it. This enjoyment of the heedless person is like the one of the animal. The believer, on the other hand, thinks of Allah the Almighty whenever he enjoys the heat and the light of the sun. It guides him to Allah the Almighty, because the sun is one of Allah's Signs that indicate His Greatness:
﴾ And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Prostrate not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate to Allah Who created them, if you (really) worship Him. ﴿
Why do you think the ancient people, who were heedless of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, used to worship the sun? They did so, because they made use of its benefits. Had they pondered over it, thought deeply of it and reflected on it, they would have come to know its Creator. Pay attention to the following Ayaat, please:
﴾ When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the erring people." ﴿
﴾ When the night covered him over with darkness he saw a star. He said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "I like not those that set." ﴿
Then Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism, i.e. worshipping none but Allah Alone) and I am not of Al-Mushrikoon". ﴿
Our Master Ibrahim, peace be upon him, moved from the sun to Allah the Almighty. Likewise, the believer moves from everything created to their Creator. So, when the believer enjoys the light and the heat of the sun, he actually enjoys the reality about it, and he enjoys knowing its Creator. When he ponders over it, he starts thinking of its Creator, and so his heart submits to Him. As his heart submits, his tears flow (out of submission), and he turns to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, realizing that the sun is his guide to Allah the Almighty:
﴾ And He has subjected to you the night and the day, the sun and the moon; and the stars are subjected by His Command. Surely, in this are proofs for people who understand. ﴿
Everything in heaven is subjected to man by Allah's Command:
Here is another Ayah:
﴾ …The sun and the moon; and the stars… ﴿
This means whatever is in the sky is subjected to man:
﴾ …Are subjected by His Command. ﴿
They are subjected to man by Allah's Command. Whatever it does is by Allah's Command; the sun moves (in its own course), rises and sets by the Command of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He.
In another Ayah, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out its (their) stages, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. Allah did not create this but in truth. He explains the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail for people who have knowledge. ﴿
The sunlight is shining and bright, while the moonlight is less bright. It looks like the dim light man turns on when he goes to sleep, so that he can see the figures of things in his bedroom.
Due to Allah's Mercy upon us, He has made the light of the moon less bright than the one of the sun:
﴾ Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light… ﴿
Allah the Almighty has made moonlight dim. If you look out your window at the field that is opposite your room, you will be able to see the figures of things in the moonlight.
﴾ He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He makes the night to go in the day and makes the day to go in the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each running (on a fixed course) for an appointed term. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving. ﴿
Such running in a fixed course has an appointed term. The sun enables us to see things from now till the Day of Resurrection. When its function is finished, man will be called to account for all his deeds.
The sun and the earth's movements are Divine Signs:
We move to another point regarding the following Ayah:
﴾ Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow. If He willed, He could have made it still then We have made the sun its guide (i.e. after the sunrise… ﴿
This is one of the Signs of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. When you sit in an orchard, you will notice how the shadow of the tree spreads bit by bit as time passes. It looks smaller than the tree in the afternoon, but then it expands until it becomes as tall as the tree, and later on, it becomes twice its length. After some time, it is spread to great distances. Who has spread this shadow? It is the rotation of the earth on its own axis and the apparent movement of the sun.
As I have just said, the shadow is a Divine Sign from which man should deduce the rotation of the earth. The naive person sees things with his eyes, but the thinking person sees things with his reason. In other words, man cannot see the rotation of the earth with his eyes, nor can he see the movement of the sun, but he can see the movement of the shadow. So, as long as the shadow spreads, there must be a movement either by the sun or by the earth.
﴾ Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow. If He willed, He could have made it still… ﴿
[ Al-Furqan, 45
]
The stillness of the shadow indicates that the earth or the sun stops moving.
Keeping everything in its course is one of Allah's greatest Signs:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ …Then We have made the sun its guide (i.e. after the sunrise… ﴿
Were it not for the sunrays, we would have no idea about the movement of the earth:
﴾ …Then We have made the sun its guide (i.e. after the sunrise… ﴿
The sun is what guides us to the movement of the earth:
﴾ It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit. ﴿
How well-organized their floating is! As you know airplanes must have wise leadership in the airport towers to control the flights. For example, a plane is given the instruction to take Damascus-Paris airline. If the tower employee at the airports makes a mistake and gives an instruction to two planes to fly in the same airline, he will cause a horrible disaster. This is what happened once; two planes by which 400 passengers flew, crashed and all the passengers died. Why did that happen? It happened because the tower employee incorrectly gave an instruction to two planes to fly in the same airline.
The plane cannot take off from the airport unless it is given a line from its take-off tower and the arrival tower. If another plane flies at the same time, it is given another line, higher or lower than that one.
Do you know how many planes are there on earth? Suppose there are 5.000 or 50.000 planes, how many employees at each airport work to regulate the flights of these planes? As for the universe, every galaxy contains a billion stars, and in the universe, there are approximately a billion galaxies. If we multiply the number of the stars by the number of the galaxies, we will get a number with 24 zeros. Yet, no star has ever collided with another one!
﴾ It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit. ﴿
Every star has its own orbit and its own course. This meaning is clearer in the following Ayah:
﴾ Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places, and if they were to move away from their places, there is not one that could grasp them after Him. Truly, He is Ever Most Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving. ﴿
Allah the Almighty grasps them, so that they will not move away from their places:
﴾ Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places… ﴿
Keeping the earth, the sun, the moon and the stars on their courses is a major Divine Sign of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. To understand the greatness of this Divine Sign, consider the disaster the train causes if it derails. If a train travels on the edge of a deep valley and it derails, there will be causalities among its passengers. What if such a deviation occurred to earth? I mean, what would happen if the earth deviated from its course and entered into another one? It would collide with another planet or a star, and everything on earth would disappear.
Listen to the following Ayah, please:
﴾ The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each (for reckoning, etc.). ﴿
How accurate the calculation is. Scientists said, "If an explosion on the sun occurred, the flare will increase the temperature of the earth, and will melt the ice blocks at the poles accordingly, which will cause a rising in the seawater 93 meters above its current level, and so two-thirds of the land would be submerged." Hence, think of this Ayah:
﴾ The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each (for reckoning, etc.). ﴿
Pondering over the universe makes man recognize Allah's Greatness:
The distances between the sun and the moon, the earth and the sun, the earth and the moon and the moon and the sun have been calculated accurately. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ And has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp? ﴿
It is time to use your mind and start thinking of the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, to realize the Greatness of Allah the Almighty, to have your heart submitted to Him, to become steadfast upon His Order, to offer good deeds that will get you closer to Him and to be pleased in the worldly life and the Hereafter. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And of men and Ad-Dawab (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and cattle, in like manner of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, Oft-Forgiving. ﴿
He the Almighty says:
﴾ And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you… ﴿
The sun and the moon are subjugated to us. There would be no life without the sun, since it provides us with light, heat, and sterilization. This is how it is subjected to us.
Whoever reflects on the night and the day sees Allah through them:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ …and He has made the night and the day, to be of service to you ﴿
Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says in another Ayah:
﴾ And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayat (signs etc.). Then, We have made dark the sign of the night while We have made the sign of day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything (in detail) with full explanation. ﴿
The people of the worldly life enjoy the sunny days in spring and fall, and they go for picnics. Similarly, they enjoy their evenings in the moonlight nights. They enjoy themselves during the days and nights, but they are supposed to ponder over the night and the day to see Allah's Greatness manifested in them.
﴾ And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayat (signs etc.). Then, We have made dark the sign of the night while We have made the sign of day illuminating… ﴿
It becomes very dark at night to such an extent that you cannot see anything. Man gets scared when he walks alone in the wood at night. He will imagine ghosts around him, and so he will be extremely horrified. On the other hand, when he walks in the wood during the day, he will not be afraid.
Pay attention to the following Hadith, please:
(( Al-Bazzar recorded that Abu Hurairah said that: A man came to the Messenger of Allah and asked him, about Allah's statement, (Paradise as wide as the heavens and the Earth); "Where is the Fire then?'' The Prophet said, "When the night comes, it overtakes everything, so where is the day?" The man said, "Where Allah wants it to be.'' The Prophet said, "Similarly, the Fire is where Allah wants it to be." ))
[ Al-Bazzar, on the authority of Abi Hurairah ]
Where the day goes when the night comes? Sometimes when you travel in a sunny day, the road is clear before you, and so you feel secured. However, the minute the sun sets, and it gets darker, you start looking carefully while you are driving, fearing that you may hit a car that is close to you.
(( When the night comes, it overtakes everything, so where is the day? ))
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And it is He Who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of night and day. Will you not then understand? ﴿
The alteration of night and day refers to two things: It indicates that the night comes after the day, and it refers to the increase and the decrease in the hours of the night and the day. Who has made the night longer than the day in winter and the day longer than the night in summer? Who has made such an alteration? Allah the Almighty has.
Man likes it when the night is longer than the day in winter. Isha' prayer comes earlier than it does in summer, so you can get more sleep after praying Isha'. In contrast, you can work for some more time during the summer days, as they are longer. You can notice how the day is short while night is long in winter, and it is vice versa in summer. This fact in referred to in the following Ayah:
﴾ …And His is the alternation of night and day. ﴿
This alteration is due to Allah's Measure and Wisdom.
Making the night enter into the day is one of the greatest Divine Sign:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer), You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit (measure or account). ﴿
You can notice how the night enters into the day at sunset. When you look at the west, you will see beams of the sunlight and the red twilight, and when you look at the east, you will notice how dark it gets. This phenomenon is reversed at dawn; when you look at the east, you will see how the sunlight starts to appear, but if you look at the west, it is still very dark. Our Lord, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ You make the night to enter into the day… ﴿
Entering the night into the day is one of the greatest Divine Signs. What would you say if the sun suddenly set? In some villages where power is provided by generators, the generator is turned off at 12.00 A.M, but ten minutes before, it is tuned off for one minute, and then it is tuned on once again, just to notify people that the time for the lights to go out is approaching, and so they have to get ready for sleep. Likewise, by our Lord's Command, Exalted and Sublime be He, the sun does not set out of sudden, lest man would be confused and lost. For instance, the shepherd in such a case would look for his sheep after running in different places. Someone else would try to gather his shattered things, or his children who were playing before sunset. Praise be to Allah, the sun sets gradually. It disappears, but its light keeps lightening the earth for about 15 minutes until the red twilight disappears, and it is Isha' time.
The same applies to sunrise. If the sun were to rise suddenly, the vision would be blurred. So, due the Wisdom of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, when the sun rises and it is at eyesight level, its color is red, so that it does not harm the retina. As it rises in the sky, its color turns into white, and looking at it harms the eye. When the sun is in the middle of the sky, it is shining and radiant, but when it is at the level of the eyesight, its color is gentle to the eye. This is one of the Signs of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He.
﴾ You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer)… ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 27
]
Night is meant for resting and calmness:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ He has appointed the night for resting… ﴿
The night has been created for resting, so even the nosiest house will be silent at 2.00 A.M. Actually, man never finds rest but at night, as his body takes a break and his nerves calm down after he gets back home in the evening.
Thanks to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, for creating a unified system on earth. In other words, when the sun sets, the creatures go to their nests, and human beings are supposed to go to their homes. Accordingly, spending the night, that Allah has prepared for resting, for regaining one's energy and for letting the body get some rest and remain healthy, in silly chats and worthless relationships is contrary to the Sunnah. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. Such is the measuring of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. ﴿
Once, I read an article about an interview with a professor. I know that he has no interest in religion whatsoever. However, he said during the interview that one of his daily activities that he would never give up was sleeping early to stay healthy. In fact, if man gets himself used to sleeping early, he will taste the sweetness of life, and the reason is explained in the following Hadith:
(( Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Were people to know the blessing of pronouncing Adhan and the standing in the first row, they would even draw lots to secure these privileges. And were they to realize the reward of performing Salat early, they would race for it; and were they to know the merits of Salat after nightfall ('Isha') and the dawn (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl." ))
[ Al-Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Abi Hurairah
]
Here is another Hadith:
(( Abud Darda' and Abu Dharr reported Allah's Messenger as stating that God who is blessed and exalted said, "Son of Adam, if you perform four rak'as for me at the beginning of the day, I will supply what you need till the end of it." ))
[ At-Tirmidhi, on the authority of Abid Darda' and bi Dharr ]
Listen to the following Ayaat, please:
﴾ Verily, the rising by night (for Tahajjud prayer) is very hard and most potent and good for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (understanding) the Word (of Allah). ﴿
﴾ Perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) from mid-day till the darkness of the night (i.e. the Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha' prayers), and recite the Quran in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Quran in the early dawn is ever witnessed (attended by the angels in charge of mankind of the day and the night)* And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salat (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Quran in the prayer), as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawafil) for you (O Muhammad PBUH). It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqaman Mahmooda (a station of praise and glory, i.e. the highest degree in Paradise!). ﴿
[ Al-Isra', 78-79
]
﴾ And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnaeen (two in pairs - may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two sorts, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big, etc.) He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect. ﴿
Night comes as a concealer that conceals the earth:
﴾ And by the sun and its brightness* And by the moon as it follows it (the sun* And by the day as it shows up (the suns) brightness* And by the night as it conceals it (the sun). ﴿
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ He it is Who has appointed for you the night that you may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily, in this are Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who listen (i.e. those who think deeply). ﴿
He also says:
﴾ And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayat (signs etc.). Then, We have made dark the sign of the night… ﴿
[ Al-Isra', 12
]
Night was created for resting:
﴾ …While We have made the sign of day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord… ﴿
This part explains what precedes it:
﴾ … That you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything (in detail) with full explanation. ﴿
Imagine how life would be if there were neither night nor day! All calculations would be over, you would not even be able to calculate your lifespan or your age. If the sun never set, there would be no motion on earth (because people would wander around like living dead for not being able to rest).
Day, night and the four seasons are organized by Allah:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ …That you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning. ﴿
Were it not for the earth's spinning, there would be neither day nor night. If it rotated horizontally, there would be neither day nor night. In addition, if it did not move in an elliptical path, half earth's sphere would be forever bright, while the other half would be forever dark. So, it is not only about orbiting the sun, but rather it is about its spinning and rotating on its own axis at the same time.
Were it not for its rotation on its own axis (every 24 hours) while rotating around the sun (about 365 1/4 days to complete) on an elliptical path, the night would be eternal on half of the earth's sphere and the day would be eternal on the other half. However, if it rotated on an axis that is perpendicular with its rotation around the sun, there would be no seasons.
How are seasons formed? The earth moves around the sun in an elliptical (elongated circle) orbit (this requires about 365 1/4 days to complete). The earth's spin axis is tilted with respect to its orbital plane, and this is what causes the seasons. When the earth's axis points towards the sun, it is summer for that hemisphere and it is winter to the opposite one. When the earth's axis points away, it is winter in this half of the earth, and it is summer in the opposite half.
Were it not for the tilt of this axis, there would be no summer, winter, spring or fall. Were it not for earth's rotation, there would be neither day nor night. If it rotated on a horizontal axis parallel to the path of its rotation, night and day would be cancelled. Since the axis is tilted, there are night and day, and there are the four seasons. Who has designed this? Who has organized this? Allah the Almighty has.
The wisdom behind creating the night:
﴾ And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salat (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Quran in the prayer), as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawafil) for you (O Muhammad PBUH)…) ﴿
One of the blessings of the night is that it enables man to rest. As you know, man goes to work in the morning, and during this time, he faces problems, and he tackles issues, and so the best time for him to rest is at night. If there were no night, man would keep working with non-stop until the end of his life. When night comes, man goes back home to get some rest, to ponder over this life and to start thinking and asking questions such as: Where was I before I have been created? Where will I go after death? Who has created me? Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And in some parts of the night (also)… ﴿
[ Al-Isra', 79
]
Night represents calmness as the family is asleep, and there is nothing to do at work or in the shop. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salat (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Quran in the prayer), as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawafil) for you (O Muhammad PBUH)…) ﴿
It seems that Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, has created the night for Tahajjud prayer, for meditation, and for worship, and this is why Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Verily! We have sent it (this Quran) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree). ﴿
Allah does not say in the daytime of Al-Qdar, because man has to go to work during the day:
﴾ Verily! We have sent it (this Quran) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree). ﴿
[ Al-Qadr, 1 ]
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Allah causes the night and the day to succeed each other (i.e. if the day is gone, the night comes, and if the night is gone, the day comes, and so on). Truly, in these things is indeed a lesson for those who have insight. ﴿
There is variety in our life; there are night, day, summer, winter, spring, and fall.
The blessing of sleep is appreciated by those who are deprived of it:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And it is He Who makes the night a covering for you, and the sleep (as) repose, and makes the day Nushoor (i.e. getting up and going about here and there for daily work, etc. after ones sleep at night or like resurrection after ones death). ﴿
The sleep is repose. The nervous system is exhausted during the day, so when night comes it gets some rest in sleep, the nerve cells relax and the nerve impulse takes a break. Hence, after sleeping at night, man gets up active as if he were not tired the day before. He recharges his energy by sleeping:
﴾ And it is He Who makes the night a covering for you, and the sleep (as) repose… ﴿
A brother, who had been in a European country, told me that he could not sleep for several days when he was there. He said, "I had never slept for 20 nights", so he went to two doctors for a medication, but it was in vain, and then he went to the hospital where doctors were confused about his condition. They were unable to diagnose the problem, so he was obliged to return to his country. Oddly enough, he slept deeply during his first night after getting back to his country!
If Allah the Almighty deprives someone of sleep, his life will be unbearable. No one appreciates this blessing more than the one who is deprived of it. Insomnia is unbearable, and the one who suffers from it will feel that his head is about to explode due to being deprived of sleep. Whoever is able to sleep once he goes to bed and puts his head on the pillow is blessed with a great blessing that is only appreciated by those who are deprived of it. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And it is He Who makes the night a covering for you, and the sleep (as) repose… ﴿
Day and night are especially created for man:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession, for such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude. ﴿
You go to work during the day, and you get back to your house to spend the evening in it. Hence, the day is spent in doing one's activities and the night is for resting:
﴾ And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession, for such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude. ﴿
This is what I have said earlier; the wisdom behind creating the night is remembering Allah the Almighty during it.
Listen to this critical Ayah, please:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "Tell me! If Allah made night continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, who is an ilah (a god) besides Allah who could bring you light? Will you not then hear?" ﴿
Suppose that Allah the Almighty gives the command to the earth to stop rotating, and the night goes on for good, what will the inhabitants of the earth do? Will they altogether be able to take an action to make the earth rotate? Can the most powerful party on earth give a command to the earth to rotate? Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "Tell me! If Allah made night continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, who is an ilah (a god) besides Allah who could bring you light? Will you not then hear?" ﴿
﴾ And a sign for them is the night, We withdraw therefrom the day, and behold, they are in darkness. ﴿
How precise this fact is! The basic rule is that the outer space is very dark, but the sun is an exception to this rule:
﴾ And a sign for them is the night, We withdraw therefrom the day, and behold, they are in darkness. ﴿
Here is another Ayah about the same point:
﴾ And by the night when it departs. ﴿
The night moves from place to place on earth:
﴾ There is indeed in them (the above oaths) sufficient proofs for men of understanding (and that, they should avoid all kinds of sins and disbeliefs, etc.)! ﴿
At every second there is night somewhere on earth. More correctly, every spot on the earth has a special timing for sunrise and sunset. As long as the earth is oval, it rotates around the sun, and it rotates on its own axis, day and night comes gradually. Our Lord, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ Allah is He Who has created the heavens and the earth and sends down water (rain) from the sky, and thereby brought forth fruits as provision for you; and He has made the ships to be of service to you, that they may sail through the sea by His Command; and He has made rivers (also) to be of service to you* And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you; and He has made the night and the day, to be of service to you. ﴿
Pay attention to the phrase "to you", which indicates that the night and the day have been created especially for you, O mankind. Are you grateful to Allah for these blessings? Do you always remember Allah?
Asking Allah by words, actions, or intentions:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, – a disbeliever (an extreme ingrate, denies Allah's Blessings by disbelief, and by worshipping others besides Allah, and by disobeying Allah and His Prophet Muhammad PBUH). ﴿
Scholars said, "Allah gave you of all that you asked for and that which you did not." Have you asked Him for the stars? Have you asked Him for the galaxies? Have you asked Him for the sun and the moon? Have you asked Him for the various types of foods? Unlike man, there are animals which eat one type of food throughout their lives. Did you know before you were created that there are various types of food which you did not ask Allah for?
Scholars have deduced from this Ayah that Allah the Almighty has already blessed us with many blessings without asking Him for them, and when we were created on earth, we asked Him for some of them:
﴾ And He gave you of all that you asked for… ﴿
The phrase "of all that you asked for" indicates that Allah the Almighty gave us of all that we asked for and that we did not ask for. The other point is: Does "all that you asked for" refer to a verbal request or it reflects the status of man?
Let me clarify: In some cases man asks Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, for a need by saying, "O Lord, grant me a good deed by which I may draw closer to You", "O Lord, grant me a righteous wife who would help me fulfill my religious obligations and duties", "O Lord, grant me a house to dwell in", "O Lord, grant me a son who would benefit people after my death", or "O Lord, grant me lawful money that would help me be more obedient to you." All these are needs man asks Allah for. In other cases, man does not ask Allah for a need. Yet, our Lord the Almighty facilitates whatever he needs. For example, since man is in need of something to protect him from the cold weather, Allah the Almighty has created wool for him, and thus no matter how severe the cold is, man will feel warm when he puts on woolen clothes. This is how your body asks Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, due to its status for what it needs without asking Him verbally. Likewise, when summer comes, it is hot which makes you thirsty most of the time, so Allah the Almighty has created some types of fruit that are mostly composed of water, like watermelon in order to quench your thirst.
As I have just said, when it is winter, you need to keep yourself warm, so Allah the Almighty has created for you firewood and liquid fuel. When you feel cold, and upon entering a room where the heater is on, you appreciate this blessing and say, "By Allah, feeling warm by fire is the best thing man need in winter." This body requires warmth in winter, so Allah the Almighty has created what keeps it warm.
Another need is to find repose in your spouse. Allah the Almighty says:
[ Ar-Rum, 21
]
Man has thoughts and feelings:
﴾ And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. ﴿
You ask Allah for your need either with your tongue (verbally) or silently due to your status (it says it all). The merciful father will buy his son a coat if he notices that he needs one before winter comes without telling his son and without waiting for his son to ask him for a coat. The son did not ask his father for a coat, but having no coat for winter tells what he needs.
﴾ And He gave you of all that you asked for… ﴿
[ Ibrahim, 34
]
One more comment is made by some interpreters of the Noble Quran on this part of the Ayah "And He gave you of all that you asked for". They said, "Allah gives you of all that you ask for when He notices how serious and ready you are in seeking it." The person who has high skills will find whatever that meets the needs of those skills. Similarly, the one who is eager to acquire knowledge will find the sciences that satisfy his eagerness.
Based on the comments on this Ayah, Allah gives man the needs he asks Him for whether he asks for them verbally, by the situation he is in, or by his readiness and seriousness in seeking them. Regarding the last comment, the inventor who is eager to invent something will be helped by Allah the Almighty in his pursuit. In fact, all modern inventions, that man has invented, are actually inspiration from Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. In other words, the inventor has willingness to invent something, so Allah the Almighty provides him with the things he needs to come up with such an invention.
Edison was asked about coming up with an invention, and he said, "Invention is ninety-nine percent effort and one percent inspiration." This means that Allah the Almighty inspired the inventors with the idea of the plane, and He inspires them with the idea of whatever they invent. The proof is implied in Allah's following Words:
﴾ And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an adornment. And He creates (other) things of which you have no knowledge. ﴿
Allah the Almighty inspires the inventor with the idea of his invention (plan, car or whatever vehicle man invents), He has created the required materials for manufacturing it, and He has created the fuel for it. Therefore, the invention itself is basically attributed to Allah the Almighty.
Let me emphasize the point we are discussing one more time. You ask Allah for what you need using your tongue, due to the situation you are in, or due to your readiness, willingness and seriousness with regards to what you need. For example, the student who is serious about solving a difficult problem in mathematics will be able to solve it by Allah's Inspiration. Hence, the whole thing is about your willingness to do something.
Since Allah the Almighty has created man on earth, He took it upon Himself to give him whatever he asks Him for. If man asks Allah to help him fly in the sky, Allah the Almighty will inspire him to find the means of flying. Also, if he asks Allah to help him dive deeply in the seas, Allah will grant him his request, and if he asks him to transport an image from one continent to another, Allah will inspire him to find the way to do so.
All manufactured and invented things on earth are due to Allah's Inspiration, Exalted and Sublime be He, but manufacturing and inventing them are based on the one's sincerity in seeking what he wants. Hence, be sincere and serious about what you need and you will definitely get it.
A man who used to live in a deprived village when he was a child became the head of a university in the future. He moved on foot from his village to the nearest city to pursue his studies. He worked at school in exchange for what met his need of food, until he became a teacher at that very school. He moved from one class to a higher one till he obtained the highest degree and became the head of a university. How did he occupy such a position? He did that by asking Allah the Almighty sincerely for it.
Be sincere in your request:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Whoever wishes for the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell, he will burn therein disgraced and rejected, (far away from Allah's Mercy)* And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. do righteous deeds of Allah's Obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism), then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, thanked and rewarded (by Allah)* To each these as well as those We bestow from the Bounties of your Lord. And the Bounties of your Lord can never be forbidden. ﴿
I tell you: Be sincere in your request for whatever you wish to achieve, and you will definitely achieve it. If you do not achieve it, then you were not sincere in requesting it in the first place. So, whatever you achieve in life is the result of your sincere request for it, and being unable to achieve anything is due to being insincere in requesting it. I repeat the Ayah:
﴾ And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them… ﴿
Ask Allah the Almighty for whatever you want, and if you are sincere in your request, Allah the Almighty will fulfill your request. Beware, if you are wise, then ask Him for lasting bliss, for the Hereafter, and for something that does not end with death. In fact, everything in the worldly life ends with death except knowing Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He.
Allah the Almighty never refers to the worldly life as a real blessing, for it is more despicable than that. Listen to the following Ahadeeth, please:
(( Sahl bin Sa'd narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "If the world to Allah was equal to a mosquito's wing, then He would not allow the disbeliever to have a sip of water from it." ))
[ Jame' At-Tirmithi, on the authority of Sahl bin Sa'd ]
(( Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) happened to walk through the bazar coming from the side of 'Aliya and the people were on both his sides. There he found a dead lamb with very short ears. He took hold of his ear and said: "Who amongst you would like to have this for a dirham? They said: We do not like to have it even for less than that as it is of no use to us. He said: Do you wish to have it (free of any cost)? They said: By Allah, even if it were alive (we would not have liked to possess that), for there is defect in it as its ears are very short; now it is dead also. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the Sight of Allah than it (this dead lamb) is in your eye." ))
Ask Allah the Almighty for whatever you need and He will undoubtedly grant it to you as long as you are sincere in your request. Well, your prudence is manifested in asking Him for immortal bounties, because you will be happy with them forever, unlike the mortal bounties which are consumed in this short life no matter how great they are.
Allah's Blessings are uncountable:
We move to another point concerning this Ayah:
﴾ And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them… ﴿
Allah's blessings are uncountable:
﴾ …And if you count the Blessings of Allah… ﴿
[ Ibrahim, 34
]
You will never be able to count the blessings of Allah the Almighty which include the hearing, the wife, the children, the good health, the creation and so on.
One more thing about this Ayah; since you cannot count Allah's Blessings, do you think you can express your gratitude to Allah for them all? You will never be able to count them all, so how will you be able to thank Allah for them? All human beings, together or separately, are unable to count the good things of one single blessing, so how about counting all the good things of other blessings? Do you think man can thank Allah for them all?
One of these blessings is the bladder. If it were not for the bladder, man's life would be unbearable. If it were not equipped with muscles, man would suffer a lot. How great the blessing of urinating and excreting wastes is!
Consider the blessing of the lungs and think of their function. The lungs work alone due to Allah's Measure, the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. If Allah the Almighty entrusted their function to you, you would never be able to sleep, lest you would die, because your heart would stop beating upon sleeping. The heartbeat is not voluntary, and so heart does not work according to your command, which is a great blessing.
Wronging one's own self is the worst type of oppression:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, – a disbeliever (an extreme ingrate, denies Allah's Blessings by disbelief, and by worshipping others besides Allah, and by disobeying Allah and His Prophet Muhammad PBUH). ﴿
When man neglects his Lord, the Hereafter, the purpose of his existence, and death, he is his own oppressor who wrongs his own self, and he is an infidel who denies his Creator. In other words, he wrongs his own self when he denies the Blessings of his Creator:
When man neglects these blessings, neglects Allah the Almighty, and neglects the Hereafter, and he gets himself immersed in the worldly life then he is addressed in this Ayah:
﴾ Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, – a disbeliever (an extreme ingrate, denies Allah's Blessings by disbelief, and by worshipping others besides Allah, and by disobeying Allah and His Prophet Muhammad PBUH). ﴿
[ Ibrahim, 34
]
He wrongs his own self, which is the worst type of oppression. Not to mention, he disbelieves in Allah's Blessings. What a hideous crime it is when man denies His Lord Who has created him when he was nothing.
