Tafseer of Luqman · Luqman · 31:29
Do you not see that Allah causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term, and that Allah, with whatever you do, is Acquainted?
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The discourse on the explanation of His statement, the Exalted: أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ (29) (Do you not see that Allah makes the night pass into the day and makes the day pass into the night, and that He has made the sun and the moon subservient — each runs to an appointed term — and that Allah is fully aware of what you do (31:29)).
He, exalted is His mention, says: (Do you not see) O Muḥammad, with your eye, (that Allah makes the night pass into the day) — He says: He adds, from what is lacking in the hours of the night, to the hours of the day — (and makes the day pass into the night) — He says: He adds what is lacking in the hours of the day to the hours of the night.
As Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: (Do you not see that Allah makes the night pass into the day): the decrease of the night in the increase of the day, (and makes the day pass into the night): the decrease of the day in the increase of the night.
And His statement: (and He has made the sun and the moon subservient — each runs to an appointed term) — He, exalted is His mention, says: and He has made the sun and the moon subservient for the benefit of the interests of His creatures and their advantages, (each runs) — He says: all of this runs by His command to a known time and a limited term; when it is reached, the sun and the moon are rolled up.
And in accordance with what we have said about that, the exegetes have said.
* Mention of those who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: (and He has made the sun and the moon subservient — each runs to an appointed term) — he says: for all of this there is a known time and a known limit, which it does not exceed and does not pass beyond.
And His statement: (and that Allah is fully aware of what you do) — He says: and indeed Allah is, concerning your deeds, O people, whether they be good or evil, full of knowledge and cognizance; nothing of that escapes Him, and He will requite you for all of that. These words were issued as an address to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while the polytheists (mushrikīn) are the ones intended by them. That is because He, exalted is His mention, by His statement: (that Allah makes the night pass into the day and makes the day pass into the night) has pointed to the locus of His proof against whoever does not know His greatness and has made another besides Him a partner in His worship. To this points His statement: ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ الْبَاطِلُ (That is because Allah is the Truth, and because what they call upon besides Him is the false).
