Tafseer of The Groups · Az-Zumar · 39:5
He created the heavens and earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. Unquestionably, He is the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.
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: Khalaqa al-samāwāti wa-al-arḍa bi-al-ḥaqqi yukawwiru al-layla ʿalā al-nahāri wa-yukawwiru al-nahāra ʿalā al-layli wa-sakhkhara al-shamsa wa-al-qamara kullun yajrī li-ajalin musamman alā huwa al-ʿazīzu al-ghaffār ("He created the heavens and the earth in truth; He wraps the night over the day and He wraps the day over the night; and He has made the sun and the moon subservient, each running for an appointed term. Indeed, He is the Almighty, the Most Forgiving") (5).
The Exalted, whose praise is worthy of remembrance, says, describing Himself with His attribute: Khalaqa al-samāwāti wa-al-arḍa bi-al-ḥaqqi yukawwiru al-layla ʿalā al-nahāri wa-yukawwiru al-nahāra ʿalā al-layl ("He created the heavens and the earth in truth; He wraps the night over the day and He wraps the day over the night"). He says: He covers this one with that one, and that one with this one, as He has said: Yūliju al-layla fī al-nahāri wa-yūliju al-nahāra fī al-layl ("He causes the night to pass into the day and He causes the day to pass into the night"). And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken:
* Mention of those who said that:
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his statement: Yukawwiru al-layla ʿalā al-nahāri wa-yukawwiru al-nahāra ʿalā al-layl ("He wraps the night over the day and He wraps the day over the night") — he says: He brings the night over the day.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning his statement: Yukawwiru al-layla ʿalā al-nahār ("He wraps the night over the day") — he said: He rolls it up.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his statement: Yukawwiru al-layla ʿalā al-nahāri wa-yukawwiru al-nahāra ʿalā al-layl ("He wraps the night over the day and He wraps the day over the night") — he said: this one covers that one, and that one covers this one.
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning his statement: Yukawwiru al-layla ʿalā al-nahāri wa-yukawwiru al-nahāra ʿalā al-layl ("He wraps the night over the day and He wraps the day over the night") — he said: He brings the day and causes the night to depart, and He brings the night and causes the day to depart.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his statement: Yukawwiru al-layla ʿalā al-nahāri wa-yukawwiru al-nahāra ʿalā al-layl ("He wraps the night over the day and He wraps the day over the night") — when He causes the night to depart and wraps the day over it, and causes the day to depart and wraps the night over it.
His statement: Wa-sakhkhara al-shamsa wa-al-qamar ("and He has made the sun and the moon subservient") — the Exalted, whose praise is worthy of remembrance, says: and He has made the sun and the moon subservient to His servants, so that thereby they might know the number of the years and the reckoning, and might distinguish the night from the day for the welfare of their livelihood. Kullun yajrī li-ajalin musamman ("each running for an appointed term") — He says: Kull ("each") of them, that is, the sun and the moon, Yajrī li-ajalin musamman ("runs for an appointed term"), that is, until the coming of the Hour, and that is until the sun is rolled up and the stars fall down. And it has been said: the meaning of this is that each of the two has fixed stations which it does not overstep and at which it does not fall short. Alā huwa al-ʿazīzu al-ghaffār ("Indeed, He is the Almighty, the Most Forgiving") — the Exalted, whose praise is worthy of remembrance, says: indeed, Allah, who has performed these deeds and bestowed these favors upon His creatures, is the Almighty (al-ʿazīz) in His retribution against whoever is hostile to Him, the Most Forgiving (al-ghaffār) of the sins of His servants who turn to Him in repentance from them, by forgiving them those sins.
