وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ءَايَتَيْنِ ۖ فَمَحَوْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلنَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِّتَبْتَغُوا۟ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلِتَعْلَمُوا۟ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلْحِسَابَ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَصَّلْنَـٰهُ تَفْصِيلًا 12
Translations
And We have made the night and day two signs, and We erased the sign of the night and made the sign of the day visible that you may seek bounty from your Lord and may know the number of years and the account [of time]. And everything We have set out in detail.
Transliteration
Wa ja'alna al-layla wa-al-nahara ayatain. Fa-mahawna ayata al-layli wa-ja'alna ayata al-nahara mubsirah li-tabtaghu fadlan min rabbikum wa-li-ta'lamu adada al-sinina wa-al-hisab. Wa-kulla shay'in fassalnahu tafsilah.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah has made the night and day as two signs (ayat) of His power and wisdom. He has diminished the light of night and made the day bright and visible so that humanity may conduct their worldly affairs, work for their sustenance, and keep track of time and calculations necessary for their lives. The ayah concludes that Allah has explained and detailed all things in the Quran, emphasizing divine clarity in guidance. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse demonstrates how the alternation of night and day serves practical purposes for human life while simultaneously being signs pointing to Allah's creative wisdom.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Isra (Chapter 17), a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period. The surah discusses various signs of Allah's power and wisdom throughout creation. This particular verse appears in the opening section where Allah describes the fundamental signs in His creation, establishing the foundation for understanding divine guidance and human responsibility.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), relating to the theme of knowledge and understanding divine signs. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, there are numerous hadiths about the importance of precise timekeeping and calculation in Islamic practice, which connects to the 'counting of years and reckoning' mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to recognize the natural phenomena around us—day and night—as divine signs worthy of contemplation and gratitude. It reminds us that Allah has provided us with the tools and time necessary to pursue our livelihood and knowledge, encouraging us to use these blessings wisely in our worship and service to humanity.