وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذْ أَدْبَرَ 33
Translations
And [by] the night when it departs.
Transliteration
Wa-al-layli idh adbara
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is part of Allah's oath by the night as it departs or passes away (when darkness recedes and dawn approaches). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Allah swearing by the alternation of night and day as signs of His power and the inevitable approach of the Day of Judgment. The mention of the night departing emphasizes the transient nature of worldly life and serves as a reminder of the certainty of the resurrection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Muddaththir, a Meccan chapter revealed in the early period of prophethood. It is part of a series of oaths (verses 33-34) in which Allah swears by natural phenomena—the night and the day—to emphasize the certainty of the message being conveyed and the reality of the Hereafter.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly comments on this specific verse, the theme of night and day as signs of Allah's creation is referenced in Sahih Bukhari (Kitab Bad' al-Khalq) where the Prophet (ﷺ) discussed the alternation of day and night as evidence of Allah's perfect creation and power.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the natural cycles of night and day are not mere coincidences but powerful signs of Allah's sovereignty, prompting us to reflect on the temporary nature of this world and prepare for the eternal life to come.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا يَذْكُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ هُوَ أَهْلُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ وَأَهْلُ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ
And they will not remember except that Allāh wills. He is worthy of fear and adequate for [granting] forgiveness.
وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُۥ مَالًا مَّمْدُودًا
And to whom I granted extensive wealth
كَلَّا وَٱلْقَمَرِ
No! By the moon.
وَمَا جَعَلْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةً ۙ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا عِدَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِيَسْتَيْقِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَيَزْدَادَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنًا ۙ وَلَا يَرْتَابَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۙ وَلِيَقُولَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَمَا هِىَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْبَشَرِ
And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels. And We have not made their number except as a trial for those who disbelieve - that those who were given the Scripture will be convinced and those who have believed will increase in faith and those who were given the Scripture and the believers will not doubt and that those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] and the disbelievers will say, "What does Allāh intend by this as an example?" Thus does Allāh send astray whom He wills and guide whom He wills. And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him. And it [i.e., mention of the Fire] is not but a reminder to humanity.