وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ وَلَهُ ٱخْتِلَـٰفُ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ 80
Translations
And it is He who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of the night and the day. Then will you not reason?
Transliteration
Wa huwa alladhee uhyee wa yumeetu wa lahu ikhtilaafu al-layli wa al-nahaar. Afalaa ta'qiloon?
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's absolute power over life and death, and His control over the alternation of night and day—phenomena that sustain all creation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that these are among the clearest signs of Allah's divine lordship and unique attributes that no creature can possess, making the appeal to reason ('afalaa ta'qiloon') rhetorical condemnation of those who fail to recognize God's oneness despite such obvious signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-Mu'minun, which focuses on the attributes of true believers and the signs of Allah's power. The context is part of a broader argument establishing monotheism through natural phenomena observable to all people, addressing the polytheists of Mecca who acknowledged Allah's creative power yet ascribed partners to Him.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 3191: The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that among Allah's greatest signs are the night and day. Additionally, Sahih Muslim 2794 reports the Prophet's teachings on reflecting upon creation as a means to strengthen faith and avoid idle gossip.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should regularly contemplate the natural rhythms of existence—life, death, night, and day—as reminders of Allah's complete sovereignty and our dependence upon Him. This conscious reflection strengthens faith and should motivate conscious obedience to the Creator rather than heedlessness.
Related Ayahs
مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ إِلَّا كَنَفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ
Your creation and your resurrection will not be but as that of a single soul. Indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Seeing.
وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيَخْتَارُ ۗ مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ ٱلْخِيَرَةُ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَتَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses; not for them was the choice. Exalted is Allāh and high above what they associate with Him.
قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ مَـٰلِكَ ٱلْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِى ٱلْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَنزِعُ ٱلْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَآءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَآءُ ۖ بِيَدِكَ ٱلْخَيْرُ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Say, "O Allāh, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.
وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ
And you will not cause failure [to Allāh] upon the earth. And you have not besides Allāh any protector or helper.