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.
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَـٰشِفَـٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَـٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."
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.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
Have you not seen [i.e., considered] that Allāh created the heavens and the earth in truth? If He wills, He can do away with you and produce a new creation.