قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِضِيَآءٍ ۖ أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ 71
Translations
Say, "Have you considered: if Allāh should make for you the night continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allāh could bring you light? Then will you not hear?"
Transliteration
Qul araaytum in jaala Allahu alaikumu allayla sarmaadan ila yawmi alqiyamati man ilahun ghayru Allahi yaatikum bidiyain afala tasmaun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a rhetorical question challenging the disbelievers to imagine if Allah made the night eternal until the Day of Judgment, who besides Allah could bring them light? The verse emphasizes Allah's complete control over the natural world and highlights the dependence of all creation upon His provision. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi note this serves as evidence for Allah's oneness (tawhid) through the contemplation of His creative power and the impossibility of any other deity replacing Him.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Qasas, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes monotheism and Allah's divine attributes through narratives and rhetorical arguments. The verse is part of a series of logical proofs presented to the Meccan disbelievers (28:71-73), using observable phenomena of day and night to demonstrate that only Allah possesses the power to sustain creation.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly references this specific ayah, it relates thematically to the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The most perfect believer in faith is the one whose character is finest and who is kindest to his wife' - emphasizing reflection on Allah's blessings. Additionally, hadith collections encourage contemplating Allah's signs in creation (ayat) as mentioned in multiple Quranic contexts.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to reflect deeply on Allah's complete mastery over creation and the impossibility of any other source of guidance or provision, strengthening our conviction in His oneness. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder to recognize our absolute dependence on Allah and to appreciate His blessings of light, life, and sustenance as unequivocal proofs of His unique divinity.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمْ فَٱعْبُدُوهُ ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ
Indeed, Allāh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path."
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مَن يَضِلُّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who strays from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.
ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـٰنَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَـٰهًا وَٰحِدًا ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allāh, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.
۞ وَقَالَ ٱللَّهُ لَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ إِلَـٰهَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۖ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ فَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱرْهَبُونِ
And Allāh has said, "Do not take for yourselves two deities. He [i.e., Allāh] is but one God, so fear only Me."