يُقَلِّبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرِ 44
Translations
Allāh alternates the night and the day. Indeed in that is a lesson for those who have vision.
Transliteration
Yuqallibu Allahu al-layla wa-al-nahara, inna fi dhalika la-'ibratan li-uli al-absari
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah alternates and cycles the night and day in continuous succession, and this phenomenon is a clear sign (ayah) and lesson for those who possess understanding and insight. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this regular alternation demonstrates Allah's divine power and wisdom, serving as evidence for His oneness (tawhid) and His ability to manage creation. The verse invites reflection on how the changing cycles of night and day sustain life, regulate human activity, and remind us of our dependence on the Creator's perfect ordering of the universe.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nur (The Light), a Medinan chapter primarily addressing social conduct, modesty, and the signs of Allah. The surah opens with the metaphor of divine light and continues with various signs pointing to Allah's greatness. This particular ayah is part of a sequence emphasizing natural phenomena as proof of Allah's existence and power, fitting within the broader theme of recognizing divine signs in creation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Reflect upon everything, but do not reflect upon the essence of Allah' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim describes how contemplation of creation ('tafakkur') for one hour is better than a year of worship, directly encouraging the kind of reflection this ayah promotes.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to observe the natural world as evidence of Allah's majesty and to use reason and reflection ('tafakkur') to deepen their faith; in our modern age of distraction, pausing to contemplate the orderly cycles of nature can reconnect us with our spiritual purpose and humble us before the Creator's infinite wisdom.