وَلِلَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَظِلَـٰلُهُم بِٱلْغُدُوِّ وَٱلْـَٔاصَالِ ۩ 15
Translations
And to Allāh prostrates whoever is within the heavens and the earth, willingly or by compulsion, and their shadows [as well] in the mornings and the afternoons.
Transliteration
Wa-lillahi yasjudu man fi as-samawati wa-al-ardi taw'an wa-karhah wa-zilaluhum bi-al-ghuduwwi wa-al-asali
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms the universal prostration of all creation before Allah—both willingly and unwillingly—including even the shadows cast by objects at dawn and dusk. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this encompasses all celestial and earthly beings in submission to Allah's dominion, whether consciously (as in humans and jinn) or through their very nature (as in animals, plants, and inanimate objects). The mention of shadows prostrating emphasizes that even the most subtle aspects of creation glorify Allah, signifying the totality of submission to the Divine will.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Madinah, this ayah appears in Surah Ar-Ra'd which addresses themes of Divine power, signs of Allah, and universal obedience to the Creator. The context follows discussions of the Quran as guidance and precedes affirmation of Allah's complete knowledge, emphasizing that the entire cosmos manifests submission to God's authority.
Related Hadiths
The concept echoes Surah As-Sajdah (32:15) where believers are described as those who fall down in prostration. Additionally, a related theme appears in hadith collections regarding the glorification of creation: 'There is none among the creatures of Allah but celebrates His praise' (Tirmidhi, based on Quran 17:44).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that submission to Allah is not merely a human religious obligation but the fundamental nature of all existence—encouraging Muslims to embrace willing obedience as the natural order of creation, and to recognize that every element of the universe testifies to God's sovereignty and deserves our conscious participation in His worship.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ
And those who are patient, seeking the face [i.e., acceptance] of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good - those will have the good consequence of [this] home -
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ
Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allāh. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allāh hearts are assured."
۞ مَّثَلُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ۖ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ أُكُلُهَا دَآئِمٌ وَظِلُّهَا ۚ تِلْكَ عُقْبَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ ۖ وَّعُقْبَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ٱلنَّارُ
The example [i.e., description] of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, is [that] beneath it rivers flow. Its fruit is lasting, and its shade. That is the consequence for the righteous, and the consequence for the disbelievers is the Fire.
كَذَٰلِكَ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ فِىٓ أُمَّةٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهَآ أُمَمٌ لِّتَتْلُوَا۟ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۚ قُلْ هُوَ رَبِّى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ مَتَابِ
Thus have We sent you to a community before which [other] communities have passed on so you might recite to them that which We revealed to you, while they disbelieve in the Most Merciful. Say, "He is my Lord; there is no deity except Him. Upon Him I rely, and to Him is my return."