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.