ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ لِتَسْكُنُوا۟ فِيهِ وَٱلنَّهَارَ مُبْصِرًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ 61
Translations
It is Allāh who made for you the night that you may rest therein and the day giving sight. Indeed, Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the people, but most of them are not grateful.
Transliteration
Allāhu alladhī ja'ala lakumu al-layla li-taskunu fīhi wa-al-nahāra mubsirā. Inna Allāha la-dhū fadlin 'alā al-nāsi wa-lākin akthara al-nāsi lā yashkurūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah has created the night as a time of rest and tranquility for you and the day as a time of visibility and activity, demonstrating His profound favor upon humanity. Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that this alternation of night and day is a sign of Allah's wisdom and mercy, yet most people fail to recognize and be grateful for these blessings. The ayah reproves human ingratitude despite these obvious and life-sustaining divine gifts.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ghafir, a Meccan surah that addresses the polytheists of Makkah and emphasizes monotheism and gratitude. It is part of a broader Quranic theme reminding people of Allah's signs in creation as evidence against disbelief and ingratitude.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever among you wakes up in the morning in good health, with provisions for the day, is as if the entire world has been given to him' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Also relevant: the hadith encouraging gratitude for the alternation of night and day as among Allah's greatest blessings (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah calls us to recognize and express gratitude for the seemingly ordinary blessings of rest, health, and sight that Allah has provided—reminders that conscious thankfulness transforms our perception of daily life into worship. By cultivating shukr (gratitude), we align ourselves with the purpose of creation and distinguish ourselves from those who live heedlessly of Allah's countless favors.
Related Ayahs
وَٱللَّهُ يَقْضِى بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَىْءٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
And Allāh judges with truth, while those they invoke besides Him judge not with anything. Indeed, Allāh - He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَـٰدِلُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَـٰنٍ أَتَىٰهُمْ ۖ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعِندَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَطْبَعُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ قَلْبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّارٍ
Those who dispute concerning the signs of Allāh without an authority having come to them - great is hatred [of them] in the sight of Allāh and in the sight of those who have believed. Thus does Allāh seal over every heart [belonging to] an arrogant tyrant.
فَٱدْعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
So invoke Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion, although the disbelievers dislike it.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوٓا۟ أَشُدَّكُمْ ثُمَّ لِتَكُونُوا۟ شُيُوخًا ۚ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّىٰ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلِتَبْلُغُوٓا۟ أَجَلًا مُّسَمًّى وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
It is He who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot; then He brings you out as a child; then [He develops you] that you reach your [time of] maturity, then [further] that you become elders. And among you is he who is taken in death before [that], so that you reach a specified term; and perhaps you will use reason.