Al-Furqaan (The Criterion)

62. “And He it is Who has made the night and the day succeed each other for him who desires to reflect or desires to be thankful.”

This noble verse still continues to introduce the Lord of the universe and states another part of the system of the existence.

It says:

“And He it is Who has made the night and the day succeed each other for him who desires to reflect or desires to be thankful.”

It is the regular system that rules the day and the night which alternatively substitute each other. This system is in work for millions of year. It is the system that if does not exist the life of man will be destroyed by intensity of heat and light or darkness, and this is an attractive reason for those who want to know Allah.

We know that the system of day and night is generated from the movement of the earth around itself. Its gradual and regular changes, that is continually the duration of one of them increases and the other one decreases, is because of its axle slope in regard to its orbit, which, during a year, causes the four seasons.

If the earth rotated faster or slower than its usual speed, in one case the nights would get so longer that all things would be frozen, and in other case the days would be so long that the sun would burn everything. Moreover, the centrifugal force could be so intense that the earthly creatures would be thrown out into the space.

In brief, on one hand, the study of this system awakes the theology nature in man. (Perhaps the application of the phrase ‘desires to reflect’ refers to this fact), and on the other hand, it awakes the thanking spirit in man and the phrase ‘desires to be thankful’ may refer to this matter.

It is worth-mentioning that in a narration whether belongs to the Prophet (S) or Infallible Imams (as) we read:

“Coming day and night in succession is for the matter that if man does dereliction of his duties in one of them, he recompenses it in another one.”

This meaning may be the second commentary for the verse and, since the verses of the Qur’an has got levels of meaning, it is not inconsistent with the first commentary either.

Imam Sadiq (as) in a tradition says:

“Any worship and obedience that you missed to do in the night make up for it in the day, for Allah, the Mighty and the Blessed, says: ‘Man must compensate the undone duties of night in day and compensate those of day in night.’”1

The same thing is narrated by Fakhr-i-Razi from the Prophet (S).

Conclusion:

To learn lessons from 'the system ruling the universe’ depends on our will. How a lot are persons who spend their life for a phenomenon, but since they do not will to learn lesson, they do not profit by the example!

These persons are like one who sells mirror, the one who always looks at mirror, but does not straighten his garments, while a passenger may straight his collar by just one careful glance at mirror.

Therefore, a mere glance is not enough, but the will for reformation also is necessary. With this matter mentioned, it gets clear why some scientists do not know Allah, while they have spent their life for researching the nature, for they do not do anything for knowing Allah, as a carpenter makes many ladders, but he does not will to climb one of them.