Az-Zumar (The Groups)

5. He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He makes the night go in the day and makes the day go in the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running for an appointed term. Know that He is the Exalted in Might, the Oft-Forgiving.

The creation of the heavens and the earth, the rotations of the earth and the moon, and going the night into the day and vice versa are manifestations of Divine Exaltation in Might.

The blessed Verse substantiates the argument that God is Needless of His creatures and as an indication of His Unity and Exaltedness in Might is says:

“He has created the heavens and the earth with truth.”

The truth of their creation demonstrates that the great final end has been nothing but the perfection of beings, particularly that of man, finally leading to Resurrection.

Following the treatment of this great creation, the Verse proceeds to make a reference in passing to their extraordinary arrangement, well measured alterations, and the fascinating and prevailing systematicity, saying:

“He makes the night go in the day and makes the day go in the night.”

The expression is worthy of note - taking a glance without the globe at the earth’s rotation on its axis leading to the succession of days and nights makes one notice that it is seems as if the dark ribbon of night wraps up the brightness of the day and vice versa.

It is to be noted that the verbal form yukawwir derives from takwir which is literally employed in the sense of “roll up, wrap up” an instance of which is mentioned in particular by philologists as “wind up [a turban].”

The delicacy of this Qur’anic expression is thus clarified; nonetheless, it is ignored by many an exeget who have make mention of other points which are not so consistent with the meaning of the word.

The point worthy of note is that the earth is globular rotating on its axis and as a consequence of the rotation, the black and white ribbons of night and day constantly rotate around it as if the white ribbon goes to the black ribbon on the one hand and on the other hand the opposite occurs.

Diverse expressions have been employed in the Holy Qur’an concerning the consecution of nights and days each of which makes a reference to a delicacy from a specific angle.

It is also said in the Holy Qur’an that:

“He merges the night into the day and He merges the day into the night”1 .

The latter expression designates the quiet and furtive consecution of days and nights.

It also says:

“He brings the night as a cover over the day”2 according to which the night is likened to a dark veil as if covering the brightness of the day. The blessed Verses in question treats of “winding” one over the other, the delicacy of which was mentioned above.

The blessed Verse proceeds to treat of the order and systematicity of arrangement of the world by saying:

“And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running for an appointed term.”

In its rotation on its axis or its movement with the totality of the solar system toward a specific point in the galaxy by no means demonstrates neither the least disorder, nor the moon in its rotation around on its axis and around the earth reveals any disorder.

All creatures are at His Command, totally subject to the laws of creation at all times.

Subjection of the sun and the moon may also indicate their subjection through Divine Permission, as mentioned elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an:

“And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses”3 .

The Verse closes with a warning to polytheists and suggestion of treading the path leading to Divine Favor:

“Know that He is the Exalted in Might, the Oft-Forgiving.”

However honorable and powerful polytheists and sinners may be, they may not escape Divine Chastisement. Thanks to His Oft-Forgiveness, He casts a veil on the sins of the repentant and bestows His Mercy on them.

The word:

ghaffar (“Oft-Forgiving”) is intensive in form and derives from gh-f-r (“forgive”).

The infinitive form ghufran is literally employed in the sense of wearing anything which keeps man from uncleanliness and impurity; applied to God Almighty, it denotes that He conceals the sins committed by the repentant servant and keeps him from the torment of chastisement.

He is Omnipotent and Oft-Forgiving; the Most Gracious and the All-Subjugator. The accompaniment of these two Most Beautiful Names at the close of the Verse creates a sense of fear and hope in servants of God which mainly and finally leads to human perfection.