فَالِقُ ٱلْإِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ ٱلَّيْلَ سَكَنًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ حُسْبَانًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ 96
Translations
[He is] the cleaver of daybreak and has made the night for rest and the sun and moon for calculation. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.
Transliteration
Fāliqul-iṣbāḥi wa jʿala al-layla sakanan wa ash-shamsa wa al-qamara ḥusbānan. Dhālika taqdīru al-ʿazīzi al-ʿalīm.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah as the One who splits the dawn (brings forth daylight from darkness) and has made the night a time of rest and the sun and moon for reckoning time and seasons. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this verse demonstrates Allah's perfect wisdom and power in creating celestial systems that serve humanity's physical and temporal needs, with the phrase 'Dhālika taqdīru al-ʿazīzi al-ʿalīm' (that is the determination of the Mighty, the All-Knowing) affirming that these precise arrangements reflect divine omnipotence and infinite knowledge.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-An'am, a Meccan surah that emphasizes monotheism and Allah's divine attributes through observable signs in creation. The verse is part of a broader passage (6:95-99) where Allah reminds the Meccans of His creative power over natural phenomena as evidence against idolatry and polytheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever rises at dawn seeking knowledge is like one who goes out in the path of Allah' (Jāmi' at-Tirmidhī). Additionally, in Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet taught that the night and day are signs of Allah's creation and should inspire gratitude and obedience.
Themes
Key Lesson
Reflect on the ordinary miracles surrounding you—the predictable cycles of day and night, seasons, and time itself—as profound evidence of Allah's meticulous design and infinite wisdom, which should inspire awe, gratitude, and obedience to the Creator. The precise balance of rest (night) and activity (day) reflects divine mercy; use these natural rhythms as reminders to balance worship, work, and rest in your daily life.