فَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ حِينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُونَ 17
Translations
So exalted is Allāh when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning.
Transliteration
Fasubḥāna -llāhi ḥīna tumsūna wa-ḥīna taṣbaḥūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the believers to glorify and praise Allah (subḥān Allāh) at two specific times of the day: in the evening (when darkness falls) and in the morning (when light emerges). According to classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, this refers to the obligation of remembrance and glorification of Allah at these significant transitional times, with some scholars interpreting this as an encouragement toward performing the evening and dawn prayers and their associated adhkār (remembrances). The repetition of these times emphasizes the constancy of devotion throughout the natural cycle of day and night.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Rum, revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period, addresses themes of divine sovereignty, the signs of Allah in creation, and the natural order. This ayah appears within a passage discussing the cosmic signs of Allah's power and the human response of gratitude and glorification. The context emphasizes how the rhythms of day and night themselves are signs inviting believers to constant remembrance of their Creator.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: 'The best of supplications is that made in the last part of the night, and the best of standing (in prayer) is in the last part of the night.' (Tirmidhi) Additionally, numerous ḥadīths emphasize the virtue of morning and evening adhkār, such as in Sunan An-Nasa'i, establishing the significance of these times for remembrance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that worship and remembrance of Allah should be integrated into the natural rhythms of daily life, making morning and evening transitions sacred moments for spiritual connection. It reminds us that devotion is not confined to formal prayers alone but should pervade our consciousness at all times, making every dawn and dusk an opportunity to renew our awareness of Allah's majesty and our servitude to Him.