—then both must be adopted, for taking both meanings together gives the verse a broader scope. We therefore say: it follows the sun in its course, for the moon falls farther behind the sun each day. At the beginning of the month, you find it close to the sun in the west, whereas by the middle of the month it is as far away from it as possible in the east, because it falls behind each day. Or it follows the sun in illumination, because when the sun sets, moonlight begins to appear—especially from the second quarter through the end of the third quarter, when the moonlight is distinct and clear. That is, once seven days have passed and until only seven days remain, its light is strong; during the first and last seven days, however, it is weak. In any event, the moon shines only after the sunlight has departed, as is readily apparent. Thus, Allah Most High swore by the sun because it is the sign of the day, and by the moon because it is the sign of the night.

﴿And the day when it reveals it, and the night when it conceals it﴾ form a pair of opposites. ﴿And the day when it reveals it﴾ means: when daylight reveals the earth, making it visible and clear, for it is by daylight that things become discernible and clear. ﴿And the night when it conceals it﴾ means: when night covers the earth until it resembles a cloak spread over something. This becomes plainly evident when the sun has set while you are aboard an aircraft: the earth beneath you appears black. Because of your altitude, you can still see the sun, whereas the earth below you, over which the sun has set, appears black, as though covered by a black cloak. This is the meaning of His words: ﴿And the night when it conceals it﴾.

﴿And the sky and Him Who built it, and the earth...﴾ The sky and the earth form a pair of opposites. Regarding ﴿And the sky and Him Who built it﴾, the exegetes said that mā here is an infinitival particle, meaning: “By the sky and its construction.” The sky is tremendous in its height, vastness, strength, and the other signs of Allah that it contains. Its construction is likewise perfectly fashioned, as He, Exalted is He, says: ﴿You see no imperfection in the creation of the Most Compassionate. Look again: do you see any fissures? Then look again and yet again; your sight will return to you humbled, while it is—