Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (623)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(71–73) “Say, ‘Have you considered: if Allah were to make the night perpetual over you until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you light? Will you not then listen?’ Say, ‘Have you considered: if Allah were to make the day perpetual over you until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you a night in which to rest? Will you not then see?’ Out of His mercy, He made the night and day for you, so that you may rest and seek of His bounty, and so that you might give thanks.”

This is a gracious favor from Allah to His servants, by which He calls them to thank Him, worship Him as they should, and fulfill His right. Out of His mercy, He made the day for them to seek Allah’s bounty and go about in its light in pursuit of their provisions and livelihoods; and He made the night for them to become calm and rest, allowing their bodies and souls to recover from the weariness of their daytime activities. All this is part of His bounty and mercy toward His servants.

Is anyone capable of any of this? If He were to make “the night perpetual over you until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you light? Will you not then listen?”—listen to Allah’s admonitions and signs with understanding, acceptance, and submission? And if He were to make “the day perpetual over you until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you a night in which to rest? Will you not then see?”—see where lessons may be drawn and where the signs are manifest, so that your inner sight may be illuminated and you may follow the straight path?

Regarding the night, He says, “Will you not then listen?” and regarding the day, “Will you not then see?” This is because hearing holds greater sway than sight at night, while by day the reverse is true. These verses also draw attention to the fact that a servant should contemplate Allah’s blessings upon him, perceive them clearly, and compare them with what his condition would be if they were absent. When he weighs their presence against their absence, his mind becomes aware of the favor they represent. This is unlike one who merely goes along with what is customary and assumes that this state of affairs has always continued and always will, whose heart is therefore blind to praising Allah for His blessings and to recognizing his need for them at every moment. Such an attitude gives rise in him to neither grateful reflection nor remembrance.

﴿٧١-٧٣﴾ ﴿قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ اللَّيْلَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِضِيَاءٍ أَفَلا تَسْمَعُونَ * قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ النَّهَارَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ أَفَلا تُبْصِرُونَ * وَمِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ﴾ . هذا امتنان من الله على عباده، يدعوهم به إلى شكره، والقيام بعبوديته وحقه، أنه جعل لهم من رحمته النهار ليبتغوا من فضل الله، وينتشروا لطلب أرزاقهم ومعايشهم في ضيائه، والليل ليهدأوا فيه ويسكنوا، وتستريح أبدانهم وأنفسهم من تعب التصرف في النهار، فهذا من فضله ورحمته بعباده. فهل أحد يقدر على شيء من ذلك؟ فلو جعل ﴿عَلَيْكُمُ اللَّيْلَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِضِيَاءٍ أَفَلا تَسْمَعُونَ﴾ مواعظ الله وآياته سماع فهم وقبول وانقياد، ولو جعل ﴿عَلَيْكُمُ النَّهَارَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ أَفَلا تُبْصِرُونَ﴾ مواقع العبر، ومواضع الآيات، فتستنير بصائركم، وتسلكوا الطريق المستقيم. وقال في الليل ﴿أَفَلا تَسْمَعُونَ﴾ وفي النهار ﴿أَفَلا تُبْصِرُونَ﴾ لأن سلطان السمع أبلغ في الليل من سلطان البصر، وعكسه النهار. وفي هذه الآيات، تنبيه إلى أن العبد ينبغي له أن يتدبر نعم الله عليه، ويستبصر فيها، ويقيسها بحال عدمها، فإنه إذا وازن بين حالة وجودها، وبين حالة عدمها، تنبه عقله لموضع المنة، بخلاف من جرى مع العوائد، ورأى أن هذا أمر لم يزل مستمرا، ولا يزال. وعمي قلبه عن الثناء على الله، بنعمه، ورؤية افتقاره إليها في كل وقت، فإن هذا لا يحدث له فكرة شكر ولا ذكر.