The Guiding Light — Page 376
376 S u rah A l-e-‘Imr a n, Chapter 3, Verses 26-31 and which the Israelites had enjoyed for a long time. That kingdom was now going to be transferred to the House of Ishmael to find its completest manifestation in Islam. A living nation had suffered death and another, as good as dead, had arisen into life. The word اﻟﻨـﺎر اﻟﻨـﺎر اﻟﻨـﺎر اﻟﻨـﺎر ( an-Nah a r ) day represents prosperity and power, and اﻟ ﻴـ ﻞ ( al-Lail ) night signifies the loss of power combined with decline and decadence. By using this simile, the Qur’ a n draws attention to the fact that a people who wish that the night of woes and miseries should never overtake them and that they should ever continue to enjoy the day of prosperity and glory, should so place themselves in front of the Divine Sun as to continue to be illuminated by its ever-effulgent light. In this connection it may also be noted that the Qur’ a nic expression, Thou makest the night pass into the day and makest the day pass into the night , does not merely signify alternate ending and beginning of day and night but also the conversion of part of the day into night and vice versa , thus hinting at the lengthening of the one at the cost of the other.