The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 407
PT. 19 R. 5. AL-FURQAN CH. 25 أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظَّلَّ وَلَوْ Hast thou not seen how thy. 46 JJJBÍZEŠENJUFIJT جَعَلْنَا شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنَّا ثُمَّ جَعَ الشَّمْسَ if He had pleased, he could عَلَيْهِ دَلِيْلاة ثُمَّ قَبَضْنُهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبَضَايَّسِيرًا Lord lengthens the shade? And He have made it stationary. Then We make the sun a guide thereof. 2678 47. Then We draw it in towards Ourselves, an easy drawing in. 2679 وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا وَ النَّوْمَ And He it is Who has made. 48 the night a covering for you, "16:49. 6:97; 78:11. he wrought a wonderful reformation among them. From the dregs of humanity they rose to be its cream. 2678. Important Words: (guide) is derived from J. They say i. e. he directed him or rightly directed him or guided him to it. W, therefore, means, a director or a right director to that which is sought or desired; a guide; a thing by which one is rightly directed or guided i. e. an evidence, argument or a proof; a sign set up for the knowledge of a thing indicated (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: Surah was revealed at Mecca when Islam being yet in infancy, its very fate seemed to hang in the balance on account of the relentless persecution to which the weak and defenceless were subjected. In metaphorical language the verse Muslims seems to warn disbelievers that the weak state of Islam should not deceive them into thinking that they would succeed in exterminating it. God is at its back and therefore its shadow would continue to expand and extend till it would reach the ends of the earth and nations of the world will seek and find solace and comfort under it. "The sun" in the verse symbolises Islam or the Holy Prophet. For a fuller explanation of this verse see 16:49. 2679. Commentary: While the preceding few verses referred to the prophetic mission of the Holy Prophet, the verse under comment speaks in figurative language of the rise, progress and power of Islam and illustrates this fact by drawing attention to a The verse refers to the decline of phenomenon of nature. When the sun Islam after it would have reached its is behind an object, its shadow zenith. While "shade" in the preceding lengthens. Similarly, when God is at verse symbolized power and influence, the back of a people, their power and its "drawing in" in the present verse influence increases. The present | signifies decline and decay. 2321