The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 490
CH. 91 ASH-SHAMS PT. 30 7. And by the earth and its expanse, 8. And by the soul and its perfection- 4742 9. And He revealed to it the ways of evil and the ways of righteousness 4743 been focused on the great Designer and Architect of the universe, and on the perfection and complete freedom from flaw or defect in the design and creation of man and the universe. 4742. Commentary: The verse means that all the properties and forces which the great heavenly bodies such as the sun and the moon, etc. devote to the service of God's creatures and to which reference has been made in the following verses bear witness to man having been endowed with similar qualities in a high degree. In fact, man is a universe in miniature and in his soul is represented, on a small scale, all that exists in the external universe. Like the sun he sheds his lustre over the world and enlightens it with the light of wisdom and knowledge. Like the moon he transmits to those who are in the dark the light of vision, inspiration and revelation which he borrows from the Great Original Source. He is bright like the day, and shows the ways of truth and virtue. Like the night he draws the veil over the faults and misdeeds of others, lightens their burdens and gives rest to the tired and the weary. Like the heavens he takes وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَهَان وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوبَهَان فَالْهَمَهَا فُجُوْرَهَا وَتَقُوبِهَاتٌ every distressed soul under his shelter and revives the lifeless earth, with salubrious rain. Like the earth he submits in all humility and lowliness to be trampled under the feet by others as a trial for them, and from his purified soul various sorts of trees of knowledge and truth grow up in abundance, and with their shade, flowers and fruits, he spiritually regales the world. Such are the great divines and Heavenly Reformers, of whom the greatest and the most perfect was the Holy Prophet. 4743. Commentary: The verse means that after creating the celestial and the terrestrial systems, and bringing into existence man the acme and apex of the whole creation—and endowing him with great natural potentialities and qualities, God did not leave him alone. He implanted in his nature a feeling or sense of what is good or bad. Or the verse may mean that God reveals to man that he could achieve spiritual perfection by eschewing what is bad and wrong and adopting what is right and good because it is through Divine revelation that man could achieve it. 3386