Ya-Sin 36:37
Ya Sin · Juz 23 · Page 442
وَءَايَةٞ لَّهُمُ ٱلَّيۡلُ نَسۡلَخُ مِنۡهُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظۡلِمُونَ ٣٧
And a sign for them is the night. We remove1 from it the [light of] day, so they are [left] in darkness.
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "strip" or "peel." Sunlight projected onto the earth is removed from it as the earth turns and night approaches. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 36:37
In verse 37, it was said: وَآيَةٌ لَّهُمُ اللَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ النَّهَارَ (And a sign for them is the night. We strip the [ cover on day from it, and they are suddenly in darkness.). After having described the signs of Divine power in what was created on the earth, the text mentions cosmic creations. The word: سَلخ (salkh) literally means to skin. If the skin from an animal or the cover from things is removed, the thing inside becomes obvious. Allah Ta’ ala has, in this similitude, pointed out that the real element in this world is darkness. Light is transitory, for it spreads over the earth through planets and stars. In a predetermined system, at a fixed time, this light that is spread over the darkness of the world is removed from on top. What remains is darkness. This, in common parlance, is called night.
Page 442
36:28
۞ وَمَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ مِن جُندٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ ٢٨
And We did not send down upon his people after him any soldiers from the heaven, nor would We have done so.
36:29
إِن كَانَتۡ إِلَّا صَيۡحَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ فَإِذَا هُمۡ خَٰمِدُونَ ٢٩
It was not but one shout,1 and immediately they were extinguished.
1 translator’s note
- From Gabriel or a blast from the sky. ↩
36:30
يَٰحَسۡرَةً عَلَى ٱلۡعِبَادِۚ مَا يَأۡتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ ٣٠
How regretful for the servants. There did not come to them any messenger except that they used to ridicule him.
36:31
أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ كَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمۡ إِلَيۡهِمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ٣١
Have they not considered how many generations We destroyed before them - that they to them1 will not return?
1 translator’s note
- i.e., to those living presently in the world. ↩
36:32
وَإِن كُلّٞ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٞ لَّدَيۡنَا مُحۡضَرُونَ ٣٢
And indeed, all of them will yet be brought present before Us.
36:33
وَءَايَةٞ لَّهُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ ٱلۡمَيۡتَةُ أَحۡيَيۡنَٰهَا وَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مِنۡهَا حَبّٗا فَمِنۡهُ يَأۡكُلُونَ ٣٣
And a sign for them is the dead earth. We have brought it to life and brought forth from it grain, and from it they eat.
36:34
وَجَعَلۡنَا فِيهَا جَنَّٰتٖ مِّن نَّخِيلٖ وَأَعۡنَٰبٖ وَفَجَّرۡنَا فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلۡعُيُونِ ٣٤
And We placed therein gardens of palm trees and grapevines and caused to burst forth therefrom some springs -
36:35
لِيَأۡكُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦ وَمَا عَمِلَتۡهُ أَيۡدِيهِمۡۚ أَفَلَا يَشۡكُرُونَ ٣٥
That they may eat of His fruit.1 And their hands have not produced it,2 so will they not be grateful?
36:36
سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡأَزۡوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمِنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٣٦
Exalted is He who created all pairs1 - from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.
1 translator’s note
- Or "all species." ↩
36:37
وَءَايَةٞ لَّهُمُ ٱلَّيۡلُ نَسۡلَخُ مِنۡهُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظۡلِمُونَ ٣٧
And a sign for them is the night. We remove1 from it the [light of] day, so they are [left] in darkness.
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "strip" or "peel." Sunlight projected onto the earth is removed from it as the earth turns and night approaches. ↩
36:38
وَٱلشَّمۡسُ تَجۡرِي لِمُسۡتَقَرّٖ لَّهَاۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقۡدِيرُ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡعَلِيمِ ٣٨
And the sun runs [on course] toward its stopping point. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.
36:39
وَٱلۡقَمَرَ قَدَّرۡنَٰهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَٱلۡعُرۡجُونِ ٱلۡقَدِيمِ ٣٩
And the moon - We have determined for it phases, until it returns [appearing] like the old date stalk.
36:40
لَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ يَنۢبَغِي لَهَآ أَن تُدۡرِكَ ٱلۡقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيۡلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّهَارِۚ وَكُلّٞ فِي فَلَكٖ يَسۡبَحُونَ ٤٠
It is not allowable [i.e., possible] for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming.