Juz 19: Al-Furqān 21 to An-Naml 55
Section 3 of 19 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
3. The Awesome Power and Signs of Allah
In the opening verses of Juz 19, Allah (swt) presents a series of powerful signs that demonstrate His might, majesty, and creative power. These verses offer a profound contrast to the arrogance of the disbelievers and serve as a reminder of Allah's ultimate sovereignty over the creation.
Allah (swt) directs our attention to the natural world, where His signs are manifest for those who reflect. Beginning with the movement of the sun, Allah describes how He extends the shade and then makes the sun its guide:
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلًا
“Have you not turned your vision to your Lord, how He extends the shade? And if He willed, He would have made it still. Then We made the sun an indication of it.”
The scientific precision in this verse is remarkable. Allah (swt) describes how the shade extends and contracts based on the sun's position. This natural phenomenon that we observe daily is not a random occurrence but a carefully designed system that operates according to Allah's will. Had He wished, He could have maintained the shade in a static position, but instead, He created a dynamic interplay between light and shadow that serves as a sign for humanity.
Following this, Allah (swt) mentions how He gradually withdraws the shade:
ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَاهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًا يَسِيرًا
“Then We withdraw it to Us, a gradual withdrawal.”
This continuous cycle of shade extension and withdrawal throughout the day serves as a reminder of Allah's perfect control over His creation. The natural world operates according to precise systems that reflect divine wisdom and design.
Allah (swt) then describes the alternation of night and day as another powerful sign:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا وَالنَّوْمَ سُبَاتًا وَجَعَلَ النَّهَارَ نُشُورًا
“And He is the One who made the night a covering for you, and the sleep a comfort, and made the day a time for rising.”
The metaphor of night as a covering (libās) beautifully captures how darkness envelops us, providing rest and seclusion. Sleep is described as subāt, a form of repose that rejuvenates the body and mind. The day then becomes a time for nushūr (rising), when people resume their activities after the stillness of night. This perfect balance and rhythm in creation points to the wisdom of the Creator.
Among the most magnificent signs mentioned is the sending of winds as harbingers of Allah's mercy in the form of rain:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً طَهُورًا
“And He is the One who sent the winds, bearing good news before His mercy, and We sent down from the sky pure water.”
The winds serve as bushrā (glad tidings), announcing the approaching rain. The water that descends is described as tahūr (pure), highlighting its cleansing and life-giving properties. With this pure water, Allah (swt) brings dead land back to life and provides drink for countless creatures:
لِّنُحْيِيَ بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَّيْتًا وَنُسْقِيَهُ مِمَّا خَلَقْنَا أَنْعَامًا وَأَنَاسِيَّ كَثِيرًا
“So that We revive a dead land thereby, and provide drink for many of those whom We have created, cattle and human beings.”
Perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring signs mentioned is the confluence of two bodies of water that do not mix:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هَٰذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَهَٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخًا وَحِجْرًا مَّحْجُورًا
“And He is the One who joined the two seas: this, sweet, thirst-quenching, and that, salt, bitter; and He placed between them a barrier and a complete partition.”
This phenomenon, observable at specific locations around the world where rivers meet oceans, stands as a remarkable testimony to Allah's creative power and precision. Despite the natural tendency of waters to mix, Allah (swt) has placed an invisible barrier (barzakh) between them that keeps their distinct properties intact.
These verses culminate in a powerful directive to rely solely on Allah:
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا
“And place your trust in the Ever-Living who cannot die, and proclaim His purity with His praise. And enough is He to be aware of the sins of His servants.”
The One who orchestrates these magnificent signs with such precision is certainly worthy of our complete trust and constant glorification.