Al-Qasas 28:71 · The Stories · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"Say [Prophet], ‘Just think, if God were to cast perpetual night over you until the Day of Resurrection, what god other than He could bring you light? Do you not listen?’"

Pickthall (classic)+

"Say: Have ye thought, if Allah made night everlasting for you till the Day of Resurrection, who is a god beside Allah who could bring you light? Will ye not then hear?"

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"Say: See ye? If Allah were to make the night perpetual over you to the Day of Judgment, what god is there other than Allah, who can give you enlightenment? Will ye not then hearken?"

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

Night and Day are among the Blessings of Allah and are Signs of Tawhid

Allah reminds His servants of His favors towards them by subjugating for them the night and day, without which they could not survive. He explains that if He made the night continuous, lasting until the Day of Resurrection, that would be harmful for them and would cause boredom and stress. So He says:

مَنْ إِلَـهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِضِيَآءٍ

(which god besides Allah could bring you light) meaning, `with which you could see things and which would bring you relief'

أَفَلاَ تَسْمَعُونَ

(Will you not then hear) Then Allah tells us that if He had made the day continuous, lasting until the Day of Resurrection, that would also be harmful for them and their bodies would get tired from so much movement and activity. Allah says:

مَنْ إِلَـهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ

(which god besides Allah could bring you night wherein you rest) meaning, `to rest from your work and activity.'

أَفلاَ تُبْصِرُونَوَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ

(Will you not then see It is out of His mercy) towards you,

جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

(that He has made for you the night and the day) He created both,

لِتَسْكُنُواْ فِيهِ

(that you may rest therein) during the night,

وَلِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ

(and that you may seek of His bounty) during the day, by traveling, moving about and working.

وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

(and in order that you may be grateful.) So that you may give thanks to Allah by performing all kinds of acts of worship at night and during the day. Whoever misses something during the night can make it up during the day, and vice versa. This is like the Ayah,

وَهُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ خِلْفَةً لِّمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَذَّكَّرَ أَوْ أَرَادَ شُكُوراً

(And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession, for such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude.) (25:62). And there are many similar Ayat.

قُلْ أَرَ‌أَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْكُمُ اللَّيْلَ سَرْ‌مَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِضِيَاءٍ ۖ أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ ﴿71﴾ قُلْ أَرَ‌أَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْكُمُ النَّهَارَ‌ سَرْ‌مَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُ‌ونَ ﴿72﴾

Say, "Tell me, if Allah makes night continuing upon you forever upto the Day of Judgment, which god, other than Allah, would bring to you light? Then do you not listen?" Say, "Tell me, if Allah makes the day continuing upon you forever upto the Day of Judgment, which god, other than Allah, would bring to you night in which you may have comfort. Then, do you not see?" 28:71-72.

Allah Ta’ ala has mentioned a benefit of the night in this verse, that it provides rest بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ (28:72). As against this no mention is made about the benefits of day while referring to its light. The reason for this omission is but obvious. It is a well-known fact that the daylight is superior in its entity to darkness. The benefits of daylight are so numerous and well known that their repetition was not prudent. On the contrary the darkness of the night does not have any other benefit except that it provides rest to everything. As a matter of fact, its utility is based on the rest of people, hence that has been mentioned. It is to be noted that after describing daylight it is concluded with أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ (Do you not listen? - 28:71), and after describing the night the concluding expression is أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُ‌ونَ (Do you not see? - 28:72). It may have the allusion that the benefits of the day are so numerous that they cannot be seen, but can only be heard; hence the expression أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ is used. The knowledge and understanding humans have acquired has mainly come through hearing and listening, and very little by way of seeing. The benefits of night are much less as compared to benefits of the day, and they can be seen; hence the expression أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُ‌ونَ (Mazhari)