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Sura 16
Aya 48
48
أَوَلَم يَرَوا إِلىٰ ما خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِن شَيءٍ يَتَفَيَّأُ ظِلالُهُ عَنِ اليَمينِ وَالشَّمائِلِ سُجَّدًا لِلَّهِ وَهُم داخِرونَ

Muhammad Asad

HAVE, THEN, they [who deny the truth] never considered any of the things that God has created1 - [how] their shadows turn right and left, prostrating themselves before God and utterly submissive [to His will]?2
  • In view of the separate mention, in the next verse, of animals and angels, the "things" referred to here apparently denote inanimate objects and perhaps also living organisms like plants.
  • Lit., "and they are utterly lowly" or "submissive". The "prostration" referred to in this and the next verse is obviously a symbolism expressing the intrinsic subjection of all created beings and things to God's will. See also 13:15 and the corresponding notes 33 and 34.