48 Preface أَوَلَم يَرَوا إِلىٰ ما خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِن شَيءٍ يَتَفَيَّأُ ظِلالُهُ عَنِ اليَمينِ وَالشَّمائِلِ سُجَّدًا لِلَّهِ وَهُم داخِرونَYusuf AliDo they not look at God’s creation, (even) among (inanimate) things-1 How their (very) shadows turn round, from the right and the left, prostrating themselves to God, and that in the humblest manner?I take “things” here to be inanimate things, for the next verse speaks of living “moving creatures” and angels. By a metaphor even such inanimate things are spoken of as recognising God and humbly worshipping Him. Even their shadows turn around from right and left according to the light from above, and, they humbly prostrate themselves on the ground to celebrate the praises of God. The “shadows” suggest how all things in this life are mere shadows of the true Reality in heaven; and they should turn and move in accordance with the divine light, as the shadows of trees and buildings move in one direction or another, and lengthen or shorten according to the light from heaven.