Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 48

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Have they not observed the things Allah has created, their shadows inclining from the right and the left prostrating themselves before Allah, while they are humble?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Have they not considered how the shadows of everything Allah has created incline to the right and the left ˹as the sun moves˺, totally submitting to Allah in all humility?

Ruwwad Translation Center

Do they not see the things that Allah has created, how their shadows incline to the right and left, prostrating to Allah in all humility?

A. J. Arberry

Have they not regarded all things that God has created casting their shadows to the right and to the left, bowing themselves before God in all lowliness?

Abdul Haleem

Do the [disbelievers] not observe the things that God has created, casting their shadows right and left, submitting themselves to God obediently?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Have they not observed the things which Allah hath created? shadows thereof turn themselves on the right and on the left. prostrating themselves unto Allah, and they are lowly.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Do they not look at Allah's creation, (even) among (inanimate) things,- How their (very) shadows turn round, from the right and the left, prostrating themselves to Allah, and that in the humblest manner?

Abul Ala Maududi

Do the people not see how the objects Allah has created cast their shadows right and left, prostrating themselves in utter submission to Allah?

Ahmed Ali

Do they not see the shadows of all things God has created incline to the right and the left, bowing in obeisance to God?

Ahmed Raza Khan

And have they not observed that the shadows of the things Allah has created incline to the right and to the left, in prostration to Allah, and that they are servile?

Ali Quli Qarai

Have they not regarded that whatever thing Allah has created casts its shadow to the right and to the left, prostrating to Allah in utter humility?

Ali Ünal

Do they not see the things that God has created, how their shadows bend to the right and to the left, making prostration before God, and that in the humblest manner?

Amatul Rahman Omar

Have they not considered that the shadow of everything which Allâh has created shift from the right and from the left, prostrating themselves to Allâh (in obedience to His laws) in humble supplication?

English Literal

Did they not see/understand, to what God created from a thing (that) its shades/shadows turns/follows from the right and the lefts, prostrating to God and (while) they are degraded/humiliated ?

Faridul Haque

And have they not observed that the shadows of the things Allah has created incline to the right and to the left, in prostration to Allah, and that they are servile?

Hamid S. Aziz

Do they not look at Allah´s creations, even among (inanimate things) - how their shadows turn to the right or the left, in prostration (obeisance or submission) to Allah and they are humble (or shrinking)?

Hilali & Khan

Have they not observed things that Allah has created, (how) their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly?

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Or that He will not seize them with a gradual diminution? Your Lord is surely Compassionate, Merciful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Do they not consider every thing that Allah has created? Its (very) shadows return from right and left, making obeisance to Allah while they are in utter abasement.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Have they not observed all things that Allah hath created, how their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly?

Muhammad Sarwar

Can they not see that the shadows of whatever God has created turn to the right and to the left in prostration and submission to Him?

Qaribullah & Darwish

Do they not see how every thing Allah created casts its shadow right and left, prostrating itself before Allah in all humility?

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Have they not observed things that Allah has created: (how) their shadows shift from right to left, prostrating to Allah while they are humble

Wahiduddin Khan

Have they not observed the things God has created, casting their shadows right and left, prostrating themselves before God in all humility?

Talal Itani

Have they not observed what God has created? Their shadows revolve from the right and the left, bowing to God as they shrink away.

Tafsir jalalayn

Or have they not observed the things which God has created, which cast a shadow, such as trees or a mountain, how their shadows incline to the right and to the left (sham'il is the plural of shiml), in other words, towards both sides, at the beginning of the day and at its end, prostrating to God (sujjadan is a circumstantial qualifier), that is to say, subservient to Him with respect to what is required of them, and [how] they, the shadows, are subject?, humbled; they [the shadows] are likened to rational beings [in this description].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Everything prostrates to Allah

Allah says;

أَوَ لَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا خَلَقَ اللّهُ مِن شَيْءٍ يَتَفَيَّأُ ظِلَلُهُ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَالْشَّمَأيِلِ سُجَّدًا لِلّهِ وَهُمْ دَاخِرُونَ



Have they not observed things that Allah has created;(how) their shadows shift from right to left, prostrating to Allah, while they are humble!

Allah informs us about His might, majesty and pride, meaning that all things submit themselves to Him and every created being - animate and inanimate, as well as the responsible - humans and Jinns, and the angels - all humble themselves before Him.

He tells us that everything that has a shadow leaning to the right and the left, i.e., in the morning and the evening, is by its shadow, prostrating to Allah.

Mujahid said,

"When the sun passes its zenith, everything prostrates to Allah, may He be glorified."

This was also said by Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others.

وَهُمْ دَاخِرُونَ


while they are humble,

means, they are in a state of humility.

Mujahid also said;

"The prostration of every thing is its shadow,"

and he mentioned the mountains and said that their prostrations are their shadows.

Abu Ghalib Ash-Shaybani said;

"The waves of the sea are its prayers."

It is as if reason is attributed to these inanimate objects when they are described as prostrating, so Allah says