In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace
Like any good teacher, Ar-Rahman puts our understanding of what we learn to a test. And to my mind, the rest of the Surah truly are a good test to my understanding of the Qur'an and my mastery of Al-Bayan.
The next two verses to be discussed are as follows:
الشمس و القمر بحسبان
و النجم و الشجر يسجدن
The sun and the moon according to a definite calculation
And the stars and the trees prostrate themselves
In my years of fascination with this Surah, I have wondered why God groups these together. Like the game of what does not belong, the tree seems out of place in the celestial theme. The various tafsirs that I have read did not really resolve the question of why the tree is included. Other questions I had were: what does it mean that the stars and trees prostrate? Why not the sun or the moon?
Listening to Nouman Ali Khan's lecture, it dawns upon me that the key to understanding these two verses is in using al-Bayan, i.e. in distinguishing the words. For those who would like to listen to his inspiring lecture, subscribe to Bayyinah TV. But here is my understanding of his lecture.
It is interesting that the Qur'an often uses reflections or mirror images as a literary device. In Ayat al-Kursi, for example, or even Surah Ar-Rahman and Surah Al-Waqi'ah mirror each other in their topics. Similarly, here there is a kind of a mirror imagery - the sun and the trees, the moon and the stars. Why? Nouman Ali Khan reminded us that the Qur'an was first revealed to the Arabs in the desert. The two things of beauty were the trees during the day (when the sun is shining) and the stars (accompanying the moon) at night. Therein lies the connection between the four. And what a beautiful connection.
But it is more than that piece of connection. The key is in two words other than the nouns: in the first verse, بحسبان which most translate as precise or definite calculation, is also used in Surah Al-Kahf as a calamity. So there are several dimensions to understanding the verse. Syed Qutb in his tafsir was eloquent in discussing how the precision of the celestial bodies helps to promote life on this planet. Then there is the time dimension - the sun and the moon are the celestial bodies with which we calibrate our time. Our calendars and seasonality depends on them as well as our sense of day and night. But like a clock, ticking away, there is also a sense of impending end which is suggested by the use of the word "Husban". That time is running out and the celestial clock is running down. God is subtly reminding us that the Hour is ever closer with every passing cycle of day and night.
And then, when the Hour is nigh, those precious and beautiful stars and trees, so admired by the Arabs, will fall (into prostration). If that is the case, could we hope to escape? Basically, God is telling us that we need to prepare ourselves and gather our provisions before the Hour sets and there is no time left.
Listening to Nouman Ali Khan's lecture, it dawns upon me that the key to understanding these two verses is in using al-Bayan, i.e. in distinguishing the words. For those who would like to listen to his inspiring lecture, subscribe to Bayyinah TV. But here is my understanding of his lecture.
It is interesting that the Qur'an often uses reflections or mirror images as a literary device. In Ayat al-Kursi, for example, or even Surah Ar-Rahman and Surah Al-Waqi'ah mirror each other in their topics. Similarly, here there is a kind of a mirror imagery - the sun and the trees, the moon and the stars. Why? Nouman Ali Khan reminded us that the Qur'an was first revealed to the Arabs in the desert. The two things of beauty were the trees during the day (when the sun is shining) and the stars (accompanying the moon) at night. Therein lies the connection between the four. And what a beautiful connection.
But it is more than that piece of connection. The key is in two words other than the nouns: in the first verse, بحسبان which most translate as precise or definite calculation, is also used in Surah Al-Kahf as a calamity. So there are several dimensions to understanding the verse. Syed Qutb in his tafsir was eloquent in discussing how the precision of the celestial bodies helps to promote life on this planet. Then there is the time dimension - the sun and the moon are the celestial bodies with which we calibrate our time. Our calendars and seasonality depends on them as well as our sense of day and night. But like a clock, ticking away, there is also a sense of impending end which is suggested by the use of the word "Husban". That time is running out and the celestial clock is running down. God is subtly reminding us that the Hour is ever closer with every passing cycle of day and night.
And then, when the Hour is nigh, those precious and beautiful stars and trees, so admired by the Arabs, will fall (into prostration). If that is the case, could we hope to escape? Basically, God is telling us that we need to prepare ourselves and gather our provisions before the Hour sets and there is no time left.
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