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ʾa-wa-lam yaraw ʾilā mā khalaqa llāhu min shayʾin yatafayyaʾu ẓilāluhū ʿani l-yamīni wa-sh-shamāʾili sujjadan li-llāhi wa-hum dākhirūna
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 Quli Qarai
Surah An-Nahl – Verse 48
48. “Have they not seen all things that Allah has created the shadows of which spread from right and left, prostrating (before Allah) while they are humble?”
The Arabic term /fi‘/ refers to the shadow in the afternoon which is reversing; while the term /zill/ refers to any kinds of shadow. The Qur’anic word /d axir/ signifies ‘humble’, and it is most probable that the aim in stating ‘the right side’ and ‘the north side’; in the verse it refers to the two sides of the day, namely, morning and evening. Perhaps, because shadow spreads on the earth, the expression of prostration is applied for it, though from the point of creation, all beings are prostrating and humble before Allah.
At any rate, the Qur’an implies in this verse whether those pagans who reject the Oneness of Allah and refute His blessed Prophet (S) do not observe the trees, mountains, shadow-casting objects and buildings which are the created things of Allah and cast their shadows to their right and sometimes to their left-side? For, at dawn, if man stands facing the ‘qiblah’ his shadow will be cast in front of him, after dawn, it falls to his right side and, in the late noon, his shadow will be reflected behind him, while at sunset, it falls on his left side.
This is the meaning of the shadows turning to one’s right and to the one’s left side. This interpretation belongs to Kalbi who remarks that when the Qur’an states that shadows prostrate before Allah, it means that shadows are in obeisance and obey the rules of Allah and their turnings and rotations are not achieved in accordance to their own will. This verse is like verse 15, Surah Ar-Ra‘d, No. 13 which says:
“And whoever is in the skies and on the earth prostrates willingly or unwillingly, and (so do) their shadows in the mornings and the evenings.”
So the Qur’anic phrase /wa hum d axirūn/ signifies that they are mean and humiliated. The verse says:
“Have they not seen all things that Allah has created the shadows of which spread from right and left, prostrating (before Allah) while they are humble?”
Thus, Allah wants to make us understand that all beings, living and inanimate, are humble before Him because of their needs for their Omnipotent and Wise Creator. That is: because if He tends to be slow in affairs, all ‘frames and modes of behavior’ will collapse and perish. Therefore, all beings, just like mankind, are prostrating and humble before Him.