Surah an-Nahl (The Bee ) 16 : 45

Overview (Verses 45 - 50)

Universal Submission to God’s Power

The present passage started with a reference to those who plot and scheme. It now concludes with two highly charged emotional touches. The first warns that against God’s scheme no one is safe at any time of the night or day. The other invites people to join the whole universe in extolling God’s praises and worshipping Him. Only man can refuse to submit to God, while everything around him glorifies and praises God:

Do those who devise evil schemes feel secure that God will not cause the earth to swallow them, or that suffering will not befall them whence they do not perceive? — Or that He will not suddenly take them to task in the midst of their comings and goings; for they can never frustrate His design? — Or that He will seize them when they are alert and apprehensive? Surely your Lord is Most Compassionate, Most merciful. Do people not see how every object God has created casts its shadow right and left, prostrating itself before God in complete submission? For, before God prostrates itself every living thing in the heavens and the earth, as do the angels. They do not behave in arrogant defiance. They fear their Lord, who is high above them, and do as they are bidden. (Verses 45-50)

It is indeed most amazing that human beings see how God’s hand is working yet they take no heed. Those of them who scheme continue their plotting, and those who thus far have been safe continue to feel secure against a strike that will overwhelm them just as happened to other people before them. They entertain no fear that God may inflict punishment on them at any moment, whether they are asleep or awake, mindful or oblivious of what is going on around them. The sūrah warns them of the impending danger which they may ignore at their peril: “Do those who devise evil schemes feel secure that God will not cause the earth to swallow them, or that suffering will not befall them whence they do not perceive?” (Verse 45) Or do they feel secure that God will not smite them at any time while they travel about on business or pleasure. “They can never frustrate His design.” (Verse 46) They are not immune from His punishment wherever they happen to be. Or do they feel safe against a strike which “will seize them when they are alert and apprehensive?” (Verse 47) Their expectation of danger and alertness to it will not frustrate God’s will. He is just as able to seize them when they fully expect danger as He is able to take them unawares. The fact remains that God “is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.” (Verse 47)

The question has to be asked again: Do those who devise evil schemes feel secure against God’s punishment? They are certainly totally oblivious to what is going on around them whereby the whole universe, with all its laws and phenomena, delivers a message of submission to God and acceptance of His will: “Do people not see how every object God has created casts its shadow right and left, prostrating itself before God in complete submission? For, before God prostrates itself every living thing in the heavens and the earth, as do the angels. They do not behave in arrogant defiance. They fear their Lord, who is high above them, and do as they are bidden.” (Verses 48-50)

The image drawn here is one of shadows extending and retreating, moving and standing still. It is highly inspiring, provided that we open our hearts, alert our senses and respond to what goes on in the universe around us. The Qur’ān expresses the notion of submission to God’s laws by prostration. This is indeed the most expressive aspect of submission. The sūrah thus alerts us to the gentle movement of shades, for it profoundly influences our feelings. It depicts all creatures, ‘in complete submission’. It also adds the angels to this universal grouping. This gives us a wonderful image of living creatures, shadows, inanimate objects and angels in a position of full submission to God. It depicts their complete devotion and sincere worship. None is too proud to refuse to worship Him or to disobey His command. Only a group of arrogant human beings jarr the tune in this remarkable orchestration.

Thus this passage, having started with a reference to arrogant unbelievers, concludes with isolating such arrogant humans in a scene that comprises the whole universe.