Surah al-Furqan (The Criterion ) 25 : 47

Explanatory Note

Moving on, the sūrah highlights an image of the night, its stillness and peaceful slumber, contrasted with the day and its bustling movement. The night spreads its cover over animate and inanimate objects so as to make the world appear as though it wears the blackness of the night. Hence, the night is described as a garment. At night, movement stops and footsteps cease to allow people and most animals, birds and insects to sleep. Sleep is a cessation of sensation, consciousness and feeling, which is why it is described as ‘repose’. Then the dawn starts to breathe and movement begins. Life is thus resumed. Hence, the day is a new ‘resurrection’ after a short mini-death. The two alternate with every daily cycle of the earth. Again this phenomenon is ignored by human beings, but it is indicative of the great design of the universe made by God, who never sleeps or overlooks anything.