Overview (Verses 60 - 62)

Setting the Universe to Order Yet those impudent, shameless people behave discourteously when they are called upon to believe in God, the Most Merciful, and worship Him: Yet when they are told, ‘Prostrate yourselves before the Most Merciful,’ they ask, ‘What is the Most Merciful? Are we to prostrate ourselves before whatever you bid us?’ And they grow more rebellious. (Verse 60)

This is a particularly distasteful picture of impudence, mentioned here to comfort the Prophet who was at the receiving end of their insolence and disrespect. These people have no respect for their Lord. They speak in such an impudent way about God Almighty. Is it surprising, then, that they should say whatever they do about His Messenger? They even dislike God’s name, and say that they do not know His attribute, the Most Merciful. Hence, they ask the Prophet about Him, using the interrogative word ‘what’, thus adding insult to injury. Their rudeness was at its worst when they said that the only Raĥmān, which is the Arabic word for the Most Merciful, they knew was the one in Yamāmah, referring to Musaylamah, the liar who claimed that he was a prophet.

Their shameless impertinence is answered by stressing that all glory belongs to God, highlighting His greatness and the great signs He has placed in the universe: Blessed is He who has set up in the skies great constellations, and has placed among them a lamp and a light giving moon. And He it is who causes the night and the day to succeed one another; [a clear sign] for him who would take heed or would show gratitude. (Verses 61-62)

Most probably the term ‘constellations’, as mentioned here, refers to the positions of the planets and their great orbits. Their mention contrasts with the mockery sensed in the unbelievers’ question: ‘What is the Most Merciful?’ These constellations, in their real and perceived greatness, are only one aspect of His creation. In these the sun takes its position, and the sun is called here ‘a lamp’ as it sends light to our planet as well as to other planets. And among them there is a light- giving moon, which spreads a gentle air of calm.

The sūrah also refers to the succession of day and night, which are two of God’s great signs that people always overlook, although reflection on them is enough for anyone ‘who would take heed or would show gratitude.’ Had it not been for the fact that God made the day and night to succeed each other in this fashion, no vegetal, animal or human life could have emerged on this planet. Indeed, life would not be possible if the length of the day and night cycle were changed. Scientists tell us.

The earth rotates on its axis in twenty-four hours or at the rate of one thousand miles an hour. Suppose it turned at the rate of a hundred miles an hour. Why not? Our days and nights would then be ten times as long as now. The hot sun of summer would then burn up our vegetation each long day and every sprout would freeze in such a night.1

Blessed, then, is the One who created the heavens and the earth, and created everything according to a definite measure. Blessed is the One who “Set up in the skies great constellations, and has placed among them a lamp and a light giving moon. And He it is who causes the night and the day to succeed one another; [a clear sign] for him who would take heed or would show gratitude.” (Verses 61-62)