Tafsir of Ar-Rahman 55:5

Surah Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful) - Verse 5: The Sun and the Moon in Measure

There are several perspectives on the ordering of these blessings:

First Perspective:

1. After establishing Allah's attribute as Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful) and pointing to the Quran as the means of healing and mercy, Allah mentions His blessings.
2. He began with the creation of Man, as all other blessings are realized through him. Without him, nothing would be beneficial.
3. Then, He mentioned the blessing of Perception with the verse: {He taught him expression} (Ar-Rahman: 4). This is like existence itself, as without perception, benefit and utilization would not occur.
4. Next, He mentioned two manifest blessings from the heavens: the Sun and the Moon. These are the most apparent celestial blessings. Without the sun, darkness would not cease; without the moon, many apparent benefits would be lost. The blessings of other stars are not as universally apparent as those of the sun and moon.
5. He then clarified the perfection of their utility in their calculated motion. If the sun were stationary, no one would benefit from it. If its course were unknown, people could not utilize agriculture according to the proper seasons and the ordering of the year.
6. In contrast to these celestial blessings, He mentioned two manifest blessings from the earth: Plants without stalks and plants with stalks. Sustenance originates from them. Without plants, humans would have no provision (except as Allah wills). The foundation of blessings rests upon sustenance, and sustenance originates from vegetation.
7. We say vegetation is the origin of sustenance because provision is either plant-based or animal-based (like meat, milk, etc.). Without plants, animals could not live, and plants are the origin.
8. Vegetation is divided into two types: that which stands on a stalk (like wheat, barley, large trees, and fruit trees) and that which does not stand on a stalk (like leafy greens, grass, and fodder that animals eat).

Second Perspective:

1. Since Allah mentioned the Quran, which is sufficient and requires no other proof, He immediately followed it with: {The sun and the moon in measure * And the stars and the trees} (Ar-Rahman: 5-6) and other verses.
2. This indicates that for those whose souls are not purified enough to be satisfied by the proofs within the Quran, there are signs in the horizons, such as the sun and the moon.
3. The sun and moon were specifically mentioned because their motion according to calculation (بحسبان) points to an Agent with Will (a deliberate actor) who subjected them to a specific order.
4. If all naturalists, philosophers, and others gathered and agreed to establish their movement upon the precise, known path, with the known measure of slowness and speed, none would succeed until they returned to the truth and said: "Allah moves them as He wills."
5. Mentioning the earth, sky, and others refers to the rational proofs that confirm the textual proofs found in the Quran.

Third Perspective:

1. We previously mentioned that this Surah begins with a miracle related to the celestial configuration (Heiy'ah). Here, He provides a miracle concerning the Quran as a response to those who deny prophethood.
2. Allah revealed the Book to His Prophet and sent him with the noblest address. Some deniers asked: How can a body descend from heaven to earth, and how can what is on earth ascend to heaven?
3. Allah responded: {The sun and the moon in measure}, indicating that their movement is by a volitional mover, not merely natural. They (the deniers) agree with us on this point, stating that circular motion cannot be natural or voluntary.
4. We ask them: Who moved the sun and moon in a circle? [Similarly,] Angels descended in a straight path, and the stars and trees move upwards in a straight path, even though, according to your doctrine, heavy things do not ascend upwards. This is by the Power and Will of Allah. Thus, the movement of an angel is permissible, just like the celestial spheres.
5. As for {بحسبان} (in measure/calculation), it hints at the answer to their objection: {Is the Reminder sent down upon him among us?} (Sad: 8). Just as Allah chose a specific path, known direction, and fixed measure for the sun and moon's movement, He chose a known time and a specific path for the Angel by His grace.

Issue 1: Why is the action attributed implicitly (using the noun bi-hissab) rather than explicitly (stating "Allah moved them")?

Unlike the creation of man and teaching expression, where the explicit verb form is used (e.g., Khalaqa, Allama), here it is stated: {The sun and the moon in measure}. There are several wisdoms in this:

1. It suggests that the creation of man and the teaching of expression are more complete and greater blessings, as Allah explicitly claims authorship for them, whereas here, the benefit is implied.
2. It is like when someone says: "I gave you thousands and hundreds repeatedly, and you received units and tens many times, yet you did not thank me." The meaning is that these benefits came from me and my giving, but the explicit declaration of giving is reserved for the greater amounts.
3. Since we established that {The sun and the moon} serve as a rational proof confirming the textual proof, not explicitly stating the action implies that this is a self-evident truth (ma'qul). If you reflect upon it, you will know it is from Me and acknowledge it. For the textual proof, the action is explicitly attributed to Him.

Issue 2: What is the grammatical function of the preposition Bā' in {بحسبان}?

The function of the Bā' is clear from its interpretation, which has already been mentioned. However, another perspective exists:

1. The Famous View: Hissab means calculation (as in hasaba hisaban wa hisbānan). In this case, the Bā' signifies accompaniment (musāhaqah), similar to saying bi-khair (with goodness). Thus, the sun and moon run accompanied by their calculation. This aligns with verses like: {Indeed, We have created everything in measure} (Ar-Ra'd: 8). Alternatively, it could imply seeking aid (isti'ānah), as in "By the help of Allah, I overcame," meaning they run with calculation provided by Allah.
2. The Second View: Hisbān refers to the celestial sphere/orbit (al-falak), likened to the hisbān of a millstone, which rotates and turns the stone. In this case, the Bā' signifies seeking aid, as in "I wrote with a pen." Thus, they move by the celestial sphere, similar to {And each [celestial body] swims in an orbit} (Ya-Sin: 40).

Sub-issue: If we adopt the famous view (calculation), does each body move by its own calculation, or do they share one calculation?

• Both are possible. If we look at them individually, each has its own calculation, like {Each in an orbit swims} (Al-Anbiya: 33), meaning they are not all combined in one orbit.
• If we look at Allah's decree, there is one calculation governing the totality of their measure. An example is someone dividing their inheritance, assigning a known share to each heir by a single calculation, even if the actual amounts received differ (some get a sixth, some more, some less). The single calculation governs the whole.

Issue 1: Why are the preceding blessings listed sequentially without the conjunction Wāw (and), while the stars and trees are mentioned with the Wāw?

This variation in style serves to diversify the speech into two types:

1. When enumerating blessings upon others, one might list them sequentially without a conjunction (e.g., "So-and-so blessed you greatly: he enriched you after poverty, honored you after humiliation, strengthened you after weakness").
2. Or, one might list them with a conjunction (Wāw, Fā’, or Thumma): "So-and-so honored you, and blessed you, and did good to you." Or, "He raised you, then taught you, then enriched you."

Allah uses both methods here.

Clarification on the Difference in Meaning:

• The style without the conjunction suggests enumerating numerous blessings, omitting the conjunction to encompass them all without lengthy speech. This style is often used when blessings exceed two or three, serving as an example of many.
• The style with the conjunction emphasizes the independence of each blessing, dispelling any notion that one is merely an explanation or substitute for the other. If one says, "He blessed you, meaning he gave you wealth," the second phrase explains the first, and only one blessing is truly mentioned. But using a conjunction implies two distinct blessings.

Addressing a Rhetorical Question: If the goal was comprehensive enumeration, would it not be more eloquent to start with the Wāw and then list the rest sequentially when the speech becomes lengthy?

• The fact that Allah's usage is superior is proof enough. However, there is a detailed explanation: Speech may begin concisely, but circumstances (a persistent questioner, a listener desiring more detail) may necessitate elaboration. Conversely, speech may begin expansively, but circumstances may require brevity.
• Allah's speech benefits His servants, not Him. In this Surah, He began by pointing to the most complete blessings (the purpose of the Surah), using the style that implies multiplicity.
• Since humans are not perfectly capable of discerning the speaker's intent even among their peers, how much more so when the speech is from Allah? Therefore, Allah began with the style implying multiplicity, and then used the style implying independence to negate the idea of substitution and to affirm that each item is a complete blessing in itself.

Further Question: If this is the case, why is the Wāw specifically used here (for the stars and trees) and not for the earlier blessings?

• This is done to make the two styles equal in number. Four of the eight blessings (like the Quran and creation of man) are mentioned without the Wāw, and four are mentioned with the Wāw.
• The subsequent verses detailing the fruits and grains are for specifying the blessings of the earth.
• There is subtlety in choosing eight blessings: Seven is a complete number, and eight is seven plus an addition. This hints that Allah's blessings exceed the limit of enumeration, as that which exceeds completeness cannot be precisely defined. Mentioning eight points to the abundance beyond counting, not to limit the blessings to that number.

Issue 2: What is the meaning of An-Najm (The Star)?

There are two views:

1. Plants without stalks (herbs/greens). This is more apparent because it is mentioned alongside trees, contrasting two earthly things with the two celestial things (Sun and Moon). Furthermore, the description {يسجدان} (prostrate) suggests it is not the star of the sky, because those who interpret it as the celestial star say it prostrates by setting (disappearing). If that were the case, the Sun and Moon also set, removing the specificity of this description.
2. The Star of the Sky. If we take this view, {يسجدان} means their shadows prostrate, which is specific to them and not the Sun and Moon.

Interpretations of their Prostration ({يسجدان}):

1. As mentioned, the prostration of their shadows.
2. Their submission to Allah, emerging from the earth and remaining fixed upon it by His permission. The Sun and Moon are subjected to circular motion, while the stars and trees are subjected to upward linear motion. Their fixed position on the ground is likened to prostration, as the prostrator remains stationary.
3. Actual prostration exists in them, even if unseen, just as they glorify Allah even if humans do not comprehend it ({but you do not perceive their glorification} [Al-Isra: 44]).
4. Prostration is placing the forehead or the front of the head on the ground. In reality, the heads of the stars and trees are on the ground, and their roots are in the air. This is because the head in an animal is where nourishment is taken, and the roots of plants serve this function. Life cannot be sustained without the head, and plants/trees cannot remain fresh if their roots are damaged, even if their branches are cut. We call the branches the "heads" of trees because the head in humans is the uppermost part. Given this, the "heads" (roots) of stars and trees are always on the ground, making their prostration figurative (by analogy) rather than literal.

Issue 3: Why is An-Najm (the star/herb) mentioned before Ash-Shajar (the tree)?

This is for both verbal balance with the Sun and Moon, and for a conceptual reason:

1. Verbal Balance: The star/herb is more involved in the meaning of prostration because it spreads out on the ground like a literal prostrator. Similarly, the Sun is more involved in the calculation (Hisbān) because calculating its course is easier for astronomers than calculating the Moon's course, as the latter is the most difficult element in astronomical tables (Zīj).