Surah Al-Qasas 28:71
ﱁ ﱂ ﱃ ﱄ ﱅ ﱆ ﱇ ﱈ ﱉ ﱊ ﱋ ﱌ ﱍ ﱎ ﱏ ﱐ ﱑ ﱒ ﱓ ﱔ
Say, "Have you considered: if Allah should make for you the night continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you light? Then will you not hear?"
Tafsir of Al-Qasas 28:71
Tafsir
Al-Kashshaf
Verse range: 28:71
Al-Qasas: (71) Say, "Have you considered..."
{أرءيتم} (Have you considered): It is also recited as (أريتم) with the omission of the hamza, though this is not a standard (qiyasi) omission.
Its meaning: "Inform me, who is capable of this?"
{السرمد} (Perpetual): That which is continuous and uninterrupted. It is derived from al-sard, which means succession. From this comes the saying regarding the sacred months: "Three in succession (sard), and one individual (fard)." The mim is an addition, and its morphological pattern is fa‘mal. A parallel example is dalamas (shiny/smooth), derived from al-dalas.
If you ask: Why was it not said, "with a day in which you move about," just as it was said, "{with a night in which you rest}"?
I reply: The diya' (radiance)—which is the light of the sun—was mentioned because the benefits associated with it are numerous; it is not limited to moving about for one's livelihood alone. Darkness does not hold that same status. Hence, the mention of radiance is paired with, "{Do you not then hear?}" because hearing perceives what sight cannot regarding the mention of its benefits and the description of its advantages. Conversely, the night is paired with, "{Do you not then see?}" because you see the benefit of darkness just as others see it, such as rest and the like.
{ومن رحمته} (And out of His mercy): He paired the night and the day for three purposes: that you may rest in one of them (the night), that you may seek the bounty of Allah in the other (the day), and that you may be moved to gratitude.