Overview (Verses 4 - 6)
 

Justice for All
 
To emphasize this meaning of worship, a later verse in this sūrah states: “Say: ‘Do but consider all the means of sustenance that God has bestowed on you! Some of it you then made unlawful, and some lawful.’ Say: ‘Was God given you leave to do so, or do you fabricate lies against God?’” (Verse 59) Our situation today is not at all different from what prevailed during that period of ignorance and to whose people God clearly states: “That is God, your Lord: so worship Him alone. Will you not then keep this in mind?” (Verse 3) So, worship Him, associating no partners with Him. For to Him you shall return to face the reckoning when He gives each one, believer or unbeliever, his or her fitting reward: “To Him you shall all return. This is, in truth, God’s promise.” (Verse 4) You return to none of the partners or the intercessors you claim. He has promised that you will return to Him and His promise is certain to be fulfilled. For resurrection is the completion of creation. “He originates all His creation, and then brings them all back to life so that He may reward, with equity, those who have believed and done good deeds. As for the unbelievers, they shall have a scalding drink and a grievous suffering for their unbelief.” (Verse 4) Administering justice to all is in itself one of the aims of original creation and bringing all creatures back to life. Similarly, giving pure happiness and enjoyment without any unwelcome consequences to spoil its effects is another aim of the process of creation and resurrection. This is the utmost point of perfection which humanity can reach. Such a zenith cannot be attained in this life on earth which is always mixed with worry and distress. No happy experience in this life is free of a hiccup or an unwelcome aftermath, except perhaps for pure spiritual happiness which is very rarely experienced by human beings.
 
Had the inevitable termination of the happiness of this world been the only feeling people acknowledge, it would have been enough to make it imperfect and incomplete. In this life, humanity does not attain its highest potential, which implies getting rid of its weaknesses, shortcomings, and their consequences, as well as an enjoyment that is free of fear, worry, and apprehension of quick termination. Such happiness, graphically described in the Qur’ān, is attained in heaven. As such, it is only proper that one of the aims of creation and resurrection is to enable those human beings who follow divine guidance, implementing the right code of living, to attain the highest standard of humanity.
 
The unbelievers have put the divine code of living aside and have chosen not to move along the way that leads to the attainment of human perfection. According to the laws of nature that never fail, their deviation keeps them well short of that level of perfection. As Shaikh Rashīd Riđā’ says, they will have to suffer the consequences of their errant ways just like one who violates the rules of health: he suffers disease and debility and they suffer distress after distress. The end result will be unmitigated misery, in contrast to the pure happiness the believers enjoy: “As for the unbelievers, they shall have a scalding drink and a grievous suffering for their persistent disbelief” (Verse 4)
 
The sūrah then highlights some of the cosmic phenomena which are next to the creation of the heavens and the earth in their magnificence: “He it is who made the sun a source of radiant light and the moon a light [reflected], and determined her phases so that you may know how to compute the years and measure [time]. God has not created this otherwise than in accordance with the truth. He makes plain His revelations to people of knowledge.” (Verse 5) These are two very clear scenes which we take for granted because of our long familiarity with them and their continuous repetition. Who could imagine the awesome feelings of majesty and magnificence of a person who sees the sun rising and setting for the first time, or the full moon making its first appearance followed by its first setting? The Qur’ān reminds us of these two very familiar scenes so as to bring them back to us anew. It awakens in our hearts a desire to look and reflect over such great phenomena.
 
The Qur’ān draws our attention to the elaborate design clearly seen in their creation: “He it is who made the sun a source of radiant light.” (Verse 5) We feel that it is almost ablaze. “And the moon a light [reflected].” It shines and illuminates. “And determined her phases.” (Verse 5) It stands every night in a new position which gives it a corresponding shape. This is seen by all of us when we look at the moon, night after night. We do not need to have any specialized knowledge of astronomy to realize this. The purpose is clear: so that you may know how to compute the years and measure time.’ (Verse 5) Today, we all still calculate time on the basis of the sun and the moon’s movements.
 
Is all this a pastime, a coincidence or something false? Certainly not. Such an elaborate system, providing such perfect harmony and accuracy which never fail, could not be without purpose. It is neither false nor a coincidence: “God has not created this otherwise than in accordance with the truth.” (Verse 5) The truth is its tool, substance and objective. The truth is constant and firmly rooted, and these phenomena which point to the truth are also clear, constant and permanent. “He makes His revelations plain to people of knowledge.” (Verse 5) Knowledge and learning are needed to understand the elaborate planning behind these magnificent scenes.
 
The heavens, the earth, the blazing sun, and the illuminating moon combine to produce the succession of day and night. This is a telling phenomenon which inspires anyone who opens his heart and mind to the messages contained in the universe: “Indeed in the alternating of night and day, and in all that God has created in the heavens and the earth, there are signs for people who are God-fearing.” (Verse 6) The Arabic term used for the ‘alternating of night and day’ refers both to their succession and their varying length. Both are well-known aspects which lose their significance with familiarity, except in those moments when man’s soul and conscience are awakened and he begins to contemplate the rise and setting of different stars and planets like a man reborn, responding to every aspect and every phenomenon. Only in such moments does man truly live, shaking away the rust of familiarity and repetition which becloud his vision and blunt his responses.
 
“And in all that God has created in the heavens and the earth.” (Verse 6) If man just stood for a moment watching what ‘God has created in the heavens and the earth’ and looked at the countless number of species, forms, situations and material conditions, he would have sufficient material for a life of reflection and contemplation. For in all this, ‘there are signs for people who are God-fearing.’ (Verse 6) It is only such people who have a conscience, sharpened by their fear of God, who are alert and responsive to the evidence of God’s great might. For it is all clearly apparent in the perfection of His creation.

Overview (Verses 4 - 6)
 

Justice for All
 
To emphasize this meaning of worship, a later verse in this sūrah states: “Say: ‘Do but consider all the means of sustenance that God has bestowed on you! Some of it you then made unlawful, and some lawful.’ Say: ‘Was God given you leave to do so, or do you fabricate lies against God?’” (Verse 59) Our situation today is not at all different from what prevailed during that period of ignorance and to whose people God clearly states: “That is God, your Lord: so worship Him alone. Will you not then keep this in mind?” (Verse 3) So, worship Him, associating no partners with Him. For to Him you shall return to face the reckoning when He gives each one, believer or unbeliever, his or her fitting reward: “To Him you shall all return. This is, in truth, God’s promise.” (Verse 4) You return to none of the partners or the intercessors you claim. He has promised that you will return to Him and His promise is certain to be fulfilled. For resurrection is the completion of creation. “He originates all His creation, and then brings them all back to life so that He may reward, with equity, those who have believed and done good deeds. As for the unbelievers, they shall have a scalding drink and a grievous suffering for their unbelief.” (Verse 4) Administering justice to all is in itself one of the aims of original creation and bringing all creatures back to life. Similarly, giving pure happiness and enjoyment without any unwelcome consequences to spoil its effects is another aim of the process of creation and resurrection. This is the utmost point of perfection which humanity can reach. Such a zenith cannot be attained in this life on earth which is always mixed with worry and distress. No happy experience in this life is free of a hiccup or an unwelcome aftermath, except perhaps for pure spiritual happiness which is very rarely experienced by human beings.
 
Had the inevitable termination of the happiness of this world been the only feeling people acknowledge, it would have been enough to make it imperfect and incomplete. In this life, humanity does not attain its highest potential, which implies getting rid of its weaknesses, shortcomings, and their consequences, as well as an enjoyment that is free of fear, worry, and apprehension of quick termination. Such happiness, graphically described in the Qur’ān, is attained in heaven. As such, it is only proper that one of the aims of creation and resurrection is to enable those human beings who follow divine guidance, implementing the right code of living, to attain the highest standard of humanity.
 
The unbelievers have put the divine code of living aside and have chosen not to move along the way that leads to the attainment of human perfection. According to the laws of nature that never fail, their deviation keeps them well short of that level of perfection. As Shaikh Rashīd Riđā’ says, they will have to suffer the consequences of their errant ways just like one who violates the rules of health: he suffers disease and debility and they suffer distress after distress. The end result will be unmitigated misery, in contrast to the pure happiness the believers enjoy: “As for the unbelievers, they shall have a scalding drink and a grievous suffering for their persistent disbelief” (Verse 4)
 
The sūrah then highlights some of the cosmic phenomena which are next to the creation of the heavens and the earth in their magnificence: “He it is who made the sun a source of radiant light and the moon a light [reflected], and determined her phases so that you may know how to compute the years and measure [time]. God has not created this otherwise than in accordance with the truth. He makes plain His revelations to people of knowledge.” (Verse 5) These are two very clear scenes which we take for granted because of our long familiarity with them and their continuous repetition. Who could imagine the awesome feelings of majesty and magnificence of a person who sees the sun rising and setting for the first time, or the full moon making its first appearance followed by its first setting? The Qur’ān reminds us of these two very familiar scenes so as to bring them back to us anew. It awakens in our hearts a desire to look and reflect over such great phenomena.
 
The Qur’ān draws our attention to the elaborate design clearly seen in their creation: “He it is who made the sun a source of radiant light.” (Verse 5) We feel that it is almost ablaze. “And the moon a light [reflected].” It shines and illuminates. “And determined her phases.” (Verse 5) It stands every night in a new position which gives it a corresponding shape. This is seen by all of us when we look at the moon, night after night. We do not need to have any specialized knowledge of astronomy to realize this. The purpose is clear: so that you may know how to compute the years and measure time.’ (Verse 5) Today, we all still calculate time on the basis of the sun and the moon’s movements.
 
Is all this a pastime, a coincidence or something false? Certainly not. Such an elaborate system, providing such perfect harmony and accuracy which never fail, could not be without purpose. It is neither false nor a coincidence: “God has not created this otherwise than in accordance with the truth.” (Verse 5) The truth is its tool, substance and objective. The truth is constant and firmly rooted, and these phenomena which point to the truth are also clear, constant and permanent. “He makes His revelations plain to people of knowledge.” (Verse 5) Knowledge and learning are needed to understand the elaborate planning behind these magnificent scenes.
 
The heavens, the earth, the blazing sun, and the illuminating moon combine to produce the succession of day and night. This is a telling phenomenon which inspires anyone who opens his heart and mind to the messages contained in the universe: “Indeed in the alternating of night and day, and in all that God has created in the heavens and the earth, there are signs for people who are God-fearing.” (Verse 6) The Arabic term used for the ‘alternating of night and day’ refers both to their succession and their varying length. Both are well-known aspects which lose their significance with familiarity, except in those moments when man’s soul and conscience are awakened and he begins to contemplate the rise and setting of different stars and planets like a man reborn, responding to every aspect and every phenomenon. Only in such moments does man truly live, shaking away the rust of familiarity and repetition which becloud his vision and blunt his responses.
 
“And in all that God has created in the heavens and the earth.” (Verse 6) If man just stood for a moment watching what ‘God has created in the heavens and the earth’ and looked at the countless number of species, forms, situations and material conditions, he would have sufficient material for a life of reflection and contemplation. For in all this, ‘there are signs for people who are God-fearing.’ (Verse 6) It is only such people who have a conscience, sharpened by their fear of God, who are alert and responsive to the evidence of God’s great might. For it is all clearly apparent in the perfection of His creation.