Surah 28

Surah 28:72

"Say: ‘Have you considered? If God makes the day continuous for you until the Day of Resurrection, what god other than God will bring you night to rest in? Will you not see?"
Night and Day are among the Blessings of Allah and are Signs of Tawhid Verses 28:71-73
Show Full Scripture Context (28:71-73) — 3 Verses
Verse 71

قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ سَرۡمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ مَنۡ إِلَٰهٌ غَيۡرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأۡتِيكُم بِضِيَآءٍۚ أَفَلَا تَسۡمَعُونَ

Say: ‘Have you considered? If God makes the night continuous for you until the Day of Resurrection, what god other than God will bring you light? Will you not hear?’

Verse 72

قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلنَّهَارَ سَرۡمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ مَنۡ إِلَٰهٌ غَيۡرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأۡتِيكُم بِلَيۡلٖ تَسۡكُنُونَ فِيهِۚ أَفَلَا تُبۡصِرُونَ

Say: ‘Have you considered? If God makes the day continuous for you until the Day of Resurrection, what god other than God will bring you night to rest in? Will you not see?

Verse 73

وَمِن رَّحۡمَتِهِۦ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ لِتَسۡكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَلِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ

But out of His mercy He has made the night and the day for you, so that you may rest in it, and that you may seek some of His favor, and that you may be thankful.’

Allah reminds His servants of His favors towards them by subjugating for them the night and day, without which they could not survive. He explains that if He made the night continuous, lasting until the Day of Resurrection, that would be harmful for them and would cause boredom and stress. So He says:

Quoted Scripture
"which god besides Allah could bring you light?"

meaning, “with which you could see things and which would bring you relief?'

{Will you not then hear?} Then Allah tells us that if He had made the day continuous, lasting until the Day of Resurrection, that would also be harmful for them and their bodies would get tired from so much movement and activity. Allah says:

Quoted Scripture
"which god besides Allah could bring you night wherein you rest?"

meaning, 'to rest from your work and activity.'

{Will you not then see? It is out of His mercy} towards you,

Quoted Scripture
"that He has made for you the night and the day"

He created both,

{that you may rest therein} during the night,

Quoted Scripture
"and that you may seek of His bounty"

during the day, by traveling, moving about and working.

Quoted Scripture
"and in order that you may be grateful."

So that you may give thanks to Allah by performing all kinds of acts of worship at night and during the day. Whoever misses something during the night can make it up during the day, and vice versa. This is like the Ayah,

{And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession, for such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude.} (25:62).

And there are many similar Ayat

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.