And for you He subjected the night and the day.

And for you He subjected the night and the day." Here one verse completes another: the calculations referred to result in the regularity of the course described by the heavenly bodies in question, this is expressed by the word da'ib, the present participle of a verb whose original meaning was 'to work eagerly and assiduously at something'. Here it is given the meaning of 'to apply oneself to something with care in a perseverant, invariable manner, in accordance with set habits'.

--sura 36, verse 39: God is speaking: "And for the moon We have appointed mansions till she returns like an old shriveled palm branch." This is a reference to the curled form of the palm branch which, as it shrivels up, takes on the moon's crescent. This commentary will be completed later. --sura 16, verse 12: "For you (God) subjected the night and the day, the sun and the moon; the stars are in subjection to His Command.

Verily in this are signs for people who are wise." The practical angle from which this perfect celestial order is seen is underlined on account of its value as an aid to man's travel on earth and by sea, and to his calculation of time. This comment becomes clear when one bears in mind the fact that the Qur'an was originally a preaching addressed to men who only understood the simple language of their everyday lives. This explains the presence of the following reflections.

--sura 6, verse 97: "(God) is the One Who has set out for you the stars, that you may guide yourselves by them through the darkness of the land and of the sea.

We have detailed the signs for people who know." --sura 16, verse 16: "(God sets on the earth) landmarks and by the stars (men) guide themselves." --sura 10, verse 5: "God is the One Who made the sun a shining glory and the moon a light and for her ordained mansions, so that you might know the number of years and the reckoning (of the time). God created this in truth. He explains the signs in detail for people who know." This calls for some comment.

Whereas the Bible calls the Sun and Moon 'lights', and merely adds to one the adjective 'greater' and to the other 'lesser', the Qur'an ascribes differences other than that of dimension to each respectively. Agreed, this is nothing more than a verbal distinction, but how was one to communicate to men at this time without confusing them, while at the same time expressing the notion that the Sun and Moon were not absolutely identical 'lights'? B. NATURE OF HEAVENLY BODIES. The Sun and the Moon.