Do you not see that God causes the night to pass into the day, and the day to pass into the night, and that He has made the sun and the moon subservient (to His laws), each running its course for a set term, and that God is fully aware of all that you do? Thus it is, because God alone is the Ultimate Truth, and all that people invoke besides Him is sheer falsehood, and because God alone is Most High, Great.
Do you not see that the ships sail the sea by God’s blessing, so that He might show you some of His signs? In this there are clear signs indeed for all who are truly patient in adversity and deeply grateful to God.(Luqman: 31: 29-31)
As already mentioned, this surah of medium length makes four presentations of the central issue of the Islamic faith, which is belief in God’s oneness and His sovereignty over the universe. We have discussed three of these four presentations, each of which takes a different approach and uses different influences on man’s nature. As it begins its fourth presentation the surah states that God is the truth while all those that unbelievers invoke besides Him are false. It speaks of addressing worship purely to God alone and of the Day of Judgment when neither parent nor child can avail the other anything. Several psychological influences are brought in against a universal background: “Do you not see that God causes the night to pass into the day, and the day to pass into the night, and that He has made the sun and the moon subservient (to His laws), each running its course for a set term, and that God is fully aware of all that you do?”
The scenes of the night passing into the day and the day passing into the night, as well as their shortening and increase in length with the different seasons are remarkable indeed. However, our long familiarity with them makes most of us oblivious to this wonder that occurs regularly, without fail or disturbance. It follows a regular cycle that never deviates from its set pattern. It is God only who can initiate such a system and maintain it. To appreciate this fact needs no more than observing this unfailing cycle.
The relation of this cycle to the sun, the moon, their regular movement and their being made subservient is an even greater wonder than the day and night, their shortening and increase in length. No one could do this other than God Almighty. It is He who knows and determines how long they will continue to follow this cycle, until the time He has appointed. Another truism is added to these two universal facts in the same verse: “God is fully aware of all that you do.” (Verse 29) Thus, the three are cited together as closely-linked, indisputable facts. This is followed by a comment stating the great truth upon which all facts are based. It is the central theme of this surah, which is established by this evidence: “Thus it is, because God alone is the Ultimate Truth, and all that people invoke besides Him is sheer falsehood, and because God alone is Most High, Great.” (Verse 30)
Thus it is: This accurate, balanced, coherent and unfailing universal system functions by the fact that God is the Ultimate Truth and that whatever else people may invoke is false. This is the great truth upon which is based every truth, and by which the whole universe fulfills its existence. That God — limitless is He in His glory — is the Ultimate Truth means that it is He who brings the universe into existence, maintains it, conducts its affairs, guarantees its stability and coherence for the length of time He chooses.
“Thus it is, because God alone is the Ultimate Truth.” Everything else changes and alters, increases and decreases, is subject to strengthening and weakening, flourishing and withering. Everything else comes into existence and goes out of it, but God alone is Eternal, unchanging, subject to no transformation or alteration.
Yet there remains in my mind something I have not expressed about the statement: “Thus it is, because God alone is the Ultimate Truth.” It is something that cannot be communicated in words; something which is not in my power to express; something I feel strongly in my heart, yet human language cannot put in words. The same is true of the last statement in this verse: “God alone is Most High, Great.” Indeed, no one else is high or great. Have I said anything about what works inside me about this Qur’anic statement? I feel that any human expression of these sublime truths detracts from them. Indeed, the Qur’anic expression is uniquely inspiring.
The surah follows this great universal scene and the inspiring statement that follows it by drawing a familiar image in human life. It draws ships going through the sea by God’s grace. It puts the unbelievers face to face with human nature when it faces the dangers of the sea, when no power or arrogance is of any avail: “Do you not see that the ships sail the sea by God’s blessing, so that He might show you some of His signs? In this there are clear signs indeed for all who are truly patient in adversity and deeply grateful to God.”
Ships sail through the sea in accordance with the laws of nature God applies to the sea, ships, wind, the earth and the skies. Since He has created all these and given them their respective qualities, He thus enables the ships to sail through the sea without going to the bottom or standing still.
