B U S I N E S S N A M E

Reflections
From the Glorious Qur’ān
I S S U E N O . 1 1 S T D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8

The Shadow Prostrates

‫ش ٍء‬ ُ ‫أَ َو ل َ ْم يَ َر ْوا إِىل ما َخلَ َق ه‬
ْ َ ‫اَّلل ِم ْن‬ there is no shadow that does not tors of the Qur’ān has posited that it
move) is its prostration. is possible the word ‘prostration’
ً‫الشامئِلِ ُُسهدا‬
‫الُل ع َِن الْ َيمنيِ َو ه‬ ُ ُ ‫يَتَ َفيهؤُا ِظ‬
Other scholars say that this attribution has been used because the shadows

َ ‫ِ ه َِّلل َو ُ ُْه دا ِخ ُر‬

‫ون‬ is not for the shadows but rather the usually fall upon the ground as do
the human beings who prostrate.
material entities that cast the shad-
POINTS TO Have they not considered everything ows because one cannot attribute As numerous other verses of the
PONDER Allāh has created? Its shadows turn to humility to a non-intelligent entity. Qur’ān indicate, everything in crea-
UPON the right and left, prostrating to Allāh This argument is unfounded because tion glorifies Allāh and submits to
in utter humility? the verse speaks of everything that His will. Here we see that this is also
 What are Allāh has created, including those that true for their effects and incidentals.
(al-Nahl [16]:48)
shadows made do not possess intellect. Unless, of A more general explanation speaks
of? course, every entity in creation is to the harmony in nature where
Shadows are mostly thought of as believed to possess some form of everything works in systemic order.
 Do shadows
being two-dimensional areas of dark- intellect. The earth rotates at a certain speed
have independ-
ness brought about by the absence of
ent existence? and the rays of the sun fall on the
illumination due to opaque objects ground at specific angles. Everything
 Do shadows that break the pathway of light. Yet in works like clockwork, strictly follow-
have attributes? this verse of the Qur’ān, we are told ing pre-ordained laws in complete
that even shadows that are cast by the obeisance to Allāh.
 Are shadows creation of Allāh prostrate to Him in
causes? utter humility! At the time of revelation, the Arabs
would also sometimes use ‘shadow’
 How does a This means that our understanding of to describe the person who pos-
shadow pros- shadows needs review. In his recent
sessed the shadow; since a person
book entitled ‘Seeing Dark Things: The Shadows of camels in the desert
trate? (or a thing) cannot be separated
Philosophy of Shadows’, Professor Roy from its shadow. However, the
Sorensen says that shadows should The majority of commentators, how- structure of this verse points away
not be confused with their two- ever, opine that prostration is attrib- from this interpretation.
dimensional cross-sections that are uted to shadows and humility to the
cast upon the surfaces of objects lyingcreation that possess shadows. The Shadows play an important role in
in their way, since shadows are actu- apparent meaning of the verse also Islamic law. For example, the
ally three-dimensional in shape. indicates that shadows prostrate and ahādith explain how one has to use
the shadow as a gauge to find out
According to Sorensen, shadows are submit to the will of Allāh. the times of prayer. Before the
real, but are not "positive" beings, But a shadow is not an entity in itself, invention of battery operated
since they are "holes in the light" - one may argue, rather it is an exten- clocks, sundials used shadows to tell
created by opaque material objects sion of a material entity and has no time.
when they block light that is incident independent existence. It is just a
upon them. He maintains that we can privation! Other benefits of shadows include
literally see shadows and rejects the In response, we simply point to the providing shade in hot weather and
commonly accepted view that ab- fact that shadows have causality (as revealing the form and texture of
sences or ‘privations’ cannot be recent philosophers have argued) and objects seen.
causes.
Please address your changing attributes. So why is it so far
comments and About the prostration of shadows as fetched to say that they prostrate and Isn’t it amazing that the shadows
suggestions to: mentioned in the above verse, it has submit, like all other creation, to the submit to the will of the Almighty
been mentioned by scholars that the will of Allāh? yet human beings remain obstinate
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very movement of the shadow (since One of the contemporary commenta- in their haughtiness?!