I Read The Qur’an But It Does Not Move My Heart: Sheikh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr

The follow Q&A was posed to sheikh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and teacher in Riyadh:

سؤال: أقرأ القرآن في رمضان مرتين، ومع ذلك لا أتأثر به، ولا أخشع، وأشعر بقسوة في قلبي، فما نصيحتكم لي جزاكم الله خيرًا؟ ـ

Question: I have completed the Qur’an twice this Ramadan, but despite that I do not find myself affected or moved by it and I feel a hardness in my heart. So what advice would you give me, may Allah reward you well?

الجواب: هذه حال كثير من الناس -حتى من ينتسب إلى العلم وطلبه- وذلك لكثرة المشاغل والملهيات والران الذي طغى على القلوب، والمكسب الذي دخله ما دخله -والله المستعان-، ولا بد من علاج القلب للتغلب على هذه المشكلة، وذلك بالتأمل في آيات الله المتلوّة، وآياته المشهودة، كما قال ابن القيم –رحمه الله-، فيتأمل الإنسان في القرآن، ويتلوه بالتدبر والترتيل على الوجه المأمور به، ويتأمل في آيات الله الكونية، فإذا تأمل ذلك ونظر فيه وتفكر واعتبر استفاد كثيرًا في علاج قلبه، وليطالع السائل ما كتبه ابن القيم -رحمه الله- في في أوائل “الجواب الكافي” فسيستفيد كثيرًا، وعليه أن يسد جميع المنافذ التي تشغل القلب وتلهيه ومن ذلكم فضول الكلام، وفضول النظر، وفضول السمع، وفضول الطعام، وفضول النوم، وفضول الخلطة، كل هذه تشغل القلب، فليتخفف منها المسلم، ويقتصر من ذلك على قدر الحاجة، وليطب مطعمه، وحينئذٍ يطيب قلبه -إن شاء الله تعالى-. ـ

Response: This is the state of many people, even those who describe themselves as people of knowledge or students, and that is result of preoccupations, distractions and rust which has formed over the heart, as well as their deeds which have let whatever has entered the heart enter it. Allahu’l-musta’aan.

The heart needs treatment in order to overcome this problem, and that treatment is – as ibn al-Qayyim mentioned – contemplating the ayaat of Allah’s Book and the ayaat of Allah’s creation. So the person should reflect on the Qur’an and recite it with contemplation and with a measured recitation as it is supposed to be recited, and he should reflect on the ayaat of Allah’s creation.

A Central Theme of Surah al-Baqarah: Sheikh Muhammad al-Rabee’ah

In the midst of discussing the differences between the contents of a surah and the theme of a surah, Sheikh Muhammad al-Rabee’ah, a professor of the Qur’an and its sciences at Qassim University, mentioned the following points:

قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله: ” وقد ذكرت في مواضع ما اشتملت عليه سورة البقرة من تقرير ألصول العلم وقواعد الدين . ” ـ

Sheikh al-Islam ibn Taymiyah said:

I have mentioned in more than one place how surah al-Baqarah is comprised of establishing the foundations of religious knowledge and the cornerstones of the religion.

وبالتأمل الثاقب للسورة كلها ومقاطعها نجدها تعرضت لغير الأحكام التشريعية ومن ذلك القسم الأول من السورة حيث عرض فيه قصة آدم وقصة بني إسرائيل وقصة إبراهيم وبناء البيت، وقصة تحويل القبلة، وقصة طالوت، وآية الكرسي وما تبعها من قصص، وهذا يمثل أكثر من نصف السورة. وبالتأمل فإنه يمكن أن نربط بين هذه الموضعات من الأحكام والقصص بالغرض الذي يجمعها كلها وهو ما يمكن أن نعبر عنه بأنه (( إعداد الأمة لتلقي الشريعة وامتثالها وتبليغها)). فالسورة تركز على تربية الأمة وإعدادها لتلقي شريعة الله تعالى وامتثالها، ولذلك جاءت قصة بني إسرائيل وفيها قصة البقرة تحذير للمؤمنين من مشابهتهم، وإشعار بنقل الخلافة من بني إسرائيل إلى هذه الأمة وإليها إشارت قصة إبراهيم وقصة تحويل القبلة. ـ

By some perceptive contemplation of this surah as a whole and its different sections, we find that it presents more than just legal rulings. For instance, there is its first section where it presents the story of Adam and that of Banu Israa’eel and that of Ibrahim constructing the Ka’bah, as well as the changing of the qiblah, story of Talut, ayah al-Kursi and the stories that come shortly after it. All of this comprises more than half of the surah.

Tafsir of Surah al-Baqarah 183-188: al-Tafsir al-Muyassar

This is the eighteenth installment of our translation of al-Tafsir al-Muyassar‘s explanation of surah al-Baqarah, covering ayaat 183-188. In this passage, Allah provides the rulings and guidance surrounding the fast of Ramadan. See the series guide here for more information about this series and other installments.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you just as it was prescribed for those before you so that you might gain taqwa. [2:183]

يا أيها الذين صدَّقوا الله ورسوله وعملوا بشرعه، فرض الله عليكم الصيام كما فرضه على الأمم قبلكم؛ لعلكم تتقون ربكم، فتجعلون بينكم وبين المعاصي وقاية بطاعته وعبادته وحده.ـ

183. O you who have believed in Allah and His messenger and act according to His legislation, Allah has mandated fasting for you just as He mandated it for the nations before you. This is in order that you might fear your Lord and thus place a barrier of obedience and worshiping Allah alone between yourselves and sins.

أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

A limited number of days. Then whoever of you is sick or traveling, then the same number of other days. And for those who are able to fast, a ransom of feeding a poor person. And whoever voluntarily does good, that is good for him. And fasting is better for you, if only you knew. [2:184]

The Purpose of Parables in the Qur’an: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

After explaining one of the parables in surah Ibrahim, Imam Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee brought the following discussion regarding the parables and comparisons that Allah uses in the Qur’an:

وبين في موضع آخر أن الحكمة في ضربه للأمثال أن يتفكر الناس فيها فيفهموا الشيء بنظرة ، وهو قوله : وتلك الأمثال نضربها للناس لعلهم يتفكرون [ 59 21 ] ، ونظيره قوله : ويضرب الله الأمثال للناس لعلهم يتذكرون [ 14 25 ] ، ـ

In another part of the Qur’an, Allah clarified that the wisdom in His striking parables is for the people to think over them so that they would understand something by considering the comparison. That comes in is His statement:

وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِ‌بُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُ‌ونَ

And We present these parables to the people that perhaps they will give thought. [59:21]

Another similar statement comes in in His saying:

وَيَضْرِ‌بُ اللَّـهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُ‌ونَ

And Allah presents parables for the people so that perhaps they will be reminded. [14:25]

وبين في موضع آخر أن الأمثال لا يعقلها إلا أهل العلم ، وهو قوله تعالى : وتلك الأمثال نضربها للناس وما يعقلها إلا العالمون [ 29 43 ] ، ـ

And elsewhere He clarified that the parables are only understood by the people of knowledge. This is in His statement:

وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِ‌بُهَا لِلنَّاسِ ۖ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَا إِلَّا الْعَالِمُونَ

And We present these parables to the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge. [29:43]

Surahs that the Prophet Used To Recite Together: al-Nawawi

Imam Muslim included the following narration in his Saheeh in the midst of a number of hadith narrations related to the prayers:

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ نَهِيكُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ كَيْفَ تَقْرَأُ هَذَا الْحَرْفَ أَلِفًا تَجِدُهُ أَمْ يَاءً مِنْ مَاءٍ غَيْرِ آسِنٍ أَوْ مِنْ مَاءٍ غَيْرِ يَاسِنٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَكُلَّ الْقُرْآنِ قَدْ أَحْصَيْتَ غَيْرَ هَذَا قَالَ إِنِّي لأَقْرَأُ الْمُفَصَّلَ فِي رَكْعَةٍ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ هَذًّا كَهَذِّ الشِّعْرِ إِنَّ أَقْوَامًا يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لاَ يُجَاوِزُ تَرَاقِيَهُمْ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا وَقَعَ فِي الْقَلْبِ فَرَسَخَ فِيهِ نَفَعَ إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الصَّلاَةِ الرُّكُوعُ وَالسُّجُودُ إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ النَّظَائِرَ الَّتِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرُنُ بَيْنَهُنَّ سُورَتَيْنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَدَخَلَ عَلْقَمَةُ فِي إِثْرِهِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ

A man named Nuhayk ibn Sinan came to ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood and said, “Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, how do you recite this letter – as an alif of a yaa’? Is it

مِّن مَّاءٍ غَيْرِ آسِنٍ

… of unstagnant water … [47:15]

or is it

مِنْ مَاءٍ غَيْرِ يَاسِنٍ

… of un-stagnating water … [compare to 47:15]”

Ibn Mas’ood replied, “And you have memorized the entire Qur’an except for this?” He replied, “I recite all of the Mufassal surahs in a single raka’ah.” Ibn Mas’ood said, “Rushing through it like poets rush. There are some people who recite the Qur’an but it does not pass beyond their throats. But if it were to reach the heart and take hold within it, then it would have an effect. The best parts of the prayer are the rukoo’ and the sujood. I am well-acquainted with the pairs of similar surahs that Allah’s Messenger used to recite together in a single raka’ah.” Then ibn Mas’ood stood up to leave and ‘Alqamah followed behind him.

[Saheeh Muslim #822]

In his famous explanation of Saheeh Muslim, Imam al-Nawawi wrote the following commentary on this hadith:

قوله للذي سأل ابن مسعود عن آسن : ( كل القرآن قد أحصيت غير هذا الحرف ) هذا محمول على أنه فهم منه أنه غير مسترشد في سؤاله ، إذ لو كان مسترشدا لوجب جوابه وهذا ليس بجواب . ـ

Ibn Mas’ood response of “And you have memorized the entire Qur’an except for this?” to the man who asked about the wording of the ayah could be interpreted as ibn Mas’ood sensing that this person wasn’t asking in good faith. For if the person had legitimately wanted an answer to that question, he would have pressed for an answer rather than the non-answer that he received.

The Muttaqoon do not Persist in Sin: Tafsir ibn Kathir

In part of surah Aal ‘Imraan, Allah describes the muttaqoon with the following characteristic:

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّـهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّـهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

And they are those who, when they commit an immoral act or wrong themselves, they remember Allah and so ask for forgiveness of their sins. And who forgives sins except Allah? And they do not persist in what they were doing while they know. [3:135]

The famous mufassir al-haafidh ibn Kathir explained the final phrase of this ayah by writing:

وقوله : ( وهم يعلمون ) قال مجاهد وعبد الله بن عبيد بن عمير : ( وهم يعلمون ) أن من تاب تاب الله عليه . وهذا كقوله تعالى : ( ألم يعلموا أن الله هو يقبل التوبة عن عباده ) [ التوبة : 104 ] وكقوله ( ومن يعمل سوءا أو يظلم نفسه ثم يستغفر الله يجد الله غفورا رحيما ) [ النساء : 110 ] ونظائر هذا كثيرة جدا

Regarding Allah’s statement

وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

… while they know

Mujaahid and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr explained this by saying, “While they know that whoever turns in repentance, Allah will turn to him in forgiveness.”

And this is like Allah’s statements:

Understanding Words Within Their Contexts: al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salam

While discussing guidelines for understanding the Qur’an, al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salam once wrote:

السياق مرشد إلى تبين المجملات وترجيح المحتملات وتقرير الواضحات وكل ذلك بعرف الاستعمال فكل صفة وقعت في سياق المدح كانت مدحا وكل صفة وقعت في سياق الذم كانت ذما فما كان مدحا بالوضع فوقع في سياق الذم صار ذما واستهزاء وتهكما بعرف الاستعمال مثاله ذق إنك أنت العزيز الكريم أي الذليل المهان لوقوع ذلك في سياق الذم وكذلك قول قوم شعيب إنك لأنت الحليم الرشيد أي السفيه الجاهل لوقوعه في سياق الإنكار عليه وكذلك إنا أطعنا سادتنا وكبراءنا لوقوعه في سياق ذمهم بإضلال الأتباع وأما ما يصلح للأمرين فيدل على المراد به السياق كقوله تعالى وإنك لعلى خلق عظيم أراد به عظيما في حسنه وشرفه لوقوع ذلك في سياق المدح وقوله إنكم لتقولون قولا عظيما أراد به عظيما في قبحه لوقوع ذلك في سياق الذم

The context of a passage is the key to clarifying what is ambiguous, weighing the merits of different possible explanations, and arriving at a clear conclusion. And all of this is done within the norms of the language.

Every description that is mentioned within a passage praising someone or something is itself a praise, and every description mentioned within a passage criticizing someone or something is a criticism.

Whatever is normally a form of praise that is found in a passage criticizing someone or something has become a form of criticism, mockery and ridicule, as is well-known when is comes to language usage.

Take for example:

A Command to Be Patient and the Means to Do So: Tafsir al-Sa’di

At the end of surah Taha, Allah says:

وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامًا وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى * فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا ۖ وَمِنْ آنَاءِ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَىٰ * وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِّنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ ۚ وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ * وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا ۖ لَا نَسْأَلُكَ رِزْقًا ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ ۗ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ

And were it not for a command that has previously come from your Lord and a decreed term, then punishment would be incumbent. * So be patient with what they say and exalt the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting. And also during period of the night give praise, and at the ends of the day, that you may be pleased. * And do not extend your eyes to what He has given to some others, the beauty of this worldly life, in order to test them through it. And the provision of your Lord is better and more lasting. * And enjoin your family to pray and be steadfast in it. We do not ask you for provision; We provide for you. And the good end is a result of al-taqwa. [20:129-132]

Sheikh ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di wrote the following commentary of these ayaat:

ـ [وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامًا وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى * فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا ۖ وَمِنْ آنَاءِ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَىٰ] هذا تسلية للرسول، وتصبير له عن المبادرة إلى إهلاك المكذبين المعرضين، وأن كفرهم وتكذيبهم سبب صالح لحلول العذاب بهم، ولزومه لهم، لأن الله جعل العقوبات سببا وناشئا عن الذنوب، ملازما لها، وهؤلاء قد أتوا بالسبب، ولكن الذي أخره عنهم كلمة ربك، المتضمنة لإمهالهم وتأخيرهم، وضرب الأجل المسمى، فالأجل المسمى ونفوذ كلمة الله، هو الذي أخر عنهم العقوبة إلى إبان وقتها، ولعلهم يراجعون أمر الله، فيتوب عليهم، ويرفع عنهم العقوبة، إذا لم تحق عليهم الكلمة. ـ

وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامًا وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى * فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا ۖ وَمِنْ آنَاءِ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَىٰ

And were it not for a command that has previously come from your Lord and a decreed term, then punishment would be incumbent. * So be patient with what they say and exalt the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting. And also during period of the night give praise, and at the ends of the day, that you may be pleased.

This is a consolation to the Messenger and something to encourage him to be patient despite how those who deny and turn away throw themselves into peril. It also makes clear that their denial and disbelief are a valid reason for punishment to be unleashed on them and to stay with them. For Allah has created factors which lead to punishment, and these factors arise out of sins and then stay attached to the one who committed them, and these people certainly have put those factors in place for themselves. However the thing which is holding the punishment back from them is the command of your Lord which involves leaving them without punishment for a time. But Allah has already set a fixed time, so it is just that fixed time and the authority of Allah’s command which holds back the punishment from them until its time comes. And perhaps they will return to Allah’s religion, in which case Allah would turn to them in forgiveness and lift the punishment from them, in which case His command would not be actualized.

Reasons for Differences in Tafsir: Sheikh Khalid al-Batili

In part of his explanation of sheikh Muhammad al-‘Uthaymeen’s primer on the fundamentals of tafsir, sheikh Khalid al-Batili (professor at Imam Muhammad ibn Sa’ud University in Riyadh) provided the following beneficial list of nine reasons why differences may occur when explaining the Qur’an, along with examples:

أسباب الاختلاف في التفسير

Reasons for Differences in Tafsir

الخلاف بين المفسرين في التفسير القرآن له أسباب منها

There are a number of reasons why differences occur among the mufassiroon in their explanations of the Qur’an, including:

السبب الأول: :الاشتراك . وهو اللفظ الدال على أكثر من معنى في لغة العرب. والمشترك قد يكون من أحرف التضاد، وقد لا يكون. وإذا كان من أحرف التضاد ، فقد يجوز حمل الآية على المعنيين المتضادين، ويكونان بمثابة التفسيرين للآية، ويكون هذا إذا اختلف المحل . وقد يمتنع حمل الآية عليهما معا، ويلزم من القول بأحدهما نفي الآخر . ـ

The First Reason: al-ishtirak (polysemy), which means that a single word could have more than one meaning in the Arabic language. This can sometimes result in a different meaning, though not necessarily.

When this does result in a different meaning, then it may be possible to interpret the ayah according to both of these meanings, and both of these meanings become explanations of the ayah. But if the different meanings conflict, then that is not possible.

In other cases, it may be impossible to interpret the ayah according to both meanings of the word, as the meaning of one negates the meaning of the other.

Ibn al-Qayyim on Surah al-‘Asr

In his book detailing the oaths made in the Qur’an, ibn al-Qayyim wrote the following regarding surah al-‘Asr:

ومن ذلك اقسامه ( بالعصر ) على حال الإنسان في الآخرة هذه السورة على غاية اختصارها لها شأن عظيم حتى قال الشافعي رحمه الله : لو فكر الناس كلهم فيها لكفتهم

Another example of Allah’s oaths is that He swears by al-‘Asr about the condition of mankind in the hereafter. Despite its brevity, the contents of this surah hold something of tremendous value, so much so that al-Shafi’ee said, “If all of mankind were to reflect on this it would be sufficient for them.”

والعصر المقسم به قيل : هو الوقت الذي يلي المغرب من النهار وقيل : هو آخر ساعة من ساعاته وقيل : المراد صلاة العصر وأكثر المفسرين على أنه الدهر وهذا هو الراجح وتسمية الدهر عصرا أمر معروف في لغتهم قال : ( ولن يلبث العصران يوم وليلة إذا طلبا أن يدركا ما تيمما ) ويوم وليلة بدل من العصران

The ‘Asr that Allah is swearing by here has been said to mean several things:

• that it is the time of day right before dusk
• that it is the last part of the day
• that it is referring to the ‘Asr prayer

But most of the mufassiroon hold that it is referring to time itself, and this is the strongest position. Using the word “‘Asr” to refer to time is something well-known in the Arabic language, as in this line of poetry:

ولن يلبث العصران يوم وليلة ***** إذا طلبا أن يدركا ما تيمما

The two ‘Asrs – day and night – will not persist
if they both seek to attain their goals

and here the words “day and night” are used in place of the two ‘Asrs.

 فأقسم سبحانه بالعصر لمكان العبرة والآية فيه فإن مرور الليل والنهار على تقدير قدرة العزيز العليم منتظم لمصالح العالم على اكمل ترتيب ونظام وتعاقبهما واعتدالهما تارة وأخذ أحدهما من صاحبه تارة واختلافهما في الضوء والظلام والحر والبرد وانتشار الحيوان وسكونه وانقسام العصر إلى القرون والسنين والأشهر والأيام والساعات وما دونها – آية من آيات الرب تعالى وبرهان من براهين قدرته وحكمته

Allah is swearing by al-‘Asr because of its admonishing effect and the amazing features it contains. The days and nights go by in the determined measurements that Allah – the All-Powerful, the All-Wise – has appointed for them, moving in the most perfectly regulated and organized way, for the benefit and well-being of the universe, with each perfectly following the other. Sometimes the day and the night are even in length, while sometime one of them takes from the other. The days and the nights differ in their light and darkness, in their heat and cold, and in the way that the living beings go about their activities or rest. And time can be divided into eras, years, months, days, hours, and so on – which is itself one of the miracles of our Lord and a proof of His might and wisdom.