Transliteration:( Walqamara qaddarnaahu manaazila hattaa 'aada kal'ur joonil qadeem )
"And We have appointed stages [58] for the moon till it becomes like an old branch of a palm tree again [59]."
Allah has set precise stages for the moon, which passes through twenty-eight distinct phases over twenty-eight nights. In a thirty-day lunar month, the moon remains invisible for two nights; in a twenty-nine-day month, it is hidden for one. These stages are a divine system that governs the Islamic calendar, timekeeping, and various religious obligations such as Ramadan and Hajj.
This structured cycle is a sign of Allah’s orderly planning and a reflection of the deliberate design within creation.
In its final stages, the moon appears bent, thin, and faded, resembling an old, withered date-palm branch. This is not just a physical description, but also a metaphor for the decline of human strength with age. Just as the moon becomes pale and curved, so too does a human being become weak and dependent in old age—similar to how they began in childhood.
This comparison emphasizes the cycle of life and the power of Allah to create, shape, and return His creation through phases. It subtly reminds us that change and decline are part of creation, whereas Allah remains unchanged, eternal, and perfect.
The tafsir of Surah Yaseen verse 39 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Yaseen ayat 37 which provides the complete commentary from verse 37 through 40.
(36:39) We have appointed stages for the moon till it returns in the shape of a dry old branch of palm-tree.[34]
34. That is, the phases of the moon go on changing throughout the month. It begins as a crescent, then goes on waxing every day till it becomes the full moon on the 14th of the month. Then it starts waning every day till at last it returns to its original shape of the crescent. The same has been happening for millions of years with perfect regularity, and no change has ever occurred in the phases of the moon. That is why one can always calculate and find out exactly in what phase the moon will be on a particular day. If the movement of the moon had not been bound in a system, estimation of its phases would not have been possible.
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