Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
Hafiz Ibn KathirEverything is a Witness to the Power of Allah
Allah tells us about the signs He created that are indicative of His complete power and great might. He made the rays that come forth from the bright sun as the source of light, and made the beams that come forth from the moon as light. He made them of two different natures so they would not be confused with one another. Allah made the dominion of the sun in the daytime and the moon in the night. He ordained phases for the moon, where it starts small then its light increases until it completes a full moon. Then it begins to decrease until it returns to its first phase at the conclusion of the month. Allah said: وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَـهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّى عَادَ كَالعُرجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ - لاَ الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تدْرِكَ القَمَرَ وَلاَ الَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ (And the moon, We have measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it returns like the old dried curved date stalk. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day.
They all float, each in an orbit.) (36:39-40) And He said: وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَاناً(And the sun and the moon for counting) And in this Ayah He said: وَقَدَّرَهُ(and measured) that is the moon, Allah said: مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُواْ عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ(And measured out for it stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. ") The days are revealed by the action of the sun, and the months and the years by the moon. Allah then stated مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ(Allah did not create this but in truth.) He didn't create that for amusement but with great wisdom and perfect reasoning. With a similar meaning, Allah said: وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَآءَ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَـطِلاً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ (And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve!
Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire!) (38:27) He also said: أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ عَبَثاً وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ تُرْجَعُونَ - فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ ("Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us" So Exalted be Allah, the True King: None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) 23:115-116 Allah said: يُفَصِّلُ الآيَـتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ(He explains the Ayat in detail for people who have knowledge.) In other words, He explained the signs and proofs for people who know. Allah further stated: إِنَّ فِى اخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ(Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day) The day and the night alternate, when one arrives, the other goes, and so on, with no errors. This is similar to the meaning indicated in the following Ayat: يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا(He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly...).
لاَ الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تدْرِكَ القَمَرَ(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon.) 36:40, and فَالِقُ الإِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ الَّيْلَ سَكَناً((He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting). 6:96 Allah continued: وَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ(and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth) meaning the signs that indicate His greatness. This is similar to Allah's statements: وَكَأَيِّن مِّن ءَايَةٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ(And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth...) 12:105, قُلِ انظُرُواْ مَاذَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا تُغْنِى الآيَـتُ وَالنُّذُرُ عَن قَوْمٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُونَ ("Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth," but neither Ayat nor warners benefit those who believe not.)10:101 أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ(See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth.) 34:9.
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ (Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.) 3:190 means intelligent men. Allah said here, لآيَـتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَّقُونَ(Ayat for those who have Taqwa.) meaning fear Allah's punishment, wrath and torment.