Surah Ar-Ra'd Verse 15

1824 Notice that the original of what I have translated "whatever being" is the personal pronoun man, not ma. This then refers to beings with a personality, e.g., angels, spirits, human beings, and possibly other things of objective (not necessarily material) existence, as contrasted with their Shadows or Simulacre or Appearances, or Phantasms, mentioned at the end of the verse. Both these Beings and their Shadows are subject to the Will of Allah. See notes 1825 and 1827. 1825 "Prostrate themselves": the posture means that they recognise their subjection to Allah's Will and Law, whether they wish it or not. 1826 "In spite of themselves": Satan and the Spirits of Evil. They would like to get away from the control of the All-Good Allah, but they cannot, and they have to acknowledge His supremacy and lordship over them. 1827 Even the Shadows-creations of the Imagination, or projections from other things and dependent on the other things for their existence, as shadows or to substance-even such shadows are subject to Allah's Laws and Will, and cannot arise or have any effect on our minds except by His permission. The Shadows are longest and therefore most prominent when the sun is level, and tend to disappear as the sun approaches the zenith. But even when they are longest and most prominent, they are still subject to Allah's Will and Law. (R).