Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The purpose of mentioning night and day in these verses is to indicate the continuous worship and glorification of Allah Almighty by the angels without interruption. It does not necessarily mean that the angels experience night and day in the same way known to the inhabitants of the earth. The Quran addresses people in terms familiar to them—through the succession of night and day that encompasses all of their time—to show that the angels continue glorifying and worshipping Allah without becoming weary or ceasing.
The Angels Worship Allah Continuously
Allah Almighty says:
“To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who are near Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they grow weary. They glorify Him night and day, never ceasing.”
[Al-Anbiya 21:19–20]
Allah also says:
“But if they are arrogant, then those who are near your Lord glorify Him night and day, and they never grow weary.”
[Fussilat 41:38]
These two verses demonstrate the intensity and continuity of the angels’ worship of Allah Almighty. They are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they become tired or bored with worship. Rather, they continually glorify Him.
Thus, Allah says in the first verse: “They never cease,” and in the second: “They never grow weary.” This clarifies that the primary meaning is the continuity of their worship without interruption.
How Do Night and Day Occur?
The night and day known to us are connected to the sun and the earth; they are not independent physical entities.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah explained that this night and day are connected to the existence and motions of the heavens, the earth, and the sun: when the sun appears, it is day, and when it is absent, it is night.
Allah Almighty says:
“And He is the One Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon—each traveling in an orbit.”
[Al-Anbiya 21:33]
And He says:
“It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. Each is floating in an orbit.”
[Ya-Sin 36:40]
Therefore, mentioning night and day when describing the worship of the angels does not require that they experience night and day exactly as we know them on earth.
Why, Then, Did Allah Mention Night and Day?
Because the Quran addresses human beings in language they understand and whose meanings are familiar to them.
A person knows that his time alternates between night and day. When someone is described as doing something “night and day,” the understood meaning is that he does it continuously and without interruption.
For this reason, al-Alusi, may Allah have mercy on him, explained the words of Allah:
“They glorify Him night and day”
as meaning:
continuously, even if there is no night and day where they are.
He explained that describing the angels as glorifying Allah night and day does not necessarily imply the existence of night and day in the heavens as experienced on earth. Rather, the purpose is to indicate the continuity of their glorification.
Does This Mean That “Night and Day” Is Simply an Expression for Continuity?
The meaning emphasized in the fatwa is that mentioning night and day here indicates the entirety of time and the continuity of worship according to what the human audience understands.
Human beings experience their time as night and day, so this expression conveys to them the meaning of all times without interruption.
This meaning is reinforced by the other expressions in the verses:
“They never cease”
and:
“They never grow weary.”
In other words, they continuously worship and glorify Allah without interruption, fatigue, or boredom.
Do the Angels Need Rest from Worship?
The verses themselves indicate that angels are not like humans in this respect. Human beings become tired and need sleep and rest, whereas Allah describes the angels as:
“They never cease”
and:
“They never grow weary.”
Therefore, the manner in which angels worship should not be measured according to human nature and the human need for rest and interruption.
Conclusion
Allah’s statement that the angels glorify Him “night and day” does not necessarily mean that the angels in the highest realm experience night and day in the same way that night and day are known on earth.
Rather, Allah addressed human beings in terms familiar to them. Night and day encompass all of their time, and the intended meaning is that the angels continuously glorify and worship Allah without ceasing or becoming weary.
And Allah knows best.