Fatawa Arkanul-Islam
(Islamic Verdicts on the Pillars of Islam)
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen (Rahimahullah)
Pgs. 67-72
(Islamic Verdicts on the Pillars of Islam)
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen (Rahimahullah)
Pgs. 67-72
Question:
Does the Sun revolve around the earth?
Answer:
It is apparent from the Islamic evidences that they confirm that it is the sun which revolves around the earth, and by it's revolving the alternation of night and day takes place on the surface of the earth. It is not for us to exceed the apparent meanings of these evidences without some evidence stronger than that, which permits us to explain them differently from their apparent meaning. Among the proofs that the sun revolves around the earth in a manner which causes the alternation of the night and day are the following:
1.) Allah, the Most High says, that when Ibraheem (alayhee salaam), disputed with the one who argued with him concerning his Lord:
"Verily, Allah brings the sun form the east; then bring it you from the west."
{Surah Al-Baqarah 2:258}
2.) He also tells us that Ibraheem (alayhee salaam) said:
"When he saw the sun rising up, he said: 'This is my lord. This is greater.' But when it set, he said: 'O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners (in worship with Allah)."
{Surah Al-An'am 6:78}
So He described the settings as an attribute of the sun and not that the earth set upon it, for if it was the earth which revolved, He would have said: but when (the earth) set upon it.
3.) Allah the Most High says:
"And you might have seen, the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left."
{Surah Al-Kahf 18:17}
He has described the declining and turning away as descriptions of the Sun, and that is a proof that the movement was from the sun. If it was a description of the earth, He would have said: Their cave declined from it. Likewise, describing the sun as rising and setting proves that it is the Sun which revolves, even though the indication of the may be less than the indication in His Words:
"declining" & "turning away from them"
4.) Allah, the Most High says:
"And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun, and the moon, each in an orbit floating." {Surah Al-Anbiya 21:33}
Ibn Abbas (radiallahu anhu) said: "They revolve in an orbit, like the turning of a mill. This was widely reported from him.
5.) Allah, the Most High says:
"He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly." {Surah Al-Ara'af 7:54}
He described the night as seeking the day, and the seeker rushes and overtakes, and it is well known that the night and the day follow the sun.
6. Allah, the Most High says:
"He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He makes the night to go in the day and makes the day to go in the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each running (on a fixed course) for an appointed term. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving." {Surah Az-Zumar 39:5}
and His Words:
"He makes the night to go in the day"
that is, it turns around it, as a turban is wrapped around, which proves the revolving of the night and the day around the eart. If it were the earth which revolved around them, He would have said: He causes the earth to revolve around the night and day.
And in His words:
"the sun and the moon, each running (on a fixed course)."
It is clear from what precedes it that it is a proof that the sun and the moon move in a perceptible orbit, because subjecting something which moves to it's movement is more apparent than subjecting something stationary which does not move.
7.) Allah, the Most High say:
"By the sun and it's brightness. By the moon as it follows it (the sun)." {Surah Ash-Shaams 91:1-2}
and the meaning of:
"follows it"
is that 'it comes after it' and this is a proof of their moving and revolving around the earth, for if it were the earth which revolved around them, the moon would not be following the sun; rather it would sometimes be following it and sometimes it would be followed by it, because the sun is higher than it. And deduction from this Verse requires study and reflection.
8.) Allah, the Most High say:
"And the sun runs on it's fixed course for a term {appointed}. That is the Decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. And the moon, We have measured for it mansions {to traverse} till it returns like the old dried 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. {Surah Ya-Sin 36:38-40}
So, attributing the movement to the sun and describing it as a Decree from the Almighty, Most Wise proves that it is a real movement with a far-reaching Decree, since the consequence of it is the alternation of the night and day and the seasons.
The measure of the moon's mansions {i.e., stations} is a proof that it traverses them, for if it was the earth which revolves , the measuring of the mansions would be for the earth's movement around the moon and not for the moon's movement around it.
And negating the sun's ability to overtake the moon, and the night's ability to outstrip the day are evidence of the rushing movement on the part of the sun and the moon, and the night and the day.
9.) The Prophet (alayhee salatul wasalaam) said to Abu Tharr (radiallah anhu), when the sun had just set:
"Do you know where it goes?"
He said, "Allah and His Messener knows best." He (alayhee salatul wasalaam) said:
"Verily, it goes (i.e., travels) and it prostrates beneath the Throne and seeks permission to rise, and permission is granted to it. Then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on it's course but will not be permitted, but it will be ordered: Return from whence you came, and so it will rise in the West." ***
***{Reported by Bukhari in the Book of the Beginning of Creation, in the Chapter: Description of the Sun and the Moon (#3199), and by Muslim in the Book of Faith, in the Chapter: Explanation of the Time When Faith will not be accepted (#159).}
So and it is extremely clear from his words: Return from whence you came that it revolves around the earth and through it's revolving the sunrise and sunset occur.
10.) It is clear form the many Ahadith which attribute rising, setting, and declining form it's zenith to the sun, that it is the sun which does so and so and the earth.
There are most probably other proofs that are not present with me at the moment, but what I have mentioned is a sumamry of the subject, and it is sufficient for my purpose. And Allah is the Granter of success.
It is apparent from the Islamic evidences that they confirm that it is the sun which revolves around the earth, and by it's revolving the alternation of night and day takes place on the surface of the earth. It is not for us to exceed the apparent meanings of these evidences without some evidence stronger than that, which permits us to explain them differently from their apparent meaning. Among the proofs that the sun revolves around the earth in a manner which causes the alternation of the night and day are the following:
1.) Allah, the Most High says, that when Ibraheem (alayhee salaam), disputed with the one who argued with him concerning his Lord:
"Verily, Allah brings the sun form the east; then bring it you from the west."
{Surah Al-Baqarah 2:258}
2.) He also tells us that Ibraheem (alayhee salaam) said:
"When he saw the sun rising up, he said: 'This is my lord. This is greater.' But when it set, he said: 'O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners (in worship with Allah)."
{Surah Al-An'am 6:78}
So He described the settings as an attribute of the sun and not that the earth set upon it, for if it was the earth which revolved, He would have said: but when (the earth) set upon it.
3.) Allah the Most High says:
"And you might have seen, the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left."
{Surah Al-Kahf 18:17}
He has described the declining and turning away as descriptions of the Sun, and that is a proof that the movement was from the sun. If it was a description of the earth, He would have said: Their cave declined from it. Likewise, describing the sun as rising and setting proves that it is the Sun which revolves, even though the indication of the may be less than the indication in His Words:
"declining" & "turning away from them"
4.) Allah, the Most High says:
"And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun, and the moon, each in an orbit floating." {Surah Al-Anbiya 21:33}
Ibn Abbas (radiallahu anhu) said: "They revolve in an orbit, like the turning of a mill. This was widely reported from him.
5.) Allah, the Most High says:
"He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly." {Surah Al-Ara'af 7:54}
He described the night as seeking the day, and the seeker rushes and overtakes, and it is well known that the night and the day follow the sun.
6. Allah, the Most High says:
"He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He makes the night to go in the day and makes the day to go in the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each running (on a fixed course) for an appointed term. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving." {Surah Az-Zumar 39:5}
and His Words:
"He makes the night to go in the day"
that is, it turns around it, as a turban is wrapped around, which proves the revolving of the night and the day around the eart. If it were the earth which revolved around them, He would have said: He causes the earth to revolve around the night and day.
And in His words:
"the sun and the moon, each running (on a fixed course)."
It is clear from what precedes it that it is a proof that the sun and the moon move in a perceptible orbit, because subjecting something which moves to it's movement is more apparent than subjecting something stationary which does not move.
7.) Allah, the Most High say:
"By the sun and it's brightness. By the moon as it follows it (the sun)." {Surah Ash-Shaams 91:1-2}
and the meaning of:
"follows it"
is that 'it comes after it' and this is a proof of their moving and revolving around the earth, for if it were the earth which revolved around them, the moon would not be following the sun; rather it would sometimes be following it and sometimes it would be followed by it, because the sun is higher than it. And deduction from this Verse requires study and reflection.
8.) Allah, the Most High say:
"And the sun runs on it's fixed course for a term {appointed}. That is the Decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. And the moon, We have measured for it mansions {to traverse} till it returns like the old dried 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. {Surah Ya-Sin 36:38-40}
So, attributing the movement to the sun and describing it as a Decree from the Almighty, Most Wise proves that it is a real movement with a far-reaching Decree, since the consequence of it is the alternation of the night and day and the seasons.
The measure of the moon's mansions {i.e., stations} is a proof that it traverses them, for if it was the earth which revolves , the measuring of the mansions would be for the earth's movement around the moon and not for the moon's movement around it.
And negating the sun's ability to overtake the moon, and the night's ability to outstrip the day are evidence of the rushing movement on the part of the sun and the moon, and the night and the day.
9.) The Prophet (alayhee salatul wasalaam) said to Abu Tharr (radiallah anhu), when the sun had just set:
"Do you know where it goes?"
He said, "Allah and His Messener knows best." He (alayhee salatul wasalaam) said:
"Verily, it goes (i.e., travels) and it prostrates beneath the Throne and seeks permission to rise, and permission is granted to it. Then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on it's course but will not be permitted, but it will be ordered: Return from whence you came, and so it will rise in the West." ***
***{Reported by Bukhari in the Book of the Beginning of Creation, in the Chapter: Description of the Sun and the Moon (#3199), and by Muslim in the Book of Faith, in the Chapter: Explanation of the Time When Faith will not be accepted (#159).}
So and it is extremely clear from his words: Return from whence you came that it revolves around the earth and through it's revolving the sunrise and sunset occur.
10.) It is clear form the many Ahadith which attribute rising, setting, and declining form it's zenith to the sun, that it is the sun which does so and so and the earth.
There are most probably other proofs that are not present with me at the moment, but what I have mentioned is a sumamry of the subject, and it is sufficient for my purpose. And Allah is the Granter of success.
Credit to Akh Muhammad Zaki Bin Samsudi for emailing this extract to me. May Allah bless Him.
Personal note:
It might be difficult for some of us to accept the above statement as it seems to contradict Science.
However, since when did Science prove to be always true and never contradictory?
Not too long ago, a scientist (or a group of scientists) did a research which would question Einstein's theory of E = mc2.
Most recently, scientists around the world have agreed to no longer recognise Pluto as a planet, leaving only 8 planets in our Solar System.
And of course, Muslims as well as Christians can never accept Darwin's Theory of Evolution which claims that humans evolved from apes.
So readers, think carefully..
After all, we must realise that Allah is the Creator of this Universe. He Knows His creations best. And He has revealed this knowledge in the Qur'an, which serves as a guidance for the Muttaqeen, as mentioned in the verse:
ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
This is the Book (the Qur'ân), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqûn [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allâh much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allâh much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. (Al-Baqarah 2:2)
And Allah Knows best.
No comments:
Post a Comment