What is your opinion on the issue of the earth's rotation?
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The questioner : The questioner says: What is your opinion on the issue of the earth's rotation?
The Shaykh : In truth, we do not doubt that the issue of the earth's rotation is a scientific fact that admits no debate. At the same time, we believe that it is not the function of the Shari'ah in general, or the Qur'an in particular, to speak about astronomy and the details of astronomy. Rather, this falls under the general meaning of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), which Muslim narrated in his Sahih from the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the pollination of date palms, when he said to them:. These matters are not supposed to be spoken about by the Messenger (peace be upon him). If he spoke of them in his hadith, or our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) in His Book, it would only be for a purpose, a sign, a miracle, or the like. Therefore, we can say that there is nothing in the Book or the Sunnah that contradicts this known scientific fact today, which states that the earth is spherical and that it rotates by the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in this vast space. Indeed, a Muslim can find what suggests, if not explicitly states, that the earth is like the sun and the moon in that they are all in this void, as He (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Ya-Sin 36:40]. This is especially true if we consider that before this divine generalization with the word , it refers to the three celestial bodies; He began with the earth and said: [Ya-Sin 36:33], then said: [Ya-Sin 36:39], [Ya-Sin 36:38], Ah, [Ya-Sin 36:38-40]. The word in the first verse includes the earth, then the sun, then the moon. Then He (the Exalted) said: [Ya-Sin 36:40].
This is apparent from the context of these verses, which are undoubtedly verses describing the magnificent dominion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). I say this knowing that the scholars of tafsir referred the name to the nearest mentioned, which is the sun and the moon. However, there is nothing to prevent us from expanding the meaning of "all" to include the earth, which was mentioned before the sun and before the moon. This is what I say. If this is correct, then it is good and excellent. If it is not correct, the least that can be said is that there is nothing in the Qur'an, as I said earlier, nor in the Sunnah that denies this scientific fact. As for what is said or used as evidence from verses, such as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) making the mountains pegs so that the earth would not shake with them, and , and similar verses; in reality, they do not stand to invalidate this cosmic scientific fact. In fact, some of them may be an argument against those who use them as evidence. Allah's (Mighty and Majestic) making the mountains pegs is a comparison to pegs; this is an explicit text that this does not prevent their movement at all, but rather prevents the earth from moving in a disruptive way such that those dwelling on it cannot enjoy what is in it, or even life on it. This is because we know that pegs, in relation to ships, do not prevent their movement at all, but they prevent them from slipping into the depths of the sea, where waves would strike them left and right, and their fate would be sinking. Similarly, the pegs usually driven for horses, for example, and other animals; they do not prevent the animal from moving within a limited range intended by the animal that was pegged, if that is the correct term, the one for whom the peg was driven.
We see in Syria, in some gardens, the gardens where certain herbs are grown that are food for horses and cows and other animals. It is called "fasa" in our land of the Levant, and perhaps it is called "alfalfa" among you.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : This is what is sold in the city, green grass.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is it not alfalfa?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Ah, this is planted. When it grows, the farmer comes and drives a peg for his horse or his cow. You will find this cow eats from this alfalfa the amount its owner wants. So it moves, but it does not move as it pleases; it does not move chaotically as if its reins were released. Rather, it moves in an orderly manner; therefore, you will find that it has formed a circle.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The fasa or alfalfa that it ate has left the land almost bare of greenery, while the greenery around it remains standing. So the comparison of the Lord of the Worlds (Blessed and Exalted is He) of the mountains to the earth as anchors to a ship, and pegs to animals, this too, in relation to the earth, all of this does not deny the earth an orderly movement by the power of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). Therefore, I said that these verses, or at least some of them, are closer to indicating that the earth moves, the least that can be said, and that it is not fixed and rigid as many people imagine.
In summary: There is absolutely nothing in the Shari'ah that denies the sphericity of the earth. The sphericity of the earth has become today a tangible scientific fact, touchable by hand; meaning, a person is accused of having a problem with his intellect, or at least with his knowledge, if he denies this fact. Because today you can pick up the phone and call a sincere friend of yours and say: Is it day or night with you? He says to you: It is night with us, at the time when the adhan is being called for us, for example, for the Maghrib prayer, while the adhan is being called for them for the Fajr prayer, or the sun has already risen. This cannot be imagined at all except as this science and experience state, that this results from the earth rotating around the sun in a complete circle; from which night and day result. Then, more precise than that, the occurrence of the four seasons due to the earth's distance from and proximity to the sun. This has its details in astronomy and geography, which are not our concern here. But the point is that these clear things cannot happen unless the earth is first spherical. And if its sphericity is accepted, it cannot be said that it is fixed; because humans inhabit this earth on all its sides; as is said today in the North Pole and the South Pole. If it were spherical and fixed, how would those who were at the bottom of the South Pole, for example, remain standing? And those at its ends? But because it rotates by the wondrous power of Allah, in a rotation that does not disturb the life of the settlers and inhabitants on it; this is a matter of ultimate miraculousness and indicative of the greatness of the power of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
And I want to remind you of something that brings this distant thing, which does not enter the minds of some people, closer. I was a hired worker in the shop of my maternal uncle, who was a barber. A customer would come, for example, and ask for a cup of coffee. The coffee maker or the coffee maker's hired worker would come with the coffee, or the coffee maker, holding a tray or a platter. Do you say: a platter?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Like these platters, slightly larger than them, but these have a holder; meaning, we can depict it like this; here he places his finger here, and first he plays and amuses himself, doing it like this. The cup on the small plate, as is customary, does not move from its place. This is very, very small to help a person understand how the earth rotates and the people on it are not disturbed. And people are people, as He (the Exalted) said: and[At-Tin 95:4]. If this cup, which is placed on the platter, and the one moving it is a human being, an ignorant, harsh person with limited power and understanding, yet our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) gave him some intellect and some power such that he can rotate this platter with the cup on it, and the cup is on the small plate; not a drop spills from it. This is what we used to see when we were young. So what do we say about Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?
"And nothing is valid in the minds of men *** If the day needs a proof"
For Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is Able to do all things. So the issue only needs some knowledge and correct understanding, along with, of course, complete faith in the greatness of the power of Allah, which no human can imagine. This is my opinion on this question.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And to you.
The Shaykh : In truth, we do not doubt that the issue of the earth's rotation is a scientific fact that admits no debate. At the same time, we believe that it is not the function of the Shari'ah in general, or the Qur'an in particular, to speak about astronomy and the details of astronomy. Rather, this falls under the general meaning of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), which Muslim narrated in his Sahih from the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the pollination of date palms, when he said to them:
It is only a guess that I made. So, when I command you regarding something from the matters of your religion, do as much of it as you are able. And when I command you regarding something from the matters of your worldly affairs, you are more knowledgeable about your worldly affairs.
إنما هو ظنٌّ ظنَنْتُه ، فإذا أمرتكم بشيء من أمر دينكم فأتوا منه ما استطعتم ، وما أمرتكم من شيء من أمور دنياكم فأنتم أعلم بأمور دنياكمbut each, in an orbit, is swimming.
وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَAnd each
وَكُلٌّAnd a sign for them is the dead earth. We have brought it to life and brought forth from it grain, and from it they eat.
وَآيَةٌ لَهُمُ الْأَرْضُ الْمَيْتَةُ أَحْيَيْنَاهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبًّا فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَAnd the moon - We have determined for it phases, until it returns [appearing] like the old date stalk.
وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّى عَادَ كَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِيمِAnd the sun runs [on course] toward its stopping point. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.
وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَهَا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ(38) And the sun runs [on course] toward its stopping point. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. (39) And the moon - We have determined for it phases, until it returns [appearing] like the old date stalk. (40) It is not allowable for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming.
وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَهَا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ * وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّى عَادَ كَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ * لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنْبَغِي لَهَا أَنْ تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَEach
كُلٌّbut each, in an orbit, is swimming.
وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَThis is apparent from the context of these verses, which are undoubtedly verses describing the magnificent dominion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). I say this knowing that the scholars of tafsir referred the name
Each
كُلٌّThe earth, after that, He spread it out
الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَاهَاWe see in Syria, in some gardens, the gardens where certain herbs are grown that are food for horses and cows and other animals. It is called "fasa" in our land of the Levant, and perhaps it is called "alfalfa" among you.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : This is what is sold in the city, green grass.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is it not alfalfa?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Ah, this is planted. When it grows, the farmer comes and drives a peg for his horse or his cow. You will find this cow eats from this alfalfa the amount its owner wants. So it moves, but it does not move as it pleases; it does not move chaotically as if its reins were released. Rather, it moves in an orderly manner; therefore, you will find that it has formed a circle.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The fasa or alfalfa that it ate has left the land almost bare of greenery, while the greenery around it remains standing. So the comparison of the Lord of the Worlds (Blessed and Exalted is He) of the mountains to the earth as anchors to a ship, and pegs to animals, this too, in relation to the earth, all of this does not deny the earth an orderly movement by the power of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). Therefore, I said that these verses, or at least some of them, are closer to indicating that the earth moves, the least that can be said, and that it is not fixed and rigid as many people imagine.
In summary: There is absolutely nothing in the Shari'ah that denies the sphericity of the earth. The sphericity of the earth has become today a tangible scientific fact, touchable by hand; meaning, a person is accused of having a problem with his intellect, or at least with his knowledge, if he denies this fact. Because today you can pick up the phone and call a sincere friend of yours and say: Is it day or night with you? He says to you: It is night with us, at the time when the adhan is being called for us, for example, for the Maghrib prayer, while the adhan is being called for them for the Fajr prayer, or the sun has already risen. This cannot be imagined at all except as this science and experience state, that this results from the earth rotating around the sun in a complete circle; from which night and day result. Then, more precise than that, the occurrence of the four seasons due to the earth's distance from and proximity to the sun. This has its details in astronomy and geography, which are not our concern here. But the point is that these clear things cannot happen unless the earth is first spherical. And if its sphericity is accepted, it cannot be said that it is fixed; because humans inhabit this earth on all its sides; as is said today in the North Pole and the South Pole. If it were spherical and fixed, how would those who were at the bottom of the South Pole, for example, remain standing? And those at its ends? But because it rotates by the wondrous power of Allah, in a rotation that does not disturb the life of the settlers and inhabitants on it; this is a matter of ultimate miraculousness and indicative of the greatness of the power of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
And I want to remind you of something that brings this distant thing, which does not enter the minds of some people, closer. I was a hired worker in the shop of my maternal uncle, who was a barber. A customer would come, for example, and ask for a cup of coffee. The coffee maker or the coffee maker's hired worker would come with the coffee, or the coffee maker, holding a tray or a platter. Do you say: a platter?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Like these platters, slightly larger than them, but these have a holder; meaning, we can depict it like this; here he places his finger here, and first he plays and amuses himself, doing it like this. The cup on the small plate, as is customary, does not move from its place. This is very, very small to help a person understand how the earth rotates and the people on it are not disturbed. And people are people, as He (the Exalted) said: and
We have certainly created man in the best of stature;
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ"And nothing is valid in the minds of men *** If the day needs a proof"
For Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is Able to do all things. So the issue only needs some knowledge and correct understanding, along with, of course, complete faith in the greatness of the power of Allah, which no human can imagine. This is my opinion on this question.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And to you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.