What is the ruling on the statements of astronomers regarding the universe?
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The questioner : ... We neither affirm nor deny.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : That is, the statements of the astronomers ... .
The Shaykh : The statements of the astronomers contain things that our minds can grasp, which we affirm; things that our minds cannot grasp, which we neither affirm nor deny; and things that contradict the Qur'an, which we deny. We deny what contradicts the Qur'an and the Sunnah. For this reason, we say that it is the sun that revolves around the earth, and by it the night and day occur. This is the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah, so we remain with this apparent meaning and do not go beyond it until it becomes clear to us through certain, tangible evidence that the matter is otherwise. At that point, it is possible to interpret the verses as these people are interpreting them now. They say the verses are correct; we do not deny them, nor the hadith, but they appear to the eye as rising, whereas in reality we are rising over them, and they appear to the eye as setting, whereas in reality we are setting from them, because the earth revolves like this, and then it sets from us. In any case, this is their opinion. We say this is a rejected opinion and we do not accept it, because it contradicts the apparent meaning of the Qur'an, the apparent meaning of the speech of He who created these things, (Glorified and Exalted is He). Do we believe these people, or do we believe the Qur'an? We believe the Qur'an, of course, unless tangible evidence comes, for example, the sphericity of the earth. At first, many scholars denied it, but now no one denies it; knowledge of it has become self-evident, and no one denies it. Because now, if you take a plane from Jeddah airport to the west, you go out now, you go out to the east, and you return to Jeddah from the east. Therefore, those who come from the west to the east shorten the time; the time becomes shorter for them, and vice versa. One person prayed ... in Jeddah and went to America, and arrived in America after thirteen hours. Yes, he says, "We arrived before dawn." That means there were thirteen hours between the 'Isha' prayer and Fajr. And the one who comes the other way shortens the time, because the day is coming toward him, and he is coming toward the day, so he shortens it; instead of there being thirteen hours between them, there may be three hours. Yes, this is now a self-evident matter that the earth is spherical, and no one denies it. No one denies this thing. And at first, they said this contradicts the apparent meaning of the Qur'an. And Allah says:[Al-Ghashiyah 88:17-20] Yes, and He says, yes, it was spread out, and He says: [Al-Baqarah 2:22] and the bed is level. So they say the one who says it is spherical contradicts the apparent meaning of the Qur'an. The truth is that it has now become clear that it is spherical like this, and it has become clear that the apparent meaning of the Qur'an indicates that it is spherical like this. From where? From His saying: [Al-Inshiqaq 84:1-5] When the earth is stretched out. When? On the Day of Resurrection. So now it is not stretched out. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained that by saying: Just as He the Exalted said: [Taha 20:107] And also His saying: [Az-Zumar 39:5] and the folding up is a rolling like the rolling of a turban. And it is known that night and day succeed one another on the earth. So the earth is spherical. So the earth is spherical, and we answer His saying: that its surface, because of its vastness, appears to one who sees it as a surface, because it is wide, so its curvature is not apparent because of its vastness. And at that point, it becomes clear that the Qur'an does not contradict reality. And I tell you, know with certainty that it is impossible for two definitive matters to ever contradict each other. Did you understand or not? It is impossible for two definitive matters to contradict each other, because their contradiction invalidates their being definitive, because their contradiction necessitates the invalidation of one by the other, and that means they are not definitive. And whenever we find a definitive indication in the Qur'an, know that the senses do not deny it. And whenever we find a definitive indication in the senses, know that the Qur'an never denies it. And if it comes to your mind that the Qur'an denies it, that is due to your poor understanding or the deficiency of your knowledge. And this is a matter in which no one doubts. This is an established rule among the scholars, and the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) alluded to it in his book *Al-Aql wa al-Naql*, saying: "It is impossible for two definitive proofs to ever contradict each other, whether they are rational, legal, or sensory" It is impossible for them to contradict, and he is truthful (may Allah have mercy on him), or one is legal and the other sensory, or one is sensory and the other rational. The important thing is that two definitive proofs never contradict, as we said, that the claim of their contradiction necessitates the invalidation of one, and the necessity of the invalidation of one indicates that they are not definitive.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, well done. This is evidence of the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : The power is like the sky being without pillars.
The questioner : But the rotation is easy.
The Shaykh : I say that just as Allah held the sky without pillars, He held this.
The questioner : ... with pillars.
The Shaykh : Without pillars that you see. There is disagreement in this. I say there is disagreement, but the correct view is that it is without pillars.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : That is, the statements of the astronomers ... .
The Shaykh : The statements of the astronomers contain things that our minds can grasp, which we affirm; things that our minds cannot grasp, which we neither affirm nor deny; and things that contradict the Qur'an, which we deny. We deny what contradicts the Qur'an and the Sunnah. For this reason, we say that it is the sun that revolves around the earth, and by it the night and day occur. This is the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah, so we remain with this apparent meaning and do not go beyond it until it becomes clear to us through certain, tangible evidence that the matter is otherwise. At that point, it is possible to interpret the verses as these people are interpreting them now. They say the verses are correct; we do not deny them, nor the hadith, but they appear to the eye as rising, whereas in reality we are rising over them, and they appear to the eye as setting, whereas in reality we are setting from them, because the earth revolves like this, and then it sets from us. In any case, this is their opinion. We say this is a rejected opinion and we do not accept it, because it contradicts the apparent meaning of the Qur'an, the apparent meaning of the speech of He who created these things, (Glorified and Exalted is He). Do we believe these people, or do we believe the Qur'an? We believe the Qur'an, of course, unless tangible evidence comes, for example, the sphericity of the earth. At first, many scholars denied it, but now no one denies it; knowledge of it has become self-evident, and no one denies it. Because now, if you take a plane from Jeddah airport to the west, you go out now, you go out to the east, and you return to Jeddah from the east. Therefore, those who come from the west to the east shorten the time; the time becomes shorter for them, and vice versa. One person prayed ... in Jeddah and went to America, and arrived in America after thirteen hours. Yes, he says, "We arrived before dawn." That means there were thirteen hours between the 'Isha' prayer and Fajr. And the one who comes the other way shortens the time, because the day is coming toward him, and he is coming toward the day, so he shortens it; instead of there being thirteen hours between them, there may be three hours. Yes, this is now a self-evident matter that the earth is spherical, and no one denies it. No one denies this thing. And at first, they said this contradicts the apparent meaning of the Qur'an. And Allah says:
(17) Then do they not look at the camels - how they are created? (18) And at the sky - how it is raised? (19) And at the mountains - how they are erected? (20) And at the earth - how it is spread out?
أفلا ينظرون إلى الإبل كيف خلقت * وإلى السماء كيف رفعت * وإلى الجبال كيف نصبت * وإلى الأرض كيف سطحتwho made for you the earth a bed
جعل لكم الأرض فراشا(1) When the sky has split [open] (2) And has responded to its Lord and was obligated [to do so] (3) And when the earth has been extended (4) And has cast out that within it and relinquished [it] (5) And has responded to its Lord and was obligated [to do so] -
إذا السماء انشقت وأذنت لربها وحقت * وإذا الأرض مدت وألقت ما فيها وتخلت وأذنت لربها وحقتThat on the Day of Resurrection it will be stretched out like the stretching of leather
أنها يوم القيامة تمد مد الأديمYou will not see therein a depression or an elevation."
لا ترى فيها عوجا ولا أمتاHe wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night
يكور الليل على النهار ويكور النهار على الليلIt was spread out
سُطحتThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, well done. This is evidence of the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : The power is like the sky being without pillars.
The questioner : But the rotation is easy.
The Shaykh : I say that just as Allah held the sky without pillars, He held this.
The questioner : ... with pillars.
The Shaykh : Without pillars that you see. There is disagreement in this. I say there is disagreement, but the correct view is that it is without pillars.