ANSWER TO THE INTERPRETATION OF VERSES 36;37-40;
Now before going into detail of above verses we quote here the actual wording of wikiislam author about these verses;
"
Tellingly, the sun's orbit is almost always mentioned in the context of night and day (13:2 is the only exception) and is always mentioned with that of the moon, which does in fact orbit the Earth each month, and to a naive observer seems to traverse the sky each night when it is visible.
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise. And for the moon We have appointed mansions till she return like an old shrivelled palm-leaf. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit.
Qur'an
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it. A few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place
Sahih Muslim. The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does indeed mean term appointed - the word مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context."
Now let us see the original Arabic and detail of these verse;
وآ يةٌ ل هُمُ اللهيْل نسْل خُ مِنْهُ ال ه ن ها ر فإِ ذا هُمْ مُظْ لِمُو ن }7 3
وال ه شمْسُ تجْرِي لِ لِ ك تقْدِيرُ الْ عزِيزِ الْ علِيمِ }
مُسْتقرٍّ ل ها ذ 38 } والْ ق م ر ق ه درْ ناهُ م نازِل ح ه تىَٰ عا د كالْعُرْجُونِ الْ قدِيمِ } 39
Now let us see at the first verse 37; If this verse is taken in its metaphorical meaning then it describes Hazrat Muhammad PBUH as described in Usool e Kafi 8:380/574;
"So Allah Struck an example of Muhammad(SAW) with the sun, and an example of the successors with the moon, and these are the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: “[10:5] He it is Who made the sun a shining brightness and the moon a light”, and His Words: [36:37] And a sign to them is the night: We draw forth from it the day, so they are in the darkness, and the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: “[2:17] Their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness - they do not see”, meaning, the passing away of Muhammad(SAW) and the appearance of the darkness, so they cannot see the virtues of the People of his Household, and these are the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: “[7:198] And if you invite them to guidance, they do not hear; and you see them looking towards you, yet they do not see”
If this verse is taken in its other sense then it may refers to day breaking after night regarding beautiful natural scenery.It simply says that sun is in motion but does not says that around Earth.This motion described can be taken in different senses. The verse says that it is moving toward its ultimate destiny.
VERSE # 38-39
These verses have biggest demor of non Muslims on them.We ask from non-Muslims who say that these verses refer to geocenterism that where in these verses written that Earth is the center and all the universe is rotating around it.If this verse(38) is taken in its other sense then it may refers to day breaking after night regarding beautiful natural scenery.It simply says that sun is in motion but does not says that around Earth.This motion described can be taken in different senses. The verse says that it is moving toward its ultimate destiny.Now let us look that which motions can be:
1. In literal sense it can be taken as that it is going to be dead one day.As in our literal and personal talks we say like He is going to be destroyed etc.Similarly it can also mean that sun is going toward its ultimate destiny.It is going to be dead one day.It will have no heat and no diameter.As modern science confirms that sun will die out one day like other stars. see Popular Astronomy by Cammile Flammarian page 79 and King Fisher science Encyclopedia by Charles Taylor page 395.
Verse #39
The verse 39 refers to the phases of moon on which many books are written.These phases are described as token,which means a point to ponder.This token is described in beautiful literal way and the simile an old shrivelled palm-leaf is used.So by describing these things it asks us to ponder over the phases of moon.
Verse #40
لَ ال ه شمْسُ ينْ بغِي ل ها أ نْ تُدْرِ ك ا ل ق م ر و لَ اللهيْل سابِقُ ال ه ن هارِ وكُلٌّ فِي فل كٍ يسْ بحُو ن } 40
Now this verse says that it is not possible for sun to catch moon , We ask how it refers to Geo centerism. But it gives many other points to ponder like why sun cannot catch Earth. By thinking we get answers like;
1. Sun has gravity greater than moon.
2. Sun is rotating faster around its axis and with Milky way but moon has lower speed than sun. and so on.
This verse also gives a sense that the center of rotation of sun and earth is not same.Hence it refutes Geo centerism than to accept it.
In the second part of verse 40 Allah says that night cannot come before day.It also means that Day was created before night.Hence also gives the sense of Earth before Big Bang that when there was day whole and not night than night came.
In the third part of verse it is said that each of them (universe objects) are floating in sky. It means the motion of milky way.The word used in Arabic is Kullu it means each is moving hence the whole galaxy is moving.It is now scientifically proven that Milky way is also moving in sky around another galaxy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHMvS9odjOs. this video also describes the motion of Milky way
sun
Now we ask wikiislam that why this verse could not refer to the motion of milky way. wikiIsalam made open lie by saying that these verses refer to the motion of sun around earth.So open your eyes and see what these verses refer.
Answer on Hadiths Quoted By WikiIslam''
Both these hadiths refer to the motion of sun near qiyamat. The time when sun wil die out. Hence having its gravity reduced nearly equal to zero so may happen different motions.
Reply on their repititive arguments;
The argued that motion of sun and moon is described just after night so it is Geo centerism. This is absurd argument because it is not written that sun movements causing day and night. If one discuss one thing after other it does not mean that necessarily they are interrelated.
more details about these verses can be seen in Tafseer e Namoona under these verses.
Answer to Further verses quoted by wikiislam;
And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.
Some try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an
Ad hoc hypothesis, of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon
Above we have quoted what wikiislam had sad on verse 21;33.
Now let us look at this verse;
1. Allah describes that Allah is the One who created sun,moon day and night.Sun and moon float in an orbit
2.Where is written that they both float around earth.
3.Where is it written that they cause day and night.
4.The question arises that how they float;
The floating of sun is clear to everyone that it rotates around earth.
Wikiislam,s author in its knowledgelessness says that their is no motion associated with sun except to move around earth,and one adhoc hypothesis of its motion around the center of milky ways.In simple words it does not move about its axis.Now let us see how it made an open lie against the motion of sun about its axis;
Galileo discovered from the movement of sunspots that the Sun rotates on its own axis, and each revolution takes about an earth month. However, because the Sun is fluid not solid, it spins faster at its equator (27 days) than at the poles (35 days).
for reference see.
On sunspots by Galelio Galeili, Cristoph Scheiner and Eileen Reeves
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Big-Questions/Does-the-sun-revolve-on-an-axis-or-is-it-stationary-in-the-middleof-the-solar-system/2005/06/10/1118347582434.html
Above is a simple reference where many of non Muslims accepted the motion of sun around its axis.Why not the above discussed verse describes this motion.
Hence it is proved that author of wikiislam tried to mislead poor people by saying that Holy Quran says that sun rotates but it does not. So be aware of these people.
The Second Verse 31;29
Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?
Notice also that the running / floating of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).
Reply1
1.Firstly this verse starts with Hast Thou not seen (Alam Tara in Arabic).These words are used to provide stress.In other words they mean have not you pondered over.
2.Hence we refute the words used by wikiislam.org that Allah had expected for someone to see.It would have been so if the words used were (lam tara), these stressed words describe that Allah wanted us to ponder over the passing of day and night and motion of sun and moon.
3.The words used (wa sakhar al shamsa wa al qamar kullu yajri ila ajal im musamma) means that each is working until an appointed term and a day will come when sun will die and stars will die as described in another verse of Quran81;1
When the sun is wrapped in darkness.
4. The translation "' each is working until an appointeed term" makes better sense than translation "each is moving".as described in Tafseer e namoona vol17 page 80
The Third verse 91-1:2
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him;
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. Yet the Moon does not actually follow behind the sun's movement, nor does it provide its own light like the sun. The verse is suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.
Above you have read the commentar of wikiislam,s author. Now see the real meaning which is a metaphor described by our Imams;Usool e Kafi 8:12/50.
‘I asked Abu Abdullah(AS) about the Words of Allah Mighty and Majestic [91:1] I swear by the sun and its brilliance, he said: ‘The ‘Sun’ is Rasool-Allah by whom Allah Illuminated for the people, their Religion’. I said, ‘(What about) [91:2] And the moon when it follows the sun?’ He said: ‘That is Amir-ul-Momineen. Hea followed the Rasool-Allah, and he emitted with the Knowledge, an inspiration’.
‘From Ibn Abbas regarding the Words of Allah Mighty and Majestic [91:1] I swear by the sun and its brilliance, he said, ‘He is the Prophet(SAW)’. [91:2] And the moon when it follows the sun, he said, ‘Ali Bin Abu Talib(AS)’.taweel ul ayat 2;6/806
We think that these two hadiths are enough to show what the meaning of this verse is.Is it possible for Almighty God to swear of sun and moon?
The Fourth Verse;
Abraham said, ‘Indeed Allah brings the sun from the east; now you bring it from the west.’ So the disbeliever was overwhelmed [by astonishment], and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Here the Qur'an quotes a few lines from a debate between Abraham and a disbelieving King, where Abraham replies that Allah brings the sun (yatee biashshamsi يَأْتِى بِٱلشَّمْسِ) from the east. The arabic verb and preposition indicates that the sun actually moves. The verb means to come, and when it has an object with the bi preposition it means to bring, as in many other instances in the Qur'an. While the story is quoting a mere human's words, the author clearly believes it to be a good response and sees no problem with it.
Reply
Abraham (AS) 1813 BCE- 1644BCE was present in the era when the people believed only what they see with their eyes, the result of which Namrood was accepted as king and his arguments were acceptable to people. Hazrat Ibraheem AS went there to preach the right religion if he had said that my Allah makes the Earth to move like that sun appears to be risen from East,then surely people at that time did not believe him .So he (AS) made the right speech which could be acceptable to all moreover Namrood was also declared wrong.It is the first stone of right religion to make people believe in right fact when a prophet is sure that people will accept him.
Secondly,the sentence sun rises in the East and sets in the west is also a common sentence used by several muslims and non muslims.It is also known as universal truth in grammers. So he (AS) used the best words.He was not telling why and how it happens? He was saying that it happens then if you can change ,change it.
Thirdly there are thousands of newspapers articles that say that sun rises in the east and sets in the west.This phrase is of common use these days even one everyone knows that Earth is moving.Then what have been of this phrase when there people believed what they see.
