Atheists in Quran (50) think about Earth’s Rotation

The Quran talks about Earth’s rotation saying:

Have you considered, if Allah were to make the night everlasting over you until the Day of Resurrection? Who is a god beside Allah who could bring you light? Moreover,

What would you think if Allah made daylight everlasting for you until the Day of Judgment without night? Who is a god beside Allah who could bring you night?

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Earth’s rotation is the rotation of the Earth around its own axis. The Earth rotates from the west towards the east in counter-clockwise movement.

The Earth rotates once in about 24 hours with respect to the sun.

Earth’s Rotation is the cause Day and Night.

Half of the Earth is daylight while, at the same time, the other half is dark night.

Watch this video of “Day and Night and Earth’s Rotation”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLl8sDZRSYg

Now let us see how the Quran has dealt with this scientific knowledge since more than 1400 years ago.

The Quran declares many times that Allah, the Almighty Creator, created the Earth.

Allah gave the Earth its features that causes seasons, night and day, earthquake, volcanic eruptions, fertile soil, Desertification etc.

The Earth submits totally to Allah’s will.

Allah commanded the Earth to rotate around its own axis from the west towards the east once in about 24 hours and the Earth obeyed.

What if Allah commands the Earth to stop its rotation around its axis?

What if Allah orders the Earth: Stop Rotation?

In this case,

• Half of the Earth that is facing the sun will be eternally daylight
• The other half will be eternally dark night

The verses 28:71-72 of the Noble Quran talk about this issue.

The verses take the Atheists and unbelievers on a round presenting them with scenes of the universe. The verses alert them to two great universal signs.

The daily two alternative miracles

In the physical world the Night and the Day are both blessings, the one for rest and the other for work, and the alternation itself is one of the mercies of Allah, and none but Allah can give us these blessings.

Because of their long familiarity with the succession of night and day, people forget their ever-renewing status. Rarely do they admire the sunrise or sunset, and only rarely do they reflect thoughtfully on the spreading of the day or the darkening that ushers in the night. They do not reflect on the act of grace that brings their succession with all that it involves of mercy and life renewal. The Quran alerts them from the long familiarity that blunts their senses and invites them to reflect on these great universal scenes. It presents them with the possibility of either the night or the day lasting forever, and the terrible consequences of either eventuality.

It is a fact that people seldom appreciate things until they lose them.

The meanings of the verses 28:71-72

Say, to them, O Muhammad: ‘Have you considered, if Allah were to make the night everlasting over you until the Day of Resurrection, what god other than Allah, could bring you daylight during which you could earn a living?

Will you not then listen to this in a way to understand it, and so repent and submit to Allah?

Will you not then hear?

Will you not obey He who made the day and the night for you?

People miss the light of day when the winter nights become a little longer, and cannot wait for the bright sun when it disappears for a few hours behind clouds. What will they do then if they lose its light completely, with the night stretching perpetually over their world?

This question supposes that they will remain alive in such an eventuality, when all life is in peril unless daylight is forthcoming.

Moreover,

Say also to them, O Muhammad: what do you think if Allah made daylight everlasting for you until the Day of Judgment without night, who is a god other than Allah who could, bring you night wherein you rest from any weariness?

Will you not then see the error you are upon when you do not believe and so repent of it.

Will you not believe He Who made the day and the night for you?

People look for the shade when the hours of day stretch and become very hot, and they look forward to the coming of the night when the days stretch longer in the summer. They enjoy their repose and rest in the night. All creatures need the night when they can renew the energy they spend during the day. What would happen to them then, should they remain alive, if the day is endlessly perpetuated until the Day of Judgment?

Indeed, all life could perish in a day that never ends.

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The verses 28:71-72 in different translations:

QARIB:

71-Say: ‘think! What if Allah should enshroud you in unceasing night till the day of resurrection, what god, other than Allah, shall bring you light! Will you not hear?’

72-Say: ‘what would you think if Allah should make the day unceasing over you till the day of resurrection, what god, other than Allah, shall bring you the night to sleep in. will you not see? ‘

SHAKIR:

71-Say: tell me, if Allah were to make the night to continue incessantly on you till the day of resurrection, who is the god besides Allah that could bring you light? Do you not then hear?

72-Say: tell me, if Allah were to make the day to continue incessantly on you till the day of resurrection, who is the god besides Allah that could bring you the night in which you take rest? Do you not then see?

PICKTHAL:

71-Say: have ye thought, if Allah made night everlasting for you till the day of resurrection, who is a god beside Allah who could bring you light? Will ye not then hear?

72-Say: have ye thought, if Allah made day everlasting for you till the day of resurrection, who is a god beside Allah who could bring you night wherein ye rest? Will ye not then see?

YUSUFALI:

71-Say: see ye? If Allah were to make the night perpetual over you to the day of judgment, what god is there other than Allah, who can give you enlightenment? Will ye not then hearken?

72-Say: see ye? if Allah were to make the day perpetual over you to the day of judgment, what god is there other than Allah, who can give you a night in which ye can rest? Will ye not then see?

Allah does not love (20) those who desire to be Haughty in the Earth

The Story of Qaroun, Moses’ cousin -d

What those who had longed to be in his place said after Allah’s torment to Qaroun?

The sequel, Paradise, is for those who ward off evil

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Verses 28:76-83 of the Noble Quran are talking about “Qaroun”, Moses’ cousin, who was very rich man. He was corrupter in the earth in the earth through his disdain, haughtiness and great wealth.

Verses 28:82-83 are talking about what those who had longed to be in his place said after Allah’s torment to Qaroun.  The sequel, Paradise, is for those who ward off evil, those who ward off disbelief, those who fear, God’s punishment, by performing deeds of obedience.

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The story of Qaroun, Moses’ cousin is mentioned in the previous articles when talking about the verses  28:76-81 of the Noble Quran.

Furthermore, the verse 28:82-83 continue narrating this story.

 

Verse 28:82 says:

And those who had longed to be in his place, who had coveted his place, his status, standing and wealth the day before, were crying to one another were saying,

it is not as Qaroun said, i.e. that his wealth was his own doing, but rather Allah enlarges the provision for whom He will of His slaves and in the case of Qaroun such wealth was a lure to perdition, and straitened it, for whom He will out of care for the person. 

‘Alas! God expands provision for whomever He will of His servants and straitens it, He restricts it for whomever He will

If Allah had not been gracious unto us, and withheld from us what He gave him,

He would have caused it to swallow us also as it swallowed Qaroun.

‘Alas! The disbelievers never prosper; they will never be safe from Allah’s torment.

Lo! Indeed those who are ungrateful, for God’s grace, such as Qaroun, never prosper.

 

Verse 28:83 says

As for that Abode of the Hereafter, namely, Paradise, which Allah shall grant to those who do not desire to be haughty in the earth, through insolence, or to cause corruption, by committing acts of disobedience.

Allah assigns Paradise unto those who do not seek oppression and haughtiness in the earth through their wealth,

And the, praiseworthy, the sequel, Paradise, is for those who ward off evil, those who ward off disbelief, idolatry, haughtiness and corruption in the earth.

And it will be for those who fear, God’s punishment, by performing deeds of obedience.

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Verses 28:82-83 in different translations

QARIB:

82) And in the morning those who had wished to be in his place the previous evening said: ‘indeed, Allah outspreads to whom he will among his worshipers, and he restrains. had he not shown us favor, he could have caused the earth to swallow us. indeed, the unbelievers shall never prosper. ‘

83) That is the last abode, we shall assign it to those who desire neither exorbitance in the earth, nor corruption. the outcome is for the cautious.

 

SHAKIR:

82) And those who yearned for his place only the day before began to say: ah! (know) that Allah amplifies and straitens the means of subsistence for whom he pleases of his servants; had not Allah been gracious to us, he would most surely have abased us; ah! (know) that the ungrateful are never successful

83) (As for) that future abode, we assign it to those who have no desire to exalt themselves in the earth nor to make mischief and the good end is for those who guard (against evil)

 

PICKTHAL:

82) And morning found those who had coveted his place but yesterday crying: ah, welladay! Allah enlargeth the provision for whom he will of his slaves and straiteneth it (for whom he will). if Allah had not been gracious unto us he would have caused it to swallow us (also). ah, welladay! the disbelievers never prosper.

83) As for that abode of the hereafter we assign it unto those who seek not oppression in the earth, nor yet corruption. the sequel is for those who ward off (evil).

 

YUSUFALI:

82) And those who had envied his position the day before began to say on the morrow: “ah! it is indeed Allah who enlarges the provision or restricts it, to any of his servants he pleases! had it not been that Allah was gracious to us, he could have caused the earth to swallow us up! ah! those who reject Allah will assuredly never prosper.”

83) That home of the hereafter we shall give to those who intend not high-handedness or mischief on earth: and the end is (best) for the righteous.