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?

Atheists in Quran (48) No Ransom, No Exit

As for the Atheists and unbelievers, if they possessed, all that is in the earth, and the double of it with it, by which to ransom themselves from the chastisement of the Day of Resurrection, The ransom would not be accepted from them. They will desire to exit from the Eternal Fire, but they will not exit from it.

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Truly, as for the Atheists and unbelievers who disbelieve in Muhammad and the Quran,

If they possessed, definitely, all that is in the earth, and the double of it with it, by which to ransom themselves from the chastisement of the Day of Resurrection,

The ransom would not be accepted from them.

Theirs will be a painful doom and severe chastisement.

However, they will desire to exit from the Eternal Fire, but they will not exit from it; theirs shall be a lasting, a perpetual, chastisement.

They will wish to come forth from the Eternal Fire but they will not come forth from it

Theirs will be a lasting doom; which will never be interrupted.

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Ransom = the act of holding someone or something hostage in order to get a demand met, or the money paid to get the item or person back.

Ransom = a sum of money paid to free a captive or a prisoner.

To ransom is to obtain the release of someone that has been held hostage by paying a price.

If the Atheists and unbelievers had everything on earth and twice repeated, to give as ransom for the penalty of the Day of Judgment, Allah would never accept any ransom of them.

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The Quranic unique method of description

The verses 5:36-37 of the Noble Quran portray a scene of the Atheists and unbelievers who disbelieve in Muhammad and the Quran. It is a very vivid description, because the verses do not only give a statement outlining a position, but depicts a full scene with movement and interaction.

This is, indeed, the Quranic method used in portraying scenes of the Day of Judgment. The Quran uses it for most purposes:

“If those who disbelieve had all that is on earth and as much besides to offer as ransom from the suffering of the Day of Resurrection, it would not be accepted from them. Theirs shall be a painful suffering. They will wish to come out of the Fire, but they shall not come out of it. Theirs shall be a long-lasting suffering.” (Verses 36-37)

By the longest stretch of imagination, the most that the unbelievers can have is all that is available on the face of the earth.

But the verses go far beyond that and suppose that they have all that the earth contains twice over, and portray them trying to pay all that as ransom to spare themselves the suffering of the Day of Resurrection.

The verses also portray them as they try to get out of the Fire of Hell, but they are unable to do so. They continue to endure their painful, lasting suffering.

This is a very vivid scene with actions following one another in speedy sequence. There they are at first, having everything that is on earth and as much besides. They offer it all to escape punishment. Then we see them disappointed when all their appeals fail. The Angels are then forcing them into the Fire, trying to get out, but having no means of escape. The screen then falls and they dwell there permanently.

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The verses 5:36-37 in different translations:

QARIB:

36-As for those who disbelieve, if they possessed all that the earth contains and as much besides to ransom themselves from the punishment of the day of resurrection, it shall not be accepted from them. theirs shall be a painful punishment.

37-They will wish to get out of the fire, but they shall not, theirs shall be a lasting punishment.

SHAKIR:

36-Surely (as for) those who disbelieve, even if they had what is in the earth, all of it, and the like of it with it, that they might ransom themselves with it from the punishment of the day of resurrection, it shall not be accepted from them, and they shall have a painful punishment

37-They would desire to go forth from the fire, and they shall not go forth from it, and they shall have a lasting punishment

PICKTHAL:

36-As for those who disbelieve, lo! if all that is in the earth were theirs, and as much again therewith, to ransom them from the doom on the day of resurrection, it would not be accepted from them. theirs will be a painful doom.

37-They will wish to come forth from the fire, but they will not come forth from it. Theirs will be a lasting doom.

YUSUFALI:

36-As to those who reject faith,- if they had everything on earth, and twice repeated, to give as ransom for the penalty of the day of judgment, it would never be accepted of them, theirs would be a grievous penalty.

37-Their wish will be to get out of the fire, but never will they get out therefrom: their penalty will be one that endures.

Atheists in Quran (35) they are hasty

The Atheists try to hasten the punishment against which the Prophet Muhammad warns them. Sarcastically, they say, ‘When will this promise of resurrection and chastisement be fulfilled, if you are truthful O Muhammad?

The Quran says that 1) Man is a creature of haste; he is so hasty in his affairs and 2) Verily, messengers before you O Muhammad were derided but those who mocked them were encircled by the chastisement, which they used to deride; likewise, it shall befall those who have derided you.

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The Arabs at the time of the Prophet Muhammad were one of two:

The unbelievers deny the existence of One God and they used to worship many idols as gods

The Atheists who deny the existence of any god

Both groups deny the Resuscitation, the Day of Judgment and the Afterlife

They deny the very existence of Allah, the Most Merciful, who has created the universe and set the rules that operate in it and sustain its existence.

Herein, a likely dispute is expected.

Allah’s Messenger Muhammad speaks out against their deities, showing such inanimate idols to be useless.

On the other hand, The Atheists and unbelievers rudely deny Allah and they hurl abuse and mockery at Allah’s Messenger, saying that it is unacceptable that he should criticize their idol worship. They find nothing wrong with the arrogance that leads them to

Deny Allah’s existence,

Deny Allah’s Messenger and

Reject Allah’s revelation, the Quran.

The sarcasm of their attitude exposes to the full the far- reaching corruption that affects their nature and impairs their judgment.

Whenever they see you O Muhammad, they take you in derision and pick you out for mockery

What is more stupid of them?

They try to hasten the punishment against which the Prophet warns them.

They say, ‘When will this promise of resurrection and chastisement be fulfilled, if you are truthful O Muhammad?

Man is a creature of haste; he is so hasty in his affairs

Haste is present in man’s very nature and constitution.

He always stretches his eyes to what lies ahead, beyond the present moment, aiming to grasp it with his own hand. He wants to achieve, the moment it flashes in his mind, all that seems desirable. He wants to see all that is promised to him, even though it may be to his damage. Such is man’s nature, unless he establishes a firm relationship with Allah, which gives him strength and reassurance. He will then trust to Allah’s wisdom, leaving His will to run its course without hastening events. For faith combines trust with patience and reassurance.

Those unbelievers hastened Allah’s punishment, wondering when the promise of punishment in the hereafter, as well as in this life, would be fulfilled.

The Quran paints here for them a scene of the suffering in the hereafter, while also warning them against a similar punishment to that which befell earlier communities, which rejected the faith

If the unbelievers only knew what shall happen to them:

They would change their attitude completely.

They would stop their mockery and hastening of what is bound to come.

Let them, then, see what is bound to come.

There, the fire surrounds them on all sides.

Nay, but it, the Resurrection, shall come upon them suddenly, dumbfounding them, confusing them, and they shall not be able to ward it off, nor shall they be granted any respite, [nor shall they] be given any [extra] time to make a repentance or offer an excuse.

We envisage their agitated movements, described implicitly in the verse, to protect their faces and their backs against the fire, but their attempt is useless. It is as if the fire engulfs them on all sides. They can neither keep it away from themselves, nor retreat to seek protection. Nor is even a short respite from it possible.

That the punishment comes suddenly is only the response for their hastening it.

Sarcastically, they used to say time after time:

“When is this promise to be fulfilled, if what you say be true?”

The answer is that it comes suddenly, perplexing their minds and paralyzing their will. Thus, they are unable to think or act. This applies to the punishment in the hereafter.

Moreover, verily messengers before you were derided but those who mocked them were encircled by the chastisement, which they used to deride; likewise, it shall befall those who have derided you.

As for this world’s punishment, it certainly befell communities before them, which ridiculed Allah’s messengers. Just as those communities were unable to ward off a punishment that wiped them out altogether, so these unbelievers are unable to avert their defeat and captivity. They are thus warned not to deride Allah’s Messenger, to avoid the punishment that befalls those who ridicule prophets. Such fate and punishment is bound to come, because it is part of Allah’s law, which will inevitably, take effect, just as the destruction of earlier communities, guilty of the same offence, proves.

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The verses 21:36-41in different translations:

QARIB:

36-When the unbelievers see you, they take you only for mockery, saying: ‘is this he who talks about your gods? ‘While they are unbelievers in the remembrance of the merciful.

37-The human was created of haste. Indeed, I will show you my signs; so do not ask me to hasten them.

38-They say: ‘if you are truthful, when will this promise come? ‘

39-If the unbelievers only knew when they will be unable to shield either their faces or their backs from the fire; when they will not be helped!

40-It will overtake them suddenly, dumbfounding them. they shall be unable to ward it off, and they shall not be respited.

41-Before you, other messengers were mocked, but the mockers were encompassed by the very thing they mocked.

SHAKIR:

36-And when those who disbelieve see you, they do not take you but for one to be scoffed at: is this he who speaks of your gods? and they are deniers at the mention of the beneficent Allah

37-Man is created of haste; now will i show to you my signs, therefore do not ask me to hasten (them) on

38-And they say: when will this threat come to pass if you are truthful?

39-Had those who disbelieve but known (of the time) when they shall not be able to ward off the fire from their faces nor from their backs, nor shall they be helped

40-Nay, it shall come on them all of a sudden and cause them to become confounded, so they shall not have the power to avert it, nor shall they be respited

41-And certainly messengers before you were scoffed at, then there befell those of them who scoffed that at which they had scoffed

PICKTHAL:

36-And when those who disbelieve behold thee, they but choose thee out for mockery, (saying): is this he who maketh mention of your gods? and they would deny all mention of the beneficent.

37-Man is made of haste. I shall show you my portents, but ask me not to hasten.

38-And they say: when will this promise (be fulfilled), if ye are truthful?

39-If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not be able to drive off the fire from their faces and from their backs, and they will not be helped!

40-Nay, but it will come upon them unawares so that it will stupefy them, and they will be unable to repel it, neither will they be reprieved.

41-Messengers before thee, indeed, were mocked, but that whereat they mocked surrounded those who scoffed at them.

YUSUFALI:

36-When the unbelievers see thee, they treat thee not except with ridicule. “is this,” (they say), “the one who talks of your gods?” and they blaspheme at the mention of (Allah) most gracious!

37-Man is a creature of haste: soon (enough) will i show you my signs; then ye will not ask me to hasten them!

38-They say: “when will this promise come to pass, if ye are telling the truth?”

39-If only the unbelievers knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor yet from their backs, and (when) no help can reach them!

40-Nay, it may come to them all of a sudden and confound them: no power will they have then to avert it, nor will they (then) get respite.

41-Mocked were (many) messenger before thee; but their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked.

Atheists in Quran (16) they mocked Muhammad

The Quran talked about the Atheists’ mockery they hurled at the Prophet Muhammad. The Quran says, “If they knew of the time when they shall not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs and none shall protect them from it at the Resurrection”.

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Do Not Overlook this Warning

The verses 21:38-41 describe how the Atheists deal with Muhammad

The verses talk about

• The way the unbelievers received Allah’s Messenger and the revelations he was given.
• The mockery they hurled at him and
• Their persistent disbelief.

The verses follow this by pointing out that, by nature, man is hasty.

One manifestation of this haste is the unbelievers’ attempts to hasten Allah’s punishment.

Hence, it warns them against such haste and makes it clear to them that they must refrain from mocking the Prophet Muhammad if they wish to avoid the consequences of such unwarranted behavior. That is the persistent suffering of the unbelievers in the hereafter.

The verses talk about the accuracy of the reckoning in the hereafter and the suitability of the reward given on the Day of Judgment.

Thus, the reckoning and the reward are linked to the rules operating in the universe, human nature and human life.

What is more, they try to hasten the punishment against which the Prophet warns them.

For, by nature, man is hasty:

“Man is a creature of haste.”

Haste is present in man’s very nature and constitution.

Man always stretches his eyes to what lies ahead, beyond the present moment, aiming to grasp it with his own hand.

Man wants to achieve, the moment it flashes in his mind, all that seems desirable. He wants to see all that is promised to him, even though it may be to his detriment.

Such is man’s nature, unless he establishes a firm relationship with Allah, which gives him strength and reassurance. He will then trust to Allah’s wisdom, leaving His will to run its course without hastening events. For faith combines trust with patience and reassurance.

Those Atheists hastened Allah’s punishment, wondering when the promise of punishment in the hereafter, as well as in this life, would be fulfilled.

The Quran describes here for them a scene of the suffering in the hereafter, while also warning them against a similar punishment to that which befell earlier communities that rejected the faith “If only the unbelievers knew [that there will come]

• A time when they will not be able to shield their faces and their backs from the fire;
• A time when they will find no support.

Indeed, it will come upon them all of a sudden, and will stupefy them.

They will be unable to avert it, nor will they be allowed any respite.

Other messengers were derided before your time; but those who scoffed at them were [in the end] overwhelmed by the very thing that they derided.”

(Verses 39-41)

If the Atheists only knew what will happen to them, they would change their attitude completely.

They would stop their mockery and hastening of what is bound to come.

Let them, then, see what is bound to come. Therein, the fire surrounds them on all sides.

Imagine their frantic movements, described implicitly in the verse, to protect their faces and their backs against the fire, but their attempt is futile. It is as if the fire engulfs them on all sides. They can neither keep it away from themselves, nor retreat to seek protection. Nor is even a short respite from it possible.

That the punishment comes suddenly is only the response for their hastening it.

They used to say time after time:

“When is this promise to be fulfilled, if what you say be true?” (Verse 38)

The answer is that it comes suddenly, perplexing their minds andparalyzing their will. Thus, they are unable to think or act, let alone enjoy a period ofgrace to mend their ways.

This applies to the punishment in the hereafter. As for this world’s punishment, it certainly befell communities before them, which ridiculed Allah’s messengers. Just like those communities were unable to ward off a punishment that wiped them out altogether, so these Atheists are unable to avert their defeat and captivity. They are thus warned not to deride Allah’s Messenger, so as to avoid the punishment that befalls those who ridicule prophets. Such fate and punishment is bound to come, because it is part of Allah’s law which will inevitably take effect, just as the destruction of earlier communities, guilty of the same offence, proves.

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The verses 21:38-41 in different translations:

QARIB:

38-They say: ‘if you are truthful, when will this promise come? ‘

39-If the unbelievers only knew when they will be unable to shield either their faces or their backs from the fire; when they will not be helped!

40-It will overtake them suddenly, dumbfounding them. they shall be unable to ward it off, and they shall not be respited.

41-Before you, other messengers were mocked, but the mockers were encompassed by the very thing they mocked.

SHAKIR:

38-And they say: when will this threat come to pass if you are truthful?

39-Had those who disbelieve but known (of the time) when they shall not be able to ward off the fire from their faces nor from their backs, nor shall they be helped

40-Nay, it shall come on them all of a sudden and cause them to become confounded, so they shall not have the power to avert it, nor shall they be respited

41-And certainly messengers before you were scoffed at, then there befell those of them who scoffed that at which they had scoffed

PICKTHAL:

38-And they say: when will this promise (be fulfilled), if ye are truthful?

39-If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not be able to drive off the fire from their faces and from their backs, and they will not be helped!

40-Nay, but it will come upon them unawares so that it will stupefy them, and they will be unable to repel it, neither will they be reprieved.

41-Messengers before thee, indeed, were mocked, but that whereat they mocked surrounded those who scoffed at them.

YUSUFALI:

38-They say: “when will this promise come to pass, if ye are telling the truth?”

39-If only the unbelievers knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor yet from their backs, and (when) no help can reach them!

40-Nay, it may come to them all of a sudden and confound them: no power will they have then to avert it, nor will they (then) get respite.

41-Mocked were (many) messenger before thee; but their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked.