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01-05-2024
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Scientific Topics- Scientific Topics from Sermons- Lesson(18): Orbits of Planets and Halley Comet
   
 
 
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful  
 

How can we interpret these two Ayaat?


Dear believing brothers, in Ya-Sin Surah, we have the following Ayah:

(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit.)

[Ya-Sin, 40]

In this Quranic Ayah Allah the Almighty shows clearly enough that the sun has its own orbit, and so does the moon. He the Almighty also shows that the sun's orbit has nothing to do with that of the moon, and that they will never crash with each other, but they run "each in an orbit". This same point is indicated in Allah's following Words: 

(Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places, and if they were to move away from their places, there is not one that could grasp them after Him. Truly, He is Ever Most Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving.)

 [Fatir, 41]

"Move away" is a reference to the sun moving away from the center of the sky at noon. Hence, the meaning is that each planet in the space has its own orbit. 

Some of the scholars have comments on the following Ayah: 

(By the sky (having rain clouds) which gives rain, again and again.)

 [At-Tariq, 11]

They say that this Ayah provides us with the most accurate description of the sky; each and every object goes around its own orbit, which makes it go back to the same starting point over and over again.

Can Halley comet move away from its orbit


The comet that people speak about and look for every day is called Halley, and the scientists said, "It is expected to appear after few weeks in the southern horizon." This comet has been running in its own orbit, from which it never goes astray one single inch, ever since Allah the Almighty created the heavens and the earth. It reaches a point that is 3 million km's far from the earth, and it has a tail that is 93 million km's long. People are afraid that it may one day keep on its straight course coming directly to crash with the Earth. However, Allah the Almighty says: 

(Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places, and if they were to move away from their places…)

[Fatir, 41]

This means such a comet has been running in its own orbit for millions of years, and so have the earth and the sun, and these facts are marvelous Signs that bespeak Allah's Infinite Divine Power and Might. I repeat Allah's Words:

(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit.)

 [Ya-Sin, 40]

Can the planets in the universe change their movements randomly so that one of them overtakes the other? Well, each has its own orbit that never gets longer or shorter, faster or slower. Moreover, the sun will never crash with the moon, the earth's rotation will remain the same, and the length of the day on the earth will always be the same too. 

Calendars have been the same for thousands of years, and you may read that on 17th April, for instance, the sun rises at 06: 02 a.m. so, what does this mean?! Allah the Almighty says: 

(…Nor does the night outstrip the day.)

[Ya-Sin, 40]

The rotation of the earth around it own axis and around the sun is unchangeable, and all float, each in an orbit. The scientists were astonished when they read the following Ayah:  

(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day.)

 [Ya-Sin, 40]

The word "each" here refers to everything created by Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. In fact, the pulpit on which I am standing contains atoms, neutrons, and electrons that go around themselves like the system of the galaxy.  The system of the atoms is the same as that of the galaxies, so everything you see is made up of molecules, which are made up of atoms. Furthermore, the atoms are made up of nuclei and electrons, which have fixed speeds and orbits. Undoubtedly, this Quranic Ayah does refer to the atom. Allah the Almighty says: 

(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day.)

[Ya-Sin, 40]

Accordingly, all the things that Allah the Almighty has created float, each in an orbit, and thus, atoms of rocks, stones, wood, water glass, tables, and everything else you see is made up of molecules, atoms, nuclei, nucleons, protons, neutrons and electrons.  
 

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