The shape
and orbit of the earth (Part 2)
source:
silsilat ul-hudā wa nnūr ~ the series of guidance and light
~ tape no. 497
Question #10: “What do you say about the orbiting of the
earth?”
Shaykh al-Albānī answers:
“We in fact don’t doubt that the matter of the orbiting of
the earth is an indisputable scientific fact. At the same
time, we believe that it is not the purpose of the Islamic
legislation in general and the Qur’ān specifically to talk
about astronomy and its details. Rather, this is included in
the generality of (the Prophet’s) saying (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
which Muslim brought out in his Sahīh from the narration of
Anas bin Mālik (radi Allāhu ʽanhu) about the story of
pollinating the date palm trees,[1] when he (صلى الله عليه
وسلم) said to them: ‘It was only an opinion of mine, so if I
order you to do something concerning your religious affair,
then do it as much as you are able, and whatever I order you
to do concerning your worldly affairs, then you are more
knowledgeable about them.’[2]
So these issues were not obligatory for the Messenger (of
Allāh) (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to talk about, and if he did
talk (about them) in his hadīth or if our Lord, the Mighty
and Majestic, did so in His Book, then it is only for
(showing) a sign or miracle or the like. Thus, we can say
that there isn’t anything in the Book nor in the Sunnah that
would contradict this scientific fact that is well-known
today, which states that the earth is round and that it runs
in an orbit by the Power of Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic,
in this vast space.
Rather, it is possible for the Muslim to find that which
suggests, if not clearly states, that the earth is like the
sun and the moon because they are all in this space, as He,
the Mighty and Majestic, says: {they all float, each in an
orbit}; and (this is so) especially if we remember that
before this divine statement with the word ‘all,’ (this
word) means the three celestial bodies due to the fact that
He began with the earth. So He said: {And a sign for them is
the dead earth. We give it life, and We bring forth from it
grains, so that they eat thereof},[3] then He said: {And the
sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is
the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing / And the
moon, We have measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it
returns like the old dried curved date stalk / It is not for
the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip
the day. They all float, each in an orbit}.[4] The word
‘all’ includes the first āyah: the earth, then the sun, then
the moon. Then He, the Most High, says: {They all float,
each in an orbit}.
This is what is apparent from the context of these āyāt,
which are no doubt amazing āyāt about the dominion of Allāh,
the Mighty and Majestic. All of this is while knowing that
the scholars of tafsīr[5] attributed the term ‘all’ to the
closest thing mentioned, which is the sun and the moon.
However, there isn't anything that would ever prevent us
from extending the meaning of ‘all’ to include the earth
which was mentioned before the sun and the moon.”
[1] Sahīh Muslim #2363; the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم)) saw
people pollinating date palm trees and expressed that it may
be good if they did not do so, but after they left doing it,
there was a negative impact on date production
[2] the Shaykh also mentioned some extra wordings; refer to
Sahīh Muslim #2361, #2362 and Sahīh ibn Mājah #2
[3] Sūrah Yā Sīn, 36:33
[4] Sūrah Yā Sīn, 36:38-40
[5] explanation of the Qur’ān
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