The Story of Creation (8) - Sun & Moon Signs in The Holy Quran ….

Index:

1.    Moon Origin as Star

2.    Sun as Star & Moon reflects light

3.    Moon & Sun different orbits

4.    Moon following Sun

5.    Moon dryness and motion

6.    Moon & Sun Eclipse, and Moon Miraculous Rotation

7.    Super-moon

8.    Sun slower than Moon and night won’t forerun daylight

9.    Sun being bigger than Moon

10.    End of Sun

11.    Difference between Lunar year and Solar year

12.    The Shadow of Daylight

13.    Infinite day and Infinite night

14.    Sun Flares

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The Sun and the moon are the most important planets for our life on Earth, and without of them the life would be impossible on Earth and it would be never been as we know it today. But, did the Almighty God (ALLAH) mention some of their scientific facts in his holy book “The Quran”?

Let’s see…

1.    Moon Origin as Star

Quoted from NASA – Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

How did the moon form?

We think that the moon and Earth formed at about the same time, back when our whole solar system was formed. Earth was forming from many chunks of rock and icy material. Possibly a big chunk hit the new Earth and knocked loose a big piece, which became the moon.

Does the moon really have volcanoes?

Yes, the moon has some volcanoes. But as far as I know they are all "dead" volcanoes that have not erupted for millions of years. Most of the craters on the moon are from the surface being hit by asteroids and comets billions of years ago. The moon is a very "quiet" place. There is no air or water to erode the surface, and there are no large earthquakes or active volcanoes to change the surface. Only small rocks may still hit the surface. So it has not changed much in billions of years! Probably the biggest changes recently are the footprints from the astronauts that visited the moon about 30 years ago. [1]

[Quran]

This theory of moon formation is the silliest theory in astrology, because of the following unanswered queries:

• How could such huge collision once happened on Earth, and there is not even a single track on Earth, not even a hole or a valley in moon size on all Earth surface ?!
• How did the Earth keep its perfect shape all over its surface with no bending, even on the collision side?
• How it is possible ever, that Earth and Meteor scattered parts will form their own gravity?
• Why didn’t they fall on Earth surface again? But instead, they combined together and formed a new planet !!

The real and actual theory is the same explained in part (3) from the Quran and Bible, and it’s mentioned in the following verse:

وجعلنا الليل والنهار ايتين فمحونا اية الليل وجعلنا اية النهار مبصرة لتبتغوا فضلا من ربكم ولتعلموا عدد السنين والحساب وكل شيء فصلناه تفصيلا

And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayât (signs etc.). Then, We have obliterated the sign of the night while We have made the sign of the day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything (in detail) with full explanation. (17:12)

The moon was among the earliest stars in universe like Sun but smaller in size, ALLAH had put its flame Off for our benefit, so we can differentiate time between daylight and night, and to know exactly the period of each month and to be able to count days and years correctly.

2.    Sun as Star & Moon reflects light

We all know that Moon reflects sun light into Earth atmosphere to show us the moon at night, and it’s not a shining star by itself.

This scientific fact was unknown before 1400 years ago but the following verse in Quran clearly states that Moon makes the light inside the heaven, also it differentiates it from Sun which is described as lamp:

أَلَمْ تَرَوْا كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا (15) وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا (16)

See you not how Allâh has created the seven heavens one above another, (15) And has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp? (16)

هو الذي جعل الشمس ضياء والقمر نورا وقدره منازل لتعلموا عدد السنين والحساب ما خلق الله ذلك الا بالحق يفصل الايات لقوم يعلمون

He it is Who appointed the sun a splendor and the moon a light, and measured for her stages, that ye might know the number of the years, and the reckoning. Allah created not (all) that save in truth. He detaileth the revelations for people who have knowledge. [10:5]

The correct meaning comes from the following:

• Since the verse mentions that moon has caused “light therein” (فِيهِنَّ نُورًا), means reflects light into the Sky (heaven), and the light is not emitted by the moon but caused by the moon in the sky (atmosphere). 
• Secondly, we all know from physics that light can’t be seen by itself unless it’s reflected on certain surface, and the word used in the above verses is “light” and not “lamp” like the SUN.

3.    Moon & Sun different orbits

We all know that Sun and Moon can’t intersect, but during the eclipse the moon covers completely the Sun, and anciently people thought that they may collide or they move on the same orbit. The following image shows how the orbit of Sun and Moon will appear over each other from Earth during the month of June 2011. As shown below [2].

But ALLAH clearly mentions the correct fact in the Holy Quran 1400 years ago that each is running in different orbit and they never and will never intersect.

وهو الذي خلق الليل والنهار والشمس والقمر كل في فلك يسبحون

And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit. [21:33]

4.    Moon following Sun

When looking to the vertical projection of Moon orbit around the Earth while it’s circling the Sun, it will show that Moon is circling the Sun too in very perfect SIN wave, as shown in the following image:

This fact is also mentioned in Quran in the following verse:

وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا (1) والقمر اذا تلاها (2)

By the sun and its brightness; (1) By the moon as it follows it (the sun); (2) [91:1-2]

Some of Islam haters, used this verse to show that there is a scientific error in Islam, because apparently the Moon is following Earth and circling it not the Sun, but the meaning of this verse is more accurate and more advance, and as it’s shown in the above image and in next video, all planets in the Solar system are following the Sun.

5.    Moon dryness and motion:

[Science]

Is there really water on the moon?

Water that would be found on the moon may have existed from the days when our solar system was formed. Comets that may have hit the moon could also be a source of water. Generally we think water, that was part of the moon as it formed, would have probably evaporated away. Water from comets would have evaporated too. [3]

[Quran]

Allah says this fact too in the following verse that describes the moon as an old dried-up palm-leaf as shown in the next image. Also, there is another sign in this verse, that palm leaf (old Arjoun) when it dries it looks like SIN wave which indicated exactly the path of Moon in its Orbit.

والقمر قدرناه منازل حتى عاد كالعرجون القديم والقمر قدرناه منازل حتى عاد كالعرجون القديم

And for the moon We have appointed mansions till it returns like an old shriveled palm-leaf. [36:39]

 

6.    Moon & Sun Eclipse, and Moon Miraculous Rotation

[Science]

The miraculous of Moon position is the following:

• According to gravity laws: Moon must not be in his current location, especially with such large moon comparing to Earth size,
• Such rotation of moon that keeps only one of its sides to be seen from Earth only,
• The perfect distance from Earth, make the moon size almost matches with Sun size as they appear from Earth.

All explained in the following video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5h_qoHCn7k&feature=related

[Quran]

He is ALLAH who fixed the moon in such orbit, although scientifically it’s difficult to adjust the gravity of moon and Earth to synchronize in such point, and he kept the Sun and Moon to move constantly in their orbits, ALLAH says:

وسخر لكم الشمس والقمر دائبين وسخر لكم الليل والنهار

And maketh the sun and the moon, constant (Da’ebayn) in their courses, to be of service unto you, and hath made of service unto you the night and the day. [14:33]

And the word “Da’ebayn” means being continuous and constant in their running speed on their orbits.

The Eclipse

Also in the following Hadith, Prophet Muhammad explains to the people who saw Sun eclipse and thought that it had disappeared due to the death of someone important on Earth, so prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explained to them that “Sun and Moon” are signs from ALLAH and they don’t hide (eclipse) because of the death of anyone on Earth but as planned by God.

أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خرج مستعجلا يجر رداءه حتى أتى المسجد وقد انكسفت الشمس ، فصلى حتى انجلت ، وقال : إن أهل الجاهلية يقولون : إن الشمس والقمر لا ينخسفان إلا لموت عظيم من عظماء الأرض ، وإن الشمس والقمر لا ينخسفان لموت أحد ولكنهما خلقان من خلق الله عز وجل ، ويحدث الله في خلقه ما يشاء ، فأيهما انخسف فصلوا حتى ينجلي ، أو يحدث الله عز وجل أمرا.  الراوي: النعمان بن بشير المحدث: البيهقي - المصدر: السنن الكبرى للبيهقي - الصفحة أو الرقم: 3/333

7.    “Super-moon”

[Science]

Quoted from Wikipedia – “Super-moon”

The Moon's distance varies each month between approximately 357,000 kilometers (222,000 mi) and 406,000 km (252,000 mi) due to its elliptical orbit around the Earth (distances given are center-to-center). The size and brightness of an object follows an inverse-square law, which means that a full moon at perigee is 12% larger and brighter than an average full moon. [4]

Quoted from Wikipedia – “Tide”

Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun and the rotation of the Earth. [5]

The following verse describes the moon using the verb “Wasaq”:

والقمر اذا اتسق

And by the moon when it is at the full (Wasaq) (84:18)

واتَّساقُ القمر: امتلاؤه واجتماعه واستواؤه ليلة ثلاث عشرة وأَربع عشرة، وقال الفراء: إلى ست عشرة فيهن امتلاؤه واتِّسَاقه، وقال أَبو عبيدة: وما وَسَقَ أَي وما جمع من الجبال والبحار والأشجار كأنه جمعها بأَن طلع عليها كلِّه. وقد وَسَقَ الليلُ واتَّسَقَ؛ وكل ما انضم، فقد اتَّسَق. والطريق يأتَسِقُ؛ ويَتَّسق أَي ينضم؛ حكاه الكسائي.

The verb “Wasaq” has many meanings in Arabic, such as:

• To “be widen” and this describes that fact of “super-moon”,
• Or “to join and to gather”, and this explains the second fact the “Tide” that is caused by moon effect on Earth oceans and seas, when it’s gathers the water toward its direction and this what causes the tides on Oceans’ shores.

8.    Sun slower than Moon and night won’t forerun daylight.

The Sun is running in its orbit around Milkyway center with velocity that estimated to be 200-232 Km\sec, but the earth is circling the sun and running with it in the same direction, then its speed must be higher than Sun speed, otherwise the Earth will not catch up with Sun and will fall away.

In the same manner, the moon who is circling the Earth and running in a complete circle around Earth per 1 lunar month, must be faster than Earth to catch it up, therefore, moon must be faster than Earth which much be faster than Sun.

According to calculations, if Sun speed is estimated to be 232 Km/sec, then Earth must be around 233.90 Km/sec and moon must be 234.93 Km/sec.

Note, this is the real velocity of Earth and Moon in Space, and not the relative velocity to each others, where Earth is assumed to be fixed. [6]

Video: Earth Orbiting the Sun in Spiral shape

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NH5yK3ZN54

[Quran]

The following verse, clearly states that Sun can’t catch up (Tudrek) the moon, i.e. Moon is really faster than sun which is scientifically correct, also the verse mentions that Night can’t forerun the daylight, that means that they are moving in the same speed, and the difference of using the words “Tudrek” catch up, as if running in different speed, but using the negative of outstrip “sabek”, means as they are moving in parallel, which means in the same speed.

لا الشمس ينبغي لها ان تدرك القمر ولا الليل سابق النهار وكل في فلك يسبحون

It is not for the sun to overtake (Tudreka) the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. [36:40]

9.    Sun being bigger than Moon

Although the Sun and Moon both appear approximately in the same size from Earth (except in Annular eclipse), knowing that their apparent size can’t be measured or compared except by an expert.

The following table shows the exact apparent size of both moon and Sun from Earth and how the slight difference between them (approx. 1 inch) and sometimes the moon looks bigger than Sun. [7]

[Quran]

But the following verses, that describe the speech of prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) when he was searching for truth, clearly mention that “Sun” is bigger from moon, which is totally correct.

فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغًا قَالَ هَذَا رَبِّي فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لأكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ  (77) فَلَمَّا رَأَى الشَّمْسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَذَا رَبِّي هَذَا أَكْبَرُ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ (78)

When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the people who went astray." (77)

When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord. This is greater (bigger)." But when it set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners (in worship with Allâh). (78( [Ana’am]

10.    End of Sun

[Science]

Quoted from Wikipedia - Sun / Lifecycle

The Sun is about halfway through its main-sequence evolution, during which nuclear fusion reactions in its core fuse hydrogen into helium. Each second, more than four million metric tons of matter are converted into energy within the Sun's core, producing neutrinos and solar radiation. At this rate, the Sun has so far converted around 100 Earth-masses of matter into energy. The Sun will spend a total of approximately 10 billion years as a main sequence star. 

Following the red giant phase, intense thermal pulsations will cause the Sun to throw off its outer layers, forming a planetary nebula. The only object that will remain after the outer layers are ejected is the extremely hot stellar core, which will slowly cool and fade as a white dwarf over many billions of years. This stellar evolution scenario is typical of low- to medium-mass stars. [8]

[Quran]

Allah says in Quran that Sun will keep running till it reach it’s resting place that is set by ALLAH, and of course nobody knows when and where.

والشمس تجري لمستقر لها ذلك تقدير العزيز العليم

And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. (36:38)

11.    Difference between Lunar year and Solar year

[Science]

Quoted from Wikipedia, Lunar Calendar

A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. The only widely used purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar, whose year always consists of 12 lunar months. A feature of a purely lunar year, on the Islamic calendar model, is that the calendar ceases to be linked to the seasons, and drifts each solar year by 11 to 12 days, and comes back to the position it had in relation to the solar year approximately every 33 Islamic years. It is used predominantly for religious purposes. In Saudi Arabia it is also used for commercial purposes. [9]

[Quran]

From above information, we understand that difference between Lunar and solar calendar is approximate = 11 days (i.e. Lunar year = 365-11 = 354), and if we calculate the difference for 300 solar years, we get the following

11 x 300 = 3300 days, which equal to (3,300 / 354) = 9.32 years.

Which means that for 300 solar years, it will be 309 lunar years, and this explains that the following verse, as if God is saying to us that people who slept in their cave stayed for 300 years (solar years) or we can say it’s 309 as lunar years. 

وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلاثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعًا  (25) قُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا لَهُ غَيْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ أَبْصِرْ بِهِ وَأَسْمِعْ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلا يُشْرِكُ فِي حُكْمِهِ أَحَدًا (26)

And (it is said) they tarried in their Cave three hundred years and add nine. (25) Say: Allah is best aware how long they tarried. His is the Invisible of the heavens and the earth. How clear of sight is He and keen of hearing! They have no protecting friend beside Him, and He maketh none to share in His government. (26) [Kahaf]

Of course, such information was not available 1400 years ago, and Arabs never knew the Georgian calendars during that time neither were able to calculate the difference between the Georgian and Lunar years.

12.    The Shadow of Daylight

We know that shadow has different length during daylight, but it changes depending whether on the northern or southern hemisphere on Earth, South or North Pole.

The following figure shows the shadow maps calculated for different positions on Earth and using different sundials: [10]

[Quran]

The above fact that is shown in all shadow maps is explained in the following verse, where ALLAH says how he spreads (expands) the shadow and then he withdraws it a little bit, and this common on all shadows all over the Earth:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَاء لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلا  (24) ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَاهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًا يَسِيرًا  (25)

Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow. If He willed, He could have made it — still — But We have made the sun its guide (45) Then We withdraw it to Us a gradual concealed withdrawal. (46)

13.    Infinite day and Infinite night

The spinning of Earth is causing the day and night, and by stopping this rotation there will an infinite day and infinite night. If such thing happen no one can fix it, except ALLAH and he mentioned this case in the following verses with noting that he mentioned the infinite day and night in the same context as referring that the cause to stop one of them will stop the other for sure, which is the spinning of Earth.

قل ارايتم ان جعل الله عليكم الليل سرمدا الى يوم القيامة من اله غير الله ياتيكم بضياء افلا تسمعون  (71) قل ارايتم ان جعل الله عليكم النهار سرمدا الى يوم القيامة من اله غير الله ياتيكم بليل تسكنون فيه افلا تبصرون (72)

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? (71) 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? (72) [Qassass]

Let’s see what could happen if Earth stops spinning in the following video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXPZKA219m0

14.    Sun Flares:

[Science]

Quoted from Wikipedia – Solar Flare

A solar flare is a sudden brightening observed over the Sun surface or the solar limb, which is interpreted as a large energy release of up to 6 × 1025 joules of energy (about a sixth of the total energy output of the Sun each second). The term is also used to refer to similar phenomena in other stars, where the term stellar flare applies. [11]

[Quran]

When looking closely to these huge flares what it could be compared with?

We explained in part (2) how hell was fuelled for 1000’s of years till its temperature become over 70,000 Kelvin and being passing in the same range of heating like Stars.

In Quran, explains the flares seen from Hell surface on the Day of Judgment look like giants yellow camels, which is similar to the above flares from Sun:

إِنَّهَا تَرْمِي بِشَرَرٍ كَالْقَصْرِ (32) كَأَنَّهُ جِمَالَتٌ صُفْرٌ (33)

Verily, It (Hell) throws sparks (huge) as Al-Qasr [a fort or a (huge log of wood)], (32) As if they were yellow camels. (33) Woe that Day to the deniers (of the Day of Resurrection)! [77:32-34]

Thanks to ALLAH, Lord of the Worlds

References:

[1] Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, FAQ, http://lunar.gsfc.nasa.gov/faq.html

[2] Physics and Astronomy, Sun, Moon & Earth Applet, http://www.jgiesen.de/SME/index.htm

[3] Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, FAQ, http://lunar.gsfc.nasa.gov/faq.html

[4] Wikipedia, Supermoon, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermoon

[5] Wikipedia, Tide, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tide

[6] Hypertextbook, Speed of the Sun, http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2001/AngelaChan.shtml

[7] Wikipedia, Solar Eclipse, Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse

[8] Wikipedia, Sun, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun

[9] Wikipedia, Lunar Calendar, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_calendar

[10] The Sundial Primer, North vs South, http://www.mysundial.ca/tsp/north_vs_south.html

[11] Wikipedia, Solar Flare, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_flare