The Sun's Movement: A Sign of Allah's Power and Might

Understanding the Quranic Verse: 'And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term

THE SUN AND ITS MOVEMENT ARE FROM THE SIGNS OF ALLAH'S POWER AND MIGHT 

ALLĀH says:

وَٱلشَّمۡسُ تَجۡرِی لِمُسۡتَقَرࣲّ لَّهَاۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ تَقۡدِیرُ ٱلۡعَزِیزِ ٱلۡعَلِیمِ 

And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term ˹appointed˺. That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.

There are two views over the meaning of the phrase

لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا

on its fixed course for a term ˹appointed˺.

- The first view is that it refers to its fixed course of location, which is beneath the Throne, beyond the earth in that direction. Wherever it goes, it is beneath the Throne, it and all of creation, because the Throne is the roof of creation and it is not a sphere as many astronomers claim. Rather it is a dome supported by legs or pillars, carried by the angels, and it is above the universe, above the heads of people. When the sun is at its zenith at noon, it is in its closest position to Throne, and when it runs in its fourth orbit at the opposite point to its zenith, at midnight, it is in its furthest position from the Throne. At that point it prostrates and asks for permission to rise, as mentioned in the Hadiths.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Dharr, may ALLĀH be pleased with him, said, "I was with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Masjid at sunset, and he said: "O Abu Dharr! Do you know where the sun sets?"

I said, ALLĀH and HIS Messenger know best.'

He (ﷺ) said: It goes and prostrates beneath the Throne, and that is what ALLĀH says:

وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing."

It was also reported that Abu Dharr, may ALLĀH be pleased with him, said, "I asked the Messenger of ALLĀH about the Ayah:

وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا

And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term.

He said: "Its fixed course is beneath the Throne."

- The second view is that this refers to when the sun's appointed time comes to an end, which will be on the Day of Resurrection, when its fixed course will be abolished, it will come to a halt and it will be rolled up. This world will come to an end, and that will be the end of its appointed time. This is the fixed course of its time.

Qatadah said:

لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا

on its fixed course for a term ˹appointed˺

means: "It has an appointed time and it will not go beyond that."

It was also said that; this means, it keeps moving in its summer orbit for a certain time, and it does not exceed that, then it moves to its winter orbit for a certain time, and it does not exceed that.

This was narrated from Abdullāh bin Amr, may ALLĀH be pleased with him.

Ibn Mas`ud and Ibn Abbas, may ALLĀH be pleased with them, recited this Ayah as:

وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لَاامُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا

And the sun runs with no fixed course for a term,

meaning that it has no destination and it does not settle in one place, rather it keeps moving night and day, never slowing down or stopping, as in the Ayah:

وَسَخَّر لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَايِبَينَ

And HE has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you. {Ibrahim: Verse 33}

which means, they will never slow down or stop, until the Day of Resurrection.

ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ

That is the decree of the Almighty,

means, which none can oppose or prevent.

الْعَلِيمِ

the All-Knowing.

Who knows every movement and every cessation of movement, Who has decreed that and Who has set it in motion following a pattern in which there are no differences or inversions, as ALLĀH says:

فَالِقُ الاِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ الَّيْلَ سَكَناً وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَاناً ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ 

(HE is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. HE has appointed the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. Such is the measuring of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. {Al-An’aam: 96}

{Tafsi‌r Ibn Kathīr}

#ibnkathir #yasin (36:37)

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