Reflect now on the variation in the movement of stars and planets, and all the amazing wonder implied in this. See how some stars never travel but in company with others, never striking a lonely path; it is always a collective progress; others rush alone, free from any ties with companion or partner. Even if they by coincidence happen to be In company with other travellers, they join them for a night and then again separate themselves the next night - they seem to be intimate pals for one night, but then separate like utter strangers. Each star has two absolutely and vastly different movements, a general movement that the whole constellation follows, and a special movement that the single star follows along its orbit. This has been likened to an ant that moves left round a grind -stone that turns right: the ant is in this case moving in two different directions, one on its own, and one forced on it, being bound to the grind -stone that pulls it in a direction other than its own. Like the ant, a star is proceeding from interval lo interval in one direction, while the whole field of its progress is proceeding in a different direction.
Look thoughtfully, what nature is that which determined that? What astrological power dictated it? Why do not all the stars follow identical routes, progressing according to one system, one plan, one movement and one route? Is it not the work of Him whose wisdom overwhelms minds; whose artifices and creations bear witness to His being the Creator, the Originator, the Shaper, like to Whom there is no one else; He Who did everything with care, who excelled in every thing He crafted; the Omniscient, the Wise Who creates then disposes; Who measures, then guides. All this is one of His signs that point to Him, a wondrous making of His that is a plain message to the thinking minds which will guide those who travel towards Him; a sign that all that is in the universe is a humble creation, firmly controlled and managed.
Then, consider also the wisdom of the Almighty Lord in His creation oi the stars, in their abundance and their amazing quality, that they are the adornment of the sky, the guiding lights for people on land and sea; we can see their light and luminosity despite the great distance. Without them, we would not have anything to direct us and guide us, and we would not be able to do calculations.
Consider, then, their compliance with the commandments of their Lord, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, as they follow the same system, which He judged that they should not deviate from. He set the constellations, the orbits; the immobile and the mobile stars; the large, the small, the medium, the whitish pink, the whitish red; some hiding from the observation of the spectator. Those with orbits are divided into two groups, high and low, and all are decreed to follow the same system. The sun, the moon and the mobile stars are placed in their right places in the whole group; one, the moon, completing its cycle in one month; some completing theirs in one year, and some in several years; all for deep judgment. He ordained that all those events should be attached to events on the earth, so that people can predict the events from observing the stars. By observing the rising of the Pleiades, for instance, they know what events will take place concurrently with that rising, and the same with its setting. So it is with other stars and groups and positions. Reflect, too, how the Lord deemed that the Ursa Minor and Ursa Major and their adjacent stars are a peculiar phenomenon, so that they do not set because of their proximity to the centre; a phenomenon that bear reflection to delve into the divine wisdom it implies - those constellations are like landmarks that people use to find their way in untrodden ways on land and sea; they look at that group, at the Capricon and the two bright stars of Ursa Minor at all times, whenever they like, and refer to them for guidance.
Consider also the light of the moon and stars in the dark of night, and the wisdom they imply. Allah willed, in His judgment, to create dark for the resting of animals and for the cooling of the air that touches animals and plants, to counterbalance the heat of the sun, thus enabling plants and animals to survive. As it is so, Allah willed to moderate the darkness of night with a little light, so that night is not stark darkness, an absolute black night without any kind of illumination; for in that case animals would not be able to do any movement or activity. An animal often needs to do some activity, like moving or walking, by night rather than by day, because of the latter's shortness, or excessive heat, or, in the case of many animals, because of fear. Therefore, He destined that there should be during the night such light from the moon and stars that allows for a lot of things to be performed, like travelling and tilling, and other occupations of land tillers and planters. Moonlight by night has been supplied Lo assist the animal to carry out those actions. On the other hand, the light of night is uncontinuous and not as bright as the day's is, lest the night should be like the day, which would eliminate the wisdom of the difference between them destined by the Mighty, the Knowing.
Consider, then, the deep judgment and amazing calculation that ordained what assisted the animal to deal with the hardship of darkness with help from the domain of light. The dark domain, the night, has not been left to reign absolutely, but it has been softened with some light of mercy and bounty form the Lord. So glory be to Him who took good care of everything He made and perfected everything He created.
Reflect on the wisdom implied in the rising of the sun over the world, how that is designed by the All-Knowing. If it were, after reaching a certain spot in the sky, to stay there, its rays would not reach so many regions, because the shade of the globe would block its reaching the other side; it would be an everlasting night in those regions, and it would be an everlasting daylight in regions exposed to the sun; inhabitants in both parts would have their life completely disrupted. But Allah, in His great providence and mercy, has willed that the sun should rise to start the day in the east, shining on the opposite western horizon; then it should go on progressing along its curving route, shining on region after region, until it reaches the west, where it should shine over regions that were inaccessible at the start of the day. In this way, people in those regions will have the alternation of day and night, which is essential for them to undertake their chores.
Regard the sun and the moon, what they possess of light and illumination; consider how the Lord willed that they should have stages and phases, shifting from one to one, something that realizes the progressing of the year to its completion, and realizes for the creation advantages that they cannot do without for their survival. It is by this that times are calculated; the times for debts, the duration of leases, transactions, accounts and the like. If it were not for the shifting of the sun and moon from phase to phase, all that would not be possible.
Reflect on the rising and setting of the sun and the moon for establishing the alternation of the day and the night. Without their rising, life would not be possible - how could people go about earning their living, looking after their interests, when the world is in darkness? How could they enjoy life without light? Consider also the wisdom implied in their setting: without that people would not be able to rest and settle with all the pressing need for sleep and for the resting of the senses, for the activation of internal forces that take control during sleep to facilitate the digestion of food and the distribution of nutrients to organs. Without the setting of the sun, too, the earth would get too hot because of the continuity of the heat of the sun and its rays, until every living animal or plant is scorched. As it is, the sun rises the way a lantern is lighted for the residents of a house to go about their work, then it is put out, so that the residents settle down and relax. The light of day and the dark of night, with their alternating heat of the former and the cool of the latter, are coordinated and integrated, in a way that they may realize the interests of the world.
Reflect on the sky, look at it time after time. You can see how it is one of the greatest signs in its highness, elevation, spaciousness and stability; it does not rise like fire, nor does it sink down like heavy bodies. It has no props to support it, nor pegs to hold it from above: it is held by the power of Allah, who holds the heavens and the earth lest they vanish. Reflect, too, on its smoothness and fineness, on its having no crack, no rift or a slit, no ragged ness or curveness. Consider also the colour it is destined to have, which is one of the best and most adapted to the eye and most healthful; a person who suffers an affliction in his vision is recommended to gaze long at the green and dark green. Physicians say: One way of dealing with weakened vision is to gaze long at a green bowl filled with water. Observe how the colour of the sky is made of this colour, so that one can look long at its vast expanse, and is not exhausted after long staring at it. This is just some of the benefits of this colour, but it is just a fraction of the whole wisdom in that respect.
Two of the signs of the Almighty are the day and night; they are among the most wondmus and magnificent signs among his handicrafts. That is why He keeps citing them time and again in the Qur'an. These two wonders and all the implications and indications pointing to the Lordship of Allah, His mercy and wisdom, how He made the night as a repose and a mantle; covering the world so that movements slow down, and animals take shelter at their habitations, birds at their nests; creatures relax and rest from all their toil and endeavour; and then, once creatures have rested and slept, and are anxious to seek their food and interests, the Breaker of Dawn, the Almighty, ushers the day, leading its troops, with the harbinger of dawn heralding its progress; so it defeats the dark, shattering it to shreds, sweeping it from the world; and lo! everyone can see: animals spread, milling around for forage and seeking their interests; birds leave their nests. It is a revival and recreation that point to the power of Allah, the Almighty, to resurrect creatures on the day of the great reckoning. But as this spectacle is seen by people day after day, they get accustomed to it and used to it, until they are insensible to its significance, and they fail to see in it a reminder of the other revival, when creatures are resurrected from their death. No trace of weakness in the power of the All-powerful, no indication of a lack in His Wisdom or His Knowledge implies the failure of that resurrection; but Allah guides those whom He wills and misguides those whom He wills. This also is a glaring sign of His power, that He should bar whoever He wills from among His creatures from perceiving the compelling signs, so that they are blind to them and have no sense of them at all. They are like one who is immersed in the water to his jaws, but is screaming to be saved from thirst, and he denies the existence of water. With these and similar other considerations, one is brought close to Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, so that one thanks Him, praises Him, supplicates to Him, and prays to Him.
Then the observer said, "O young man, know that we are just a dot on an endless sheet of paper. The universe is the creation of Allah, the Great, the All-Wise, the All-Powerful and the All-Knowing, Who have arranged it well. It is also proves that the creator must be one, it is impossible that are two. There is no god but Allah, if there is a god beside Him in heaven and earth, then the world system will be broken, like a body, impossible to be controlled by two equal and equally powerful souls."
(Part 1)"And He completed them as seven heavens within two periods and inspired in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.." - [41:12]
Reference :
- Capt. Anas Abdul-Hameed Al-Qoz, Men and The Universe - Reflections of Ibn Al-Qayyem, Darussalam
- Sh. Al-‘Allamah Muhammad Amaan al-Jaami, The Keys to Happiness (Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim), Hikmah Publications
- Ibn Katheer, Early Days, Darussalam
