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==Meteors as stars fired at devils==
[[File:ShootingStars.jpg|right|thumb|175px|Long exposure photograph of a meteor shower]]
In a number of verses the Quran states that Allah adorned and guarded the nearest heaven with stars, and has made them (the stars) missiles against devils who attempt to eavesdrop on heavenly meetings. The devils are pelted from every side, pursued by a bright burning flame if they overhear anything. These verses were understood by early Muslims as a reference to meteors, or "shooting stars", which in reality are completely distinct from the distant stars, though in the ancient world the concepts were commonly confused. Academic scholars have situated the Quranic concept in the context of ancient near east mythologies about eavesdropping devils and celestial phenomena.


===Introduction===
==Ancient beliefs around stars and meteors pre-Islam==
Humans have always looked up at night and seen the stars lighting the sky. Folklore around stars, before our modern understanding of them as gigantic balls of gases, [https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-earthscience/chapter/nuclear-fusion/ creating light energy via nuclear fusion,]which [https://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/astronomy-topics/light-as-a-cosmic-time-machine.html takes years to reach us], has been creative and varied.  
Humans have always looked up at night and seen the stars lighting the sky. Folklore around stars, before our modern understanding of them as gigantic balls of gases, [https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-earthscience/chapter/nuclear-fusion/ creating light energy via nuclear fusion,]which [https://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/astronomy-topics/light-as-a-cosmic-time-machine.html takes years to reach us], has been creative and varied.  


Due to their similar size and appearance, many ancient people have confused meteors, which are small rocky masses or grains of debris which burn up after entering the earth's atmosphere as stars streaking across the sky, which is why they were often called shooting stars (as we do in English), broken stars or falling stars.  
Due to their similar visual size and appearance, many ancient people have confused meteors, which are small rocky masses or grains of debris which burn up after entering the earth's atmosphere as stars streaking across the sky, which is why they were often called shooting stars (as we do in English), broken stars or falling stars.  


On a typical night it means you might see just a few meteors an hour streaking randomly across the sky. These are called sporadic meteors. At certain times of the year these numbers can increase to around 100 meteors an hour in events called meteor showers, as Earth ploughs through denser streams of particles in its orbit around the Sun.<ref>[https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/what-causes-meteor-shower What causes a meteor shower?] ''BBC Sky at Night Magazine. 2023. Penny Wozniakiewicz''</ref>
On a typical night it means you might see just a few meteors an hour streaking randomly across the sky. These are called sporadic meteors. At certain times of the year these numbers can increase to around 100 meteors an hour in events called meteor showers, as Earth ploughs through denser streams of particles in its orbit around the Sun.<ref>[https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/what-causes-meteor-shower What causes a meteor shower?] ''BBC Sky at Night Magazine. 2023. Penny Wozniakiewicz''</ref>


===Ancient beliefs around stars and meteors pre-Islam===
'''Meteors as stars'''
'''Meteors as stars'''


For example, in Ancient Egypt civilisation, we see a strong resemblance of a shooting star by the author of ‘[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tale_of_the_Shipwrecked_Sailor The Shipwrecked Sailor]’ (c. 2000-1900 BC), which recounts a series of many adventures fantastic adventures, including a star falling to Earth:
For example, in Ancient Egypt civilisation, we see a strong resemblance of a shooting star by the author of ‘[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tale_of_the_Shipwrecked_Sailor The Shipwrecked Sailor]’ (c. 2000-1900 BC), which recounts a series of many fantastic adventures, including a star falling to Earth:
{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://ia802907.us.archive.org/1/items/TheLiteratureOfAncientEgyptKellySimpsonBySamySalah/The%20Literature%20of%20Ancient%20Egypt%20-%20Kelly%20Simpson%20By%20Samy%20Salah.pdf | title=Literature of Ancient Egypt : An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, Stelae, Autobiographies, and Poetry. William Kelly Simpson, ed., The Literature of Ancient Egypt (Cairo, 2003), p. 51. }}|...Then a star fell.  
{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://ia802907.us.archive.org/1/items/TheLiteratureOfAncientEgyptKellySimpsonBySamySalah/The%20Literature%20of%20Ancient%20Egypt%20-%20Kelly%20Simpson%20By%20Samy%20Salah.pdf | title=Literature of Ancient Egypt : An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, Stelae, Autobiographies, and Poetry. William Kelly Simpson, ed., The Literature of Ancient Egypt (Cairo, 2003), p. 51. }}|...Then a star fell.  
And because of it these went up in fire.
And because of it these went up in fire.
This happened utterly...}}
This happened utterly...}}
A discussion linking this event to being a meteorite can be found [https://hcommons.org/deposits/objects/hc:27978/datastreams/CONTENT/content?download=true here](''“Then a Star Fell:” Folk-Memory of a Celestial Impact Event in the Ancient Egyptian Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor? Dr Lloyd D. Graham. 2022)''.<ref>[https://www.academia.edu/35137388 Then a Star Fell:” Folk-Memory of a Celestial Impact Event in the Ancient Egyptian Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor?] Dr Lloyd D. Graham. 2022).</ref> And for a further discussion of a theoretically catastrophic impact in ancient Egypt, see ''Aly Barakat, ‘Did the Kamil Meteorite Fall Contribute to the Downfall of the Old Kingdom?’, The Ostracon: Journal of the Egyptian Study Society, XXIV (Fall 2013), pp. 12–21.''<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_T0MWfFWfo Egypt's Impact Catastrophe Found (!?) & Old Kingdom's End. cf-apps7865. 2019.] ''- YouTube video covering Aly Barakat, ‘Did the Kamil Meteorite Fall Contribute to the Downfall of the Old Kingdom?’, The Ostracon: Journal of the Egyptian Study Society, XXIV (Fall 2013), pp. 12–21.''</ref>  
Dr Lloyd D. Graham has linked this event to being a meteorite,<ref>[https://www.academia.edu/35137388 Then a Star Fell:” Folk-Memory of a Celestial Impact Event in the Ancient Egyptian Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor?] Dr Lloyd D. Graham. 2022).<BR />Also available[https://hcommons.org/deposits/objects/hc:27978/datastreams/CONTENT/content?download=true here]</ref> and Aly Barakat has discussed a theoretically catastrophic impact in ancient Egypt.<ref>''Aly Barakat, ‘Did the Kamil Meteorite Fall Contribute to the Downfall of the Old Kingdom?’, The Ostracon: Journal of the Egyptian Study Society, XXIV (Fall 2013), pp. 12–21.</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_T0MWfFWfo Egypt's Impact Catastrophe Found (!?) & Old Kingdom's End. cf-apps7865. 2019.] ''- YouTube video covering Aly Barakat, ‘Did the Kamil Meteorite Fall Contribute to the Downfall of the Old Kingdom?’, The Ostracon: Journal of the Egyptian Study Society, XXIV (Fall 2013), pp. 12–21.''</ref>  


'''Biblical motifs'''
'''Biblical motifs'''


Though there is no direct stories of the functions of stars in this way in the bible (or biblical literature), Dr Julien Decharneux notes in his book '<nowiki/>''Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur'ān and Its Late Antique Background. Berlin: De Gruyter. 2023''<nowiki/>', which explores the connections between the cosmology of the Qur’ān and various cosmological traditions of Late Antiquity, with a focus on Syriac Christianity,<ref>Julien Decharneux (2023), ''[https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110794083/html Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur’ān and Its Late Antique Background]'', Berlin: De Gruyter.</ref> there are some general motifs that link to this imagery; such as Talmudic stories of demons listening in to divine councils, and separately fire as weapons from the upper skies. However, there is no direct story for this (yet) found in biblical literature. He notes it is more likely rooted in Iranian mythology:{{Quote|Decharneux, Julien. (2023) Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur'ān and Its Late Antique Background (Studies in the History and Culture of the Middle East Book 47)  Berlin: De Gruyter. (pp. 316-317).|The image of fallen angels trying to approach the firmament in order to listen to the heavenly council is found in the Talmud. Crone in fact already notes the presence of the motif in the first-century Greek Testament of Solomon. Here however, demons are not chased by fiery missiles, but they themselves look like shooting stars after falling from the sky out of exhaustion. Although a systematic skimming of the sources would probably reveal the presence of the motif of stars chasing demons away from the heavenly council in patristic and Christian apocryphal literature, our sources show that it was still lively in the imagery of the 8th century in the Church of the East. Theodore bar Koni, in his Scolion, discusses the activity of demons:  
Though there are no direct stories of the functions of stars in this way in the bible (or biblical literature), Dr Julien Decharneux notes in his book ''Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur'ān and Its Late Antique Background'', which explores the connections between the cosmology of the Qur’ān and various cosmological traditions of Late Antiquity, with a focus on Syriac Christianity,<ref>Julien Decharneux (2023), ''[https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110794083/html Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur’ān and Its Late Antique Background]'', Berlin: De Gruyter.</ref> that there are some general motifs which link to this imagery; such as Talmudic stories of demons listening in to divine councils, and separately fire as weapons from the upper skies. However, there is no direct story for this (yet) found in biblical literature. He notes it is more likely rooted in Iranian mythology:{{Quote|Decharneux, Julien. (2023) Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur'ān and Its Late Antique Background (Studies in the History and Culture of the Middle East Book 47)  Berlin: De Gruyter. (pp. 316-317).|The image of fallen angels trying to approach the firmament in order to listen to the heavenly council is found in the Talmud. Crone in fact already notes the presence of the motif in the first-century Greek Testament of Solomon. Here however, demons are not chased by fiery missiles, but they themselves look like shooting stars after falling from the sky out of exhaustion. Although a systematic skimming of the sources would probably reveal the presence of the motif of stars chasing demons away from the heavenly council in patristic and Christian apocryphal literature, our sources show that it was still lively in the imagery of the 8th century in the Church of the East. Theodore bar Koni, in his Scolion, discusses the activity of demons:  
<i>Can the demons ascend to the place on high anyway? They cannot because they are held back by the power of the one who destroyed them. It is not proper that defiled ones approach the Tent of the Saints […]. The fact that our Lord compared him to a lightning means two things: either that he lasted in his domination for the time of the sight of a lightning, or that when while he was shining as a lightning in glory, he was quenched at once and no traces of his splendour was left.</i>
<i>Can the demons ascend to the place on high anyway? They cannot because they are held back by the power of the one who destroyed them. It is not proper that defiled ones approach the Tent of the Saints […]. The fact that our Lord compared him to a lightning means two things: either that he lasted in his domination for the time of the sight of a lightning, or that when while he was shining as a lightning in glory, he was quenched at once and no traces of his splendour was left.</i>
In fact, the motif of demons chased by flames finds particularly original renderings in the writings of Pseudo-Macarius and that of Syriac mystic authors studied in the second chapter. Building on the motif the inner divine fire that animates the mystic, they hold that it is the flames of this fire that chase away the demons from the heart. All in all, we see that Crone’s hypothesis of an eastern origin and development for the motif is quite likely. The image of fire and flames chasing demons away was not only widespread in Jewish circle as witnessed by the Babylonian Talmud, but it was also quite in use in the Church of the East tradition.}}'''Weapons against demons'''
In fact, the motif of demons chased by flames finds particularly original renderings in the writings of Pseudo-Macarius and that of Syriac mystic authors studied in the second chapter. Building on the motif the inner divine fire that animates the mystic, they hold that it is the flames of this fire that chase away the demons from the heart. All in all, we see that Crone’s hypothesis of an eastern origin and development for the motif is quite likely. The image of fire and flames chasing demons away was not only widespread in Jewish circle as witnessed by the Babylonian Talmud, but it was also quite in use in the Church of the East tradition.}}'''Weapons against demons'''
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Many cultures had mythology surrounding meteors and meteorites, with some believing they were weapons, such as in ancient Africa and Mesopotamia:{{Quote|Golia, Maria, Meteorite: Nature and Culture (Earth), Reaktion Books, p. 72|'The indigenous San people of southern Africa also consider meteorites dangerous: ‘They can kill people, and at the times of the meteor showers when many are moving about and falling, the sky is very bad.’ Echoing themes from Mesopotamian and classical antiquity, the San god Koa xa, ‘lord of the animals’, used a meteorite to fight lions that attacked his son.'}}
Many cultures had mythology surrounding meteors and meteorites, with some believing they were weapons, such as in ancient Africa and Mesopotamia:{{Quote|Golia, Maria, Meteorite: Nature and Culture (Earth), Reaktion Books, p. 72|'The indigenous San people of southern Africa also consider meteorites dangerous: ‘They can kill people, and at the times of the meteor showers when many are moving about and falling, the sky is very bad.’ Echoing themes from Mesopotamian and classical antiquity, the San god Koa xa, ‘lord of the animals’, used a meteorite to fight lions that attacked his son.'}}


And this may have inspired their use much later in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism,] (which was a prominent religion in the Persian (Iranian) empire both before and during the time of the prophet Muhammad/beginning of Islam)), where we see the link between stars and meteors as weapons:
And this may have inspired their use much later in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism,] (which was a prominent religion in the Persian (Iranian) empire both before and during the time of the prophet Muhammad/beginning of Islam), where we see the link between stars and meteors as weapons:


{{Quote|Golia, Maria. Meteorite: Nature and Culture (Earth) Reaktion Books. p. 57|..an understanding of the stars set men apart, as evidenced in the emergence of the prophet Zoroaster around 1100 BC. An early Christian text suggests that Zoroaster, ‘a very great observer of the stars’, used his wisdom to his advantage: ‘wishing to be regarded as a divine being [he] began to elicit sparks from the stars and show them to people’. This brief passage and a story recorded in the first century AD have been interpreted as describing a meteor shower that Zoroaster may have anticipated. The oldest portions of Avestan scripture, thought to record Zoroaster’s words, say the sky is made of ‘hardest stone’ and worn as armour by Ahura Mazda, god of creation and cosmic order. Avestan texts contain many astronomical references, and the word asana means both ‘sky’ and ‘stone’. On one occasion, Zoroaster was said to have defeated demons with ‘a massive stone received from God’...}}
{{Quote|Golia, Maria. Meteorite: Nature and Culture (Earth) Reaktion Books. p. 57|..an understanding of the stars set men apart, as evidenced in the emergence of the prophet Zoroaster around 1100 BC. An early Christian text suggests that Zoroaster, ‘a very great observer of the stars’, used his wisdom to his advantage: ‘wishing to be regarded as a divine being [he] began to elicit sparks from the stars and show them to people’. This brief passage and a story recorded in the first century AD have been interpreted as describing a meteor shower that Zoroaster may have anticipated. The oldest portions of Avestan scripture, thought to record Zoroaster’s words, say the sky is made of ‘hardest stone’ and worn as armour by Ahura Mazda, god of creation and cosmic order. Avestan texts contain many astronomical references, and the word asana means both ‘sky’ and ‘stone’. On one occasion, Zoroaster was said to have defeated demons with ‘a massive stone received from God’...}}
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The Qur'an states that stars (kawakib ٱلْكَوَاكِبِ), lamps (masabih مَصَٰبِيحَ) and/or great stars/constellations (burūj بُرُوجًا) adorn the heavens and guard against devils (shayāṭīn شياطين).
The Qur'an states that stars (kawakib ٱلْكَوَاكِبِ), lamps (masabih مَصَٰبِيحَ) and/or great stars/constellations (burūj بُرُوجًا) adorn the heavens and guard against devils (shayāṭīn شياطين).


The Qur'an further asserts that Allah has made them (the stars/lamps) missiles to ward away devils (who are believed to be [[jinn]] in Islam), who attempt to listen in on heavenly meetings (known as the Exalted Assembly). The Quranic concept has a close parallel in an earlier Jewish development from Zoroastrian mythology. Such myths are best understood as pre-modern attempts to explain the common phenomenon of meteors streaking across the night sky. The relevant verses are below:{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6–10}}|Surely We have made the sky of this world appear enticing by means of the splendor of <b>the stars [al-kawākibi],</b> and (We have made them) a (means of) protection from every rebelling satan [wa-ḥifẓan min kulli shayṭānin māridan]. They do not listen to the exalted Assembly, but they are pelted from every side, driven off – for them (there is) a punishment forever – except for the one who snatches a word, and <b>then a piercing flame pursues him [fa-’atbaʿa-hu shihābun thāqibun]. </b>}}{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|Surely We adorned <b>the lower heaven [al-samā’a l-dunyā] with lamps [bi-maṣābīḥa], and made them missiles for the satans [wa-jaʿalnā-hā rujūman li-l-shayāṭīni]</b> and We have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing (Fire).}}{{Quote|{{Quran|15|16-18}}|<b>Certainly We have made constellations in the sky [laqad jaʿalnā fī l-samā’i burūjan],</b> and made it appear enticing for the onlookers, and protected it from every <b>accursed satan [shayṭānin rajīmin]</b> – except any who (may) steal in to overhear, <b>then a clear flame pursues him [fa-’atbaʿa-hu shihābun mubīnun].</b>}}{{Quote|{{Quran|72|8-9}}|And that we touched the sky and found it filled with <b>harsh guards [ḥarasan shadīdan] and piercing flames [wa-shuhuban].</b> And that we used to sit there on seats to listen (in), but whoever listens now finds a piercing flame lying in wait for him [yajidu la-hu shihāban raṣadan].}}
The Qur'an further asserts that Allah has made them (the stars/lamps) missiles to ward away devils (who are believed to be [[jinn]] in Islam), who attempt to listen in on heavenly meetings (known as the Exalted Assembly). The Quranic concept has a close parallel in an earlier Jewish development from Zoroastrian mythology. Such myths are best understood as pre-modern attempts to explain the common phenomenon of meteors streaking across the night sky. The relevant verses are below:{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6–10}}|Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven [al-samā’a l-dunyā] with an adornment of <b>stars [al-kawākibi],</b> And as protection against every rebellious devil [wa-ḥifẓan min kulli shayṭānin mārida][So] they may not listen to the exalted assembly [of angels] and are pelted from every side, Repelled; and for them is a constant punishment, Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, <b>but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness] [fa-’atbaʿa-hu shihābun thāqibun].</b>}}{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|And we have, (from of old), adorned <b>the lowest heaven [al-samā’a l-dunyā] with lamps [bi-maṣābīḥa], and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones [wa-jaʿalnā-hā rujūman li-l-shayāṭīni]</b>, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|15|16-18}}|<b>It is We Who have set out the zodiacal signs in the heavens [laqad jaʿalnā fī l-samā’i burūjan],</b> and have beautified it for the beholders; And (moreover) We have guarded them from every <b>cursed devil [shayṭānin rajīmin]</b>: But any that gains a hearing by stealth, <b>is pursued by a flaming fire, bright (to see) [fa-’atbaʿa-hu shihābun mubīnun].</b>}}{{Quote|{{Quran|72|8-9}}|And we have sought [to reach] the heaven but found it filled with <b>powerful guards [ḥarasan shadīdan]</b> and <b>burning flames [wa-shuhuban].</b> And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him. [yajidu la-hu shihāban raṣadan].}}


The same Arabic words are used at the start of {{Quran|67|5}} as in {{Quran|37|6}} (زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا), except that in Quran 67:5 the word lamps is used instead of stars. The lamps that 'beautify the heaven' must refer to stars (and perhaps also the 5 visible planets), which are always there.  
The same Arabic words are used at the start of {{Quran|67|5}} as in {{Quran|37|6}} (زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا), except that in Quran 67:5 the word lamps is used instead of stars. The lamps that 'adorn the heaven' must refer to stars (and perhaps also the 5 visible planets), which are always there.  


Stars and visible planets were often called the same thing ([https://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=kwkb#(82:2:2) kawakib ٱلْكَوَاكِبِ]) due to their similar appearance, with stars appearing 'fixed' and planets notably 'moving', usually differentiated by astronomers by labelling them respectively. This is confirmed by astronomers such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al-Rahman_al-Sufi Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi] who around 964 wrote the astronomical [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Fixed_Stars book of fixed stars] كتاب صور الكواكب kitāb suwar ''al-kawākib''. As professor David Cook notes, ''Eventually in Arabic, najm generally came to mean “a fixed star” while kawkab “a planetary body” but there are plenty of exceptions to this rule. Planets were believed to be moving stars.''<ref>Cook, D. (2016). [https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-94-007-7747-7_8525 Comets and Meteors in the Islamic World]. In: Selin, H. (eds) Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Springer, Dordrecht.</ref>  
Stars and visible planets were often called the same thing ([https://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=kwkb#(82:2:2) kawakib ٱلْكَوَاكِبِ]) due to their similar appearance, with stars appearing 'fixed' and planets notably 'moving', usually differentiated by astronomers by labelling them respectively. This is confirmed by astronomers such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al-Rahman_al-Sufi Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi] who around 964 wrote the astronomical [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Fixed_Stars book of fixed stars] كتاب صور الكواكب kitāb suwar ''al-kawākib''. As professor David Cook notes, "Eventually in Arabic, najm generally came to mean 'a fixed star' while kawkab 'a planetary body' but there are plenty of exceptions to this rule. Planets were believed to be moving stars."<ref>Cook, D. (2016). [https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-94-007-7747-7_8525 Comets and Meteors in the Islamic World]. In: Selin, H. (eds) Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Springer, Dordrecht.</ref>  


In {{Quran|67|5}}, the word translated "missiles" is rujūman (رُجُومًا), which are things that are thrown, especially stones.<ref>http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000214.pdf</ref>
In {{Quran|67|5}}, the word translated "missiles" is rujūman (رُجُومًا), which are things that are thrown, especially stones.<ref>رُجُومًا - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000214.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1048]</ref>


[https://corpus.quran.com/search.jsp?q=constellations Burūj بُرُوجًا] means great stars or constellations; Surah 85 (Al-Burūj) is called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Burooj The Great Star].  
In {{Quran|15|16}} the phrase translated "zodiacal signs" is [https://corpus.quran.com/search.jsp?q=constellations Burūj بُرُوجًا], meaning great stars or constellations; Surah 85 (Al-Burūj) is called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Burooj The Great Star].  


Other relevant verses are {{Quran|55|33-35}} (flame of fire and smoke, though a slightly different context):
Other relevant verses are {{Quran|55|33-35}} (flame of fire and smoke, though a slightly different context):
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As mentioned in the introduction, while stars are giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth, meteors are now known to be distinct from the distant stars, being small rocky masses or grains of debris which burn up after entering the earth's atmosphere. This debris is not even 'star-like', but just rocks, metal and dust with no light source, and therefore cannot accurately be said to match the description of 'lamps'.  
As mentioned in the introduction, while stars are giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth, meteors are now known to be distinct from the distant stars, being small rocky masses or grains of debris which burn up after entering the earth's atmosphere. This debris is not even 'star-like', but just rocks, metal and dust with no light source, and therefore cannot accurately be said to match the description of 'lamps'.  


They are often not much larger than grains of sand and only become visible for a second when they burn up, generating light in the Earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteors look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why they were often called shooting stars or falling stars <u>(</u>''see: [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-of-shooting-stars/ The Scientific American. The Science of Shooting Stars. 2023. Phil Plait.] for a further explanation of the science for the casual reader'').
They are often not much larger than grains of sand and only become visible for a second when they burn up, generating light in the Earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteors look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why they were often called shooting stars or falling stars (see: [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-of-shooting-stars/ The Scientific American. The Science of Shooting Stars. 2023. Phil Plait.] for a further explanation of the science for the casual reader).


Large increases in meteors occur on a predictable schedule each year as the Earth's orbit passes through the stream of particles and debris left in the wake of a number of comets (or in a few cases, of asteroids). They only burn in Earths atmosphere due to friction from travelling extremely fast in a vacuum which takes no energy, to being compressed by air in the atmosphere, rising the temperature and setting fire where there is oxygen.<ref name=":0">Science. How stuff works. ''[https://science.howstuffworks.com/question308.htm Meteors burn up when they hit the Earth's atmosphere. Why doesn't the space shuttle?]''</ref><ref>NASA Science. Spaceplace. ''[https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/mesosphere/en/ Explore Earth and Space. Mesosphere.]''</ref> The most visible is usually the annual [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids Perseid meteor shower] in August, which easily look like stars with flames being used a weapon in the sky. Meteor showers look like stars 'pelting' from every side.   
Large increases in meteors occur on a predictable schedule each year as the Earth's orbit passes through the stream of particles and debris left in the wake of a number of comets (or in a few cases, of asteroids). They only burn in Earths atmosphere due to friction from travelling extremely fast in a vacuum which takes no energy, to being compressed by air in the atmosphere, rising the temperature and setting fire where there is oxygen.<ref name=":0">Science. How stuff works. ''[https://science.howstuffworks.com/question308.htm Meteors burn up when they hit the Earth's atmosphere. Why doesn't the space shuttle?]''</ref><ref>NASA Science. Spaceplace. ''[https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/mesosphere/en/ Explore Earth and Space. Mesosphere.]''</ref> The most visible is usually the annual [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids Perseid meteor shower] in August, which easily look like stars with flames being used a weapon in the sky. Meteor showers look like stars 'pelting' from every side.   
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===Meteors come from stars===
===Meteors come from stars===
Some apologists, for example, the highly influential [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abul_A'la_Maududi Ala-Maududi] (d. 1979 AD) writing in light of much more modern science in his modern tasfir wrote:{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://myislam.org/surah-al-mulk/ayat-5/#:~:text=Ala%2DMaududi,9. | title= Tasfir Ala-Maududi 67.5}}|This does not mean that the stars themselves are pelted at the Satans, nor that the meteorites shoot out only to drive away the Satans, <b>but it means that the countless meteorites which originate from the stars and wander in space at tremendous speeds and which also fall to the earth in a continuous shower prevent the Satans of the earth from ascending to the heavens.</b> Even if they try to ascend heavenward these meteorites drive them away. This thing has been mentioned here because the Arabs believed about the soothsayers, and this also was the claim made by the soothsayers themselves, that the Satans were under their control, or that they had a close contact with them, and through them they received news of the unseen, and thus, could foretell the destinies of the people. That is why at several places in the Quran, it has been stated that there is absolutely no possibility for the Satans ascending to the heavens and bringing news of the unseen. For explanation, see (Surah Al-Hijr, ayat 16-18) note 9-12, (Surah As-Saaffat, ayat 7-10) note 6,7. As for the truth about meteorites, man’s information in this regard is still without a scientific basis. However, the theory which seems best to account for all the facts known today and the information gathered from the examination of the meteorites fallen on the earth, is that meteorites originate from the disintegration of one or more planets and wander in space and sometimes fall to the earth under its gravitational pull. (See Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. XV, under Meteorites).}}
Some apologists, for example, the highly influential [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abul_A'la_Maududi Abul Ala-Maududi] (d. 1979 AD) writing in light of much more modern science in his modern tasfir wrote:{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://myislam.org/surah-al-mulk/ayat-5/#:~:text=Ala%2DMaududi,9. | title= Tasfir Abul Ala-Maududi 67.5}}|This does not mean that the stars themselves are pelted at the Satans, nor that the meteorites shoot out only to drive away the Satans, <b>but it means that the countless meteorites which originate from the stars and wander in space at tremendous speeds and which also fall to the earth in a continuous shower prevent the Satans of the earth from ascending to the heavens.</b> Even if they try to ascend heavenward these meteorites drive them away. This thing has been mentioned here because the Arabs believed about the soothsayers, and this also was the claim made by the soothsayers themselves, that the Satans were under their control, or that they had a close contact with them, and through them they received news of the unseen, and thus, could foretell the destinies of the people. That is why at several places in the Quran, it has been stated that there is absolutely no possibility for the Satans ascending to the heavens and bringing news of the unseen. For explanation, see (Surah Al-Hijr, ayat 16-18) note 9-12, (Surah As-Saaffat, ayat 7-10) note 6,7. As for the truth about meteorites, man’s information in this regard is still without a scientific basis. However, the theory which seems best to account for all the facts known today and the information gathered from the examination of the meteorites fallen on the earth, is that meteorites originate from the disintegration of one or more planets and wander in space and sometimes fall to the earth under its gravitational pull. (See Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. XV, under Meteorites).}}
''Note: the claim that meteorites ('Meteorites' are specifically 'space rocks', i.e. the debris that have survived the burning all the way to Earth’s surface from meteors, not meteors themselves which are the burning objects and mostly come from comet debris) come from planets disintegrating is highly misleading and out-of-date. Very few meteors become meteorites (only 5-10%),<ref>Space.com. ''[https://www.space.com/33695-thousands-meteorites-litter-earth-unpredictable-collisions.html How Often do Meteorites Hit the Earth?]'' 2016. Samantha Mathewson. </ref> and of those that do, ~99.8% percent of meteorites are believed to originate from asteroids with the remaining small fraction (~0.2%) of meteorites originating from an asteroid or comet colliding with either the Mars or the Moon (split roughly equally between them), and the debris eventually falling into Earths gravitational pull.<ref>''NASA. [https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/facts/ Meteors and Meteorites: Facts.]''</ref> The moon is never mentioned having this function, and Mars is only one of approximately 700 quintillion planets, with the rest being too far away for this.<ref>''[https://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/space-astronomy/astronomy-articles/how-many-planets-universe/ There are over 700 quintillion planets in the universe — but there’s no place like home.]'' ZME Science. 2023. Tibi Puiu.</ref> Planets themselves, just like stars, are not missiles throw to become meteors.''
''Note: the claim that meteorites ('Meteorites' are specifically 'space rocks', i.e. the debris that have survived the burning all the way to Earth’s surface from meteors, not meteors themselves which are the burning objects and mostly come from comet debris) come from planets disintegrating is highly misleading and out-of-date. Very few meteors become meteorites (only 5-10%),<ref>Space.com. ''[https://www.space.com/33695-thousands-meteorites-litter-earth-unpredictable-collisions.html How Often do Meteorites Hit the Earth?]'' 2016. Samantha Mathewson. </ref> and of those that do, ~99.8% percent of meteorites are believed to originate from asteroids with the remaining small fraction (~0.2%) of meteorites originating from an asteroid or comet colliding with either the Mars or the Moon (split roughly equally between them), and the debris eventually falling into Earths gravitational pull.<ref>''NASA. [https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/facts/ Meteors and Meteorites: Facts.]''</ref> The moon is never mentioned having this function, and Mars is only one of approximately 700 quintillion planets, with the rest being too far away for this.<ref>''[https://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/space-astronomy/astronomy-articles/how-many-planets-universe/ There are over 700 quintillion planets in the universe — but there’s no place like home.]'' ZME Science. 2023. Tibi Puiu.</ref> Planets themselves, just like stars, are not missiles throw to become meteors.''


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In other words, this has involved twisting the text into something that isn't there.  
In other words, this has involved twisting the text into something that isn't there.  
===Cosmic rays===
===Cosmic rays===
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abul_A'la_Maududi Ala-Maududi] (d. 1979 AD) also wrote:{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://myislam.org/surah-al-hijr/ayat-18/ | title= Tasfir Ala-Maududi 15.18}}|In Arabic the word shihab-i-mubin literally means a fiery flame. In Surah (Surah As-Saffat, Ayat 10), the same thing has been called shihab-i-thaqib (flame that pierces through darkness). <b>This may or may not necessarily be a meteor for it is just possible that it may be some type of rays such as cosmic rays or even a stronger type which we have not been able to discover as yet. </b>Anyhow, if the fiery flame that pursues Satans may be taken to be a meteor, a countless number of these can form a fortification around our sphere of the universe. Scientific observations made with the help of the telescope have shown that billions of these meteors are rushing from space in a mass of rainfall. towards the earth’s atmosphere. Such a scene was witnessed in an eastern pan of North America on November 13, 1833. This is so strong a fortification that it can prevent Satans from passing through any fortified sphere.}}''Note the meteor shower being referred to here Leonid Meteor Storm, where fragments of ice, rock, and dust left behind by the Comet Tempel-Tuttle. About every 33 years, the Leonid meteor shower intensifies, increasing the possibility of a dazzling display of lights.<ref>''[https://blog.newspapers.com/november-12-13-1833-the-night-the-stars-fell/ November 12-13, 1833: The Night the Stars Fell.] Newspapers.com. 2022. Jenny Ashcraft.''</ref> This comes from a predictable pattern of material left behind by the comet entering earths atmosphere and burning up,<ref>Royal Museums Greenwich. ''[https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/leonid-meteor-shower-when-and-where-see-it-uk When and where to see the Leonid meteor shower.]''</ref> they do not actually form a flame in space which is impossible due to there being no oxygen.<ref>''[https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24733000-900-lighting-fires-in-space-is-helping-us-make-greener-energy-on-earth Lighting fires in space is helping us make greener energy on Earth.]'' New Scientist. 2020. Philip Ball.</ref>''
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abul_A'la_Maududi Abul Ala-Maududi] (d. 1979 AD) also wrote:{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://myislam.org/surah-al-hijr/ayat-18/ | title= Tasfir Abul Ala-Maududi 15.18}}|In Arabic the word shihab-i-mubin literally means a fiery flame. In Surah (Surah As-Saffat, Ayat 10), the same thing has been called shihab-i-thaqib (flame that pierces through darkness). <b>This may or may not necessarily be a meteor for it is just possible that it may be some type of rays such as cosmic rays or even a stronger type which we have not been able to discover as yet. </b>Anyhow, if the fiery flame that pursues Satans may be taken to be a meteor, a countless number of these can form a fortification around our sphere of the universe. Scientific observations made with the help of the telescope have shown that billions of these meteors are rushing from space in a mass of rainfall. towards the earth’s atmosphere. Such a scene was witnessed in an eastern pan of North America on November 13, 1833. This is so strong a fortification that it can prevent Satans from passing through any fortified sphere.}}''Note the meteor shower being referred to here Leonid Meteor Storm, where fragments of ice, rock, and dust left behind by the Comet Tempel-Tuttle. About every 33 years, the Leonid meteor shower intensifies, increasing the possibility of a dazzling display of lights.<ref>''[https://blog.newspapers.com/november-12-13-1833-the-night-the-stars-fell/ November 12-13, 1833: The Night the Stars Fell.] Newspapers.com. 2022. Jenny Ashcraft.''</ref> This comes from a predictable pattern of material left behind by the comet entering earths atmosphere and burning up,<ref>Royal Museums Greenwich. ''[https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/leonid-meteor-shower-when-and-where-see-it-uk When and where to see the Leonid meteor shower.]''</ref> they do not actually form a flame in space which is impossible due to there being no oxygen.<ref>''[https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24733000-900-lighting-fires-in-space-is-helping-us-make-greener-energy-on-earth Lighting fires in space is helping us make greener energy on Earth.]'' New Scientist. 2020. Philip Ball.</ref>''


Two other alternative interpretations popular in modern times<ref>''[https://www.facebook.com/100PROOFSGODEXISTS/photos/are-meteors-or-shooting-stars-used-as-missiles-for-the-devilsjinn-answer-no1-qur/1438650339514784/ Quran and Science in Harmony.]'' Facebook Group. 2017.</ref> as seen above, are that the Quran is referring to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection coronal mass ejections] (large eruptions of charged matter from the sun or other stars), or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_ray cosmic rays] (high energy, sub-atomic particles travelling through interstellar space). However, coronal mass ejections move slowly in cosmic terms, disperse over distance and do not come from surprise directions ({{Quran|37|8}}  states that the devils are pelted from every side, and pursued by a piercing flame if they escape with anything they overheard). Cosmic rays do not emit light as they travel through space and therefore nor could these be the flaming missiles of fire and smoke in the Quran.
Two other alternative interpretations popular in modern times<ref>''[https://www.facebook.com/100PROOFSGODEXISTS/photos/are-meteors-or-shooting-stars-used-as-missiles-for-the-devilsjinn-answer-no1-qur/1438650339514784/ Quran and Science in Harmony.]'' Facebook Group. 2017.</ref> as seen above, are that the Quran is referring to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection coronal mass ejections] (large eruptions of charged matter from the sun or other stars), or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_ray cosmic rays] (high energy, sub-atomic particles travelling through interstellar space). However, coronal mass ejections move slowly in cosmic terms, disperse over distance and do not come from surprise directions ({{Quran|37|8}}  states that the devils are pelted from every side, and pursued by a piercing flame if they escape with anything they overheard). Cosmic rays do not emit light as they travel through space and therefore nor could these be the flaming missiles of fire and smoke in the Quran.
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuhtSEY91kU The Exalted Assembly الملأ الأعلى] ''- YouTube video''
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuhtSEY91kU The Exalted Assembly الملأ الأعلى] ''- YouTube video''


== References ==
==References==
<references />
<references />


==Feedback==
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
Good work with the article. Here is some feedback (as requested). Once you have finalised it including tidying up the refs I will create the page and add links to it.
[[Category:Cosmology]]
 
[[Category:Qur'an]]
*In the meteor section at the end, your source https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/meteors-and-meteorites/in-depth/ says that 99.8% of '''meteorites''' (not meteors) come from asteroids: "More than 50,000 meteorites have been found on Earth. Of these, 99.8 percent come from asteroids. The remaining small fraction (0.2 percent) of meteorites is split roughly equally between meteorites from Mars and the Moon."
:Only a tiny fraction of meteors are rocky masses large enough to reach the ground, so that section will need a bit of rewriting. The source doesn't include your 94% figure so I'm not sure where that came from. The vast majority of shooting stars are actually comet debris which we encounter during meteor showers, while "sporadic" meteors are generally debris from asteroid collisions (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-of-shooting-stars/).
'''Cheers, I've got rid off that section and added the Scientific American Article you shared as a link to the relevant science.'''
:I think generally the whole article is good except for parts of that section because Muslim readers will have no issue with meteoroids changing direction at the last minute by the command of Allah (and just some of them, not that every meteoroid or meteor out there is chasing a jinn). These verses are about a supernatural phenomenon, after all. It makes no difference to them how far away the comets or asteroids are, so long as there is debris in the very close vicinity of earth at any one time which can be redirected as necessary when Allah plays Space Invaders. That's why the predictable nature of meteor showers (the earth annually encounters a number of trails left behind by certain long period comets) and the disconnect between stars and meteors are much more potent points for any Muslims who do accept that the Quran is referring to shooting stars. Perhaps there's some way to refine the distance point to make it stronger and maybe a bit shorter.
'''Yes I think you are right. I may reword, refine and resubmit in the future if I can clarify the relevance (especially if I see a lot of arguments online specifically that general asteroids/comets are the weapons), but I'll leave as it is for now. Also thank you for the image of god playing space invaders with jinn...'''
*When citing sources, please do not just post bare links. Instead please give the title of the webpage (which should be a link to that page), the name of the website, maybe the author and, if possible, we usually include the date or year of publication. Otherwise the references section will look extremely messy, especially when there are long urls which increase the width of the page when viewed on a mobile device.
:To do this in visual editor, click citation, type some text (page title, website, date etc.), highlight the page title that should become a link, then click the link button where you can add the url for that text. Alternatively, it might be possible to use the cite web template in visual editor (I haven't tried it as I always just use the source editor for everything).
'''Cool, I've gotten rid off the long links - however I'm having some trouble editing the reference name in the links section. It seems to make a link with the text appear as superscript in the text of the page itself, rather than in the references section.'''
 
'''Instead I have added how I would cite this in brackets next to the citation link in the text. It always includes the name of the page and title. As well as organisation, author and publication where they are provided on the website.'''
:I gave it a quick test for your first ref and it worked ok for me. I didn't directly edit in the References section. Rather, in visual editor I clicked the ref [1] near the beginning of the main text of the article itself which made a small box appear with the reference. Then in that box I clicked Edit, added the text for the website name etc. (and cut the existing link itself to clipboard), highlighted the title of the BBC webpage which I had typed in, clicked the link button and pasted the url. [[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]]) 18:37, 23 October 2023 (UTC)
*Some links have very long url parameters which start with #:~:text. This occurs when you copy paste a link from the google "People also ask" suggestions. It highlights certain words on the webpage and will confuse readers, so please trim off the #:~:text part from any urls.
*With academia.edu links, it's a good idea to strip out everything after the 8 digit number in the url (on wikipedia this is done automatically by a bot). The link will then always work even if the author tweaks the title and results in a much less unwieldy url if the title is long.
*When citing books, please give the full reference. The Decharneux reference springs to mind which should be something like this (with page numbers): Julien Decharneux (2023), ''Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur’ān and Its Late Antique Background'', Berlin: De Gruyter
:You can make the book title link to the degruyter webpage if you wish.
'''Thanks, done.'''
 
'''I also wanted to add a photo of a meteor shower at night (this one specifically''' https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/perseids-in-night-time-gm490432460-75207739?phrase=meteor+shower&searchscope=image%2Cfilm) '''to highlight the similarities and bring some colour to the page, which is covered for use on websites by their license agreement''' https://www.istockphoto.com/legal/license-agreement''', but can't as I don't have admin power.''' '''If I purchased this (it's very cheap) could I send over to someone to upload please?'''
:Sure, once you have the photo you can upload it temporarily to Imgur or ImgBB and provide a link here. Then I will upload it and add it to the page (you can then move it to anywhere else you wish). [[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]]) 18:37, 23 October 2023 (UTC) '''Thanks, does this link work for you on Google Share please?''' <nowiki>https://photos.app.goo.gl/ycrereZ3msmC2RyT9</nowiki>
*I've replaced the links to Quranx.com with the <nowiki>{{Quran||}}</nowiki> template. When citing verses please always use the <nowiki>{{Quran||}}</nowiki> or <nowiki>{{Quran-range|||}}</nowiki> templates since one day the url structure may change or we might have to use another site (both of which have happened in the past). Thanks to using the template we didn't have to go through every single citation and fix them when that happened. We just changed the website pointed to by the template or the url structure in the template.
*I've also added a little more detail on the interesting phrase in the Tirmidhi hadith with links to Lane's Lexicon
*As mentioned somewhere in the wiki guide, nowadays we do not have a section titled "Conclusion" as we are going for a more encyclopedic format rather than telling the reader what to think overall, so I've edited and retitled that section. [[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]]) 22:15, 15 October 2023 (UTC)
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