WikiIslam:Sandbox/EDIT THIS PART: Difference between revisions

However, these verses would of course fit a relatively small universe as imagined by 7th century Arabs, in which a heavenly firmament is adorned with stars able to pelt shooting stars at any devils or jinn in their vicinity, seeming to cover interstellar distances in a flaming streak across the sky. This is further supported by [https://quranx.com/21.32 Quran 21:32] which describes the heaven as a guarded ceiling.

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-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). 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. 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.}}

<i>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.</i> (See Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. XV, under Meteorites).}}

However, the Qur'an simply does not state that the shooting stars 'come from stars' (mostly many billions of years ago), which would be very easy (and arguably pointless as they have nothing to do with the story - not to mention every element and therefore 'thing' in the universe comes from stars, so again it would be pointless and confusing to mention, let alone without specifying) to write, as they need not mention stars/lamps at all but rather only the flame -  but rather they are themselves the missiles.

{{Quote|d|We, therefore, believe that these lamps, which God placed as adornments of the lowest heaven, are also used as missiles to pelt devils with. This may be in the form of shooting stars, as mentioned in another surah: ‘We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with stars and have made them secure against every rebellious devil . . .if any of them stealthily snatches away a fragment, he will be pursued by a piercing flame.’ (37: 6-7 and 10) How? In what form and of what size? God has told us nothing of this and we have no other source to refer to in such matters. Therefore, we have all we need to know and we should believe in this as it is. This is all there is to it. Had God known that further details or explanations would have benefited us, He would have given us these. Why then, should we try to reach to what God knows to be of no use to us in such a matter as the pelting and shooting of devils?}}

Two alternative interpretations popular in modern times are that the Quran is referring to coronal mass ejections (large eruptions of charged matter from the sun or other stars), or 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.

On a separate note, though stars are described as an ornament or beauty for the sky in [https://quranx.com/37.6 Quran 37:6], and [https://quranx.com/67.5 Quran 67:5], there are an estimated minimum c.100 septillion stars in the known universe,<ref>https://universe.nasa.gov/stars/basics/</ref> but only a few thousand are actually visible to the naked eye.<ref>https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Herschel/How_many_stars_are_there_in_the_Universe</ref>