Geocentrism and the Quran: Difference between revisions

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|36|end=40|style=ref}}|Glory to Allah, Who created in '''pairs''' all things [...] And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise. And as night occurs the sun goes of to its resting place, before returning the following day. And the moon,- We have measured for her mansions (to traverse) till she returns like the old (and withered) lower part of a date-stalk. It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor can the Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).}}

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|36|end=40|style=ref}}| A token unto them is night. '''We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness and the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him.''' That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise. And for the moon We have appointed mansions till she return like an old shrivelled palm-leaf. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit.}}  

The Qur'an clearly tells us that the sun follows a daily cycle, which ends every night when the sun goes to its resting place. (ِمُسْتَقَرٍّ) Waalshshamsu (and the sun) tajree (runs) limustaqarrin (a resting point) laha (of it). Notice how the sun's movement is repeatedly mentioned in the context of night and day.

 

A standard Muslim apologetic claim is that references to the sun's movement concern its 225 million year orbit around the milky way. Such a meaning would have no relevance to human timescales, nor would it be "a token" or sign for 7th century listeners, nor would it make sense in the context about the night-day cycle. Moreover, the idea that the sun is prevented from overtaking the moon is a concept that would only make any kind of sense from a naive human perspective where they orbit the same world.