Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, the Faithful and the Honest. O Allah, we know nothing but what You teach us, You are the All-Knower, the Wise. O Allah our Lord, teach us what is useful for us, let us make use of what You have taught us and advance us in knowledge. O Allah, show us the righteous things as righteous and help us do them, and show us the bad things as bad and help us keep away from them. O Allah our Lord, make us amongst those who listen to the Word and follow the best meaning of It, and admit us, by Your Grace, to the ranks of Your righteous servants.
Surat Ar-Ra'd is a Makkan Surah
Dear believing brothers, today's Surah is Ar-Ra'd, which was revealed in Makkah, so it is classified as a Makkan Surah. In general, Makkan Surahs draw people's attention to Allah's Signs that indicate His Greatness, speak about (or describe some of the events of) the Hereafter, and strengthen faith in Allah the Almighty.
The meanings of Al-Huruf Al-Muqatta'at (the disjointed letters at the beginning of some Surahs
In this Surah, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Alif-Lam-Mim-Ra [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran), and that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad PBUH) from your Lord is the truth, but most men believe not. ﴿
We discussed these disjointed letters in detail in previous lessons, and scholars have different opinions regarding their interpretation. Some of them say, "Allah the Almighty Alone knows their meanings." Others say, "These disjointed letters imply challenging; the Noble Quran is composed of the same letters; nevertheless, no human being could ever produce any Surah, or even one Ayah, like it." Other scholars say, "These letters refer to the first letters of some of the names of the Noble Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him." There are also other interpretations, because, as you know, the interpretation of the Noble Quran is not exclusive to a specific scholar, and it contains multiple interpretations (i.e. it is so rich in meanings that it can have various interpretations).
Allah's Book shapes one's way of life
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran). ﴿
"The Book", in its precise meaning, refers to the Noble Quran, whereas in its broader meaning, it refers to all the Divine Books that were sent down by Allah the Almighty to His Noble Messengers as a guide for humanity.
Consider the following example to illustrate the importance of sending Divine Books as a guidance for humanity: when you buy a small device, it comes with a manual that explains how to use it. So, no matter how simple this device may seem, there must be a manual that comes with it, explaining how to use, maintain, or repair it, as well as the appropriate and inappropriate things for the device, and what may damage it. Thus, no matter how cheap a device might be, it still requires a manual to provide detailed instructions about it.
Likewise, man has been honored by Allah the Almighty and given the Divine Way of life manifested in the Divine Books sent down to him. In other words, Allah the Almighty has honored human beings by making them a successive authority on earth (to implement His Laws on earth), by entrusting them with Al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) they accept to bear, by granting them free will, by instilling in them desires that can be a means to either elevate their ranks in the Sight of Allah the Almighty or to lead them to destruction (i.e. to Hellfire), and by creating the universe which is full of His Signs that show His Greatness (so that they get to know Allah the Almighty through pondering over these signs). However, He has not left human beings without a Divine Way of life; He has revealed His Books to them as the ultimate source of guidance in their daily lives.
Thus, whenever the word "Book" is mentioned in the Noble Quran, it refers to the Divine Books that Allah has sent down to His Messengers as a Divine Way of life for all mankind. So, when one live in accordance with Allah's Way, he will find happiness; otherwise, he will fall into misery. In other words, when one adheres to Allah's Commands and avoids His Prohibitions, as revealed in the Divine Book, he will be exalted in Allah's Sight, otherwise he will lead himself to destruction. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran). ﴿
Revealing the Divine Books is as great as the creation of the universe
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ All praises and thanks be to Allah, Who (Alone) created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light, yet those who disbelieve hold others as equal with their Lord. ﴿
This Noble Ayah means the creation of the heavens and the earth is comparable to originating the darkness and the light, and this is a metaphor for truth and falsehood. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ All praises and thanks be to Allah, Who (Alone) created the heavens and the earth. ﴿
He also says:
﴾ All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad PBUH) the Book (the Quran), and has not placed therein any crookedness. ﴿
It means revealing the Divine Books is as significant as the creation of the whole universe. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ So I swear by whatsoever you see* And by whatsoever you see not * That this is verily the word of an honoured Messenger [i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel) or Muhammad PBUH which he has brought from Allah]. ﴿
Therefore, one should believe for sure that what is equal to the creation of the whole universe in significance is the revelation of this Divine Book; the Noble Quran, which Allah the Almighty has sent down to His Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, as the ultimate source of guidance in our life.
Imagine that someone has purchased an extremely complex device, such as an advanced blood analysis device, but he has not received its instruction manual from its manufacturing company, how could he use it? If he uses it without following the instructions, it may break down, and if he leaves it unused, it becomes useless. Thus, the user manual that provides the instructions of how to use the device safely, is just as valuable as the device itself, or even more, because without it, the device may get damaged or may become worthless.
Whatever is written by man is not free from error or falsehood
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran). ﴿
What kind of book is it? Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad PBUH) from your Lord. ﴿
[ Ar-Ra'd, 1
]
This means that this Book is not man-made. When you enter a library, you may see thousands of books, yet every human-written book may contain both right and wrong ideas, truth and falsehood, and profound and superficial points. So, every book contains flaws, doubts, and imperfections, except the Book of Allah the Almighty. That is why it was mentioned in the Hadith on the authority of Abi Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, said:
(( The superiority of the words of Allah over all other words is like the superiority of Allah over all of His creation. ))
[ Uthman ad-Daarimi, on the authority of Abi Hurairah ]
The benefits of Allah's Book are everlasting
If you read a book with deep thought and reflection, how long will you benefit from it? If you read a valuable book and learn a craft or skill from it that helps you make a considerable wealth, when will the benefits of the book come to an end? They end when you die. Moreover, if you write, study, or memorize a book that helps you earn millions of Liras, its benefits cease at the moment of your death. Unlike this book, if you recite, understand, and apply the teachings of Allah's Book in your life, when do its benefits end? They never end, since Allah's Book is everlasting and eternal. So, when you recite it and ponder over it, it brings you endless benefits (i.e. both in this worldly life and the Hereafter).
The relation between Allah's Lordship and the revelation of His Book
Actually, things are evaluated based on their usefulness, how long their usefulness lasts, and how far it reaches. So, when you recite Allah's Book (with deep reflection), and take it as the ultimate source of guidance in your life, you will continue to benefit from it, even after your death. Furthermore, death becomes just a transitional phase in the journey towards attaining eternal bliss in the Hereafter. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran), and that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad PBUH) from your Lord. ﴿
Why does Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, say "from your Lord"? It is because "The Lord" (Ar-Rabb) means the One Who provides everything necessary for both material and spiritual life; the Lord (Ar-Rabb) is the One Who provides the body with its physical needs as well as the soul with guidance that leads it toward eternal happiness. Thus, Allah's Name "The Lord" (Ar-Rabb) is closely connected to the revelation of this Book. In other words, Allah the Almighty never leaves people without guidance, instructions, and recommendations to follow (to ensure their safety), which could be likened to the signs placed on a newly built road.
The warning signs and instructions are placed for the safety of the drivers, such as the signs that warn drivers of sharp turns, dangerous intersections, and slippery roads, etc. These signs are placed to ensure people's safety. Likewise, Allah the Almighty has revealed His Book to people out of His Mercy (i.e. to ensure their safety by following His Guidance). Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran), and that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad PBUH) from your Lord is the truth ﴿
The Words of Allah, the Truth, are the Non-Finite Truth
Had these words been from a human being, we would have a reason to doubt them, but they are the Words of Allah the Almighty, in which there is no doubt, errors, lies, or exaggeration. The Noble Quran is the Wise Book that was revealed from Allah the Almighty, containing the key to our true happiness. Furthermore, the Noble Qur'an informs us about the stories of past nations, and about crucial future such as the Hour, death, and the Day of Resurrection when people rise from their graves, etc. It is a Book of clear signs, and it shows the way to draw closer to Allah the Almighty. He the Almighty says:
﴾ And that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad PBUH) from your Lord is the truth. ﴿
Al-Haqq (The Truth) is one of Allah's Most Beautiful Names. He is Eternal and Everlasting, without beginning or end, and He is the Very First (He existed before anything else) and the Last One (everything will cease to exist except for Him). The Almighty says:
﴾ And invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Everything will perish save His Face. His is the Decision, and to Him you (all) shall be returned.) ﴿
﴾ Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish… ﴿
[ Ar-Rahman, 26
]
﴾ Everyone shall taste the death. Then unto Us you shall be returned. ﴿
Thus, the only One Who remains forever is Allah the Almighty, He is Al-Hai (The Ever-Living), Al-Baqi (The Ever-Lasting), and His Divine Character, The Most Beautiful Names and the Exalted Attributes are Unchanging and Everlasting. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Everything will perish save His Face. ﴿
Since Allah is Al-Haqq (the Truth), His Existence is Eternal.
The meaning of "Al-Haqq" (The Truth)
The word "Al-Haqq" (truth) means solid and unchangeable. Consider the following example to make this point clear: If a building is constructed on a solid foundation, it remains standing. So, in this case, you can say, "This building is constructed upon Al-Haq (the truth), meaning according to correct engineering principles." On the other hand, if it is built on a weak foundation, it will collapse, and thus, you can say, "It is constructed upon Al-Batil (falsehood). Hence, "Al-Haqq" (truth) refers to something that never changes. Accordingly, when you describe something as Haqq, you mean it is well-established, while when you describe it as Batil, you mean it fades away and vanishes.
When Allah the Almighty describes the Noble Quran as Al-Haqq (the Truth), He means all the teachings, Laws, Promises, and Warning, etc. it contains are Eternal and unchangeable. In other words, Jannah (Paradise) is Haqq, Hell is Haqq, and whatever is mentioned in this Divine Book is Haqq; it is unchanging and everlasting.
The sign of Al-Haqq
Some scholars say, "The sign of Al-Haqq is that it is in harmony with both reality and logical reason. In other words, Allah the Almighty has established universal laws (Sunan) in the earth, and He has endowed humans with reason that aligns with these laws. For example, human mind is in harmony with the law of causality; everything has a cause, and our minds never accept the existence of anything without a cause.
Everything such as rain, wind, the growth of plants, etc. must have a cause. For instance, the growth of plants, needs a seed, an embryo inside the seed, water, soil, suitable atmosphere, and heat or cold, etc, which are the causes that lead to such an effect (the growing plant). Thus, everything such as the growth of plants, the blowing of the wind, or the falling of rain, must have a cause that leads to a certain effect, as the law of causality is one of the universal laws established by Allah the Almighty in the universe.
Also, there is another universal law established by Allah the Almighty which is the law of purpose; whatever is created by Allah the Almighty has a purpose, which aligns with human mind, since one's mind never accepts the existence of anything without a purpose behind its creation.
To clarify, when you see a button on a device, you naturally inquire about its purpose since the human mind instinctively never accepts the existence of anything without a cause or a purpose. Furthermore, it rejects contradiction, which is also one of the principles of the mind. Also, there are universal law established by Allah the Almighty to organize the universe. So, the harmony between the principles of the mind and the universal law established by Allah the Almighty to organize the universe is what makes something true or real. On the other hand, when I tell you that something has no cause or purpose behind its creation; you will consider it to be false, and your mind will reject it and will never accept it.
Everything in the Quran is as true as whatever is seen with eyes
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran), and that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad PBUH) from your Lord is the truth. ﴿
It means, the Noble Quran is the Ultimate Truth. In another Ayah, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?' " He will say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen. ﴿
Although the above-mentioned Ayah refers to a future event; Allah the Almighty will say that to Prophet Iesa (Jesus) on the Day of Resurrection, the verb "qala" (said) is in the past form, because when the Noble Quran refers to a future event, it is true and certain as if it occurred in the past, since the Noble Quran is the Ultimate Truth. Similarly, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Have you (O Muhammad PBUH) not seen how your Lord dealt with the Owners of the Elephant? [The elephant army which came from Yemen under the command of Abrahah Al-Ashram intending to destroy the Ka'bah at Makkah]. ﴿
This question, "Have you (O Muhammad PBUH) not seen how your Lord dealt with the Owners of the Elephant?" is a rhetorical one. In other words, when Allah the Almighty told the Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, about the story of the owners of the elephants, it is as if the Prophet had witnessed it with his own eyes (i.e. as true and certain as what the Noble Prophet had witnessed with his own eyes).
Also, Allah's Promise is the Non-Finite Truth, so when Allah promises a good life to those who do righteous deeds, this will definitely happen, because His Promise is the ultimate truth; He says:
﴾ Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter). ﴿
So, Allah's Promise is the Non-Finite Truth; the true believer will definitely live a good life. On the other hand, Allah the Almighty has threatened those who deal with Riba (usury) with destruction; He says:
﴾ Allah will destroy Riba (usury) and will give increase for Sadaqat (deeds of charity, alms, etc.) And Allah likes not the disbelievers, sinners. ﴿
Allah the Almighty threatens them with a war from Him and His Messenger. His Promise is Haqq (true), His Warning is Haqq, Jannah is Haqq, and Hellfire is Haqq. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad PBUH) from your Lord is the truth ﴿
The phrase "Is the truth" means it is something absolutely certain, and unchanging, and it will inevitably happen. So, what Allah the Almighty says in the Quran is as real as the reality we witness with our eyes. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran), and that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad PBUH) from your Lord is the truth, but most men believe not… ﴿
Allah the Almighty has given people the free will to choose between following the path of guidance or misguidance, good or evil, and belief or disbelief. So, some of them chose to believe in Him and follow His Straight Path, while others chose to disbelieve in Him and turn away from Him. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ But most men believe not. ﴿
Do not follow the disbelieving majority
Do not be with the disbelieving majority, and be instead with the believing minority who know their Lord; Allah the Almighty Who has sent down the Noble Quran to His Messenger as Divine Way for people to be guided through, and Who possesses the Most Beautiful Names and the Exalted Attributes. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawa (rose above) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round)! Each running (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs, explaining the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord. ﴿
The value of a book is determined by its author
Actually, if you receive a letter from one of your friends, you may hold it with some significance, but if it comes from someone in a higher position than yours, you will hold it with even more significance. Now, imagine that it is from your king or ruler; you will definitely hold it in high esteem. You will inquire, "Is this his handwriting? Is it his signature?" Then, what about the Noble Quran, which comes from Allah the Almighty, the King of all kings?! Can human speech ever be compared to the Words of Allah, the Lord of all worlds?!
When someone gives you an order and threatens you with legal penalties if you do not apply it, you will certainly obey him, so what about the Orders of Allah the Almighty, the Creator of the universe? What are you waiting for to obey Him (meaning, why have you not obeyed Him yet?!) He says:
﴾ Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) to be affected by Allah's Reminder (this Quran), and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] before (i.e. Jews and Christians), and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah). ﴿
How strange the behavior of whoever obeys other than Allah!!!
How strange the behavior of whoever obeys other than Allah! He takes human commands seriously, gives them his full attention, applies them literally, and fears the consequences of disobeying them, but when it comes to the Commands of Allah, the Creator of mankind, the One Who has power over everything, the One to whom all matters return, the One who created man out of dust (i.e. Prophet Adam), then out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned him into a man, and the One to whom one's final destination is, then he does not implement Allah's Orders properly! From Whom this Book was revealed (The Noble Quran)? It was revealed from Allah the Almighty, the Lord of all Worlds. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. ﴿
If you meet an engineer, and your friend introduces him by name, his name alone may mean nothing to you, but if your friend introduces him saying, "This is the engineer So-and-So," that title may make you think more highly of him. If your friend goes further and says, "This man is the engineer who has designed the longest bridge in the world that links two continents; Asia and Europe, allowing massive ships to pass underneath, you would regard him with great respect or admiration. Also, if your friend says to you that he is the engineer who has designed the Channel Tunnel under the English Channel linking southern England and northern France, the undersea tunnel where cars can pass, or who has instructed the oil extraction platform in the North Sea including wells for extracting oil, and many employees, or the engineer who has led a project in which a 20-story building was moved 100 meters from its original location, you will be amazed by his genius. So, the more you hear about that engineer's great achievements, the more you will respect him and hold him in high esteem. Similarly, Allah the Almighty informs us of His Greatness after He mentions His Name; He says:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. ﴿
The greatness of the creation of stars and planets
Let us ponder over the size of the sun, it is about 1.3 million times larger than the earth, meaning the sun alone could contain inside it 1.3 million planets as large as the earth! Now, what is about the size of the earth? If you look at the country of Syria on a map or a globe, it is so small that there is no room to write the word 'Damascus' inside it! Furthermore, Syria appears very small when compared to Asia, and the five continents; Europe, Africa, the Americas, Australia, and the vast southern continent, and they all make up only one-fifth of the earth's surface, whereas four-fifths of it is covered by oceans! Scientists have likened the earth to a mere dust particle floating in the air of a room when sunlight comes in through its window, that is to say if you sweep your room while sunlight shines in, on a sunny winter day, you will notice tiny dust particles floating in the air. The earth in the huge universe is just like one of these dust particles in the air of your room.
Let us ponder over a massive star called Antares (the heart of the scorpion). Scientists say that it is so wide that it could encompass the sun, the earth, and the vast distance between them! Also, our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains a trillion stars and planets and its diameter is about 150,000 light-years! The moon is just 1 light-second away from us, the sun is 8 light-minutes away, and our solar system is 13 light-hours away. So, The Milky Way Galaxy is 150,000 light-years in diameter, and there are trillions of other galaxies in our universe!
A few days ago, I read a newspaper article, translated into Arabic, about the most recently discovered galaxy. It mentioned that the image captured by scientists of that galaxy shows them its position as it was twelve billion light-years ago; its light is only reaching them now, but no one knows its current location. The article added that there must be other galaxies that have been created but their light has not reached us yet, and it is still on its way to us, as light travels at a speed of 300,000 kilometers per second.
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. ﴿
Allah is the One Who possesses the Most Beautiful Names and the Most Exalted Attributes. As for the word "heavens" it refers to those galaxies. The closest star to us is the Polestar (the North Star) which is 4,000 light-years away from us. If you do some calculations, you will find that travelling to it by car would take 27 trillion years! So, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. ﴿
Actually, this Ayah has two interpretations, so let us ponder over each one separately.
The first interpretation
The first interpretation of this Noble Ayah is that Allah the Almighty raised the heavens without any visible pillars, rather by His Power. If you enter a shop and notice a shirt hung without any visible threads or support, it would astonish you. You would ask yourself, "How could it be hung like that without anything?" But when you discover that it is hung by a very thin, invisible thread, you will accept it. Thus, if it amazes you to see something hanging without any support, then what about the heavens? Who has raised them? Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places, and if they were to move away from their places, there is not one that could grasp them after Him. Truly, He is Ever Most Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving. ﴿
Allah withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except by His Leave. Also, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified is He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him! ﴿
Who has raised the heavens? He is Allah the Almighty. Thus, the first meaning is that Allah the Almighty raised them by His Power without any pillars; you see them raised without pillars;
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars… ﴿
The meaning ends here, and the phrase, "…that you can see", means within your sight in your everyday life.
The second interpretation
The second interpretation of "Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see" is that there are pillars, but they are invisible to us. Let me explain this point further through an example.
If there are two magnets of the same size on the surface of a table, and someone asks to place a steel ball between them so that it stays in balance; it is neither attracted to one of these magnets nor to the other, first, you would measure the distance between the two magnets to put it right in the middle, because if it is attracted just 1 millimeter to the right, it would continue to be attracted in that direction. Thus, balancing a steel ball between two magnets is not an easy task at all. If the two magnets are of different sizes, the calculation (to find the balance point between them) becomes even more complicated, because attraction depends on both mass and distance. So, if one of them is bigger than the other, you would need to calculate the difference in mass to find the balancing point, then you might be shocked to discover that the point you have chosen is incorrect since the steel ball is attracted to one of these magnets! Thus, placing a steel ball in a spot between two magnets to avoid it from getting attracted to either of them is extremely hard. Furthermore, if you were asked to balance a steel ball between three different-sized magnets, this would be an impossible task. Then what about balancing this steel ball in space between two magnets vertically, or when these magnets are in continuous motion and the steel ball is also in continuous motion, it would be quite impossible!
We move to the great creation of the universe. How do planets stay stable in space? In each galaxy, there are millions of plants, each with its own size, gravitational force, orbit, and type, some are made of gas, some are solid, some are flare stars, and others are extinguished (dead stars). Nevertheless, these planets remain stable in their orbits, which is one of the greatest types of stability; the dynamic stability, since static stability is much simpler; just put an object on a table, and it will stay motionless, but these planets are stable in space despite their different sizes, orbits, types, and gravitational forces. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places ﴿
The transliteration of the phrase "lest they move away from their places" is "An tazoola". You might think the verb "Tazol (move away)" in Arabic means disappear. However, the verb "Tazol" in this Ayah means to deviate from position, just like when you say "Zawal Ash-Shams", which means in Arabic moving from the middle of the sky. Thus, every planet in the universe goes around a precise orbit and never deviates from it, not even by a single degree, lest it disrupt the balance of the entire universe.
The planets follow precise orbits, and the proof of that is the fact that you can define the time of sunrise in a certain place accurately even months before it happens. You can say for example: On September 28th, the sun will raise at 6:04 AM. If the earth did not follow an accurate orbit and stayed steady in it even over millions of years, no one could ever predict the time of sunrise and sunset in advance. The world's most accurate clock has special mechanisms that rely on the movement of certain stars, it is said that it is so accurate that the amount of time it loses is only 3 seconds in a whole year! Whereas giant planets, that travel millions of miles over millions of years, never deviate from their paths, not even by a single degree! So, how great the creation of the universe is!
This Quran is from Allah Who raised the heavens without pillars
The Comet Halley, was discovered in the 6th century BC, and since that time on, it is still stable in its orbit, following it accurately without any deviation. So, after Allah the Almighty says, "Allah" He says (referring to His Greatness and Majesty), "is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see...", meaning: Do you know where the Quran comes from? It comes from Allah, who raised the heavens without any pillars.
Consider the following example to make this point clear: If you are in the mandatory military service, and you receive an order from someone of a lower military rank, it will not have the same importance as an order coming from someone of a higher military rank (which means knowing the source of a command determines its significance).
So, do you know where has this Book (the Noble Quran) come from? It has come from Allah the Almighty Who raised the heavens without pillars; Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see
﴿
You can follow one of the two above-mentioned interpretations. This Ayah "without any pillars that you can see" either means Allah the Almighty raised the heavens without pillars, rather by His Power, or it means Allah raised them with pillars that are invisible to us; the gravitational forces between planets. For example, when you throw something, why does it fall on the ground? It is because gravity pulls everything on earth toward its center.
The gravitational attraction between objects and the earth is one of Allah's Blessings
Actually, gravity is one of the Divine Signs that indicate Allah's Greatness, without it, things lose their weight, just like the case of people who travel in a spacecraft. There is a point in space between the earth and the moon called the zero-gravity point where all objects lose their weight, and if you hold a tissue or a heavy object then let it go, it stays in place. This shows that the gravitational attraction between objects and the earth is one of Allah's Blessings. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not. ﴿
Who made things stay in place on earth? He is Allah the Almighty, Who makes objects connected to the earth through the force of gravity. He says:
﴾ Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode ﴿
All objects remain still on earth; everything you put on a surface, such as a table, a chair, or anything else, remains in its place due to the gravity force, otherwise, you would see the chair floating to the ceiling upon entering your house, finding it so difficult to bring it down! Thus, without the forces of gravity, life would be so hard, since you would put things in their place before leaving your home, but you would find that all objects floating to the celling upon your return! This would be a very difficult situation. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode ﴿
Allah has made everything attached to the earth through the force of gravity. This is the first interpretation of the Ayah.
Let us discuss the second interpretation of this Ayah:
﴾ Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode ﴿
It refers to the stability of the earth. In fact, even the most advanced plane or car will still do a little shake, so you can never, for example, put a cup of coffee on the seat of a moving car because it will definitely fall down. However, the earth moves at 30 kilometers per second without shaking. For example, our lesson today started about 30 minutes ago. If we multiply 30 by 60, we will find that our lesson started about 1,800 minutes ago, then if we multiply it by 30, we will find that the earth moved about 60,000 kilometers during our lesson that lasted for 30 minutes, but we did not feel any vibration or shaking, since it moves in complete stability. Otherwise, if the earth moved just one degree, it could cause cracks in the buildings.
You may see buildings that were built 50 or even 100 years ago, nevertheless, there is no cracks in them due to the complete stability of the earth despite its rapid motion. So, Allah is showing us His Greatness, so that we may get to know Him; He says:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. ﴿
The gravitational forces alone are ones of the Divine Signs that indicate Allah's Greatness, which lead to stability on earth, and make objects attracted to it.
The earth's orbit around the sun
We move to another fact. The earth revolves around the sun in an elliptical path. As you know, in an ellipse, the points on its edge are not equally distant from the center (some points are closer to its center than the others), whereas in a circle, every point on its edge is the same distance from its center, that is why you can simply draw a circle using a compass, whereas drawing an ellipse is more complicated; you should mark two focal points, then use a string, and a pen to draw it. This elliptical path that the earth follows when it revolves around the sun has a maximum distance and a minimum one. When the earth is at the minimum distance; when it reaches its closest point to the sun, what prevents the earth from being pulled into the sun by its gravitational force? Well, the gravitational force is related to both mass and distance, so when the distance decreases, the gravitational force increases. Had the universe have no Creator, the earth would have no longer existed. Scientists say that when the earth reaches this closest point, it increases its speed, causing a centrifugal force that is equal to the sun's gravitational pull, and so keeping the earth stable in its orbit.
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places. ﴿
Allah the Almighty prevents the earth from deviating from its orbit, lest it would have been pulled to the sun and evaporated in just one second. In other words, if the earth had not increased its speed at its closest point to the sun; had Allah not increased its speed, it would have been pulled into the sun and would have evaporated in a second, as well as human beings on its surface of course. Stones would have evaporated, then what about human beings! So, Allah the Almighty increases the earth speed at its closest point to the sun to protect it.
Also, there is another point, which is another sign of Allah's Greatness in His creation: if the earth suddenly had increased its speed, at its closest point to the sun, everything on earth would have collapsed in just one second. Cities, such as Damascus, London, etc., skyscrapers, and everything would have no more existed, but Allah the Almighty, the Most Kind and Gentle, increases its speed gradually, and slows it down also gradually. This gradual increase and decrees of the earth's speed is an indication of Allah's Divine Name as well as of His Non-Finite Knowledge and Power. So, the whole universe is a manifestation of Allah's most Beautiful Names:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawa (rose above) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). ﴿
The first interpretation of Allah's Rising over the Throne
As some scholars say, "The word Istiwa' (rising over) is known, while its reality (the way in which it occurs) is unknown." The true belief is to believe in it without embodiment or negation, because some people have fallen into Tajseem (the attribution of physical or behavioral human traits to Allah), and others have adopted Ta'til (the negation or the denial of some of Allah's Beautiful Names and Exalted Attributes), while the sound creed of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah (those who adhere to the Quran and Sunnah) neither attribute some of physical or behavioral human traits to Allah, nor negate any of His Most Beautiful Names and Exalted Attributes. In other words, they believe that Allah has established Himself upon the Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty, without asking how.
The word "Istawa (rose over)" refers to Exaltedness; Allah is The Most High, and The Supremely Exalted (i.e. The One who is Exalted above all of creation). Furthermore, one of the indications of the Throne is being above the entire creation and beyond the universe itself. This is one of its indications.
The second interpretation
The second interpretation of this Ayah is that Allah the Almighty has created the universe then created life in it. Some scholars interpret the "Arsh (the throne)" as the universe, while others say it is something beyond the universe.
As I have just mentioned, the word "Istawa" refers to Exaltedness, and Allah is The Most High, and The Supremely Exalted.
In conclusion, scholars interpreted this Ayah in many ways, and it has been discussed extensively by them; it took up dozens of pages of debate among them. However, we should adhere strictly to what Allah has said about Himself, and never add or negate anything from it. In other words, we should never adopt Ta'til (the negation or the denial of some of Allah's Beautiful Names and Exalted Attributes), nor fall into Tajseem (the attribution of physical or behavioral human traits to Allah). Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawa (rose above) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round)! ﴿
﴾ Allah has subjected the sun and the moon" ﴿
The sun and the moon are subjugated to us (i.e. to serve humanity); otherwise, the sun would have burned us. So, Allah the Almighty has made it subservient to us; He says:
﴾ He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round)! Each running (its course) for a term appointed. ﴿
All Planets are running (their course) for a term appointed
Actually, the word "Each" in "Each running (its course) for a term appointed" does not only refer to the sun and the moon but also to every planet in the universe. In other words, all the planets in the universe are running their course for an appointed time. Scholars have interpreted "a term appointed" in many ways; some of them said, "Each planet follows its fixed orbit and never deviates from it, within a fixed time that never increases or decreases." Others said, "Every planet has a fixed time when its function comes to an end." Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ When the sun Kuwwirat (wound round and lost its light and is overthrown).* And when the stars shall fall; ﴿
It means that the function of the planet has come to an end, as if it has a lifespan. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ ﴾ And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.* And the moon, We have measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it returns like the old dried curved date stalk.* It is not for the sun to overtake
the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit. ﴿
Some scholars have deduced from this Ayah that even the atomic system is included in it, so according to them, "They all float" refers to every atom Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, created; "They all float, each in an orbit."
The affairs of the entire universe are controlled by Allah
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round)! Each running (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs. ﴿
Who manages the affairs of the entire universe? Who moves the winds? Who causes the sea to evaporate? Who brings up or originates the clouds, heavy with water, and drive them to a dead land, and revive the earth? Who makes plants grow? He is Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.
﴾ Is it you that make it grow, or are We the Grower? ﴿
[ Al-Waqi'ah, 64
]
Who creates the fruits? Who makes the small stem and the small root inside the seed move? Who provides the plant with food? Who creates wheat crops? Who has created the air? Who has created the water? He is Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He. He the Almighty says:
﴾ He regulates all affairs, explaining the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail. ﴿
Allah is never distracted by regulating the affairs from explaining the Ayaat in detail
Allah the Almighty is never distracted by regulating the affairs from explaining the Ayaat in detail, nor is He distracted by explaining the Ayaat in detail from regulating the affairs. Man does not have such an ability. For instance, the surgeon who is in the middle of a crucial operation cannot teach his students during that critical moment, and the doctor who is teaching his students cannot examine a patient at the same time. Hence, the surgeon who can perform a crucial surgical operation while at the same time teaching his students its method step by step is actually a superman. In contrast, to Allah is the highest example, Allah regulates all affairs, and explains His Ayaat at the same time; He says:
﴾ He regulates all affairs, explaining the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail ﴿
Allah the Almighty creates, manages the affairs, provides with sustenance, and teaches us at the same time. He says:
﴾ That you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord. ﴿
Meeting with Allah is the believer's happiest moment
The Ayah "That you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord", means that you may believe that meeting with Allah is the happiest moment in one's life. You should believe with certainty that nothing in this life can bring you happiness except being with Allah the Almighty, and meeting with Him.
Actually, meeting with Allah the Almighty does not only refer to death, like most people think, but also to having deep spiritual connection with Him. It was said, "The believer finds no rest except in meeting His Lord", since life is full of hardship. Some scholars say that this saying means the believer will find no rest except by drawing closer to Allah and having spiritual connection with him, and the price of this meeting with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, is performing righteous deeds. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord. ﴿
[ Al-Kahf, 110
]
Whenever one of my noble brothers in faith tells me that he feels constricted, far from Allah and disconnected from Him, I say to him that Allah's Door is always wide open for all His worshippers whenever and wherever they might be, but the price of drawing spiritually closer to Allah and meeting Him is performing righteous deeds.
Performing righteous deeds is the price for Jannah
The price for Jannah is performing righteous deeds; Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord. ﴿
The true believer should remain steadfast (on Allah's Orders) and should perform righteous deeds. Actually, meeting with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, (i.e. feeling nearness to Allah while performing acts of worship) is the ultimate source of happiness; the spiritual connection with Allah is the true source of happiness. One of the scholars said describing this connection: "If kings knew the pleasure we experience during our spiritual connection with Allah the Almighty, they would fight us for it with their swords!"
By Allah the Only Deity worthy of worship, there is no clearer sign of one's true faith better than finding deep happiness upon meeting with Allah (in the Hereafter and feeling His Pleasure with him). Therefore, the ultimate desire of the true believer is not the worldly pleasure, wealth, fame, or luxury, but meeting with Allah the Almighty (tasting the sweetness of having Allah pleased with him). A poet said:
The true worshippers' greatest aim is not the Gardens of Eden,
the incredibly beautiful spouses, or the great palaces in Jannah
But only looking at their Beloved; Allah the Almighty,
for that is their ultimate goal, and this is the aim of the noble ones.
Whoever knows what is with Allah will have no interest in the worldly life
The pious people who have deep spiritual connection with Allah the Almighty have known the most valuable thing in existence; they truly know Allah, so they lose their interest in worldly pleasures. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter. ﴿
The question, "Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter…" means, are you satisfied with the fleeting pleasures of this worldly life rather than the everlasting pleasures of the Hereafter? In other words, if you stand before a great king, will you beg him for giving you trivial things, such as a pencil?! How silly such a request! How about standing before Allah the Almighty, the King of all kings, would you ask Him for the temporary pleasures of this life? These worldly pleasures are so valueless in the Sight of Allah that He has grants them even to His enemies; He grants them to those He loves as well as those He does not love.
Consider the following Hadith, which shows how worthless this worldly life is in the Sight of Allah the Almighty:
(( It was narrated that Sahl bin Sa'd said: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in Dhul-Hulaifah, when we saw a dead sheep lifting its leg (because of bloating). He said: "Do you not think this is worthless to its owner? By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, this world is more worthless to Allah than this (dead sheep) is to its owner. If this world were worth the wing of a mosquito to Allah, the disbeliever would not have a drop to drink from it." ))
[ At- Tirmidhi, on the authority of Sahl bin Sa'd ]
This worldly life is worthless in the Sight of Allah the Almighty. Let us think of this point: When Allah withheld worldly pleasures from the Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, and did not grant him abundant wealth, was this to honor him or to humiliate him? If someone's answer is to humiliate him, then he has lied, and if his answer is to honor him, then Allah has humiliated others by granting them the worldly pleasures. It was said, "O my son, an evil that is followed by Jannah is not a true evil, and a welfare that is followed by Hell is not a true welfare. Every comfort other than Jannah is valueless and every misfortune other than Hell is a blessing."
If you know Allah the Almighty, you are the happiest person. As Imam Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Wealth is a blessing, but what is better than the blessing of wealth is the blessing of health, and what is better than the blessing of health is the blessing of believing in Allah. On the other hand, poverty is a trial, but what is worse than poverty is illness, and what is worse than illness is disbelieving in Allah."
So, if you are a true believer, you have achieved true success and happiness, even if you lose everything else in this worldly life. As it was said, "O Allah, what has lost he who has got to know You?" Nothing at all! "Whereas he who has failed to know You, what has he gained?" Nothing at all! It was narrated in Qudsi Hadith that Allah the Almighty says:
(( O Son of Adam! Seek Me and you will find Me; if that happens, it is as if you have found everything, while if you miss Me, it is as if you have missed everything, for I Am dearer to you than everything. ))
Knowing Allah through pondering over His Signs in the universe
There is only one truth in the universe, and that truth is Allah the Almighty. If you get to know Him, you have achieved ultimate success, otherwise you have fallen into misery, and nothing in this world will benefit you. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ That you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord. ﴿
Allah has created the sun:
﴾ He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round ﴿
Allah has created everything; the stars, the galaxies, the comets, the rain, the winds, the plants, the birds, the fish, as well as human beings. He has created for you a spouse from yourself to find comfort in her, and after your marriage, He created from your humble fluid (semen), a sweet baby, who moves, laughs, cries, and gradually learns how to speak. He has been perfectly created with a brain, eyes, lips, a tongue, ears, a heart, lungs, intestines, a stomach, nerves, muscles, bones, organs, etc. So, Allah has created you in order to get to know Him, but if you turn away from Him, He afflicts you with some trials such as earthquakes, floods, and volcanic eruptions so that you may return to Him. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Say: "He has power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another." See how variously We explain the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), so that they may understand.
[Al-An'am, 65] ﴿
﴾ He regulates all affairs, explaining the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord. ﴿
Allah the Almighty may test you with some trials, such as financial hardship, limited provision, or losing your child, etc. so that you return to Him. Hence, the main purpose of His Trials is to bring you closer to Him and to get to know Him. He says:
﴾ Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawa (rose above) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round)! Each running (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs, explaining the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord. ﴿
﴾ And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnain (two in pairs - may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two sorts, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big, etc.) He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect. ﴿
The first interpretation of "And it is He Who spread out the earth" is that He made its surface extend (without edges). In geometry, the only shape, among all other shapes, whose surface lines extend infinitely without any breaks, is the sphere. So, this Noble Ayah proves that the earth is spherical. Try it yourself. Bring a pencil and a ball, then start drawing a line on it; you will find that the line continues endlessly without any breaks, because a spherical surface has no edges and its surface flows endlessly. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And it is He Who spread out the earth, ﴿
So, the first meaning refers to the spherical shape of the earth; the only geometric shape in which lines can extend without any breaks is the spherical shape, which proves that the earth is spherical.
The second interpretation
Out of Allah's Mercy to human beings, He made the earth a vast sphere, but at the same time He made it appear flat before them so that they can live on it, and practice their activates such as planting crops, building houses, dwelling on it, and moving from one place to another, etc. In contrast, when someone buys a land on a mountainside, he will find it too difficult to cultivate it. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And it is He Who spread out the earth ﴿
It means that He made the earth extended, flat, and spherical. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains ﴿
[ Ar-Ra'd, 3
]
The importance of mountains in maintaining the earth's stability
Without mountains, how could rivers flow? Actually, rivers flow according to the principle of overflowing containers, so without mountains, rivers would never flow, since mountains are at a higher height, and according to gravity, water moves from higher to lower elevations.
﴾ And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains ﴿
Also, without mountains, the earth would lose its balance during its rotation. Therefore, mountains play a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the earth. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you, and rivers and roads, that you may guide yourselves. ﴿
Allah the Almighty made mountains as pegs, because without mountains, the surface layers of the earth would shake during the earth's rotation, since each layer has its own structure and density, which causes instability. So, mountains act as pegs and hold these layers together. Thus, Allah the Almighty made mountains as pegs, and made them standing firm to prevent the earth from shaking.
The wisdom behind mentioning rivers after mountains
It is really amazing that whenever mountains are mentioned in the Noble Quran, it is often followed by the mention of rivers, because the source of rivers is in the mountains. In other words, if you visit some tourist caves, such as the tourist caves in Lebanon, you will realize that these caves are reservoirs of fresh water; they contain spongy rocks that contain minerals, so when these minerals are dissolved in the water, the water becomes mineralized and drinkable, because it contains essential minerals such as fluoride, calcium, and magnesium, whereas desalinated seawater is not suitable for drinking at all, because it lacks these minerals.
Allah the Almighty has preserved fresh water in the depths of mountains, and he has provided it with certain dissolved mineral compounds and salts that are essential for our lives. In other words, without fluoride, human beings would lose their teeth since this substance prevents tooth decay, so it must exist in water in very small amounts, as well as other essential minerals such as calcium and magnesium. So, Allah the Almighty has made mountains natural reservoirs of fresh water.
However, were these reservoirs hollow, the pressure of the water would cause a fracture inside the mountain, causing all the water to flow out at once, and the nearby lands would be completely overwhelmed by the floodwater. To prevent this from happening, Allah the Almighty has made the mountain's interior spongy, allowing the water to pass slowly; so, these large reservoirs release their contents gradually over the entire year. For example, the Amazon River has a flow of 300,000 cubic meters per second throughout the year, and sometimes it is less than that. Also, the Fijeh spring, has a flow of 16 cubic meters per second, and sometimes, it decreases to 1 meter or even half a meter per second.
To sum up, in most cases, whenever mountains are mentioned in the Noble Quran, they are followed by rivers, because mountains act as natural reservoirs for river water. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And placed therein firm mountains and rivers. ﴿
Furthermore, mountains act as natural barriers to winds.
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And of every kind of fruits ﴿
Actually, there are many types of fruits, as well as different kinds of each fruit. For example, one of my friends told me that according to an agricultural research center, there are 3,000 types of apples, and there are 300 types of grapes. So, every fruit such as apricots, apples, pears, peaches, etc. has many different kinds, which is a great honor to humanity.
﴾ And of every kind of fruits ﴿
How many types of watermelon are there? How many types of apples are there? There are sugar apples, winter apples, yellow apples, and red apples, each with its own different shape, size, and taste. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits ﴿
Plants have male and female reproductive parts
Every plant has both male and female reproductive parts, including the ones that were thought in the past to be unisexual; it has been discovered that they contain both male and female reproductive parts.
﴾
And of every kind of fruits ﴿
Even the truffle, which was thought in the past to have no seeds, has seeds that are formed through the pollination of the male and female parts. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnain (two in pairs - may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two sorts, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big, etc. ﴿
Plants are ones of Allah's Divine Sign in His Creation
Plants are ones of the most evident Signs of Allah's Creation. Let us ponder over the creation of trees; Allah the Almighty has created trees, so that we can benefit from them in many ways. For example, some trees have a high-quality wood such as the beech wood, the oak wood, the ash wood, and the pine wood, etc. Also, some trees are created to bring beauty to the landscape. In addition to that, forest trees can live for over a hundred years. Studies show that a single tree can provide services to human beings, the value of which is estimated to be about 290 billion dollars over 100 years, including soil fertilization and air humidifying.
If we want to use technology to improve the humidity of the air, it would cost us a shocking amount of money. So, there are trees that are created to bring beauty to the landscape, and there are forest trees, boundary trees, fruit-bearing trees, arak trees which are used for cleaning one's teeth, toothpick trees which are used for cleaning between one's teeth, edible fruit trees, vegetables, and crops such as wheat and barley.
Talking about plants never ends, and Allah the Almighty has made the plants the most evident Divine Sign of His creation. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnain (two in pairs - may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two sorts, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big, etc.) He brings the night as a cover over the day. ﴿
"He brings the night as a cover over the day"
The night and the day are among Allah's Great Signs in His Creation, caused by the earth's rotation around its axis. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect. ﴿
Reflection is a great act of worship
Pondering over Allah's Creation is an act of worship, and it is mandatory over every Muslim since it is a fast and effective method to get to know Allah the Almighty and to draw nearer to Him. Thus, you should reflect on Allah's Sign and think deeply of them in order to realize Allah's Greatness through them. Allah the Almighty
﴾ It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Al Mighty, Oft-Forgiving. ﴿
The word (Innama) "It is only" in Arabic implies the meaning of restriction and limitation, which means only the scholars, and no one else, truly fear Allah the Almighty as He should be feared.
