Assalamu Alikum Sir.
A verse in the Quran says: “It is He who has created the night and the day, the sun and the moon, each one travels in its own orbit”. This verse apparently says that the night and the day are objects and they move in an orbit, but it is actually the rotation of the earth that causes night and day, they themselves are not objects and they don’t move, it is actually the earth that moves. so is it not scientific error?
Thanks
Ahmed Raies
Srinagar, Kashmir
Dear Brother
Wa alaikum us salam wa Rahmatullah
Glad to see your question. It indicates that you are studying the Quran deeply.
We should remember a principle that the Quran was revealed in language of a common person and not that of a scientist. Even when scientists speak with common people, they do not talk in their scientific language but in ordinary language. All scientists, when talk to common people about rising of sun, they say: “Sun rises.” They do not say: “Today morning, the Earth came in front of the Sun.”
As the language of the Quran is the one used by common people, therefore, scientific facts are also described in the same. For a common man, day and night are also cycles that repeat every 24 hours. Allah has mentioned that according to the perception of common people. Quran is not a book of science and not revealed for scientists only but it is for everyone and revealed in the language used by them. Just imagine that if such facts were mentioned in the Quran in scientific terms, had they produced any psychological impact on human mind? The answer is ‘no’ because if someone talks in our language, then it will produce impact on our mind. You can experience that in any science book which does not produce any psychological impact but the books of literature do so.
Therefore, the orbit of day and night means the 24-hours cycle of day and night that repeats like a revolving object. In the verse, the scientific cause of such rotation is not under discussion but a bigger fact is described that it is Allah Who created such rotation.
wassalaam
Muhammad Mubashir Nazir
Don’t hesitate to share your questions and comments. They will be highly appreciated. I’ll reply as soon as possible if I know the answer. Send at mubashirnazir100@gmail.com.