It is He who has created the night and the day and the sun and the moon: each moves swiftly in its own orbit.Never have We granted life everlasting to any man before you. Should you yourself die, do they, perchance, hope to live forever?
Every soul shall taste death. We test you all with evil and good by way of trial. To Us you all must return. (The Prophets: 21: 33-35)
The first of these verses concludes references to a number of universal phenomena that are worthy of deep contemplation as they point clearly to the fact of creation and God’s power over every thing in the universe. "It is He who has created the night and the day and the sun and the moon: each moves swiftly in its own orbit."
The night and day are two universal phenomena, while the sun and the moon are two great celestial bodies that are closely related to human life on Earth and to life generally. When we contemplate the succession of the day and night and the movement of the sun and the moon, we realize that they are so accurate to admit no defect, and so consistent to allow no failure. Such contemplation is sufficient to guide our hearts and minds to the facts that the law system that applies to them is one, the will governing them is one and their great Maker is one.
This first passage of the Surah, which we have been discussing over the last few weeks, concludes with an outline that links the laws relevant to the creation, formation and sustenance with those relevant to the nature and destiny of human life: "Never have We granted life everlasting to any man before you. Should you yourself die, do they, perchance, hope to live forever? Every soul shall taste death. We test you all with evil and good by way of trial. To Us you all must return."
Read More...