Beyond the Glittery Night Sky
Unlocking the Mysteries of Allah's Infinite Creation
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Have they not then looked at the sky above them: how We built it and adorned it ˹with stars˺, leaving it flawless? (Surah Al-Qaf, Verse 6)
Have you ever tried to imagine the scale of life on this planet? It encompasses everything from the tiniest atoms and quarks to the towering peaks of Mount Everest and the deepest ocean depths, where even the closest sunlight cannot reach. Earth is home to 2.16 million species that have been discovered, with many more yet to be found.
What must be the capacity of space, where galaxies each containing billions of stars, float silently through the cosmos? As we look up at the stars above we can't help but wonder: What is the force behind such mysterious beauty?
"And He is the One Who has made the stars as your guide through the darkness of land and sea. We have already made the signs clear for people who know" (Surah Al-An'am, Verse 97)
As children, many of us envisioned stars as those cute, geometric yellow shapes, twinkling playfully in the night sky, seemingly close enough to grasp in our palms.
Yet, the reality is far more astonishing. Those little white dots we see are actually light-years away with each representing approximately 9.5 trillion kilometers.
"Across the sea of space, the stars are other suns" - Carl Sagan
For instance, if you were to count from 0 to a trillion, it would take about 31,710 years just to reach that monumental number. And our closest star, the Sun, is 150 million kilometers away.
Allah (SWT) tells us that he made the rays that come forth from the Sun a source of light and made forth the beam of light that is reflected from the moon as a guiding light. It is He who has made various phases of the moon from the thin crescent to the glowing full moon:
"He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a reflected light, with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge" (Surah Yunus, Verse 5)
Allah also says in the Quran:
It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon, nor does the night outrun the day. Each is traveling in an orbit of their own. (Surah Al Yasin, Verse:40)
Each planet in the solar system has its own orbit including the sun, moon, and the earth. No planet overtakes the other. Surely, there is a Creator who is controlling their movements, else who could guarantee they wouldn't have been able to collide?
Do you now see how perfectly Allah has placed the Sun? When you think about the neighboring planets within the solar system - Venus and Mars, which orbit on our right and left.
Venus, is located approximately 42 million kilometers away from Earth. Despite being relatively close to the Sun, about 108 million kilometers - its surface temperature soars to a staggering 464 degrees Celsius, due to being enveloped in a thick, toxic atmosphere.
Mars, on the other hand, orbits the Sun at a distance of approximately 228 million kilometers. Even though it is about 78 million kilometers away from Earth, the temperature on Mars can plummet to -65 degrees Celsius, falling well below freezing.
Despite their proximity to Earth, both Venus and Mars remain inhospitable to life. SubhanAllah, how perfect is Allah in His design! This emphasizes the unique and delicate balance of our own planet, which is finely tuned to support life amidst the harsh conditions found on our neighboring worlds.
While our solar system contains a single star, within our galaxy - the Milky Way - there aren't just hundreds, thousands, or millions of stars, but billions, each varying in size. The next closest star to Earth, Proxima Centauri, is an incredible 4.25 light-years away. This just gives us a glimpse of how vast and expansive our galaxy truly is.
The zoom-out doesn't stop here though. Beyond the Milky Way, we find even more galaxies - an astonishing estimate of around 2 trillion in the observable universe.
Who knows how many more new galaxies we will continue to discover over time?
One of the theories discovered was the Big Bang Theory, which proposed the idea of how the universe began to form itself stating that it all started with an infinitely hot and dense single point that expanded and stretched quite far, at unimaginable speeds, and then eventually at a measurable rate to the ever-expanding cosmos we know of today.
Centuries ago the Creator of this Universe , Allah already stated in the Quran saying,
Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe? (Surah Al-Anbiya, Verse 30)
Another astonishing fact that had already been mentioned in the Quran 1400 years ago, but discovered not until the 20th century by scientists was how the universe is constantly expanding in it's size.
And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander. (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Verse 47).
What's more is that all of the observable universe is just 1/7 of what the Creator of the heavens and the Earth, Al-Khaliq (The Creator), has crafted, shaped, and made into existence. As Allah says in the Quran:
He is the One Who created everything in the earth for you. Then He turned towards the heaven, forming it into seven heavens. And He has perfect knowledge of all things. (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 29)
This verse reminds us of the vastness of Allah's creation with His infinite knowledge and power, far beyond what we can see or comprehend.
When our eyes gaze at the night sky, the vastness of the universe seems to be overwhelming. The countless stars, galaxies, and distant planets stretch far beyond the limits of our imagination. This often raises a profound question:
Why would Allah create such an expansive universe and yet choose to place life on Earth amidst the oceans of space?
Allah reminds us of the deeper purpose behind His creation: We have not created the heavens and the earth and everything in between except for a purpose. And the Hour is certain to come, so forgive graciously." (Surah Al-Hijr, Verse 85)
While our immediate environment may seem small in comparison to the cosmos, every aspect of creation, no matter how large or small, serves a divine purpose. It is not random or meaningless; rather, it is part of a larger, intricate plan that reflects Allah's wisdom and majesty.
Can we begin to comprehend the majesty of our Creator? The One who created all seven heavens, each containing trillions of galaxies, within which lies the Milky Way. This galaxy alone holds billions of stars, including our Sun, around which multiple planets orbit. And here we are, residing on a small Earth, within this huge and awe-inspiring universe.
Allah says in the Quran:
"And do not walk on the earth arrogantly. Surely you can neither crack the earth nor stretch to the height of the mountains." (Surah Al-Isra, 17:37)
This verse humbles us, reminding us of the vastness of the universe and our small place within it.
So the next time your eyes glare upon the peaceful night sky, remind yourself of an entity, the Creator of it, of how, in His mercy He has kept everything within the universe in it's fixed position. If He wanted He could have made things flow all over or perhaps caused the sky to collapse anytime we sin or cause destruction on land. He has it all withheld until the appointed time arrives when everything on this earth will soon perish.
Before the ending times approach, we should hasten in doing righteous deeds and rectifying our faults so we may thereby always remain under the shade of His Mercy and Compassion.
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