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REFLECTION ON GOD THROUGH THE FACE OF THE SKY
Listen to the verse:
Do they not look at the heaven above them, how We
have built it and adorned it? (50:6)
Look to the face of the sky where you see a silence in
restful serenity ...
The verse draws the attention to the adorned, beautiful
face of the sky, so that, observing with care, people must notice the
silence in the extraordinary calmness and apparent rest observed there and
conclude that the sky has taken that form through the order and subjugation
of an Absolutely Powerful One. If it were otherwise, that is, if the
heavenly bodies were left free to roam at random, with their enormous size
and speed of motion, they would make such a clamor that they would deafen
everybody. They would also cause such a tumult and confusion that the
universe would collapse. If twenty buffalos move all together in the same
area, you can guess what great uproar and confusion they will cause.
However, according to astronomers, among moving stars there are some that
are one thousand times bigger than the earth and move with a speed seventy
times greater than a cannon ball. So, you may understand from the silence of
the heavenly bodies in calmness and rest the extent of the Power of
subjugation of the Majestic Maker and the All-Powerful One of Perfection,
and the degree of the submission and obedience of stars to Him.
A purposive motion,
The verse also orders us to see the purposive motion on
the face of the sky. That extremely strange and mighty motion takes place in
absolute dependence on a purpose which is extraordinarily subtle and
comprehensive. The immensity and order of a factory whose wheels and
machinery turn and toil in wisdom-in a perfect order and for wise
purposes-show to what extent its engineer is learned and skilful. In just
the same way, with the sun in the center and mighty planets revolving around
it in a perfect, subtle order for many wise purposes, the solar system shows
the extent of the All-Powerful One’s Power and Wisdom.
Radiance in majesty and a smile in adornment,
There is on the face of the sky a radiance in such
majesty and a smile in such adornment that it shows the splendid sovereignty
and the beautiful art the Majestic Maker disposes. In the same way as
innumerable illuminations used on special occasions demonstrate the degree
of the king’s majesty and how his country is advanced in civilization, the
vast heavens with their majestic glittering stars, show to attentive eyes
the perfection of the Majestic Maker’s sovereignty and the beauty of His
art.
All combined in the orderliness of creation and the
symmetry of art
The verse says: See the order and balance on the face of
the sky and know how powerful and wise the Creator is. When you see someone
turning numerous objects one round the other in a perfect order and with a
special, delicate balance for many wise purposes, you may guess how wise and
powerful and skilful that one is. Likewise, together with their numberless
stars in their awesome size and speed, the vast heavens in their tremendous
immensity have been performing their duties for billions of years according
to an established measure and with a certain, sensitive balance without
transgressing their limits even for a second and causing even the slightest
disorder. This shows to attentive eyes according to what a sensitive and
exact measure their Majestic Maker exercises His Lordship.
Like similar verses in
sura al-Naba’ among
others, the verse also points to the fact that the Majestic Creator has
subjugated the sun, moon and other heavenly bodies.
The brilliance of its candle, the dazzle of its lamp,
and the glitter of its stars manifest the Infinite Sovereignty for those
with insight and sound reasoning.
Almighty God has hung on the adorned roof of the world a
lamp like the sun which gives heat and light used as a ‘pot’ of light to
write the ‘letters’ of the Eternally Besought-of-All on the lines of day
and night on the pages of the seasons. Also, like the phosphorescent
hour-hands of the clocks in tall towers, He has made the moon in the dome of
the heaven the hour-hand of the largest clock of time, and causing it to
move through its mansions according to a perfect measure and fine
calculations, it is as if He leaves to each night another different crescent
and then collects them together to Himself (making it invisible).
Furthermore, He has gilded the beautiful face of the sky with stars
glittering and smiling in that dome. Certainly, all this points to the
infinite Sovereignty of His Lordship and the magnificence of His Divinity,
and invites thinking people to believe in His existence and Unity.
Look at the colorful page of the book of the
universe,
and see how the golden pen of the Power has
inscribed it!
There has been left no point dark for those
who can see with the eyes of their hearts.
It is as if God wrote His signs with light.
See, what an astounding miracle of wisdom the
universe is!
See, how tremendous a spectacle the space of the
universe is!
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