The Islamic view on space exploration...

[kamalhussain]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

What's the Islamic view on space and space exploration, the solar system, the earth revolving around the sun, etc.? More specifically, does the Qur'an make any mention of humans leaving the Earth without dying, exploring the 'heavens' and then coming back; is it acceptable to believe that this has occurred or is it all just a huge conspiracy and propoganda?

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu



All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam



Jazak'allah for your question. Islam, has set out clearly that there is other worlds, apart from the one that we live in. Allah the Almighty says:

'Alhamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin'

'All praise is due to Allah the lord of the worlds'

(Sura Fateha, al-Qur'an)


Here the word 'Alameen', is plural to the word 'alam', which is singular, and means a place of existence. It thus proves that there are other places of existence other than the World which we live in today.


The Ahadiths' also talk about the existence of the 'Heavens and the Hell.' In some cases it has been mentioned that the Moon lies at the third Heaven, and that there are seven Heavens altogether. However some ahadith have stated that there are six Hells, and they are in a direction opposite to that of the Heavens, which are in the Sky, below the Earth rather.


So far from this small discussion, it does seem that Islam, recognises the Solar system, as numerous mentions of the heavens the Earth, and the Sun and Moon have been mentioned. As far as the Earth revolving around the Sun is concerned, then amazingly enough, there has been the mention of the Sun revolving around the Earth, as Allah the Almighty states:


'Fa innal laha ya'ti bish shamsi minal mashriqi fa'ti biha minal maghribi'

'Surely Allah the Almighty brings up the sun from the east, you cause it to rise from the west'

(al-Qur'an 2:258)


This verse shows that it is the Sun which rises to the Earth, and is capable of setting in the West, and that it is possible for the sun to be risen from the West, at the command of Allah the Almighty, as will happen during the time of Qiyamah.


In addition to your question regarding humans leaving the Earth, then Allah the Almighty has stated, in relation to Hadrat Isa alayhis 'salam:

'Idh qalal laho ya Isa inni mutawaffika wa rafi'uka ilayya'

'When Allah the Almighty said 'Oh Isa I shall let you reach full age, and raise you towards myself, and purify you'

(al Qur'an 3:55)


This verse answers exactly your question that have there ever been humans leaving the Earth without dying? Another classical example of this is when the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam went on the ascension (me'raj), in which He visited the seven Heavens, Paradise and Hell, and beyond that, to see His Lord. The Qur'an al kareem says:

'Subhan Alladhi asra bi 'Abdi hi laylam'

'Pure is He who journeyed his serveant during the night'

This journey was so quick, that not even the leaf of the tree the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam had stopped trembling, before He Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam had returned.


Another example of this is when Hadrat Adam alayhis 'salam was in paradise before He was brought down to Earth. Paradise was then his only abode, as he eat there, and did everything else there, until he was conspired to eat from the tree which was forbidden for him. The mention of this event is also proven from the Qur'an al kareem.


Since the World has gone so forward in the last fifty/seventy years, people have tended to turn away from those beliefs of religion which were widely believed, by Muslims for the past fourteen hundred years. Nor have they intellectually matured, in order not to raise doubt and question what was upheld by the Qur'an al kareem, which in itself remains unchanged today. They have rather taken the school of doubt, and questioning upon themselves, and not rightfully believed that, which thier religion had taught them for so long.



It is therefore appropriate to say that to study your religion, is to know your religion, and to question what the Qur'an al kareem has already stated, is to show the signs of weakness, and not enough education about ones own religion. If one questions doubtfully, his own religion, then how is it, that he will ever fulfil the rights of believing? How will he ever realise what the truth is, and who God is, and who was it, and what it was, that He sent down?


May Allah the Almighty help us all to study our Din (religion), and may He make it a sign for us to ponder, and to realise what the truth is.



Wallahu A'almu Biththawaab



M. Waseem Ashrafi