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from the verses that for rise and set the Sun has to extreme points, one begins from East and the other ends on the West. And one can reach this extreme points over a night. How come?
I shall get back to you with more questions later on.
Please do reply.
Your brother . . .
Dear Brother…………….,
Assalam alaykum,
Let me ask you where you find that the days mentioned in 41:9 to 41:12 are exclusive to each other and sequential when in fact verse 41:10 indicates that they overlap. During the two days for the creation of the Earth Allah (swt) starts His blessings upon it when, in those two days, he sets out the mountains. These blessings continue for four days and when in these four days he has completed the first heaven, which we see with our eyes, He (swt) started to nourish the earth. Thus the whole process took six days but certain elements within it were completed in less than the full time.
I am glad you believe in science and logic for they are gifts from Allah (swt) but they are merely tools for man to apply in a rational manner to demonstrable facts and realities. If logic is applied irrationally or based upon falsehood it only serves to increase error and falsity. Logic must proceed from a clear analysis of the principle subject matter or it can only obscure the truth. Thus if we take your example of 2+2=4 this is only true if we are sure that 2 is precisely 2 and if we are not then the equation would read (2+ or -x)+(2+ or-x)=(4+ or -2x) and this assumes x as a constant. If x is an unknown variable then a series of possible answers will be produced but only one of them will be correct. This potential for error is even more real when dealing with text, words and concepts, which we are able to quantify or define with an accuracy that nowhere approaches the relative precision of our understanding of numbers.
To return to the text of the Qur'an, it is essential to read what is there and reject what is not there before attempting to understand its meaning and this of course requires a general literary understanding of Arabic and knowledge of Arabic Grammar. We must also rigorously resist any attempt to impose preconceptions upon the actual text or reliance upon inaccurate translations if we truly seek truth.
In your reading of these verses you have assumed the days to be exclusive, assumed the number of days for each act to be sequential and inserted the plus signs. By doing this you have arrived at your erroneous conclusions.
To make the assumption that Allah (swt) can only do one thing at a time is to deny His omniscience, omnipresence, timelessness and power over all things. It also ascribes to Him abilities that are less than those of the lowest human being for we are all capable of doing more than one thing at the same time and He (swt) is capable of doing all things at the same time.
I would ask you to consider 2:26, " Surely Allah is not ashamed to set forth any parable-- (that of) a gnat or any thing above that; then as for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord, and as for those who disbelieve, they say: What is it that Allah means by this parable: He causes many to err by it and many He leads aright by it! but He does not cause to err by it (any) except the transgressors,"
A man who is looking for something may search high and low or seek it at the four corners of the Earth or in every nook and crany. All similes for the limits of his ability and as in verse 2:26 Allah (swt) says He uses similes it would seem logical to read the verses concerning the extent of Dhu'l Qarnain's (as) journeys as such. To argue otherwise would require some reasonable evidence that an Arab of the first century Hijrah would have read these verses literally and demonstrates the importance of reading the Qur'an in the context of Arabic usage at that time and not via an imposed literalism.
46:12
And before this, was the Book of Moses as a guide and a mercy: And this Book confirms (it) in the Arabic tongue; to admonish the unjust, and as Glad Tidings to those who do right.
26:195
In the perspicuous Arabic tongue.
Thus the Qur'an was revealed in a human language for people who understood that language and humans understand the similes, figures of speech and parables of their mother tongue for what they are unless they seek to deceive themselves.
There is no reference to the time the journeys of Dhu'l Qarnain took for his journey from the eastern limit to the west in the verses you refer to so I do not really see the point of your final question but if I may point out that if a man stands or sits at one point on the Earths surface from the rising of the Sun until it sets on the same day he has travelled that distance through space by virtue of the Earths rotation.
I do hope that my answers and discussion will, inshallah, be of assistance to you and look forward to further questions. Wasalam, Amin
Dear Respected Sir,
Peace be on you from the Holy Lord.
Before going into the detail please let me tell you that I have two extremely reliable translations of Quran. One in English by Pickthall and other one in Bengali by a big panel of learned Quran specialists of Bangladesh. This translation has been so rich that the Saudi government got it translated into English for distribution. I follow both the books, which are extremely closest in meaning. Therefore, I have no reservation that I might be wrong in understanding.
With respect of course, your answer to my question regarding the number of days is not convincing to me. It seems to me that you tried to remould
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