Peace sNOVA
May Allah(SWT) shower His blessings and give guidance to all those who sincerely seek knowledge.
Let me begin by echoing the words of USResident that The Holy Qur’an is far more superior in it’s terminology than we are or have ever been.
The title of the thread shows an ignorance which is “self-centric” so it is ironic that the contention is on an alleged claim that Al-Qur’an speaks in terms of “Geocentricity” …
For what do we have today, as a model for the universe, if it is any better? Okay, so the Earth goes around the Sun, or does it? The moon goes around the Earth or does it? Heck … today we say the solar system goes around the centre of the Galaxy. Does it really?
Even these all are generalisations … they are inaccurate descriptors of what is actually happening. And may be what I am about to tell you is itself prone to error. But it will be far better than the above.
The Earth-Moon couplet are engaged in each others gravity field in actual fact they both rotate about a point which is between the centre of gravity of both bodies. It just so happens that the earth is a lot more massive and hence this point lies closer to the Earth’s centre than the Moon’s. However, even this is a generalisation. I’ll explain …
First, let’s look at the Earth-Sun couplet. They too are engaged in a mutual orbit with the centre of gravity of both. However, now put more things in to the equation, which is all the other planets and astral bodies all exerting forces of attraction on to each other and hence creating a melting pot of orbits and subsidiary orbits and elongations and contractions. Now factor in the rest of the galaxy and the motion of the whole solar system which seems to be going around the centre of the so called supermassive black hole, which really wobbles itself as a result of other gravitionally affecting bodies in the galactic soup.
The effect is that it would be totally and wholly wrong to say that the Moon orbits the Earth, because we know that is not technically true. However, we do know that it does indeed maintain an orbit since all signs we have demonstrate this. It keeps up with the solar system, it keeps up with the Solar wobble, it keeps up despite all this all other influences and goes what can be described as effectively going around the Earth.
You see the definition is not wrong but it is limited … you see to say that it “maintains an orbit” one can never go wrong. but to say it goes around this or this object then we can be wrong based on the frame of reference.
This is my first point … The terminology of Al-Qur’an is superior
Now to explain what the ayat mean:
It is intended to be the perceived Sun and Moon as they traverse the sky …
As an avid astronomy enthusiast I would like to make mention of the fact that the Moon regularly outstrips the Sun, but not vice-versa. What I mean by this is that for the same point of sky on any given day the Sun will move slower along it’s path relative the stars behind it than the Moon will for an equivalent period of time. That is what allows the phases of the Moon possible in fact. However, at the same time the night does not outstrip the day in that moon is not in anyway linked to the night as the Sun is linked with the day.
These things only a person who reads star charts regularly and knows and understands how to locate and take bearings from the astral bodies can do, because it was based on these gems of verses that the Arabs eventually deveoped superior astronomical equipment, long distance measurement devices and mapped the majority of the world.
If you want more explanation I’ll provide it happily … for the time being … this should be enough to be mulling over.
May Allah (SWT) be Praised.
