Introduction 8- The
Earth: Earth is almost a sphere, that rotates around its own axis, resulting in the alternation of nights and days. So says the verse: § He makes the night to go (Arabic: yukawwir = roll about) in the day, and yukawwir the day in the night. [39/5] The Earth’s motion is also implied from the Qur’anic statement: § By the sun and its brightness. By the moon as it follows it (the sun). By the day as it shows up (the sun’s) brightness. By the night as it conceals it. [91/1-4] i.e. daytime brings the sun into vision (i.e. by Earth’s rather than by Sun’s motion), The subsequent coming of night hides away the Sun, i.e. again, the sun’s disappearance is not due to its own motion. The concept of motion is also implied from the expression “stripping” or “withdrawal”. This refers to the relative withdrawal of the earth away from the illuminated part of its atmosphere ic envelope. § And a sign for them is the night, We naslakh (strip off, withdraw) therefrom the day. [36/37]
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