In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful
The sun also runs its set course: that is laid down by the will of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. And for the moon We have determined phases until it finally becomes like an old date stalk. Neither the sun can overtake the moon, nor can the night outrun the day. Each floats in its own orbit. And yet another sign for them is that We carry their offspring in laden ships, and that We create things of similar kind for them to ride in. If such be Our will, We may cause them to drown, with none to respond to their cries for help, and then they cannot be saved, unless it be by an act of mercy from Us, leaving them to enjoy life for a while. When they are told: ‘Beware of that which lies before you and behind you, so that you may be graced with His mercy,’ (they pay no heed). (Ya Seen: 36: 38-45)
The surah cites some aspects of what we see in the world around us, referring to signs that we see every day, but we tend to overlook their miraculous nature because long familiarity with them tends to make us take them for granted. It highlights the nature of the sun and the moon, both of which provide clear signs for us to contemplate.
The surah then makes it clear that the system regulating all these great celestial bodies is most accurate, and that this controls its resulting phenomena: “Neither the sun can overtake the moon, nor can the night outrun the day. Each floats in its own orbit.” (Verse 40) Indeed every planet and star has its own orbit, which it follows accurately. Stars and planets are so far apart that the distances separating them are huge. Our planet earth is approximately 93 million miles away from the sun, while the moon is around 240,000 miles away from us. Hardly imaginable as these distances are, they are nothing compared to the distance between our solar system and the nearest star to us outside it, which is estimated to be four light years. We should remember that light travels at a speed of 186,000 miles per second.
God, the Creator, willed that such distances should separate the orbits of stars and planets, and He planned the universe according to this design in order to prevent any collision, until a time He has set and that is known only to Him. Therefore, the sun will not overtake the moon, and the night cannot outrun the day, because the cycle of day and night never fails.
“Each floats in its own orbit.” (Verse 40) The movement of all these great bodies in space is similar to the movement of ships and boats in the sea. Huge as these bodies are, they are no more than little spots floating on the surface of the sea. Compare man to all this, and think of the millions of millions of stars and planets floating in space!
“And yet another sign for them is that We carry their offspring in laden ships, and that We create things of similar kind for them to ride in. If such be Our will, We may cause them to drown, with none to respond to their cries for help, and then they cannot be saved, unless it be by an act of mercy from Us, leaving them to enjoy life for a while.”
There is a clear analogy between the stars and planets floating in their orbits and ships floating on water carrying human passengers. The two types are not dissimilar in appearance or movement. Moreover, it is only through God’s will and design that these two types of floating take place while He controls the entire universe ensuring the safety of all. At the same time, both are signs that we see but hardly ever contemplate. The floating of laden ships is closer to us and easier to reflect upon, if only we would open our hearts.
In the original Arabic text, the term ‘laden ships’ could be read to mean ‘the laden ark’, which makes it a reference to Noah’s ark in which Adam’s offspring was carried. God then enabled mankind to make ships. In both cases, the floating was made possible by God’s will, power and the laws He has set in operation and the nature of boats, water, wind, steam, and other types of energy, which combine to allow ships to float on water. All these are parts of God’s creation.
“If such be Our will, We may cause them to drown, with none to respond to their cries for help, and then they cannot be saved, unless it be by an act of mercy from Us, leaving them to enjoy life for a while.” (Verses 43-44) Large, heavy and carefully built as it may be, a ship in water is like a feather in the air: It can disappear and perish in a moment, unless it is protected by God’s grace. People who have crossed oceans, whether in a boat with sails or in a large vessel, appreciate the danger represented by the sea and the little protection there is, should a storm ensue. They recognize that only God’s grace provides protection in the midst of storms and currents that run over the sea, which is after all a creature controlled only by God’s caring hand. But all this applies ‘for a while,’ only until the time God has set arrives.
