Sun prostrates under Allah's throne

3-1-2001 | IslamWeb

Question:

Please explain the hadeeth that the sun sets to prostrate under allah's throne (arsh)? It's known that earth goes round the sun.

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. Narrated Abu Zar: The Prophet (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked me at sunset, “ Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?” I replied, “Allah and His Apostle know better.” He said.” It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates itself underneath the Throne, and takes permission to rise again, and it is permitted, and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come and so it will rise in the west. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: {And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed), that is the Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All-Knowing}. There is no contradiction between rotating of earth around sun and between that sun which when reachs a specific point, stops and prostrates. Therefore the earth itself is rotating around the sun not the sun rotating around the earth. The Sun is a huge creature, very far from earth as proved by astronomers. It is very possible that the sun may remain on a point for a while and the man can not realize it due to the great distance. In future he may discover some new things as he has done before that were beyond his knowledge. Allah knows best.