Each Swimming in an Orbit

The sixth, then, is more upon what has just been read: the night, the day, the sun and the moon. And there is the truly interesting notion in the wording used for every one of the planets, of these celestial bodies: that they are all swimming. And that is literally what it seems like — that they are swimming in an ocean of space. It is a most interesting notion, and for astronomers especially.

It must be remembered that for us many of these things become much clearer through astronomy and its modern understanding. When the Qur'an first mentioned this, much of that understanding — they had a rudimentary understanding of astronomy of some sort, but not to the level of telescopes and the rest that we have. All of these things are becoming much clearer now. But these were all said at a time when there was hardly any information about them at all. How can a man who is ummī, who has not gone to a university and has no degrees, have all of this information?

That is why Allah (swt) says at last, at verse 37, khuliqa al-insānu min ʿajal: the human being has been created from haste, with a hasty character, a hasty disposition. I shall soon show you all of My signs. Fa-lā tastaʿjilūn: I shall show you My signs; only do not hasten Me. You will see all of these things becoming clearer and clearer as we go on.