"By heaven furnished with paths;" Surat adh-Dhariyat

The Arabic word "alhubuki," translated as "furnished with paths" in verse 7 of Surat adh-Dhariyat, comes from the verb "hubeke," meaning "to weave closely, to knit, to bind together." The use of this word in the verse is particularly wise and represents the current state of scientific knowledge in two aspects.

The first is this: The orbits and paths in the universe are so dense and intertwined that they constitute intersecting paths, just like the threads in a piece of fabric. The Solar System we live in is made up of the Sun, the planets and their satellites and heavenly objects in constant motion such as meteors and comets. The Solar System moves through the galaxy known as the Milky Way, which contains 400 billion stars.1 It is estimated that there are billions of galaxies. Celestial bodies and systems revolving at speeds of thousands of kilometers an hour move through space without colliding with one another.

The science of astronomy was developed with the aim of mapping the positions and courses of stars, while astro-mechanics was developed in order to determine these complex motions. Astronomers used to assume that orbits were perfectly spherical. The fact is, however, that heavenly bodies are known to follow mathematical shapes, such as spherical, elliptical, parabolic or hyperbolic orbits. Dr. Carlo Rovelli of the University of Pittsburgh says, "Our space in which we live is just this enormously complicated spin network."

Above left; the orbits of some of the bodies in the Solar System. Based on this picture and looking clockwise, it can be seen that the Solar System itself is part of even greater orbital movements.

The picture above shows some of the complex movements of stars

This picture shows the approximately annual movements of just
seven stars in the Milky Way.
The second aspect is that the description in the Qur'an of the sky using a word meaning "woven" may be a reference to the String Theory of physics. (Allah knows the truth.) According to this theory, the basic elements that comprise the universe are not point-like particles, but strings resembling miniature violin strings. These tiny, identical and one dimensional strings oscillating in the form of filaments are regarded as being like loops in appearance. It is assumed that the origin of all the diversity in the universe lies in the way these strings vibrate at different vibrations, in the same way that violin strings produce different sounds with different vibrations.

Although it is not possible to see the size of the threads in the String Theory, the only theory to bring theories such as Einstein's theory of general relativity and quantum mechanics together in a coherent way, it can still be calculated mathematically. These strings, which scientists regard as the material from which space and time are woven, are just 1.6x10^-35 m (0.000000000000000000000000000000000016 meters) in size.This, known as Plank's length, is the smallest known, being just 10^-20 of the protons that make up the nucleus of that atom. If an atom were to be magnified to the size of the Solar System, each one of these strings would be no bigger than a tree.  Bearing in mind that an atom is 100,000 times smaller than the smallest thing that can be seen with the naked eye, the minute scale of these strings can be more easily grasped.

Professor of Physics Abhay Ashtekar from the University of Pennsylvania and Professor of Physics Jerzy Lewandowski from the University of Warsaw interpret the woven appearance of space as follows in an article titled "Space and Time Beyond Einstein":

In this theory, Einstein wove the gravitational field into the very fabric of space and time... The continuum we are all used to is only an approximation. Perhaps the simplest way to visualize these ideas is to look at a piece of fabric. For all practical purposes, it represents a 2-dimensional continuum; yet it is really woven by 1-dimensional threads. The same is true of the fabric of space-time. It is only because the "quantum threads" which weave this fabric are tightly woven in the region of the universe we inhabit that we perceive a continuum. Upon intersection with a surface, each thread, or polymer excitation, endows it with a tiny "Plank quantum" of area of about 10^-66 cm². So an area of 100 cm² has about 10⁶⁸ such intersections; because the number is so huge, the intersections are very closely spaced and we have the illusion of a continuum.

An Article in the New York Times seeking an answer to the question "How Was the Universe Built?" contained the following lines:

Even the tiny quarks that make up protons, neutrons and other particles are too big to feel the bumps that may exist on the Planck scale. More recently, though, physicists have suggested that quarks and everything else are made of far tinier objects: superstrings vibrating in 10 dimensions. At the Planck level, the weave of space-time would be as apparent as when the finest Egyptian cotton is viewed under a magnifying glass, exposing the warp and woof.

In his book Three Roads to Quantum Gravity, the theoretical quantum physicist Lee Smolin devotes one chapter to "How to Weave a String" and says this on the subject:

... space may be 'woven' from a network of loops... just like a piece of cloth is 'woven' from a network of threads.

In his book Our Cosmic Habitat the cosmologist and astrophysicist Prof. Martin Rees says:

According to our present concepts, empty space is anything but simple... and on an even tinier scale, it may be a seething tangle of strings.

The way that Allah describes the universe as being woven paths and orbits in verse 7 of Surat adh-Dhariyat shows that the Qur'an is in extraordinary agreement with science. As can be seen in a great many other instances, the way that all the information revealed in the Qur'an 1400 years ago is confirmed by modern scientific data is highly thought provoking. This perfect harmony between the Qur'an and scientific developments clearly reveals that the Qur'an is the word of our Lord, the creator of and He who knows best about all things. In one verse Allah states:

"Will they not ponder the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah, they would have found many inconsistencies in it." Surat an-Nisa

Miracle of the Quran Series: Creation in 6 days

Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then settled Himself firmly on the Throne... Qur'an, 7:54

One example of the harmony between the Qur'an and modern science is the subject of the age of the universe. Cosmologists estimate the age of the universe as 16^-17 billion years. The Qur'an states that the entire universe was created in six days. These two time frames, which may seem contradictory, are actually surprisingly compatible. In fact, both these figures concerning the age of the universe are correct. In other words, the universe was created in six days, as revealed in the Qur'an, and this period corresponds to 16-17 billion years in the way that we experience time.
In 1915 Einstein proposed that time was relative, that the passage of time altered according to space, the speed of the person travelling and the force of gravity at that moment. Bearing in mind these differences in the passage of time, the period of time in which the universe was created as revealed in seven different verses of the Qur'an is actually highly compatible with scientists' estimations. The six-day period revealed in the Qur'an can be thought of as six periods. Because, taking into account the relativity of time, a "day" refers only to a 24-hour period experienced on Earth under current conditions. Elsewhere in the universe, however, at another time and under other conditions, a "day" could refer to a much longer period of time. Indeed, the word "ayyamin" in the period of six days (sittati ayyamin) in these verses (Qur'an 32:4, 10:3, 11:7, 25:59, 57:4, 50:38, and 7:54) means not only "days," but also "age, period, moment, term."
In the first period of the universe, the passage of time took place much faster than that with which we are familiar today. The reason for this is that, at the moment of the Big Bang, our universe was compressed into a very small point. The expansion of the universe and increase in its volume ever since the moment of that explosion has extended the borders of the universe to millions of light years. Indeed, the stretching of space ever since that moment has had very important ramifications for universal time.
The energy at the moment of the Big Bang slowed down the flow of time 10¹² (one million million) times. When the universe was created the speed of universal time was higher up to a million million times, as time is experienced today. In other words, a million million minutes on Earth is the equivalent of just one minute in universal time.
When a six-day period of time is calculated according to the relativity of time, it equates to six million million (six trillion) days. That is because universal time flows a million million times faster than time on Earth. Calculated in terms of years, 6 trillion days equates to approximately 16.427 billion years. This is within the estimated range for the age of the universe.
6,000,000,000,000 days/365.25 = 16.427104723 billion years.

"Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining. He is not subject to drowsiness or sleep. Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them but they cannot grasp any of His knowledge save what He wills. His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth and their preservation does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent."
Qur’an, 2:255

 

On the other hand, each of the six days of creation equates to very different periods, as we perceive time. The reason for this is that the speed of the passage of time declines in proportion to the expansion of the universe. Ever since the Big Bang, as the size of the universe doubled, so the passage of time halved. As the universe grew, the speed at which the universe doubled increasingly slowed down. This rate of expansion is a scientific fact acknowledged the world over and described in the text book The Fundamentals of Physical Cosmology. When we calculate every day of creation in terms of Earth time, the following situation emerges:

• Looked at from the moment when time began, the first day of creation (first phase) lasted 24 hours. This period, however, is the equivalent of 8 billion years in Earth terms.
• The second day of creation (second phase) lasted 24 hours. This, however, lasted half as long, in our terms, as the preceding day, in other words 4 billion years.
• The third day (third phase) lasted half as long as the second day, in other words 2 billion years.
• The fourth day (fourth phase) lasted 1 billion years.
• The fifth day (fifth phase) lasted 500 million years.
• And the sixth day (sixth phase) lasted 250 million years.
• Conclusion: When the six days of creation, in other words the six phases, are added together in Earth terms, the resulting figure is 15 billion 750 million years. This figure displays an enormous parallel with modern-day estimations.

This conclusion is one of the facts revealed by 21st century science. Science has once again confirmed a fact revealed in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago. This harmony between the Qur'an and science is one of the miraculous proofs that the Qur'an is the revelation of Allah, the Creator, the Omniscient.

Rising of the Sun from the West

 
The rising of the sun from the west is also a major sign of Qiyamah proven by the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Allah says in the Qur'an, "The day when some signs of your Lord will come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his faith."    Surah Al-An'aam

The verse is referring to the rising of the sun from the west, as is the opinion of the majority of the commentators.  (Tabari/Ibne Kathir)
Imam Tabari, after mentioning the different opinions of the commentators writes, "The most correct opinion in regards to the meaning of this verse is that what is apparent from the reports narrated from the Prophet that he said, "(lmaan will be of no benefit) when the sun rises from the west."   
 
Abu Huraira reported that the Holy Prophet said, "Hasten to do good deeds before six (things happen) :Rising of the sun from the west."  
 
 
Where the Sun goes
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Zar that the Messenger of Allah one day said, "Do you know where the Sun goes?" They replied, "Allah and his apostle know best." He (The Holy Prophet) observed, "Verily it (the sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is told, 'Rise up and go to the place whence you came and it goes back." Then it continues emerging out from its rising place and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the throne where it falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is told, 'Rise up and return to the place whence you came.' And it returns and emerges out of it's rising place and then it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the throne. Then it would be said to it, 'Rise up and emerge from the place of your setting,' and it will rise from the place of its setting."
The Messenger of Allah said "Do you know when it will happen? It will happen at the time when faith will not benefit anyone who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith."   

Worshippers during the night will remain till the sun rises from the West

Abdullah-b-Abu-Owfa reported that I heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Verily a night will come upon the people which is equivalent of three of your nights. When it comes those that engage themselves in worship during the night will recognise it. One of them will stand in prayer, read his Hizb (The normal amount he has made the habit of reading) and then go to sleep. Thereafter he will wake up (for the second time) read his Hizb in prayer and go to sleep. While this is the situation the people will begin to shout, scream and call one another. They will say, "What's this?" With fear they will run to the mosque. To their surprise they will see that the sun has risen from the west. When it reaches the middle of the sky it will return and set in the west." He said , "That is when Imaan will not benefit anyone (who brings faith after seeing the sign)."          

Everyone will bring faith in seeing the sign

Narrated by Abu Huraira , "Allah's Messenger said, 'The hour will not come until the sun rises from the west; and when the people see it, then whoever will be living on the surface of the Earth will have faith, and that is (the time) when no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before."   

The real basis of faith is that man believes in the unseen realities on the authority of the Messenger of Allah . But when Allah manifests such startling and visible signs which herald the approach of the last hour and by which the veil of the unseen is rent asunder, then the belief becomes meaningless. The rising of the sun from the west will be of great disturbance to nature and will shake the mind of every man and awaken him to see for himself the great power of Allah. At this time the belief of the unseen will lose its importance.
 Door of Repentance Closed
Once the sun has risen from the west the door of repentance will be closed and will remain closed until the Day of Judgement. If any infidel embraces Islam or any Muslim repents and seeks forgiveness for his sins any time after the rising of the sun from the west till the Day of Judgement, it will not be accepted.
The Messenger of Allah said, "Verily Allah extends his hand at night so that the sinners of the day may repent and verily extends his hand during the day so that the sinners of the night may repent. (He will keep on doing this) as long as the sun does not rise from the west." 

The Prophet said, "Allah has built a door of repentance in the west the breadth of which is seventy years and it will not close as long as the sun does not rise from the west."  

The above Ahadith have clearly specified that the extreme limit of the acceptance of repentance is till the sun rises from the west. Once it has risen it will not be accepted.
Ibne Hajar has mentioned many Ahadith which prove that the door of repentance will remain closed till the Day of Judgement and thereafter writes, ''These narration's give strength to one another, agreeing completely in that when the sun rises from the west the door of repentance will be closed and will not be opened thereafter. And this is not specific with that day but will prolong till the Day of Judgement.''