Introduction
The Quran and Sunnah often talk about the sun’s movement, and this causes some confusion to Muslims attempting to understand them how they cohere with modern scientific knowledge which says the earth revolves around the sun (and not the sun around the earth).
There is a specific hadith that is a microcosm of this question: The hadith of Abu Dharr (RA) that the sun prostrates under Allah’s throne when it sets.
In this article, I will explore how to understand this hadith, how to interpret the scientific claim that sun does not revolve around the earth, and what to do with possible scriptural indications that it does.
Summary of Methodology
If a hadith contradicts science, we check whether the science is strongly proven. If the science is established and strongly proven:
- We check if the hadith is authentic or not. If the hadith is weak, we do not concern ourselves with it.
- We check if if there are multiple competing versions of the hadith. If there are multiple versions and one fits the science and is similarly authentic or more authentic than the other version, we take that version of the hadith
- We check if there is an interpretation of the hadith that can fit the science. If there is an interpretation, we take that interpretation.
- If there is no possible interpretation and the hadith is not clear in being religious guidance and could possibly be human knowledge, we can say perhaps this statement came from the Prophet (SAW)’s human knowledge and did not come from revelation.
- If there is no possible interpretation and the hadith is religious guidance, we check if there is any weakness in the hadith or in the science. If we find slight weakness in either, we use that to explain the contradiction, even if not fully weak.
- If we cannot find a solution, we say “I don’t know” and remain silent on the topic until we find an answer.
Versions of the Hadith
Ibrahim al-Taymi narrated the hadith from his father Yazid ibn Shareek from Abu Dharr (RA) from the Prophet (SAW).
A’mash narrated the hadith from Ibrahim as follows:
The Prophet (SAW) asked Abu Dharr (RA), when the sun was setting, “Do you know when the sun goes?”
Abu Dharr said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
The Prophet (SAW) said, “It goes until it prostrates under the throne. Then, it asks permission, and it is given permission. Soon, it will prostrate, and it will not be accepted from it, then it will ask permission, and it will not be given permission. It will be told, ‘Return from where you came,’ so it will rise from the West.”
That is the statement of Allah ⟪The sun goes towards its mustaqarr (stopping point). That is the plan of the Mighty and Knowledgeable One.⟫ (36:38)
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
Weaker transmissions from A’mash say, “It goes and asks for permission in prostration,” or, “It goes until it prostrates in front of its Lord,” or, “It comes to the throne and prostrates.”
A’mash’s transmission is the most authentic version of this hadith. It is included in both Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim for its authenticity.
There are transmissions of this hadith from other students of Ibrahim al-Taymi.
Yunus ibn Ubaid transmitted it from Ibrahim, and two or three students transmitted it from him. Most versions from Yunus say, “It goes until it stops at its mustaqarr (stopping point) under the throne, and it goes into prostration. It stays in prostration until Allah says, ‘Get up.'”
Some versions from Yunus do not explicitly mention “until it stops,” but many do.
There is also a transmission of this hadith where the narrator makes a complete mistake and says the sun goes into a muddy spring. See Hadith Case Study: Does the Sun Set in a Muddy Spring? – Fussilat Blog
Prostration of the Sun
Someone may ask: How is it possible the hadith says the sun prostrates, when the sun does not have a face, hands, or feet to prostrate with?
The answer is: Prostration in the Arabic language signifies an act of deep obedience and reverence, and it is not limited to the specific gesture done by humans.
Rather, Allah is clear in the Quran that everything in the universe without exception prostrates, except for disobedient people: ⟪Do you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people?⟫ (22:18)
Allah also says ⟪And the stars and trees prostrate.⟫ (55:6)
However, the prostration and worship of other objects in the universe is not done in a way that humans can recognize: ⟪The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving.⟫ (17:44)
So, the sun prostrates to Allah. It submits to Him and shows complete reverence to Him, but we do not understand or comprehend the way it worships Allah, because we were not given the ability to see that aspect of creation. We can only see the effect of its worship: that it follows Allah’s commands without disobedience.
Stopping of the Sun
Someone may ask: I accept that the sun can prostrate in a way we do not understand, but the hadith of the Prophet (SAW) claims the sun, during sunset, stops under the throne and prostrates to Allah and seeks permission to rise again. The hadith claims under the throne is the sun’s stopping point. However, we know that the sun is always rising and setting somewhere, so how can it be described as stopping every evening?
The answer is: There are two versions of this hadith, the version of A’mash and the version of Yunus.
The version of A’mash never mentions the sun stopping under the throne every evening. That is only mentioned by the version of Yunus ibn Ubaid.
A’mash’s version is preferred over Yunus’s version for three reasons:
- A’mash was the stronger narrator by far. Yunus was reliable, but A’mash was an expert of hadith.
- A’mash was the more prolific student of Ibrahim al-Taymi. He narrated many hadith from Ibrahim, while Yunus only narrated this one hadith from Ibrahim.
- Bukhari and Muslim both included A’mash’s version, while only Muslim included Yunus’s version.
When these reasons from hadith science are combined with the principle that what fits confirmed scientific knowledge should be preferred, then it is clear that A’mash’s version that omits the mention of stopping for the sun is the preferred version of the hadith.
So, the Prophet (SAW) only said, “It goes until it prostrates under the throne.”
Movement of the Sun
Someone may ask: I accept that the sun stopping is not mentioned in the most accurate version of the hadith, however, the hadith mentions that the sun ‘goes’ until it prostrates under the throne. This implies 1) that the sun moves while it is setting (although setting only happens because of the rotation of the earth), and 2) the sun moves from the state of not being under the throne to being under the throne (which is problematic for the same reason as 1).
The answer to this requires some foundation.
First: Movement is Relative
Movement is when two objects come closer to each other or go further from each other or the relative positions of objects change.
When defined, it becomes clear that movement is not inherent but relative. Meaning, whether something is moving and how it is moving depends on what we assume is the stationary point we are measuring those objects against.
For example, if you are standing still, you might say, “I am not moving.” But, in reality, you are moving: you are on the surface of the earth, which is spinning relative to the center of the earth. You are also orbiting around the sun relative to the center of the sun. However, when we assume the surface of the earth is our stationary point, it is honest and accurate to say, “I am not moving.”
As such, it is allowed logically to say the earth is rotating on its axis as much as it is allowed to say the sun and the universe revolve around earth.
However, there is an important reason that we usually do not assume the earth is stationary in physics: Because Earth is an accelerating frame of reference, it complicates most of our equations modeling motion.
However, greater complication does not mean the model is impossible. It is still possible to describe the universe using a coordinate system where the earth is stationary if you account for the non-inertial forces that would be implied by this model.
Someone might say: The fact that assuming the earth is stationary causes these complications implies that there is something more true or more natural about the model of the universe where Earth is not stationary and where the earth is simply rotating on its axis. So, why would Allah or the Prophet (SAW) speak in terms of this less simple model?
I would say: Models are only ways of representing reality, but reality itself is not reducible to the model. It may very well be true that earth rotating on its axis has higher truth value to it, but it is also true that the universe and the sun revolving around Earth is not inherently a false model.
The reason Allah and the Prophet (SAW) would speak in terms of what seems a more complicated model to us is that it was a simpler model for the purposes of the vast majority audience of the world.
People see the sun rise from the East and set in the West. That is what they first see as children, that is what they continue to see as adults, and that is what they will see while they are dying.
That is why, despite the knowledge of Earth’s rotation being widespread, we still speak in terms of sunset and sunrise, rather then earthrotate.
Even if the model of the earth rotating is more valuable for one purpose (physics calculating the movement of celestial bodies), the model of the sun moving around the earth can be more valuable for another purpose (normal humans contemplating their place in the universe).
Second: Time Does Not Apply to God Like It Applies to Humans
The second thing to know is that time is an experience, hence we cannot imagine how it applies to God.
The difference between Allah’s perception of time and human perception of time is mentioned several times in the Quran.
Allah says ⟪And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of those which you count.⟫ (22:47) and ⟪He arranges [each] matter from the heaven to the earth; then it will ascend to Him in a Day, the extent of which is a thousand years of those which you count.⟫ (32:5)
There is no reason a moment or instant of time cannot be an hour or more to Allah and a thousand years cannot be a day to him. These are matters beyond comprehension and mysteries meant to remain unsolved.
As such, even though sunset is constantly happening and thus sunset is only an instant before sunset happens relative to another location of Earth, the interaction between Allah and the sun at every moment can be spoken of as if it is more than one instant, because it is an interaction of Allah which we do not understand.
Third: Everything is Under the Throne
The throne of Allah encompasses the whole universe, so everything is always under the throne of Allah.
Allah says ⟪Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne.⟫ and ⟪His Kursi (throne) extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not.⟫ (2:255)
At the same time, to prostrate under the throne is a clear reference to the sun’s humility and submission to Allah’s power and control.
A’mash’s version of the hadith does not say the sun goes under the throne or goes until it reaches under the throne. Rather, the hadith connects the “until” to the act of prostration. So, the sun goes until it prostrates, which is under the throne.
Meaning, the Prophet (SAW) simply said the sun goes then prostrates, and it does not necessarily imply that it was not under the throne beforehand.
Someone might say: Saying “until it prostrates” implies that it is not currently prostrating. The sun is always setting, so how can it not be prostrating at any given moment?
The answer is: The sun is indeed prostrating at every moment. The choice to say “until it prostrates” pertains to that specific instant of sunset the Prophet (SAW) was speaking of. Meaning, the sun goes (i.e. sets) then prostrates and seeks permission to go forward from that sunset. So, the distinction between the “go” and “until” refers to the fact that the prostration of moving forward from a specific sunset comes after the sunset happens, not that it was not prostrating beforehand.
Meaning of the Hadith
With that knowledge as foundation, we can explain the hadith as follows: Whenever the sun sets, it prostrates to Allah and seeks permission to keep going. It moves on when given permission.
Accounting for the fact that the sun is always setting or rising somewhere, we should know that the sun prostrates and seeks permission from Allah every moment of its existence. There is no moment it is not prostrating and seeking permission to move forward.
In fact, the whole universe is always prostrating to Allah and seeking permission to move forward at any given point of time. When Allah gives permission, they move forward for the benefit of humanity. When Allah will command them, they will turn on humanity and bring about the Day of Judgement. This applies whatever model of movement you apply to the universe, whether the sun moving or the earth rotating.
The Prophet (SAW) in this hadith but magnified for us one instant of the sun’s existence, even though it is always happening like this every moment of time.
Allah says ⟪Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. […] His Kursi (throne) extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not.⟫ (2:255)
Even in this verse, Allah links His throne to the preservation of the universe’s order, exactly how this hadith focuses on one aspect of that: the sun’s movement.
Allah also says ⟪Do you not see that Allah has subjected to you whatever is on the earth and the ships which run through the sea by His command? And He restrains the sky from falling upon the earth, unless by His permission. Indeed Allah, to the people, is Kind and Merciful.⟫ (22:65)
Allah also says ⟪And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.⟫ (6:59)
That is Allah’s complete plan and control over the universe.
Why the Sun? Why at Sunset?
Someone may ask: You say that Allah controls the whole universe in this way and the whole universe prostrates to him, so why speak specifically of the sun prostrating under the throne? Why speak about the moment of sunset specifically? Does that not imply it is a specific event at sunset rather than a constant event?
The answer is: Many polytheistic religions gave the sun false importance and especially used to worship the sun at sunrise and sunset, thinking those are holy times for worshiping the sun.
Islam opposes all forms of polytheism, and as such, there is also a special focus in the Quran and Sunnah opposing sun worship.
Allah says ⟪And of His signs are the night and day and the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostate to Allah, who created them, if it should be Him that you worship.⟫ (41:37)
The Prophet (SAW) also forbade us from praying during sunrise and during sunset to avoid becoming similar to sun-worshipers who worship at that time.
This hadith about the sun prostrating at sunset is a part of that theme. The Prophet (SAW) emphasized the sun’s submission and prostration to Allah even at a time that some deluded people worship it.
So, the choice of mentioning the sun and the choice of mentioning sunset has an actual reason. The Prophet (SAW) simplified Allah’s control of the universe to one moment and one object so that it would be easier for the audience to understand why it is foolish to worship the sun at sunset.
Rising From the West
Someone may say: The hadith claims that the sun rises from the West. There are also other hadith that claim the sun will rise from the West on the Day of Judgement. The only way for this to happen is for the earth to switch its direction of rotation, and that would cause a large physical effect on earth, the destruction of almost everything on its surface.
The answer is: As we mentioned before, the earth rotating and the sun moving around the earth are both plausible models for the universe. So, it is possible to say the earth switches direction of rotation or to say the sun switches its direction of movement and rises from the West.
As for the physical effect on the surface of the earth, if Allah chooses to equally switch the angular momentum of everything on the surface of the earth relative to the center of the earth, that would neutralize any physical effect implied by the sudden switch of direction of earth’s rotation.
The catastrophic consequences usually imagined only occur under the assumption that the earth’s rotation switches but objects on earth are not given this equal switch. There is no reason God is limited to doing that. If he can switch the rotation of earth, he can change the angular momentum of objects on earth.
All of this is functionally equivalent to the sun switching directions in its orbit around earth. Thus, the hadith describes it as the sun rising from the West.
Someone may say: You justified focusing on the sun in the hadith of prostration because of sun-worshipers. How do you justify focusing on the sun’s movement for this information about the Day of Judgement?
The answer is: The sun is the focus in this cosmological description as it is the focus in most cosmological descriptions rather than the rotation of the earth because the sun’s movement is something visible to everyone, while the earth’s rotation is knowledge known by specific people. So, when given the choice of two equally true paradigms of considering the universe, Allah and the Prophet (SAW) chose the paradigm that applies to most people without needing special study.
When the sun rises from the West, people will experience it as the sun rising from the West. That is what they will see with their eyes. That is why it is more appropriate to talk about it from that perspective than from the perspective of the earth switching rotation.
Similarly, the first audience of this information also thought primarily in this frame of reference, so it made more sense to talk about the sun rising from the West from that frame of reference, even if the earth rotating is a simpler model for physicists.
What is the Sun’s Stopping Point?
Firstly, the word mustaqarr is a form in Arabic that can either indicate place or time. So, it can either refer to the place of stopping or the time of stopping, which is why the translation “stopping point,” which can refer to both, is appropriate.
Secondly, the two versions of the hadith imply a different meaning for the sun’s stopping point.
In the version of A’mash, either the Prophet (SAW) or one of the narrators of the hadith quotes the verse of Surah Yaseen after the whole hadith and right after mentioning the sun rising from the West:
The Prophet (SAW) asked Abu Dharr (RA), when the sun was setting, “Do you know when the sun goes?”
Abu Dharr said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
The Prophet (SAW) said, “It goes until it prostrates under the throne. Then, it asks permission, and it is given permission. Soon, it will prostrate, and it will not be accepted from it, then it will ask permission, and it will not be given permission. It will be told, ‘Return from where you came,’ so it will rise from the West.”
That is the statement of Allah ⟪The sun goes towards its mustaqarr (stopping point). That is the plan of the Mighty and Knowledgeable One.⟫ (36:38)
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
It is possible in this version that the stopping point refers to sunset or its prostration under the throne, or it can refer to the part of the hadith that came right before: the sun rising from the West.
One transmission from A’mash says, “Its stopping point is under the throne,” without the rest of the hadith (Sahih Bukhari), but many students of A’mash reported this hadith without this addition. Hence, we should not take it as completely reliable.
In the version of Yunus, the phrase “stopping point” is incorporated into the part of the narrative that mentions the sun prostrating under the throne.
His version says: “The sun goes until it stops at its stopping point under the Throne and prostrates […]”
We noted before that A’mash’s version is more reliable than Yunus’s version. For that reason, we should take his version more seriously, and we do not need to accord high confidence to the phrasing of Yunus’s version.
There are several ways to interpret this verse. One good interpretation is to say the stopping point of the sun refers to the Day of Judgement, when it rises from the West. By definition, when the sun switches directions from rising from the East to rising from the West, there would be a point where it has to stop before it changes directions.
