The last few centuries have seen great technological and scientific advancements. Humans have discovered and utilised many things on earth, from metals and motorised vehicles to petroleum and natural gas. With the help of satellites and aeroplanes, there are few places we cannot reach, or view through satellite imagery. However, what we call Earth is merely an atom in the vast, mysterious universe. To help us comprehend this fact, it’s worth noting that the earth’s diameter is approximately 12,742 km, while the observable universe is approximately 28 billion parsecs across (one parsec is 30 trillion km). Despite using numbers to represent these facts, the vastness of the universe is still unimaginable.
The greatest scholars throughout history have always pondered the nature of the universe – its origins and vastness – and have sought evidence to answer their questions. Although several theories have achieved major breakthroughs, many questions remain unanswered. The universe is too complex for us to understand it completely. The Prophet’s (PBUH) connection and attachment to the sky began before he was sent as a Messenger. He spent nights in solitude, far away from Mecca in the cave of Hira, with a view of the Kaaba. The Messenger secluded himself from any human contact and engaged in prayer, contemplating life and the universe. The moon and stars above him were the only light in the darkness that surrounded the Prophet.
Part of the Quranic message is to guide us towards reflecting on Allah’s creation by highlighting its magnificence. This is evident in many verses of the Quran, where humans are encouraged to look at the stages of growth of a tree, or land that was once a dry desert turning into a green garden:
“Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs [and rivers] in the earth; then He produces thereby crops of varying colours; then they dry and you see them turned yellow; then He makes them [scattered] debris. Indeed in that is a reminder for those of understanding.” (39:21)
Themes of the sky and universe are also present in almost every surah of the Quran. Allah (SWT) uses the sky as a sign for humans to not only ponder its creation but also grasp the greatness of the Creator. Looking at the sky is a reminder that there exists vast unknown “space” that is impossible to fully internalise. The sky – with its sun, planets, stars and what lies beyond – is a starting point for human recognition of a Creator. The Quran emphasises the Prophet’s reliance on the skies:
“We have seen thee [O Prophet] often turn thy face towards heaven [for guidance]” (2:144)
The Messenger would frequently look up at the heavens for guidance and as a reminder of the Creator’s greatness. It is important to note that gazing at the sky without the intent to contemplate the creation of the heavens does not yield the proper result of increasing one’s belief in and attachment to the Creator. However, once done with the right intention – the way of the Prophet – it would be unusual not to gain greater belief in and love for Allah. This is made clear in the Quran:
“Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are indeed messages for all who are endowed with insight, Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], ‘Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.’” (3: 190-191)
The above verses guide humans to the stages of belief. Typically, belief in Allah starts by pondering His creations because they are clear evidence of the magnificence and dominance of a Creator. This typically leads to belief in Allah, which is followed by asking Him for forgiveness and mercy: “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire”. ‘Aad, a tribe in the Arabian Peninsula, was known for its strength and material power. While reminding them to stop their transgressions and believe in Allah, the Prophet Hud said, “Do but remember how He made you heirs to Noah’s people, and endowed you abundantly with power” (7:69). They were blinded by their material power and believed that no one on Earth had the power to defeat them. This belief was largely due to their lack of reflection on God’s creations, specifically the heavens and the earth:
“As for ‘Aad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, ‘Who is greater than us in strength?’ Did they not consider that Allah who created them was greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs.” (41:15)
Neglecting the greatness of creation leads humankind to reject the message of Allah. For this reason, Allah asks a rhetorical question to ‘Aad: have they not seen their creation? Have they not pondered the intricate details of human physiology? Preceding the verses of ‘Aad in Surat Fussilat, Allah speaks in detail about the creation of the heavens and earth in a thought-provoking verse of the Quran. After this description, Allah says:
“Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, ‘Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion.’ They said, ‘We have come willingly.’” (41:11)
The vast heavens that humans have yet to understand or even discover are simple creations of Allah. These words should humble us and remind us of our role as servants to the Almighty. However great our achievements have been as a human race, they are merely a drop in the ocean of Allah’s creation. Although these signs of Allah’s greatness surround us every day, few people take the time to ponder their meaning. Not many look up at the sky and the vast universe beyond and contemplate the reason behind all of this. The heavens are there for us to look at as the Messenger did, and to prompt us to think about the magnificence of the Creator and how this life is merely a journey toward something much greater.