صفحة جديدة 1

Therefore, the Quran is in Arabic only; the words in English and in other languages are only the translation of the meaning, the explanation and the interpretation; but they are not the Quran.

I ask God for His forgiveness, and hope for His mercy, and seek after His good pleasure.

E. A. Nassir (the translator)

eanassir@yahoo.co.uk

29/ 4/ 2005

Preface to the First and Second Arabic Editions

بسمِ اللهِ الرحمنِ الرحيم

The explanation: (In* the name of God**, Most Gracious***, Most Merciful****)

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[*i.e. I begin the recitation in the name of God.

**God-be exalted- is called in Arabic: Allah; in Hebrew: Jehovah; in English: God; in Persian: Khodah and in other languages may be named by different names. He is the same our Lord and your Lord; He is the Lord of nations and worlds.

***i.e. Merciful to both believers and disbelievers, in this life of the World.

****i.e. Merciful –only –to believers, in the Hereafter.]

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Praise be to God Who created nations, and taught by the pen; taught man what he did not know, and revealed [by the angel Gabriel] the Quran including knowledge and wisdom. And peace be on Mohammed the best man among the Arabs and the non-Arabs.

I sought God’s help to write this book, and He led me to the way of the truth; I did my best seeking the good-pleasure of God, and He guided me to my reason and wisdom [and I hope to be admitted into Paradise in the Hereafter.]

As regards my book, I have made it four parts:

-In the first one, I describe the celestial bodies like the sun, the moon, the stars and the satellites; I have called it:

“The Universe and the Quran”

-In the second part, I describe spirits, angels, genies [or demons], and the Day of the gathering-together and the Judgment; I gave it the title of “Man after Death”

-I called the third part: “The Dispute with Atheists”,

-While, in the fourth part, I explained and interpreted the mysterious ayat (or revelations ) of the Quran, which none but God knows their meaning; I called this part : “The Ambiguous Quranic Revelations”.

It will be followed by the interpretation of the Quran as a whole, which I call: “The Interpretation of the Revelation”, that we shall publish , as soon as possible, if God permits and wills.

Introduction

I was dwelling at Hilla, which is a province in Iraq; I had a studio for photography, on the side of a street in the main part of the city, near the intermediate school for boys; I was a photographer and most of the students of the school, the intermediate and the secondary, used to take their photographs – at my studio – which they needed for their school certificates.

I heard, from some of them, some words of atheism and disbelief, that annoyed me. Some of them asked about some Quranic revelations, mocking and laughing at them; that was because of their ignorance about the Quran and its interpretation. These are some examples of their questions :

Question : We have learnt in the school that the sky is the space, and that there are no material or solid layers above us, then how does it come to be true that God – be exalted – said in the Quran, 13: 19

( أنزلَ مِنَ السماءِ ماءً فسالتْ أوديةٌ بِقَدَرِها)

The explanation: (He sends down – from the sky – water*; so that the valleys flow [with water] according to their measure**) ?

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[*i.e. rain-water. **i.e. according to the measure or size of the mountains upon which the rain water falls.]

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Question: We have learnt that the sun is stationary, and the earth revolves around the sun; then how does it come to be true that God – be exalted – says in the Quran, 36: 37

(و الشمسُ تَجري لِمُستَقَرٍّ لَها)

The explanation: (And the sun moves along to a place of rest for it.) ?

And so on, their questions were as such; for this reason, I wished to compile a book about this subject, and to make it an answer to atheists and a guide for the ignorant; I asked for God’s help to write this book, and that He might lead me to the way of the truth, ; I made my best seeking the good pleasure of God, so He let me succeed in serving Him, as He – be exalted – said in His glorious Book [:the Quran], 29: 69

(و الّذينَ جاهَدُوا فينا لَنَهديَنَّهم سُبُلَنا و إنّ اللهَ لَمَعَ المُحسِنينَ)

The explanation: (As for those who strive for Our [cause*], We will surely guide them into Our ways**, and, certainly, God is with the charitable [to the poor.] )

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[* i.e. in Our way and for Our sake. ** i.e. We guide them to monotheism, and to follow the Torah, the Gospel and the Quran.]

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Lastly, I thank God, for that He gave me of His surplus a lot, and made every difficulty easy for me.

Mohammed-Ali Hassan al-Hilly

[ Died / 1991 ]

THE FIRST PART

About :

The Formation and Creation of Celestial Objects

The Sky or Heaven

At beginning, we start by the “sky” or “heaven”; because it is the origin, and to it the final resort will be.

Some people think that the sky is a hard material layer that fills the space, and that it is constituted of seven layers, some of them consists of red hyacinth or ruby, some of them of white jewel, while another layer is of greenish jewel …etc. I say: the sky is the space and nothing else. Therefore, the Quranic revelation 13: 19, where God –be exalted - says : أنزلَ مِنَ السماءِ ماءً)); the explanation: ( He sends down –from the sky – water ), means: He makes the water fall down from the space; this is indicated by His saying –be exalted – in the Quran, 34:2

( يعلمُ ما يَلجُ في الأرضِ و ما يَخرجُ مِنها و ما يَنزِلُ مِنَ السماءِ و ما يَعرجُ فيها و هوَ الغفورُ الرّحيم )

The explanation: ( [God] knows what [animals] go inside the earth and what [animals] come out from it, and what [birds] descend from the sky and what [flying animals] ascend through it, and he is the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving.)

Therefore, (and what [flying birds] ascend through it) gives a proof that the sky is not a hard material layer; if it were a hard layer, then He might say: what [flying animals] ascend to it; but God –be exalted –said:و ما يعرجُ) فيها ) i.e. (and what [flying animals] ascend through it); it means: while he is ascending, he is in the sky from the beginning of his ascension till he reaches to where he wants.

This is like His saying –be exalted – in the Quran, 57: 4

(يَعلمُ ما يَلِجُ في الأرضِ و ما يَخرُجُ مِنها و ما ينزِلُ مِنَ السّماءِ و ما يَعرُجُ فيها و هوَ معكم أينَما كنتم و اللهُ بِما تَعملونَ بَصير)

The explanation:( [God] knows what goes inside the earth and what comes out of it, and what descends from the sky and what ascends through it; and He is with you wheresoever you may be; and God sees well all that you do.)

God –be celebrated His praise – said also in the Quran, 30: 48

(اللهُ الّذي يُرسِلُ الرّياحَ فتُثيرُ سَحاباً فَيَبسطُهُ في السّماءِ كيفَ يَشاءُ )

The explanation: (God is He Who sends the winds and they stir up [and collect] clouds which He spreads in the sky as He pleases.)

So if there were solid layers above us, then He would say: And spreads them under the sky as He pleases.

God –be exalted –said also in the Quran, 6: 126

( فَمَنْ يُرِدِ اللهُ أنْ يَهديَهُ يَشرحْ صدرَهُ لِلإسلامِ و مَنْ يُرِدْ أنْ يُضلّهُ يَجعلْ صدرَهُ ضَيّقاً حَرَجاً كأنّما يَصّعدُ في السماءِ)

The explanation: (Whomsoever God desires to guide, He makes him rejoice in [accepting] the Islam; whomsoever He desires to lead astray, He makes him dejected [accepting not the invitation to the Islam] and embarrassed, as if he were engaged in ascending in the sky.)

He –be exalted –said in the Quran, 17: 93

(أو يكونَ لكَ بيتٌ مِنْ زُخرُفٍ أو تَرقى في السماءِ ...)

The explanation: (Or you* have a house decorated [with gold], or you ascend up into heaven**, …etc.)

[*i.e. Mohammed –peace be on him. These were some of the miracles which the idolaters of Mecca – arrogantly – demanded of Mohammed in order that they might believe him.

**i.e. in order to bring down a book from heaven, written in it that you, Mohammed, are a messenger from God, and that you had really ascended in the sky; we may then believe!]

Therefore, His saying –be exalted –( (أو تَرقى في السّماءِ, the explanation:( or you ascend up into heaven), indicates that the sky is the space; because if there was a solid material layer then He would say: or you ascend to the sky or heaven.

The Arabic poetry includes some examples indicating that the word “sky” gives the same meaning.

Therefore, any word “sky” in the Quran (in singular) means the space, but when it comes in plural, it will have some other meaning that we shall explain in details in what follows, by the help of God – be exalted and be celebrated His praise.

The Heavens

We have just explained that every word ‘sky’ or ‘heaven’ (in singular) in the Quran, means the space. I say that the space is not empty, but it contains gaseous layers, ethereal layers and material objects.

Then, every word سماوات or “heavens’ (in plural), in the Quran, means one of these three, and we shall explain each of them in details, with God’s help.

(1) The Gaseous Heavens [the Firmament]

Know that the Earth was a sun, at the beginning , and it was a flaming object, from which the gases emerged to fill its atmosphere. Then, when its life ended, its surface became cold, so it was converted into an earth. Afterwards, it exploded, and became nine pieces, that started to revolve around a new sun.

We don’t want to speak here about the Earth, but about the Firmament (or the gaseous heavens), and we shall explain afterwards about the formation of the Earth, in details. Now, as you know the Earth was a flaming object, so you can realize that flame and smoke emerge from every flaming object. However, the gases are still emerging from the Earth; most of such gases emerge from volcanoes, petroleum wells, as do they too emerge from mineral water springs.

One of newspapers mentioned the following:

“The Natural Gas

The gas emerging from Vendley city in Ohio in America, is estimated as sixty million cubic feet; and about forty millions from the neighboring cities. Most of this gas is utilized as fuel. After starting to utilize the natural gas, people started to give their opinion about its origin, and the consequences of its extraction from inside the Earth. Some of the people said that : the Earth has an inner hollow, and that its hollow is full of this gas, which is the cause of its hanging in the space! Therefore, its extraction from inside the Earth is very dangerous; because if it becomes empty, it will be cracked and will be destroyed, and will fall from its place in the heaven!!!”

Therefore, the origin of the firmament (or the gaseous heavens) is from the Earth, and it fills its atmosphere. Similarly, each one of the terrestrial planets has its seven gaseous layers. God –be exalted – said in the Quran,65:12

(اللهُ الّذي خَلَقَ سبعَ سماواتٍ و مِنَ الأرضِ مِثْلَهُنّ )

The explanation: (God [is He] Who created seven [ancient ethereal] heavens, and the equal [number of gaseous heavens he –then – created, out] of the earth)

The interpretation: It is God Who had created seven ethereal layers in the ancient time, then He created the Earth, and created - from the Earth - seven gaseous layers.

The gaseous layers, actually, are the blueness that we see in the sky. Whereas we cannot see the ethereal layers because the ether cannot be seen by material beings, but can be seen by spiritual beings.

Therefore, the origin of the gaseous heavens is from the Earth, and that was when the Earth was a flaming sun; and the emergence of gases was in the form of smoke which was a mixture of seven gases. And due to the fact that some of the gases are heavy, while some others are light; they started to separate from each other; because the heavy one came down while the light gas went up, till they became seven layers: the first layer is the ozone gas [layer] about 25 miles away from us, the other layers came under it like the layers of the sulphur dioxide (SO2), the hydrogen, the helium and the rest of the gases. This is roughly speaking, for we cannot know those gases exactly because we are on the Earth and the gases are high up in the sky. The indication, that the sky is gaseous, can be seen in the following Quranic revelation 41:11-12

(ثمّ استوى إلى السماءِ و هي دُخانٌ فقالَ لَها و لِلأرضِ ائتِيا طَوعاً أو كَرهاً قالتا أتَينا طائعِين. فقضاهنّ سبعَ سماواتٍ في يومَينِ..)

The explanation: (Then He tended to [build*] the sky and it had been smoke; He said to it and to the earth, “Come, both of you, willingly or loath.” The two said, “We [all] have come obedient.” And He separated them into seven firmaments in two days.)

[*i.e. to make the layers of the gaseous sky distinctive and to build them, or to arrange them as successive layers.]

The interpretation:

- (Then He tended to [build] the sky) means: the sky of the Earth,

- (And it had been smoke) means the smoke that emerged from the Earth which was in fact a mixture of seven gases,

- (He said to it) i.e. the sky [or the gaseous heaven]

- (and to the earth, “Come, both of you,) to the gravitation

- (willingly or loath.” The two said, “We [all] have come obedient” And He separated them) and made them

- (seven firmaments); The explanation: He separated that smoke, and made it seven layers

- (in two days), i.e. within a period of two thousand years; that is because one day of the Hereafter equals one thousand of our years.

Moreover, God –be exalted – said in the Quran, 2: 29

(هو الّذي خَلَقَ لَكم ما في الأرضِ جميعاً ، ثُمّ استوى إلى السّماءِ فَسوّاهُنّ سبعَ سماواتٍ ، و هو بِكُلِّ شَيءٍ عليمٌ .)

The explanation: ( It is He That has created for you all*that is in the earth. Then aimed at [building** ] the sky [of the earth], and fashioned them as seven heavens, and He is the Omniscient about everything.)

[*the plant, animal, river …etc.

**i.e. to separate the layers of the gaseous heaven, and to build it.]

It means: He fashioned seven gaseous layers after being one layer of smoke.

So the gaseous heavens are mentioned in the Quran in three ways:

a- One time, it is mentioned together with the Earth, but no “and” between them, but there will be another word intervening between them; like the Quranic revelations 19: 90-91, when God –be exalted – said:

(تكادُ السماواتُ يَتَفَطّرْنَ مِنهُ و تَنشَقّ الأرضُ و تَخِرّ الجبالُ هَدّاً . أنْ دَعَوْا لِلرّحمانِ ولداً. )

The explanation: ( Because of it*, the heavens are about to crack, the earth splits asunder and the mountains fall crushed; that they attributed to the Most Gracious** a son!)

[*i.e. their claim that God has a son or daughters.

**The “Most Gracious” means: His mercy is for both believers and disbelievers, in the life of the World.]

The “heavens”, here, means the gaseous layers because He intervened between the “heavens” and the “earth” by many words: (are about to crack), then He mentioned the “earth”.

Moreover, God –be exalted – said in the Quran, 31: 10

(خَلَقَ السّماواتِ بِغيرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَونَها، و ألقى في الأرضِ رواسيَ أنْ تَميدَ بِكم ...)

The explanation: (He created the [gaseous] heavens without pillars you can see, and He cast on the earth firm [mountains], lest it sway irregularly with you …)

The “heavens”, here, means the gaseous layers, because many words intervene between the “heaves” and the “earth”; i.e. (without pillars you can see and He cast on).

In addition, God –be exalted – said in the Quran, 31: 20

(ألَمْ تَرَوْا أنّ اللهَ سَخّرَ لَكم ما في السّماواتِ و ما في الأرضِ و أسبغَ عليكم نِعمَهُ ظاهرةً و باطِنةً)

The explanation: ( Have you not seen that God has subjected to you all that is in the [gaseous] heavens and all that is in the earth, and has lavished on you His bounties, [both] apparent and unapparent.)

So the Lord –be exalted – has separated between mentioning “the heavens” and mentioning “the earth” by two words which are و ما في i.e. (all that is in).

b- In the second form: the “heavens” are mentioned after the “earth”, e.g. God -be exalted – says in the Quran, 20: 4

(تَنزيلاً مِمّنْ خَلَقَ الأرضَ و السّماواتِ العُلى .)

The explanation: (A revelation [of the Quran] from [God] Who created the earth and the high heavens.)

So, the “heavens”, here, means the gaseous layers because it is mentioned after the “earth”

God -be exalted – said in the Quran, 35: 40

(قلْ أرأيتُم شُرَكاءَكم الّذينَ تَدعونَ مِنْ دونِ اللهِ أروني ماذا خَلَقُوا مِنَ الأرضِ ، أمْ لَهم شِركٌ في السّماواتِ ؟ ...)

The explanation: (Say: “tell me your opinion concerning your associates whom you call on besides God; show me what it is they created of [all] the earth[s], or have they a share in the [gaseous] heavens?...)

The “heavens”, here, means the gaseous layers; because they are mentioned after mentioning the earth.

The Glorious Lord said in the Quran, 39:67

(و ما قَدَروا اللهَ حقّ قَدْرِهِ ،و الأرضُ جميعاً قَبضتُهُ يومَ القيامةِ و السّماواتُ مَطويّاتٌ بِيمينِهِ، سبحانَهُ و تعالى عمّا يُشرِكونَ.)

The explanation: (And they do not esteem God as He should be esteemed, while the earth, all, will be [but] His handful on the Doomsday, and the heavens will be rolled up by His right hand. Celebrated be His praise and exalted be He above what they associate [with Him as partners.] )

And as such, any word “heaven” in the Quran mentioned after the “earth”, then God –be exalted –means the gaseous layers.

C -In the third type, the “heavens” will be mentioned alone without mentioning the “earth” with it, e.g. God –be exalted –says in the Quran, 23: 17

(و لقد خَلَقْنا فوقَكم سبعَ طرائقَ ، و ما كُنّا عن الخلقِ غافِلِينَ .)

The explanation: (And We have created above you seven passages [i.e. seven heavens]; nor are We heedless of creatures.)

So the “passages”, here, means the gaseous layers and who dwell therein, i.e. genies (or demons.)

And God –be exalted –says in the Quran, 67: 3-4:

(الّذي خَلَقَ سبعَ سماواتٍ طِباقاً ، ما تَرى في خَلقِ الرحمانِ مِنْ تَفاوُتٍ ، فارْجِعِ البصرَ هلْ تَرى مِنْ فُطورٍ؟ ثُمّ ارْجِعِ البصرَ كرّتينِ يَنقلبْ إليكَ البصرُ خاسِئاً و هوَ حسيرٌ .)

The explanation: ( [God] Who has created seven stratified heavens* ; you cannot see any non-observance in the creation of the Most Gracious! Then [look at the sky and] turn your [eye-] sight again [to make sure]: Can you see any rifts [in the heavens]? [No, of course!] Then turn your [eye-] sight twice [to the gaseous heavens!] –your [eye -] sight shall return to you disappointed eventhough it be open-eyed.)

Therefore, the “stratified heavens” (seven in number) means the gaseous layers. And as such will the gaseous heavens be mentioned in the Quran. This is so if it is mentioned in plural, but if it is mentioned in singular, i.e. sky or heaven, then it means the gaseous heavens or the space, whether or not it is mentioned together with the “earth.” And it makes no difference whether it is mentioned before the “earth” or after it; for in both cases it means the gaseous heavens, but it must be in singular.

An example of that is His saying –be exalted –in the Quran, 21: 104

(يومَ نَطوي السّماءَ كَطيِّ السّجلّ للكُتُبِ ...)

The explanation: (The day when We shall roll up the heaven as the “sijill” [or the leather bucket used as a folder] rolls up the books [and mix them with each other] …etc.)

The “heaven”, here, means the gaseous layers.

God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 10: 32

(قلْ مَنْ يَرزقُكم مِنَ السّماءِ و الأرضِ ؟)

The explanation: (Say [O Mohammed], “Who provides you out of heaven and earth ?)

God said –be exalted –in the Quran, 40: 64

(اللهُ الّذي جَعَلَ لكمُ الأرضَ قَراراً و السّماءَ بِناءً )

The explanation: (It is God Who has made for you the earth for a dwelling- place, and the sky (or heaven) for a structure [of gaseous layers one above another.] )

Therefore, the “heaven” or “sky”, here, means the firmament or the gaseous heavens.

One may ask: We know that the air is a mixture of many gases like the oxygen and the nitrogen, the why don’t these gases separate from each other, so that it also be in layers ?

To answer this question we say: That is because of winds which move these gases and mix them with each other. And suppose no wind is present, then these gases will start to separate from each other and form layers. But, actually, the gaseous layers are above the oxygen or, more precisely, above the air, and no wind is present there to move these gases and mix them with each other.

[NB. The atmosphere includes the air and the gaseous layers or heavens; the gaseous heavens lie above the air and above the region of the cloud, which lies between the air and the gaseous layers or heavens; see the following lines –the translator.]

An example of that is the water: the running water will be crude and turbid, while the stagnant water will be clear.

God –be exalted –says in the Quran, 2: 164

(و تصريفِ الرّياحِ و السّحابِ المُسخَّرِ بينَ السّماءِ و الأرضِ لآياتٍ لِقومٍ يَعقِلون.)

The explanation: (And in the changing of winds, and in clouds that are subjected [into His service] between the sky [or heaven] and the earth, are signs to people who have sense.)

Here, God –be exalted –explained that the cloud is between the sky and the earth. So, the position of the sky is from the cloud up, while the position of the air is from the cloud down. Therefore, the wind belongs or related to the earth and not to the sky.

(2) The Ethereal Heavens

[The Kingdom of Heavens]

[ “For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” [the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, chapter 5 : 20]

The ethereal heavens are also seven, but on Doomsday they will become eight, and even they are in continuous increase; that is because when every earth is formed, there will form within it a spiritual earth, and when the material earth will be destroyed (when its Doomsday is due), that spiritual (or ethereal) layer will detach from the material one and will follow those seven ethereal layers.

We should also know that the formation of these layers was not at the same time, but they were formed from the successive destruction of seven systems. That is because each one of those seven spiritual heavens was the result of a complete solar system. Therefore, on Doomsday, they will become eight ethereal heavens.

God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 69: 17

(و يَحملُ عرشَ ربّكَ فَوقَهم يومَئذٍ ثمانية )

The explanation : (And above them*on that day**, shall eight [ethereal heavens] bear the throne of your Lord.)

[*i.e. above those who are in the “gathering-together” for Judgment.

**i.e. the Day of Doom, or Doomsday.]

The explanation: Eight ethereal heavens will bear the Throne, on the Day of Doom; while today it is borne by seven ethereal heavens only.

While we are speaking about the ethereal heavens, we have to define the ether; so what is the ether ?

The Ether

Contemporary scientists have recognized the ether; they said that it fills the space, and that, without this ether, it is impossible for the planets to revolve in their orbits, but instead they will fall down even though there is the power of the gravitation; because the ether is the carrier of these celestial objects.

God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 36: 39

(و كُلٌّ في فَلَكٍ يَسبحون .)

The explanation : (But each [of the sun, moon and earth] is swimming along into a [specific] orbit.)

Of course, swimming cannot take place except in a liquid medium or what is similar to liquid such as air and gas, …etc. So all the celestial objects swim in the ether. This ether is very transparent like the air; its particles are far more smaller and finer than those of the air; and for this reason, it cannot be seen by material creatures; moreover, it cannot be touched or perceived. But it is possible only for spiritual creatures (: angels, genies or demons and human souls) to see, touch and perceive the ether.

The ether fills every space, and goes through material objects in the intermolecular spaces. It goes through the cup and constructs an ethereal skeleton inside it, similar exactly to its shape, in a period of forty days, and when the material skeleton breaks up, the ethereal will not, and will never be destroyed afterwards; because its particles have been cohered or attached firmly to each other during this period, and will never separate afterwards. E.g. the ethereal particles will go through a porcelain pot, and will form an ethereal skeleton inside it according to its shape. In this respect, there is no difference between the porcelain or the copper pot, and no difference between pots, utensils, jewels, trees, plants and other material objects; because every material object has much many intervening spaces inside it. Therefore, the ether will enter in those spaces, and build a frame similar to its shape.

God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 18: 31

(أولئكَ لهم جنّاتُ عدنٍ تَجري مِنْ تَحتِهِمُ الأَنْهارُ يُحَلّونَ فيها مِنْ أساورَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ و يَلبسونَ ثياباً خُضراً مِنْ سُندسٍ و إستبرقٍ ...الخ .)

The explanation : (Those [believers] will have Seven Gardens [in the neighborhood of their Lord]; rivers will flow beneath them*; therein they will be adorned with [bracelets issuing] from bracelets of gold, and will wear green garments [issuing] from fine silk, and from silk brocade …etc.)

[*i.e. beneath the trees of the Garden.]

The interpretation:

-(with [bracelets issuing] from bracelets of gold) means: the ethereal bracelets which had [in the life of the World] been formed inside the gold bracelets.

If He –be exalted – had meant by that the same gold bracelets, then He would have said : adorned with gold bracelets.

-(and will wear green garments [issuing] from fine silk) means : the ethereal garments that issued from the silky garments.

God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 22: 23

إنّ اللهَ يُدخِلُ الّذينَ آمَنوا و عمِلوا الصّالِحاتِ جنّاتٍ تَجري مِنْ تحتِها الأنْهارُ يُحَلّوْنَ فيها مِنْ أساورَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ و لُؤلؤاً و لِباسُهم فيها حريرٌ

The explanation: (God will admit those who believe and work righteous deeds to Gardens under which [trees]* rivers flow; they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their garments there will be of silk.)

[* i.e. under or below the trees of the Garden.]

Also, God- be exalted- said in the Quran, 56: 51-52 about the dispraise of disbelievers :

( ثمّ إنّكم أيّها الضّالّونَ المكذِّبونَ . لآكلونَ مِنْ شجرٍ مِنْ زقّومٍ .)

The explanation : (51- ‘ Then, you : the erring, the deniers!’

52- ‘ You will surely eat of [ethereal] trees from the Zaqqum [: a kind of thorn – trees.]’ )

It means: of ethereal trees that issued from the Zaqqum trees of this material World; the Zaqqum is some kind of thorn.

However, if you know that every ethereal heaven had issued from a solar system, then will also know that there were seven solar systems that had preceded our solar system, and this last is the eighth one. You will also know that eight suns had preceded our sun, and this last is the ninth; for every sun will change into an earth after its death.

In the Quran, the spiritual ( ethereal) heavens are mentioned in two ways :

a- One time it is mentioned before mentioning the ‘earth’, and here there should be no ‘and’ between the words ‘heavens’ and the ‘earth’.

b- And another time, it will be mentioned alone without mentioning the ‘earth’ with it.

An example of that is His saying – be exalted- in the Quran, 17: 44

(تسبّحُ له السماواتُ السبعُ و الأرضُ و مَن فيهنّ و إنْ مِنْ شيءٍ إلاّ يسبّحُ بِحمدِهِ ...)

The explanation : ( The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein praise Him; and there is not a thing but hymns His praise …)

Hence, the ‘heavens’ here means the ethereal layers; because they are mentioned before mentioning the earth and there is no ‘and’ between the two words.[ In this Quranic revelation, the word سبع i.e. seven in Arabic is intervening between the ‘heavens’ and the ‘earth’.]

God –be exalted- said in the Quran, 23: 86

( قلْ مَنْ ربُّ السماواتِ السبعِ و ربُّ العرشِ العظيم ؟)

The explanation : (Say, ‘Who is the Lord of the seven heavens , and the Lord of the Throne [of Glory] Supreme ?’ )

The ‘heavens’ here means the ethereal layers; for God –be exalted – has not mentioned them together with the earth, but mentioned them together with the throne; because the throne [ of the Lord] is over the ethereal heavens.

God –be exalted - said in the Quran, 53: 26

( و كم مِنْ مَلَكٍ في السماواتِ لا تُغني شفاعتُهم شيئاً إلاّ مِنْ بعدِ أنْ يأذنَ اللهُ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ و يَرضى .)

The explanation: (And how many angels are in the heavens whose intercession avails naught save after God has given permission to whomsoever He wills and is pleased with!)

The heavens here means the ethereal layers; for the earth is not mentioned with them, but the angels are mentioned; so that He –be exalted –explained that these heavens are inhabited by the angels.

And in the Quran, 65: 12 God –be highly exalted –said:

( اللهُ الّذي خَلَقَ سبعَ سماواتٍ و مِنَ الأرضِ مثلَهنّ يتنزّلُ الأمرُ بينَهنّ)

The explanation: (God [is He] Who created seven [ancient ethereal] heavens, and the equal [number of gaseous heavens He –then –created, out] of the earth; the Am’r [: the angels] come down among them [with the revelation to prophets.] )

The ‘heavens’ here means the ethereal layers; because it is mentioned before mentioning the ‘earth’, and there is no ‘and’ between them.

The Am’r : This word is the noun given to each kind of the spiritual creatures, like the angels and the human beings.

The interpretation of this Quranic revelation: It is God Who created seven ethereal heavens in the ancient time, then He created the earth, and from the earth He created seven gaseous heavens; for God had created the ethereal heavens before had He created the earth by millions of years as we have just explained.

It is mentioned in the Psalms (Psalm 67: a psalm of canticle for David himself –Douay version – 33-34)

“Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth: sing praise to the Lord. Sing to God Who mounted above the heaven of heavens.”

The word ‘heavens’ here means the ethereal layers, and the ‘heaven of heavens’ means the throne because the throne is over the ethereal heavens.

As regards His saying –be celebrated His praise – يتنزّلُ الأمرُ بينَهنَّ i.e. ( T he Am’r [:the angels come down among them [with the revelation to prophets] ) The Am’r is an indication of spiritual creatures.

The interpretation : The spiritual creatures descend between the ethereal and gaseous layers. The spiritual creatures are : angels, genies (or demons) and human souls (or spirits.) We shall explain about them in our book ‘ Man After Death.’

The ethereal heavens –actually –are the Paradise in which good souls dwell on the Day of Judgment, while today they are the dwelling place of angels.

However, the ethereal heavens bear the throne above them; they are called the ‘Chair’ in the Quranic revelations where He said –be exalted – 2: 255

(وسِعَ كرسيّه السماواتِ و الأرضَ )

The explanation : ( [The extent of] His “ chair” equals [the vast extent of] the heavens and the earth [: the terrestrial planets and the earth.] )

Moreover, Jesus - peace be on him –said to his disciples, as it is mentioned in the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, chapter 5 : 20

“For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

It means : You shall not enter into Paradise, i.e. the ethereal heavens. The position of the ethereal heavens is in the space, where those dwelling therein see neither sun nor moon.

We have here mentioned something about the ethereal layers, and we shall mention more about them when we shall tell about ‘Paradise’ in our second book “Man After Death”; and God is the Guide to the truth and righteousness.

The Throne

[The Heaven of Heavens]

[“Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth: sing praise to the Lord. Sing to God Who mounted above the heaven of heavens.” [(Psalm 67: a psalm of canticle for David himself –Douay version – 33-34)]

The throne, too, is an ethereal layer, and its position is above the paradises i.e. the ethereal heavens; for the heavens are the carriers of the throne, and it is smaller than them. E.g. God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 69: 17

( و يَحمِلُ عرشَ ربِّكَ فوقَهم يومَئذٍ ثمانية)

The explanation: ( And above them on that Day [of Judgment], will eight [ethereal heavens] bear the throne of your Lord.)

It means: The throne of your Lord will be borne above people on Judgment Day, by eight ethereal heavens; because today they are seven, but on Doomsday they will become eight, and the eighth will issue from our present solar system.

God –be exalted –also said in the Quran, 40: 7

(الذينَ يَحمِلونَ العرشَ و مَنْ حولَهُ يُسبِّحونَ بِحمدِ ربِّهم و يُؤمِنونَ بِهِ و يستغفِرونَ لِلّذينَ آمَنُوا ...)

The explanation: (Those [angels in the ethereal heavens] who bear the throne [of the Lord] and those [angels] around it celebrate the praises to their Lord, believe in Him [:God], and implore [God] for forgiveness to those who believe ...etc.)

‘Those who bear the throne’ are the angels. This does not mean that they really bear it, but they bear it only because it is above them, just as are we bearing the sky or the gaseous layers because they are above us. Likewise, the inhabitants of the ethereal heavens are bearing the throne because it is above them.

This means that the angels who are under the throne and those angels who are around the throne, all of them celebrate the praise of their Lord …etc.

His saying –be exalted – و مَنْ حولَه i.e. (and those [angels] around it) is an indication that the throne is smaller than the ethereal heavens.

God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 39: 75

( وَ تَرى الملائكةَ حافِّينَ مِنْ حولِ العرشِ يُسبِّحونَ بِحَمدِ ربِّهم و قُضِيَ بينَهم بالحقِّ و قيلَ الحمدُ للهِ ربِّ العالَمينَ.)

The explanation: (And you [Mohammed, after entering into Paradise] will see the angels thronging round about the Throne, hymning the praises of their Lord. And [people] will be judged aright. And it will be said [by the people of Paradise]: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!)

Therefore, (thronging round about the throne) indicates that the throne is smaller than the ethereal heavens.

The throne, therefore, is the first ethereal layer formed from the first earth, created by God –be exalted. At that ancient time, there was nothing under the throne except water vapor (which is called as water in the Quranic revelation 11: 7 ; see below), and when God created a second earth, a second layer issued from it, which came to lie under the throne, and so on the third and fourth until they became seven ethereal layers (heavens) under the throne. God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 23: 86

(قلْ مَنْ ربُّ السماواتِ السبعِ و ربُّ العرشِ العظيم ؟)

The explanation: (Say [O Mohammed, to the idolaters], “ Who is the Lord* of the seven heavens, and the Lord of the Throne [of Glory] Supreme?)

[* ‘Lord’ means: possessor or owner.]

Question: You say that the Throne is an ethereal layer, then what is the meaning of the Quranic revelation 11: 7

(و هوَ الذي خَلقَ السماواتِ و الأرضَ في ستّةِ أيّامٍ و كانَ عرشُهُ على الماءِ ...)

The explanation: (It is [God] Who created the heavens and the earth in six days [: six thousand years], and His throne had been upon the water [vapor] …) ?

Answer: The meaning of this is that before had He created the creation, His throne was upon the water, i.e. the water vapor in the space; for at that time there were no ethereal heavens, and when He created them gradually one by one, He let His throne to be borne over the ethereal heavens. The water was in the form of vapor scattered in the space, a situation like what happens today to the rain; because water evaporates from the earth and goes up in the sky then becomes water and descends as rain.

Hence, the Throne at that time was above the scattered water vapor in the space, and when God created the ethereal heavens they became under the Throne, i.e. they bore the Throne above them.

Diagram 1 of the Sun and its planets

[Showing: - the planets are arranged away from the Sun, according to their sizes: the smallest is the nearest, and the biggest is the farthest.

- Sun rotates from right to left and drags all the planets making them rotate and revolve in the same direction: from right to left. The planets drag the moons and satellites to revolve around the planets from right to left; i.e. all the solar system move in this same direction.

- The Asteroids occupy the orbit between Mars and Jupiter: some revolve around Mars and some around Jupiter; but they do not revolve around the Sun.

- Pluto, being a satellite of Neptune but not a planet, revolves around Neptune, but not around the Sun – an explanation by the translator. ]

(3) The Material Heavens [: the Planets]

We mean by the ‘material heavens’: the planets or the ‘wandering stars’. However, we call them by this name (the material heavens); because we have just mentioned about the ethereal heavens, and the ether is different from the matter; and because we have just mentioned about the gaseous heavens, and the planets are not gaseous, but they are solid objects, and for this reason we mention it by the word (material) even though both are of matter.

The material heavens are those known as: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and the rest. They are nine in number; in the Quran, they are mentioned together with the earth, so every Quranic revelation in which the ‘heavens’ are mentioned together with the ‘earth’ it means the planets, but on three conditions:

First –The ‘heavens’ must be mentioned together with the ‘earth’.

Second –The ‘heavens’ must be mentioned together with the ‘earth’ directly.

Third –There must be the word ‘and’ between ‘the heavens’ and ‘the earth’

So, if any Quranic revelation fulfils all these three conditions, then God –be exalted –means the planets.

(1) E.g. God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 46: 3

(ما خَلَقْنا السماواتِ و الأرضَ و ما بينَهما إلاّ بِالحقِّ و أجَلٍ مُسمّىً )

The explanation: (We created not the heavens and the earth and [all] that is between them save with the true [promise of destruction], and for a destined end.)

This Quranic revelation fulfils all the three conditions; hence the ‘heavens’ here means the planets; and actually He mentioned the earth in particular, and gathered the rest of the planets by the word ‘heavens’ because the address is to the people of Earth. Suppose that God –be exalted –addresses the people of Mars, then He will say: We created not the heavens and Mars save with the true [promise.]

Similarly, if He addresses the people of Venus, then He will say: We created not the heavens and Venus save with the true [promise.]

As regards His saying و ما بينَهما i.e. (and [all] that is between them); it means: the moons and meteorites because they are situated between the planets.

So every Quranic revelation, in which the ‘heavens’ are mentioned in this way, means the planets.

(1) God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 21: 19

(و لَهُ مَنْ في السماواتِ و الأرضِ و مَنْ عندَهُ لا يَستكبِرُونَ عنْ عبادتِهِ و لا يَستحسِرُونَ )

The explanation: (All those who are in the heavens and the earth belong to Him. And those [angels] who are in His [neighborhood] are not too proud to serve Him, nor do they regret [for the passing of time.] )

So the ‘heavens’, here, means the planets as it is indicated from His saying:

(و مَنْ عندَهُ لا يَستكبِرونَ عنْ عبادتِهِ )

i.e. (And those [angels] who are in His [neighborhood] are not too proud to serve Him); so He differentiated between ‘those who are in His [neighborhood]’ from ‘those who are in the heavens and the earth’. He means, by His saying :

(ومَنْ عندَهُ) i.e. (those who are in His [neighborhood] ), the angels because they are in the ethereal heavens under the throne.

(2) And God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 42: 29

(و مِنْ آياتِهِ خَلقُ السماواتِ و الأرضِ و ما بَثَّ فيهِما مِنْ دابّةٍ و هوَ على جمعِهم إذا يَشاءُ قديرٌ .)

The explanation: (And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and what He has spread therein of beasts [: moving creatures]; and He is All- Able to gather them if He wills.)

The ‘heavens’, here, means the planets as it is indicated from His saying –be exalted –

(و ما بَثَّ فيهِما مِنْ دابّةٍ ) i.e. (and what He has spread abroad therein of beasts [:moving creatures] ); for there is no moving creatures or beasts in the ethereal heavens. Likewise, in the gaseous heavens there are no moving creatures or beasts, but moving creatures or beasts are in the material heavens which are the planets.

(3) God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 27: 60

(أمّنْ خَلقَ السماواتِ و الأرضَ و أنزلَ لكم مِنَ السماءِ ماءً فأنبَتْنا بِهِ حدائقَ ذاتَ بَهجةٍ ...)

The explanation: ( [Is that, which they associate with God, better] or is He Who created the heavens and the earth, and send down for you [rain] water from the sky; wherewith We cause to grow delightful orchards …etc.)

So the heavens, here, means the planets, and the indication of that is His saying –be exalted –

و أنزلَ لكم مِنَ السماءِ ماءً

i.e. (and send down for you [rain] water from the sky), and by this He explained that the ‘sky’ is different from the ‘heavens’ because He separated between the word ‘sky’ and the word ‘heavens’. He means by the word سماء i.e. the ‘sky’ the space or the gaseous layers.

While the ‘heavens’ means the planets because He has mentioned it together with the ‘earth’, and the meaning is: the heavens which are of the same kind as the Earth.

(4) The Lord God said, also, in the Quran, 27: 65

(قلْ لا يَعلمُ مَنْ في السماواتِ و الأرضِ الغيبَ إلاّ اللهُ و ما يَشعُرُونَ أيّانَ يُبعَثُونَ .)

The explanation: (Say [O Mohammed]: “None in the heavens and the earth knows the fore- future except God; and they perceive not when they shall be sent forth [from their bodies to the Hereafter.] )

The ‘heavens’ here means the terrestrial planets; the indication of that is His saying –be exalted-

(و ما يَشعُرونَ أيّانَ يُبعَثُونَ)

i.e. (and they perceive not when they shall be sent [from their bodies to the Hereafter] ); because angels do not die and will not be raised or sent [from their bodies to the Hereafter, or from the earth to the congregation or gathering-together in the space on the Day of Judgment]; because they are ethereal, but the raising and the sending and gathering-together are for the mortals who inhabit the planets.

Till here, we finished talking about the sky and heaven; and God is the Praiseworthy and the Supporting Master.

Note: Every Quranic revelation, in which the earth is mentioned before the heavens, means the earths: all of them, i.e. all the planets, e.g. (1) God –be exalted –says in the Quran, 39: 67

(و ما قَدَروا اللهَ حقَّ قَدْرِهِ و الأرضُ جميعاً قبضتُهُ يومَ القيامةِ و السماواتُ مَطويّاتٌ بِيمينِهِ )

The explanation: (And they do not esteem God as He should be esteemed, while the earth, all, will be [but] His handful on the Doomsday, and the heavens will be rolled up by His right hand!)

So the ‘earth’, here, means all of them, i.e. the planets as a whole.

(2) Similar to this Quranic revelation is another one where God –be exalted –says in the Quran, 3: 5

(إنّ اللهَ لا يَخفى عليهِ شيءٌ في الأرضِ و لا في السماءِ )

The explanation: (From God, nothing is hidden in the earth, nor in the heaven)

The ‘earth’, here, means all of them, i.e. all the parts of the earth which had broken up or torn up into many pieces; they are the planets; because they were one earth, and it were broken up into many planets.

Definition:

Every word ‘planet’, mentioned in the Quran, means one of the planets of the solar system, and nothing else, like (1) His saying –be exalted –in the Quran, 6: 77

(فلَمّا جَنّ عليهِ اللّيلُ رأى كوكباً قالَ هذا ربّي فلَمّا أفَلَ قالَ لا أحبُّ الآفِلينَ.)

The explanation: (And when the night outspread over him, he saw a planet [: Venus]; he said: ‘This is my Lord’. But when it set, he said: ‘I love not the setters’.)

The planet, here, means Venus, which Abraham saw at night.

(2) Moreover, God –be exalted –said in the Quran,12: 4

(إذ قالَ يوسُفُ لأبيهِ يا أبتِ إنّي رأيتُ أحدَ عشرَ كوكباً و الشمسَ و القمرَ رأيتُهم لي ساجدِينَ.)

The explanation: (When Joseph said to his father: ‘Father, I saw [in a dream] eleven planets and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating themselves before me.’)

The ‘planets’ means the terrestrial planets, but he saw them eleven because his brothers were eleven.

(3) God –be exalted –said in the Quran, 82: 2

(و إذا الكواكبُ انتَثَرَتْ)

The explanation: (And when the [terrestrial] planets [shall break up into pieces that] shall be strewn about [in the space to be as meteorites.] )

The ‘planets’ particularly means, here, the planets of the solar system, and the interpretation is: When the planets shall be broken up and their parts shall be dispersed in the space, and that will take place on Doomsday.

{A Conversation with the Author}

Question 1: You say that the ‘sky’ means the space, then what is the meaning of His saying –be exalted –in the Quran, 40: 64

(اللهُ الذي جَعَلَ لكمُ الأرضَ قراراً و السّماءَ بِناءً و صوّرَكم فأحسنَ صُوَرَكم ...)

The explanation: (God is He Who has made for you the earth for a dwelling-place, and the sky for a structure [of gaseous layers,] and shaped you in fine shapes, …)

And His saying– be exalted – in the Quran, 51: 47

(و السّماءَ بَنَيناها بِأيدٍ و إنّا لَموسِعون)

The explanation: (And the sky – We have built with surplus [from Us], and We are Open-handed more.)

The interpretation: God says that He has constructed the sky with His surplus; because He is Merciful to people, and He is still more Open-handed; because He is Generous.

Answer: ‘To build’ means to collect the object and to compact its parts to each other. They say: The builder builds the wall, i.e. he collects the bricks and attaches them to each other by matrix. And the ‘sky’ means the gaseous layers.

The meaning of this Quranic revelation: And the gases, We have collected and packed, with Our surplus towards them and Our mercy to them; for if We let these gases at the surface of the earth, then their life will be impossible, but they will rather suffocate and die. Therefore, We have lifted these gases by Our mercy, and packed them in layers by Our surplus, so We have made the oxygen and nitrogen in the air for many other benefits; nevertheless, We have lifted the suffocating and harmful gases by Our mercy and surplus, and We are still more Open-handed with profuse favors and grace of God; as He says – be exalted – in the Quran, 14: 34

(و إنْ تَعُدّوا نِعمةَ اللهِ لا تُحصوها)

The explanation: (And if you would count the bounty of God, you cannot count it.)

Question 2: What is the meaning of His saying –be exalted –in the Quran, 31: 10

(خَلَقَ السماواتِ بِغيرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَها ...)

The explanation: (He created the [gaseous] heavens without pillars you can see …) ?

Answer: When the Arabs want to erect their tents, which are made of goat hair, they lay the pillars down on the earth, and put the tents over them and tie the ropes and fix them to the ground, then they pull the ropes from the other side, so that the pillars will stand up and the tent will be raised with them.

This is a parable from God – be highly exalted – and its explanation: Your tents, even though they are small in size and low in height, cannot be erected without pillars; whereas the sky, even though it is very wide and high, He has lifted it without pillars; He created it with His wisdom, and lifted it with His unlimited ability, and He is not in need of any assistant to do all that.

Question 3: What is the meaning of His saying –be exalted –in the Quran, 22: 65

(أَلَمْ تَرَ أنّ اللهَ سَخّرَ لكم ما في الأرضِ و الفُلكَ تَجري في البحرِ بِأمرِهِ و يُمسِكُ السماءَ أنْ تَقَ