Eclipse: A Divine Miracle
An eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon. The word ‘eclipse’ has been derived from the Greek word, ‘ekleipsis’. Different kinds of eclipses keep taking place in space, but generally only two events of these kinds of eclipses are referred to as eclipses. One is the solar eclipse and the other is the lunar eclipse. Generally, solar eclipse occurs, two or three times in a year, while the lunar eclipse occurs twice a year. A lunar eclipse lasts for a few hours, whereas a total solar eclipse lasts for only a few minutes at any given place.
Solar and lunar eclipses take place in accordance with unchangeable astronomical laws, making it possible to predict them well in advance. For instance, the solar eclipse which took place on January 15, 2010 was predicted by astronomers long before its occurrence. What is an eclipse? An eclipse is, in astronomy, a partial, or complete obscuring of one celestial body by another, as viewed from a fixed point. Solar eclipse occurs when the sun’s rays are obstructed by the moon, which happens two or three times in a year. Lunar eclipse occurs when the shadow of the earth falls on the Moon. Such events at the most are seen two times in a year.
In ancient times there were strange kinds of superstitious beliefs about eclipses. For instance, there were some who thought that there was a big dragon in the sky, which, when angry swallowed the moon, thus causing a lunar eclipse. Similarly, some believed that when some king or some great man died on this earth, the sun went dark in grief, causing a solar eclipse, etc.
Superstitious notions of this kind were prevalent for thousands of years in different communities, until finally, the telescope was invented and Galileo, for the first time used it to observe the planetary system in 1609. Subsequently, the telescope was further improved and more extensive observations were made. Finally, it was learned that solar eclipses and lunar eclipses had nothing to do with superstitious notions. Wholly related to astronomical phenomena, they occurred only when during the movement of celestial bodies, a third body came in between two others, creating an obstacle to the light of one falling upon the other. This blockage of light causes the eclipse to take place.
In ancient times, the eclipse was explained only in terms of superstition. In the nineteenth century, it was learned from scientific observation that this is an event in space of an easily explainable nature. There was nothing mysterious about it. A number of books have been written on the subject of eclipses. Some of these are: Eclipses of the Sun and Moon (1937) by Sir F.W. Dryson; Eclipse Phenomenon in Astronomy (1969) by F. Link; and Eclipse in the Second Millennium BC (1954) by G. Van Bergh.
There are three periods in human history in each of which eclipses have been differently regarded. The first period of the history of the eclipse was shrouded in superstitious belief. The second period was that of the Islamic period. The third period of the history of the eclipse started with the invention of the telescope in modern times.
According to Islam, the eclipse is not a matter of superstition. It is purely an astronomical event of a material nature. Rather, it is a part of nature as created by the Creator of the universe. It is a manifestation of the omnipotent power of God. It is an introduction of the Lord of the world. The eclipse wordlessly announces God’s wise creation.
Towards the end of the Prophet Muhammad’s life, the Prophet’s wife Maria Qibtia bore him a beautiful son in Madinah. The Prophet named him Ibrahim after the Prophet Ibrahim. Ibrahim was just one and half years old when on January 6, 32 A.D. he died. It so happened that the death of Ibrahim coincided with a solar eclipse. From ancient times one of the many prevailing superstitions was that the solar and lunar eclipses were caused by the death of some king or other important personage. They were meant to show, they believed, that the heavens mourned the death of the exalted person. At that time the Prophet Muhammad was the head of state in Madinah. For this reason, certain inhabitants of Madinah began attributing the eclipse to the death of the Prophet’s son. As soon as the Prophet heard this, he refuted it. There are several accounts of this event in different books of Hadith. One of these was recorded as follows: “One day, the Prophet came in great haste to the Mosque. At that time the sun was in eclipse. The Prophet began to say prayers and, by the time he had finished, the eclipse was over. Then, addressing the congregation, he said that ‘people imagine that the sun and moon go into eclipse at the death of some important person, but this is not true. The eclipses of the sun and moon are not due to the death of any human being. Both the sun and the moon are just two of God’s creations, with which He does as He will.’ He told them that ‘when they saw the eclipse, they should pray to God.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1042)
“The lunar eclipse and solar eclipse are two of God’s signs.” This is no simple matter. It is in fact indicative of some real meaning. It is not just in a literal sense, but rather some deeper meaning is suggested here. This means if we ponder deeply, upon the way solar eclipses and lunar eclipses occur, it will become a source of discovery of God. Instead of simply being two astronomical signs, they will represent God’s signs in a deeper sense.
Lunar eclipses and solar eclipses are unique miracles of God’s creation. As mentioned above, an eclipse takes place when three astronomical bodies, the earth, the moon and the sun come into a straight alignment while orbiting. There is a great difference between the sizes of the three bodies. If the moon is considered equal to a grain of sand, then the earth is equal to a football, while the sun would be greater than the Himalayas.
Although of different sizes, when directly aligned and viewed from the earth, they appear to be of equal size. When the moon is between the sun and the earth, a solar eclipse will occur and when the earth is between the sun and the moon, a lunar eclipse will occur. This is the result of a unique and well calculated positioning of three moving bodies, highly unequal in size, in the vast space.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica: “An eclipse occurs when, by a remarkable coincidence, the sizes and the distances of the sun and moon are such that they appear as very nearly the same angular size as the earth.” (The Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 6, p. 189)
The writer of this article in the Encyclopedia Britannica has attributed this unique event of the eclipse to coincidence. But this is totally illogical. This kind of unique coincidence is, first of all, not possible and suppose it were possible, it could hardly occur only once, whereas the history of astronomy tells us that this event has been occurring over millions and millions of years with calculable regularity. This kind of complete regularity can never take place by coincidence. Indeed it is possible only through the continued instrumentality of an All-Powerful Being. The word ‘coincidence’ is totally insufficient to explain this unique astronomical phenomenon.
The eclipse is one of those innumerable miraculous events which take place in space about which we learn in the Quran: “That is the disposition of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.” (36:38)
There are innumerable bodies in the vastness of space. All these bodies are totally under the control of the Lord of the universe. The movement of the planets and the stars is regulated by God with unfailing accuracy. The solar system in which the planet earth is located is one such example. This system announces in silent language that there is an Omnipotent God of this universe who is completely in control of this immeasurable space.
The solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse are things which come under our close observation and are seemingly miraculous. People see them either as miracles or at best as astronomical happenings, but the truth is that, in the words of the Prophet of Islam, they are God’s great signs. That is why Islam teaches us that at the occurrence of eclipse the believers should worship God. This worship is called salat-e khusuf (prayers said on the occasion of lunar eclipse) and salat-e kusuf (prayers said on the occasion of solar eclipse). Worshipping God at the time of the eclipse is an acknowledgement that the eclipse is a divine phenomenon rather than just an astronomical event.
Science is simply another name for the study of the universe. The Quran tells us that the believers are “those who remember God while standing, sitting and (lying) on their sides, and who ponder over the creation of the heavens and the earth, saying, ‘Lord, You have not created all this without purpose.’” (3:191)
In this respect, a scientist does the same as the believer does. However, there is a great difference between the two. The actions of the scientist are purely for research while the actions of a believer are for learning lessons. To the scientist, knowledge is for the sake of knowledge, but to the believer, knowledge is for a purpose. A scientist is satisfied with gaining some knowledge, while the believer is satisfied only when his faith increases with knowledge.
