A SIMPLE EXAMPLE
The takeaway from the hadith above can be rephrased as follows: human history is split into two main periods—one is the pre-scientific era, and the other is the post-scientific era. According to this division, people in the earlier period relied on traditional knowledge, while in the later period, they started thinking based on scientific information.
According to the hadith, both periods have served as sources of spiritual nourishment for followers of the Prophet Muhammad. In the traditional era, they drew strength for their faith from old ways of understanding. Similarly, in the scientific age, they will continue to find intellectual material that reinforces their beliefs. To clarify this point, here is a simple example. The Quran often mentions blessings on Earth. One such verse is: “It is God who has given you the earth for a resting place.” (40:64) In earlier times, believers found faith-based insight in this verse. They felt deep gratitude to God, reflecting on how peaceful and stable the Earth is for them to live on. They understood that if the Earth were constantly shaking or unsteady, it would be extremely difficult to live a calm and settled life.
In the modern scientific age, new methods of study have shown that, contrary to earlier beliefs, the Earth is not still or motionless—it is constantly moving. New research reveals that the Earth is rotating in two ways at the same time: first, it revolves around the Sun in its orbit, and second, it spins around its own axis. This scientific discovery has made the meaning of the Quranic verse even more powerful. In light of new knowledge, the verse seems to say with even more emphasis: how kind and merciful is the One who made the Earth a place of peace for you—even though it is constantly moving in two different ways.
It is God who made the earth a stable home for you (in spite of the continuous double movement of the earth).
Based on the example of the Hadith, in the initial stage of the “rain,” a person would simply see the earth as a sign of God’s mercy—because it was a peaceful place to dwell. However, in the second stage of the “rain,” he should feel even more grateful to God. This is because, even though the earth is constantly moving in two different ways, God has still made it a place of peace and stability for him.
