Page 718 - An Index to the Qur'an

before you, the peoples of Nuh and ‘Ad and He (Nuh) said, ‘My Lord, I have called my people
Thamud, and those who came after them who night and day but my calling has only made them
are known to no one but Allah? Their Messengers more evasive. Indeed, every time I called them to
came to them with Clear Signs, but they put their Your forgiveness, they put their fingers in their
hands to their mouths, saying, ‘We reject what ears, wrapped themselves up in their clothes and
you have been sent with. We have grave doubts were overweeningly arrogant. Then I called them
about what you are calling us to.’ (14:9) openly.’ (71:5-8)
Their Messengers said, ‘Is there any doubt about
Allah, the Bringer into Being of the heavens and SUN
the earth? He summons you to forgive you for What about the one who argued with Ibrahim
your wrong actions and to defer you until a spec- about his Lord, on the basis that Allah had given
ified time.’ They said, ‘You are nothing but him sovereignty? Ibrahim said, ‘My Lord is He
human beings like ourselves who want to debar Who gives life and causes to die.’ He said, ‘I too
us from what our fathers worshipped; so bring us give life and cause to die.’ Ibrahim said, ‘Allah
a clear authority.’ (14:10) makes the sun come from the East. Make it come
You are calling them to a straight path. (23:73) from the West.’ And the one who was a disbe-
One of them came walking shyly up to him liever was dumbfounded. Allah does not guide
(Musa) and said, ‘My father invites you so that he wrongdoing people. (2:258)
can pay you your wage for drawing water for us.’ Then when he (Ibrahim) saw the sun come up he
When he came to him and told him the whole said, ‘This is my Lord! This is greater!’ Then when
story he said, ‘Have no fear, you have escaped it set he said, ‘My people, I am free of what you
from wrongdoing people.’ (28:25) associate with Allah!’ (6:78)
When they are told: ‘Follow what Allah has sent It is He Who splits the sky at dawn, and appoints
down,’ they say, ‘No, we will follow what we the night as a time of stillness and the sun and
found our fathers doing.’ What! Even if Satan is moon as a means of reckoning. That is what the
calling them to the punishment of the Blazing Almighty, the All-Knowing has ordained. (6:96)
Fire? (31:21) Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and
So call and go straight as you have been ordered the earth in six days and then settled Himself
to. Do not follow their whims and desires but firmly on the Throne. He covers the day with the
say, ‘I believe in a Book sent down by Allah and I night, each pursuing the other urgently; and the
am ordered to be just between you. Allah is our sun and moon and stars are subservient to His
Lord and your Lord. We have our actions and command. Both creation and command belong
you have your actions. There is no debate be- to Him. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all the
tween us and you. Allah will gather us all to- worlds. (7:54)
gether. He is our final destination.’ (42:15) It is He Who appointed the sun to give radiance,
Our people, respond to Allah’s caller and believe and the moon to give light, assigning it phases so
in Him. He will forgive you some of your wrong you would know the number of years and the
actions and save you from a painful punishment. reckoning of time. Allah did not create these
(46:31) things except with truth. We make the Signs clear
(A group of jinn said to their people,) ‘Those who for people who know. (10:5)
do not respond to Allah’s caller cannot thwart When Yusuf told his father, ‘Father! I saw eleven
Allah on earth and have no protectors apart from bright stars, and the sun and moon as well. I saw
Him. Such people are clearly misguided.’ (46:32) them all prostrate in front of me.’ (12:4)
Their eyes will be downcast, darkened by de- Allah is He Who raised up the heavens without
basement; for they were called on to prostrate any support–you can see that–and then estab-
when they were in full possession of their facul- lished Himself firmly on the Throne. He made
ties. (68:43) the sun and moon subservient, each running for
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