Science - Movement of the Earth


Our planetary system is located in an outer spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy which is continuously moving.  The Earth rotates around itself and the Sun.


As Earth orbits the Sun, it completes one full rotation approximately every 23.9 hours. A complete orbit takes about 365.25 days, meaning each year has an extra quarter of a day beyond the standard 365-day calendar. To keep our calendar aligned with Earth's journey around the Sun, we compensate for this discrepancy by adding an extra day every four years—known as a leap day—to create a leap year.


Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.4 degrees with respect to its plane of orbit around the Sun. This tilt causes our yearly cycle of seasons. During part of the year, the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, and the southern hemisphere is tilted away. With the Sun higher in the sky, solar heating is greater in the north producing summer there. Less direct solar heating produces winter in the south. Six months later, the situation is reversed. When spring and fall begin, both hemispheres receive roughly equal amounts of heat from the Sun. (courtesy of NASA)


Qur'an - Movement of the Earth

The idea that mountains move would have seemed almost unimaginable to people centuries ago.  The Holy Qur'an uses the word  تَمُرُّ  in the verse below meaning to "pass, drift, float".  It is stating that the mountains drift or pass similar to the clouds passing overhead.  How could this verse disclose such information (1400 years ago)?  One interpretation is the movement of mountains and continents.  The 2nd interpretation is that the entire planet Earth is moving hence the mountains!  The verse is pointing to the clouds.  The clouds drift away in the space so the verse is saying that the mountains also drift away in the space.  Consequently, the Earth is moving in the space!



وَتَرَى ٱلْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِىَ تَمُرُّ  مَرَّ ٱلسَّحَابِ صُنْعَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَتْقَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ إِنَّهُۥ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَفْعَلُونَ

You see the mountains and think them firmly fixed: but they drift away as the clouds drift away: (such is) the artistry of Allah, who disposes of all things in perfect order: for He is well acquainted with all that you do  27:88



 

رَبُّ ٱلْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَغْرِبَيْنِ

[He is] the Sustainer of the two points of sunrise, and the Sustainer of the two points of sunset. 55:17

 


Hazrat Imam Ali ibne AbiTalib (AS)   explained the above verse 1400 years ago:   By using the “two easts & two wests”, Allah is telling us about the two extremes seasonal sunrise and sunset points associated with the solstices.


(i.e., by modern standards, Allah (SWT) is giving us a hint about the rotation of the Earth around the Sun since if the Earth was stationary, we would not see this phenomena).  For the full details of what Imam said about the sunrise and sunset, please see "Mystery of sunrise and sunset".