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Two Total Eclipses: ITS SIGNIFICANCE
AND LAY'LA-TUL QADR
Two
total eclipses in the month of Ramadaan, a lunar eclipse on
Sunday Nov. 9, 2003, - Ramadaan 14, 1424, and a solar eclipse
on Sunday Nov. 23, 2003 , - 28 Ramadaan 1424, is extremely rare
to occur in one single month, and even more unique and
incredible that it happens in the holy month of RAMADAAN!
Surely, there must be some extraordinary lesson in this for the
people of the world, and for Muslims in particular. What is
that lesson? In the above verses I have quite clearly detailed
the WISDOM of ALLAH [SWT] in creating these celestial bodies in
the skies, and the fulfilment of that wonder being to guide
mankind to the worship of ONE ALL-POWERFUL and ALMIGHTY ALLAH,
and not to worship or venerate any other beside ONE
ALLAH.
In
this section, we look at, one) How did the ancients view
eclipses; two) What is an eclipse; three, The solar eclipse in
the time of RASUL'ULLAH [SAW]; and four,
Where
and how are the two total eclipses in November 2003 – Ramadaan
1424 going to occur?
ONE:
HOW THE ANCIENTS VIEWED ECLIPSES
Eclipses are awesome, strange and perplexing phenomena
that have caused men to wonder in amazement when it occurs. The
word eclipse in Greek means ‘fainting' or ‘failing'. This was
due to them seeing the darkening and dimming of heavenly lights
all of a sudden and the sun or moon swoon under some dreadfully
ominous visitation. Eclipses were taken as portents of war,
pestilence, to signal the death of king, and even forecast the
end of the world. Customs, rites and clamorous supplications
were observed by them during and after
eclipses.
In
Asia and China eclipses were thought to be caused by a great
dragon attempting to swallow the sun. In the early world the
ancients were under the impression that two enormous wolves
were busy devouring the chief sources of light, and they would
set up a terrific cacophony of sounds to chase them
away.
Of all
the celestial bodies, only the moon is visible by night and
day. Her disc is brilliant, especially at full moon. Her face
bears elusive designs, leading to the tale of a man on the
moon. Many superstitions have been founded about the moon, such
as blaming it for disasters and afflictions, such as blindness
and insanity. The word ‘lunacy' is derived from the Latin name
of the moon. Moonlight has a universal hold over the
imagination of people. There is enchantment and romance in its
radiance.
To
save the sources of light, meaning the sun and the moon, they
would subject themselves to their worship; bowing, praying,
prostrating and supplicating to these heavenly bodies assuming
that provision came from them. The Messengers of ALLAH [SWT]
were severely rebuked and reprimanded, and even killed, when
they remonstrated with people about their deification of the
heavenly bodies. People defied them, and denied the existence
of an ALL POWERFUL CREATOR and SUSTAINER.
TWO:
HOW WHAT IS AN ECLIPSE?
A
solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves directly between the
earth and the sun. In a total eclipse, the moon completely
obscures the sun. Partial eclipses, in which only part of the
sun is obscured, are much more common. A lunar eclipse occurs
when the earth's shadow falls on the moon. A lunar eclipse may
also be partial or total.
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