Abraham refuted the godship of the stars, moon and sun through their setting and disappearance and said, “It is not possible for such creation to be God and they can never by the Lord of the universe.”

The question is what is the connection between setting, disappearance and not being godhead?

This question can be answered through various angles: (1) The setting and disappearance (Afulun) is the sign of movement and change or it is change itself and is also the sign of it being defective.

 There is no change in anything that is perfect in all sense. (In philosophical terms movement means transfer from one condition to another). The perfect being is not devoid of anything nor does it try to attain something because it is perfection personified by itself. It is then proven that all creations that are moving and change are imperfect. They are either devoid of some form of perfection or strive to achieve some form of it. Nothing imperfect can be God.

2. Anything that sets and disappears is subject to re-creation or is subject to continuous changes. Anything with such traits cannot be eternal and imperative because completeness requires that it must have origination as well be eternal at the same time and that is not possible because they are opposite each other.

3. Every movement depends upon a mover but if the mover himself moves then another non moving force is required and this search may finally lead to the entity that is not subject to movement or change.

4. Every movement especially that which leads to setting or disappearance is the sign that the material world moves towards destruction or death (We will discuss it later). Anything that is fallible or finite cannot be eternal and so cannot be the imperative force or God.

The four angles mentioned above can be made the base of Abraham’s argument and it may be possible that his statement points to all of them.

Fakhruddin Razi has quoted the opinion of some commentators that Abraham’s argument is so composite that everybody the specialists, the average and the common person can benefit from it. The details are as follows:

The learned and thinkers among the elite will understand the reality of “contingency” from “Oful” or disappearance and that every thing that has a contingency is dependent upon a creator and if the creator himself is contingent then it will need another creator and series will continue till it reaches a stage where is no scope for contingency or chance and the ultimate entity is free from all contingencies and dependence as described in Verse 42 of Surah Najm “ And to your Lord is the return of everything.”

For the average person it will infer that disappearance and setting is the sign of activity and everything active is finite and every thing finite is dependent upon an eternal entity.

The common person will understand to this as “ Oful” Means ‘Ghorub” or setting and he will discern how the sun, moon and the stars dim when they are about to set and then fade away leaving no trace behind. Their dominance over the sky ends and such a thing does not have the capacity to be God. The words, “I do not like the setting ones” can be benefited by those who are close, those who are on the right and those who are on the wrong because this is a very lofty and great proof. (2)

It is now clear from our discussion why Abraham did not base his arguments on the rising of the stars when both its rising and setting are movements. The finality, death and destruction and the disconnection of well being is more evident through the setting. This is not clear from the rising’ and eloquence and pureness demands that the argument should be based on the setting so that the matter can be made clear and acceptable to all. The point to be noted here is that movements can be of various kinds (We will discuss them later) the clearest among all the types of movement is the movement from one place to another and the verse is based on it’ though the change of place and condition are both amalgamated here. This is because the light of the sun, moon and stars change with their movement and it is the least at the time of their setting and then they keep fading till they are seen no more.

Some philosophers feel that Verse 88 of Surah Naml points to the proof of movement. The Qura’n says:

 “And you will see the mountains and think them solid, but they shall pass away as the passing of the clouds. The work of Allah, who perfected all things, verily! He is well-acquainted with what you do.”

Some philosophers think that this verse is about the trans-substantial movement and this movement is within the body. This is a movement that proves the material world to be finite and also proves that this world depends on a creator (we will soon explain this).

Anyway even if we assume that this is about the trans-substantial movement within a body it does not prove the Unity of God (Tawhid) and does not prove that a movement or action proves that there is a God. (Reflect Deeply)

 Most commentators believe that this is about those horrific events that will take place during the doomsday especially that the mountains will move and move so fast that they will turn into dust and rise like a cloud and there are various verses in the Qura’n about it. (3)

As we have explained in the Tafsir Amthal the language of these verses and the horrific events are not compatible

Because the bursting of the mountains that will take place in the early part of the doomsday will horrify the humans but this verse says “Are you not aware of the movements (to and fro) of the mountains?

We find that the verse tells us that the mountains also move like the earth so the word “Tara” (you see) is there and this compares the movement of the clouds with the movement of the mountains which is proof that both belong to earth. It then says, “This has all been created by God” and He has created everything with knowledge and wisdom. The verse further says, “He is well acquainted with what you do” This again proves that this verse explains the movement of the mountains on this earth.” (4)

The verse 29 of Surah Rahman says, “All those in the heavens and the earth beseech Him; everyday He deals with new matters” Some commentators declare this to be the trans-substantial movement and iterate that we can discern the proof of the Creator from it.

But this verse cannot be taken as the proof of the above claim for its words tell us that God creates something new everyday and this action is everlasting and continuous. He creates new things and bestows His favors anew everyday and one of his works is to fulfill the prayers of the beseechers.

The language of both the verses and the parables about this issue mean what we have stated. (We have discussed this in details in Tafsir Amthal)

We conclude from the above mentioned meanings and explanations that the better verses on the issue of the proof of movement are those that we have mentioned above related to Abraham. The setting and disappearance of the stars, moon and the sun prove that they are not God and also prove that they are dependent upon a creator for their own existence.

The following illustrations are given in order to understand the proof of activity so that an argument or proof can be discerned about the existence of God.

1. Fakhruddin Razi, Tafsir Kabeer Volume 13 page 52

2. Tafsir Amthal Volume 13 of Surah Ta-Ha Verse 15 for details

3. For further details see Tafsir Amthal Volume 15 Surah Naml verse 88.

4. See the explanation of Surah Rahman Verse 22 in Tafsir Amthal.