Mystery of TIME
Holy Qur'an 32/5
 
Dear viewers, may the ALMIGHTY GOD shower HIS Blessings and Bounties on all of us! With this prayer in our heart, we welcome you all, with the traditional greetings Assalamoalaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatohu, which is again a prayer invoking peace, serenity, tranquility and the Divine Blessings and favors, for the well being of all humans inhabiting this globe. And the same blessings we call for all those on our right and all those on our left at the end of every Salat or Namaaz, so that till the next prayer, the effect of positive feelings for all the people around us remains in our heart and mind.
 
Today we shall ponder over 5th verse 5 of chapter 32 of The Holy Qur’an bestowed by our own LORD, the LORD of the Universe. Let us find out what the verses signify and how we can apply it for own benefit and development! May our LORD guide us to the right path, and help us to come to the right conclusion. Aameen!
 
 
 
 
It is impossible for mankind to correspond the eloquence and articulacy of the heavenly wordings. However, we make an attempt so as to come closer to the meaning and spirit of the Heavenly Scripture. May our LORD help us in our endeavor. According to my understanding, the meaning would be:
 
“GOD ALMIGHTY governs and organizes all the matters from heaven down to earth, then it (will all) ascend to HIM, in a Day, the measure of which is like thousand years according to your counting.”
 
Everyday, sun rises at a fixed time from a definite angle in the East and after completing its journey, sets in the West on a stipulated time at a fixed angle, thereby performing the duties assigned to it by its LORD. The day and night come into existence due to revolving of earth on its own axis in about 24 hours, and in about 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45 second’s time, it completes one revolution around the sun. This phenomenon has been described in the Book of our SUSTAINER in chapter 21 verse 33.
 
 

“And it is GOD ALMIGHTY who has created the night and day-light, and the sun and the moon – (and celestial bodies), each floats along in an orbit!”
 
Time is not an absolute thing. But, the period between two specific events is regarded as time. The time can be felt and perceived when the events stored in the brain arrange themselves in a particular order. Therefore, time is not something concrete, but a sort of perception.
 
As sense of colors is for differentiating various colors, and sense of taste is for differentiating taste, and as sense of smelling is for differentiating between fragrance and smell, in the same way time is possible balance and possible order of events. Therefore, in 20th century Einstein has put forth the “General Theory of Relativity.”
 
“Time has no independent existence apart from the order of events by which we measure it.”
 
As the time is a sort of feeling and perception, it is completely dependent on a perceiver. Therefore there is a relation and relativity between the two. This type of relativity is there in different frame of references. Human body does not have any natural clock which can precisely and exactly measure the time. Therefore, the journey of time can be understood by reasoning alone. As the colors are meaningless without the visions of the eyes, and as the fragrance is meaningless without the sense of smell, in the same way time is meaningless without the happening of events.
 
As per the general theory of Einstein –
 
“Speed of time changes, depending on the speed of the object, and its position in the gravitational field. As speed increases, time is shortened and compressed, and it slows down.”
 
The relativity of time does not depend on how slow or fast running of clock is, but it is the frame of reference of the system between operation periods.
 
This proves that time is only a relative perception. This relativity has been clearly stated around 1400 years back, by our SUSTAINER in HIS Book, and HE has invited intellect and wisdom of the mankind, to ponder upon the things around him and his resources. He should think about the creation of the earth, and the system of rains. He should think about the speed of the earth and the moon, the revolving of earth upon its orbit resulting in day and night. He should raise his head and look at the blue sky covering the whole universe. He will find signs of the SUSTAINER around him and everywhere. The SUSTAINER has given him wisdom and common sense too, he should make use of it and make his stay on earth useful, and he should think and ponder upon the SUSTAINER’s Book, and ensure to make life after his death most rewarding and beautiful. In chapter 3 verse 109 GOD ALMIGHTY says.
 
 
“And to ALLAH belong all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth; and all the matters return to ALLAH.”
 
By applying our common sense, we can recognize our CREATOR, our SUSTAIER, Who is our LORD too. Once we recognize our LORD, we need to search ourselves in the Book of our LORD, and try to find out purpose of our existence, our life and its end. The Holy Scripture, the Qur’an is not a book of science, but it contains references to several scientific facts. These assertions must be studied thoroughly and be made use of in order to serve humanity. Thereby, we can make our existence in this world purposeful and beneficial to the humanity, and we can convey the message of our LORD from HIS Book to the whole world.
 
Let us explore the subject of time. In fact, time is a thing of relative occurrence of events. It is this reason only that people perceive it with different speed. We get further information about it in the Book of our LORD in chapter 23 verses 112-114.
 
 
“And GOD ALMIGHTY will ask on Doomsday: ‘How many years did you stay on earth, O mankind?’
“They will reply: ‘We stayed a day, or part of a day. So ask those who are able to count.’
“GOD ALMIGHTY will say: ‘You only lasted a little while, if you could only realize it!”
 
On the Day of Final Judgment, every one of us will feel that he stayed on this earth for a short period, may be a few hours or part of a day. On that day, this earth, sun and moon and this universe will be folded back, and the world in a new form will be created instantly, with the will and order of ALMIGHTY ALLAH which is said in the Holy Qur’an states in chapter 14 verse 48:
 
 
“On the Day of Resurrection, the earth will be changed into a different earth, as so will be the heavens. And all the creatures will be marshaled forth before ALLAH, the ONE who holds absolute sway over all that exists.”
 
The frame of reference, with which we are familiar, will be altogether replaced by ALMIGHTY ALLAH. On that day, it will be definitely a different frame of reference. The speed and pace of time will also be different. This has been described by ALMIGHTY ALLAH in HIS Book in chapter 22 verse 47.
 
 
“And O Prophet, they ask you to hasten the punishment (of ALLAH): and ALLAH never fails to fulfill HIS promise – and a day with your LORD is like a thousand years of your counting.”
 
Counting of day and night indeed depends on the movement of earth on its axis. If we move away from the movement of earth into the space, then the duration of this day of 24 hour will not be there. We can do this experiment without going into the space. We can do it even by remaining on this earth itself. For instance, if we fly from East to West against the movement of earth, in a super sonic aircraft, the day will never end as our speed will be in accordance with the revolving speed of the earth around the sun.
 
This is the marvel of the Qur’an only, which has shown us the way to calculate day and night, in relation to the movement of the earth. Fourteen hundred years before, when the LORD of this Universe was revealing this Divine Writ, the world was not aware of the fact that the earth is revolving around the sun. This is also the challenge of the Qur’an that one day count (Alyaum) is not referred as day and night as we use in our calculation, but it denotes a time lag and a period.
 
Most of the people underestimate the powers of their SUSTAINER, and are not ready to give a second thought to their independent life style. Instead of submitting to the LORD, they repeatedly raise doubts, and stubbornly ask questions about the occurrence of the day of reckoning and punishment, honor and reward, as presage by the ALMIGHTY GOD. They ask when this chastisement will occur?
 
To let us wake up from our deep slumber and to warn us, the CREATOR of this Universe sends upon us chastisements like earth quakes, tornados and tsunamis. On those moments despite so much scientific progress, we are helpless in front of the power and strength of the Nature. But despite so many notices and warnings, we are not prepared to mend. We prefer to live in our own world of imaginations and illusion and ignorance. We think that the whole Universe is moving on as per our own calculation of speed of the day and night. Fourteen centuries ago, our LORD has invited us from the state of ignorance to the world of wisdom, that the planet we are habituating is bound to come to an end. The information about this transitory world and its resources is revealed by the ORIGINATOR of the Universe in the Holy Qur’an, chapter 6 verse 32.
 
 
“And the life of this world is not more than but a play and a passing delight; and the life in the hereafter is by far the better for all who are conscious of ALLAH. Will you not, then, use your reason?”
 
Then, again in chapter 3 verse 14 it is said:
 
 
“Alluring temptation and craze is kept for mankind in the fanciful desires of women, children, manpower, accumulated stocks and treasures of bullion and silver, and mode of conveyance like pedigreed horses, live-stock and lands. All these are not more than consumables of this world only – while with ALLAH, there are far better retreats and enjoyments.”
 
The parable of a day, equal to thousand years is a comparison in a separate from of reference. In yet another frame of reference our SUSTAINER in chapter 70 verse 4 of HIS Book has described.
 
 
“The angels and the soul ascend to GOD ALMIGHTY in a day, the measure of which is like fifty thousand years (according to your counting).”
 
In both the above quoted verses, the items to perceive time are different. The relativity of time is evident from the verse. Today, the science with so much advancement has arrived at the conclusion, that the time is not absolute, but it is a relative perception
 
It is clear from the Theory of Relativity that, billions of years in one frame of reference, could be equal to 1 second in another frame of reference. The events which are to happen in future are in knowledge of ALLAH, because they are not bound to time and space. The past, present and the future, all are under the knowledge of ALLAH, because HE is not bound to any time, place or space. For our SUSTAINER, past, present and future are alike. HE is the CREATOR and HE is present in all ages. HE is witness to all eras and at every event. HE is in the heavens, space and on the earth. In HIS own praise, the SUSTAINER says in chapter 57 verse 3.
 
 
“ALMIGHTY GOD is in the First and in the Last, and in the Outward as well as in the Innermost: and HE has full knowledge of everything and every event.”
 
The earth and the skies, the sun and the moon and all the planets, the stars, the galaxies and the whole universe, all are part of HIS Kingdom. HIS order is being followed every where, at all places in HIS Kingdom. HE is all aware of the happenings and events in the day or night, in heavens and earth or any where in the entire universe. HE knows even the impulses of HIS creature. In chapter 6 verse 3 it is revealed.
 
 
“And ALMIGHTY GOD is in the heavens and on the earth, knowing all that you keep secret as well as all that you do openly, and knowing what you deserve.”
 
Again in chapter 2 verse 255 it is revealed:
 
 
“……..GOD ALMIGHTY’s eternal power overspreads the heavens and the earth and their upholding can never cause burden on HIM. And HE Alone is truly Exalted, Tremendous.”
 
Now, in front of such a magnificent, mighty, powerful and great MASTER, we should think of our position. If we turn around and look, we will find HIS signs every where. Life and death of every living being is one of the numerous signs of The ALMIGHTY that we observe daily. They remind us that we are here in this world for a short period, and definitely we have to leave this world. In chapter 21 verse 35 it is reminded.
 
 
“Every created being is bound to taste death; and O mankind, WE test you all through the bad and the good (things of life) by way of trial: and unto US you all must return.”
 
The ups and down, the darker and brighter side of the day and night, and this decorated, colorful world is not the ultimate place, but a sojourn. We should strive to recognize the CREATOR and follow HIS commandments. We should try to improve upon and correct our selves for this present and the ultimate future. We should try to find out the right path that would lead to a rewarding position in the life to come.
 
We pray our SUSTAINER to enable us to explore HIS Final Revelation THE Al-Qur’an in the light of modern science. With the revelations of the scientific facts in the Holy Book, our conviction would but increase. Once we realize the truth, it further increases our responsibility to mankind. We should not be caught on the wrong foot when our MASTER will take accounts of every individual, on the day when every soul will be answerable to his deeds only.
 
Thank you very much, GOD Bless you all.