Shadows
\r\n Al-Furqan (The Criterion) - Chapter 25 : Verse 45
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"Have you not seen how your Lord does cause the shadow to stretch [towards the sunset], while had He willed, He could have made it stand still! We have made it connected with the sun in indication."
We become so used to the various natural phenomena that we do not appreciate the marvellous intactness of the universal laws and the order behind them, the coordination of these natural phenomena and laws in their correlation, and the human benefits of any phenomenon. The occurrence of the shadow, with its different lengths during the day, is a daily phenomenon connected with the sun. Thus the sun and the shadow each becomes an indicator of the other. In a hot land, like Arabia, the shade is of great benefit for the human being. Its change of length according to what appears to be the movement of the sun on the horizon, but which is really a result of the rotation of the earth around itself in front of the sun, is part of the cosmic dynamism. In the past, people tried to know the passing of time during the day by measuring the shadow of any particular object, and the times of noon and afternoon prayers were appointed in this way. The sundial was brought out to show the time of day by the shadow of a gnomon – a pointer – on a surface, usually horizontal. The position or length of the shadow of this object on the surface would serve as an indicator of the time – especially the hour – of the day. The change of the length of the shadows also calls to mind the succession of day and night, and how the human beings benefit from both.
\r\nEven after all modern scientific discoveries changes in the length of the shadow points to the wonderful plan of creation, and the Omnipotent Planner behind it.
\r\nCompiled From:
\r\n \"Concepts of the Quran\" - Fathi Osman, pp. 38, 39