Hadith Regarding The Sun
A Critisim is sometimes leveled at a hadith regarding the Sun, most critics will claim that this hadith suggests a scientific contradiction. The hadith is found in Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 54, Number 421 and it reads
Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 54, Number 421:
Narrated Abu Dhar:
'At sunset the sun prostrates itself underneath the Throne and takes permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then a time will come when it will be about to prostrate itself... it will seek permission to go on its course... it will be ordered to return whence it has come and so it will rise in the West'
Response
Anybody who critises the above hadith on a scienfic level doesnt understand the actual meaning of the hadith. This hadith is not meant to teach astronomy. Firstly the Prophet did not say that the sun goes through a hole on earth as the hindu religion states and he did not say that the sun goes Under the Earth, all he said was that the sun goes underneath the 'throne of Allah, prostrates to Him and seeks His permission'. We are not 100% what the 'throne' of Allah is, it could be the entire universe, or something else, but we do not know, so its not strictly speaking a scienfitic contradiction.
Regardless of the above the metaphoric meaning of the hadith is that sun is a 'slave' of Allah, moving through space at his will. At the time of the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) many people worshiped objects they felt were powerful such as the sun, moon, stars, statues, idols and so on. The Hadith was a metaphoric way of showing that nothing is as important and powerful as God. The hadith uses this language to bring out this message in a way that even the most illiterate bedouin Arab would understand. I have explained this point about the use of language in other Hadith refutations i have written on this site.
What we have to understand from the above Hadiths is that the Prophet Muahmmed (pbuh) was aiming for Glorification of Allah. Since everything God created recognises the Creator, Allah, and worships Him, then the sun also prostrates to God in its own way and worships Him, Again dont take these words too literally as they were not intended to be taken literally especially in the context and original language they were given in. There are references in the Quran about the worship and prostration such as Surah 22 verse 18 and Surah 2 verse 116
To conclude the hadith refers to the sun prostrating underneath the throne of Allah, and We are not 100% what the 'throne' of Allah, but regardless the hadith should not be interpreted literally, the hadith was trying to really Glorify and Praise Allah Almighty as much as possible through metaphoric speech. Hadiths Unlike the Quran are not aimed for all people throughout all time, they were given for specific audiences and specific meanings.