If the planets were to spin a little slower, then they would quickly be pulled into the Sun, which would eventually swallow them as they exploded. The opposite would also spell disaster. If the planets spun a little faster, then the gravitational force of the Sun would not be enough to hold them and they would fly off into space.

 

Clearly, balance is of vital importance here… as the planets vary greatly in their mass and distance from the Sun. This means that their rates of spin also have to be different...

 

Our Lord has created all of the necessities for life by a perfect setting of all of these speeds. God’s will allows the continuing existence of the universe due to the setting of these rates of motion. God’s infinite power on all that He has created is mentioned in the Surat al-Fatir in the Qur’an:

 

I seek refuge in God from the accursed satan.

“God keeps a firm hold on the heavens and earth, preventing them from vanishing away. And if they vanished no one could then keep hold of them. Certainly He is Most Forbearing, Ever-Forgiving.” (Surat al-Fatir, 41)

 

The Rotational Speed of the Earth

 

The Earth makes a complete rotation of the Sun once every 24 hours with the result that alternating periods of daylight and darkness are fairly short. Because they are short, the thermal gradient between the light and dark sides of the planet are quite modest. The rotational speed of the Earth on its axis also helps keep the thermal distribution in balance. This creates the ideal temperature for the great variety of living beings that live on our planet. If this rotational speed were not at the necessary rate, life on Earth would be impossible for all creatures.

 

LIFE in Space

 

Creating conditions similar to those on Earth to allow life in space is one of humanity’s greatest goals. To have a better understanding of this we need to look at the International Space Station, currently in orbit around the Earth and constructed with great effort and at the cost of billions of dollars...