Rising & setting point of Sun
070.040► فَلا أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ الْمَشَارِقِ وَالْمَغَارِبِ إِنَّا لَقَادِرُونَ
No! I swear by the Lord of the easts and wests that We have the power. (Qur’an, Al-Maarij -70:40)
037.005► رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَرَبُّ الْمَشَارِقِ
Lord of the heavens and the Earth and everything between them; Lord of the easts. (Qur’an, As-Saaffat- 37:5)
055.017► رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ
The Lord of the two easts and the Lord of the two wests. (Qur’an, Ar-Rahman -55:17)
As can be discerned, the words east and west are used in the plural sense in the above verses. For instance, the word “mashaariq,” used in the first verse for “east,” and the word “maghaarib” used for “west,” are in plural form, indicating that there are two of each. The words “mashriqayn” and “maghribayn” in the last verse are used for two easts and two wests. “Mashaariq” and “maghaarib” also mean the place where the Sun rises and sets. The above verses are therefore referring to different sites of the dawning and closing of the day. It is also worthy of note that the vow is taken by the Lord of “the easts and wests” in the first verse.
The axis around which the Earth revolves itself is at an angle of 23˚ 27′. Due to that angle, and the spherical shape of the Earth, the light rays from the Sun do not always strike it at the same angle. This means that the Sun rises at different points in the east and sets at different points in the west.
That the expressions regarding east and west in the above verses indicate the Sun rising and setting at different points reveals a great wisdom. (Allah knows best.)
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