Title: Cosmology Question: In surah al-Mulk if my understanding is correct,it is stated that stars are used to attack shaitan.According to our present knowledge stars have their stated orbits.Even movement of meteorites can be monitored.According to law of conservation of mass & energy,we will not see all of a sudden a meteorite or fire being created and chase the shaitan. Ibnu Abbas commented on ayah 65:12 that there are 7 earths & in each earth there are your prophets..............Is it sahih? Does this correlate the multiple /parallel worlds we hear in science fiction? Aw Alfansa Malaysia Answer: Related verse of Surah Mulk and its English translation follows: And verily We have beatified the heaven nearest [to the earth] with lamps, and We have made them places from where devils are pelted missiles, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame. ( 67:05) The verse does not mean that stars are pelted rather the obvious implication is the stars are used as the places for pelting fire mass on the devils. An analogy would better explain the usage. If, for example, someone says that the post will be made a torrent of bullets for the militants he obviously means that the place would be used to launch an effective assault on them. The implication is so clear that it has never been subject to difference of opinion. The fact that extra measures were taken to guard the contents of the Holy Qur'an from any interpolation by the devils from among the jinn has been variously referred to in the Holy Qur'an. (See for example: 15:18, 37:10, 72:9) Prior to this period, the Holy Qur'an specifies, it was possible for the Jinn to steal bits of information from the heavens. It was only the extraordinary importance of the final revelation to mankind that necessitated that they be completely barred from even coming close to it. As an obvious corollary of the fact, it could be concluded that protection might have been taken back after the completion of the revelation. Some Jinn are quoted to have told their folks: And we used to sit on places (high) therein to listen. Whoever listens now finds a flame in wait for him. (72:9) In this and the other similar verses the word Shahab does not necessarily connote meteorites we are acquainted to. The Qur'an simply used the word Shahab in its literal connotation meaning a mass of fire. Therefore it would not be very accurate to state the Qur'an refers to the stars or meteorites. For our view on the concept of seven heavens and earths please refer to: What about Seven Heavens? [1] We believe that the mention of the earth in the referred to verse of Surah Al-Talaaq only complement the frequent Qur'anic reference to the seven heavens. Obviously the Holy Qur'an refers to seven universes but to say that there are creatures exactly like that of this universe would be an unfounded claim. The narrative you have mentioned is found both in Tafseer of Ibne Kathir and Al-Qurtabi and many other works. The translation of the text of the narrative follows: Ibn-e-Abbas said: Seven earths, each one having prophets like yours and an Adam like yours, and a Noah like yours, and an Ibrahim like yours and a Christ like yours. Bahaqi has said the chain of narrators is secure but this is Shaaz report (in contradiction with the more authentic sources on the issue). [2] Many other narratives have also been ascribed to Ibn-e- Abbaas (ra) where he does not reveal the real implication of the word claiming that the audience would not believe in the information he had in this regard. The report, about the seven parallel worlds, has been traced back to him with single chain of narrators and is doubted to be conflicting with other reports on the subject. The reports found in the tafseer works are generally not very reliable. Moreover, contradictory remarks are ascribed to the same personality, which leaves one in uncertainty as to what to believe and what to abandon. Moreover Ibn e Abbaas (ra) does not reveal the source of his information, which entails that it is only his interpretation. Whatever, the source and reliability of the narrative is we do not think that it squares with the Qur'an or merits serious consideration for such important information could not have been left untouched by the Holy Qur'an. I hope this helps. Tariq Mahmood Hashmi Research Assistant November 14, 2003 [1] This response may be accessed at: http://www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=502 . [2] This text has been taken from Al-Dur al-Mansoor Fi-Tafseer Al-Mathoor: Allamah Sayyuti.