The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 226
PREFACE SUB-FOOTNOTE 225 Finally, it must also be remembered that it is a great mistake to ascribe a literal meaning to every word of the Noble Quran. This sacred Word of Allah, glorified be His eminence, on account of its great elo- quence, is full of fine metaphors. Therefore, to try to ponder over how the heavens will be shaken and rent asunder is really an undue inter- ference with the broad significance of these words. We can only say that all these and many other similar words point towards the ultimate annihilation of the material universe. The Word of Allah means that this created universe will inevitably be followed by devastation—all that has been made will be broken up, all combinations will be shattered, all matter will disintegrate and break into pieces, and every material object shall be consumed in the process of a general destruction. A number of verses of the Noble Quran point out that the rending or tearing asunder of the heavens, mentioned in it, cannot be taken to denote what the rending or tearing asunder of a hard and solid object means. At another place Allah, glorified be His eminence, says: وَالسَّمَوتُ مَطوينا بِيَمِينِهِ Meaning that, at the time of the destruction of the universe, God Almighty will wrap up the heavens with His right hand. Now consider: if the phrase 'splitting of the heavens' were to be taken literally, mean- ing that they will be torn asunder, then the word [maṭwi- yyat-folding] would be altogether incongruous and contradic- tory—for [in this verse] there is no mention of rending or tearing, only of folding. There is another verse found in Sūrah al-Anbiyā', Part 17, which is as follows: 1. Surah az-Zumar, 39:68 [Publisher]