DAILYREFLECTION
Have you not seen how Allah merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night…
Consider Surah Luqman (31:29): "Have you not seen how Allah merges the night into the day and the day into the night?" On the surface, this verse speaks to a phenomenon we witness daily. But the language reveals something profound—the concept of merging suggests a gradual, continuous process, not an abrupt switch. This perfectly describes what we now understand about Earth's rotation and the gradual transition of day to night across our spherical planet.
Even more striking is Surah Az-Zumar (39:5): "He coils the night upon the day and He coils the day upon the night." The Arabic word used here is kawara, which means to coil or wrap something around, like winding a turban around one's head. This imagery is extraordinary. How does night and day "coil" around each other? Only on a sphere.
This wasn't common knowledge in 7th century Arabia. While a few Greek philosophers had theorized about Earth's roundness, it wasn't widely accepted. Yet the Quran uses precise imagery that describes exactly what happens: as our spherical Earth rotates, darkness and light continuously wrap around its surface.
Perhaps most fascinating is the Quranic description of Earth's shape using the same word for an ostrich egg. Modern science confirms that Earth isn't a perfect sphere, it's an oblate spheroid, slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. Much like an ostrich egg.
These signs remind us that our faith doesn't require us to abandon reason or science. Rather, the Quran invites us to observe, reflect, and recognize the signs of our Creator in the natural world.
Reflect On This
What familiar signs of creation do we pass daily without reflection?
Share your reflections in the poll at the end of the email.
WATERMELONWATCH
Mourners react as they attend the funeral of a Palestinian who, according to medics, was killed in an Israeli strike, at Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
Aid groups say Israel is tightening entry and registration rules that are blocking foreign humanitarian staff, risking gaps in specialized care. Even so, many teams on the ground are continuing lifesaving work through local staff and remaining partners.
Food rations have restarted at scale for some families, but fuel, road closures, and access restrictions are still slowing deliveries and raising costs. The resumption of full monthly distributions for tens of thousands is a rare sign of relief in day to day survival.
Israeli strikes continued after Israel said it targeted a launch site following a failed rocket launch, with reported fatalities on the ground. In parallel, winter support is still reaching families, including efforts to strengthen shelters and restore basic water and sanitation services where possible.
QURANCORNER
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا
“Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.”
Fa-sabbiḥ bi-ḥamdi rabbika wastaghfirhu, innahu kāna tawwābā
"Fa-sabbiḥ": Glorify, acknowledge Allah's perfection.
"Wa-staghfirhu": Seek forgiveness, teaching humility, even at the height of success.
"Innahu kāna tawwābā": Allah constantly accepts repentance, reminder of His mercy and our imperfection.
Victory is not the end, returning to Allah in praise and humility is the true goal.