Space and astronomy

Astronomy activities are a chance to think about the importance of the sky in Islam, and appreciate the beauty of Allah’s creations.

It’s also a chance to celebrate how Muslim scholars helped lay the foundation of modern astronomy.

The sky’s really important in Islam. The Sun determines prayer times and the stars can be used to find the direction of Mecca for prayer (the Qibla). The Moon is used to work out the Islamic calendar.

In the Islamic calendar, a month begins with the sighting of the new crescent Moon. That makes astronomy a key part of Islamic events and festivals, including Ramadan and Eid.

The Qur'an has many reflections on the heavens and the skies. There are over 40 verses providing information on astronomy, including:

‘And He is the One Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating.’ (Qur'an 21:33)
‘God is the One Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see, then He firmly established Himself on the throne and He subjected the sun and moon...’ (Qur'an 13:2)
‘God is the One Who made the sun a shining glory and the moon a light and for her ordained mansions, so that you might know the number of years and the reckoning (of the time). God created this in truth. He explains the signs in detail for people who know.’ (Qur'an 10:5)

Reflection questions

What do you think of when you look at the nights sky? What do the skies mean to you?
Why might it be useful to understand the nights sky?
Why is astronomy important in Islam?