Astronomy: wonder in an open universe

Much of the time he would occupy himself with uncovering the secrets of the heavens, contemplating in their detail the movements of the stars. He had a telescope with which he would make his observations every night.

When I was very young I was present in a meeting in which people discussed astronomy according to the theories of the old School of Ptolemey. The lecturer told us that the earth is stationary and all the planets revolved around it; that the earth and the planets are like unto seven layers of an onion one over the other.

I was made very angry; because I thought I am made a prisoner in one of these spheres. These worlds crowding over each other and their heavy weights pressing over one another! It was as though I was held a prisoner within the circumscribed limit of the earth. I got out of the meeting with a sad heart and for several days no one could change my mood.

One day I was reading one of the Tablets of Baha'u'llah in which it was stated that this is "infinite space." Then I was made very happy. I realized that I am no longer a prisoner of the limits of the world.

(Then, concerning the confinement of the atmosphere, He said:) In childhood, whenever I heard about Ptolemaic principles that the seven celestial spheres were like seven circles each within another and each circle encompassing another circle, My heart would feel confined.

In brief, the new astronomy is more correct than the old astronomy, for these discoveries are among the fruits of this new age. … However, in this new cycle great discoveries will be made, and even the new mathematicians have not yet understood and discovered all mathematical problems, but the unknown matters will soon be discovered.

However, the philosophers of this age, having received a portion of the light of this Manifestation, are more knowledgeable than those who came before. They have not yet fully discovered the number of planets; soon it shall be revealed and added to the previous count. This science is a fathomless ocean. Each fixed star has its planets, and each planet is a world among the worlds of thy Lord. Who can count the hosts of thy Lord therein, or the creations of His servants therein?

The philosophers who have interpreted the age of the world to be many thousands of years have not in this period enumerated the planets. How many differences are visible and evident between the sayings of those before and after! And for every fixed star there are planets, and for every planet there are creations whose number the enumerators are powerless to count.

With regard to that which hath been mentioned concerning the seven spheres and the seven heavens referred to in the Books revealed by those Dawning-places of Light and Repositories of Secrets in previous ages, such references were dictated by the conventional wisdom prevailing in those times, for every cycle hath its own characteristics which are determined by the capacities of the people and their readiness to accept fresh revelations of the truth from behind the veil. All things are ordained by God according to a given measure. When the Prophets spoke of the celestial spheres what they intended was no more than the orbits of the planets falling within that greater world that embraces the sun and its attendant planetary system.

According to his calculations the heavens were divided into nine circles, because he observed seven planets, calculating seven distant orbits through which they moved. The circle outside of the seventh was thought to be studded with the fixed stars.

After centuries of scientific deduction it is proved that there is no fixed heaven; that which we see is an infinite space; these stars are hung like luminous lamps in this immeasurable atmosphere. There are neither eight nor nine nor ninety spheres and the stars are numberless.

Science proves that there is no heaven or sky, but all is limitless space and one universe. In this limitless space the heavenly spheres revolve and have their orbits.

For example, all these luminous spheres in this infinite space, except for the poles, make a rotation in 24 hours during day and night and have a rising and setting. This cannot be other than two types: Either all have the earth's center as their center and traverse this vast circumference in a brief period of 24 hours, or the earth rotates on its axis in this brief period. It is clear that the latter option is correct - for these infinite luminous bodies to have a single motion around the earth is impossible.

For example, as you know, before the observations of the renowned astronomer of later times, that is, from the first centuries down to the fifteenth century of the Christian era, all the mathematicians of the world were unanimous in upholding the centrality of the earth and the movement of the sun. … But in the Qur'an a number of verses were revealed which contradicted the Ptolemaic system.

With regard to what you had previously written, that someone among the mathematical scholars had inquired of His Holiness concerning the celestial spheres, planets, their movements and influences - this was presented at the Most Holy Court.

However, during the days in Iraq, a Tablet was revealed from the heaven of God's Will concerning these matters. This servant will present what is remembered from it. Among other things, in that Tablet nineteen planets were mentioned, and He stated that the full account had not yet been given. What was mentioned therein about the heavens and celestial spheres was different from what people commonly describe.

All the glittering stars are suns, each having its own realm and planets, and the planets of planets which are termed moons. Mercury and Venus are among the lower planets, while the rest are among the upper planets. That which is of the upper sphere has, in relation to the moon, both direct and retrograde motion, and its orbit is vast; therefore when it passes through the point of the dragon's head it is either northern or southern, unlike the lower planets, whose orbits being visible and smaller, move around the sun more swiftly than the earth. Hence when passing through the dragon's head they remain in their own center....

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Some of the heavenly bodies have three motions that is the earth which revolves on its axis produces day and night. Then the movement motion around the sun produces the seasons. The entire solar system moves around a center. There is a sun which is the center of all centers. For instance our sun with all its planets are moving around a central sun like the moon moves around the earth.

For instance the earth has rotation on its axis which produces the day and night; it has the movement around the sun which gives the seasons; the solar system moves around a center; that is, there is a sun which is the center of all suns. Our sun with all its planets is moving around this great center like the moon around the earth.

The moon revolves around the earth; the earth rotates around the sun; the sun has also a center around which it revolves and that space is immeas[urable]. These stars in the infinite space which twinkle, each one of them is a sun with many satellites but they are so far that the eyes cannot see them. All these numberless stars are suns but owing to the incredible distance they look so small.

You had asked about missing stars - when a star reaches an extremely far distance from Earth and like comets becomes distant from Earth's sphere, meaning in their orbit and motion they move far from Earth's sphere, they apparently become missing. And likewise the tailed stars, meaning comets, of which until now six hundred and some have been observed, are all like this. It has become evident and established that when in their motion they move far from Earth they become hidden, and when they come near they become visible.

For in ancient times there were different kinds of years - some would count one lunar cycle as a year, some would count the solar cycle, and likewise they would name the cycle of each planet as a year, such as the lunar year, solar year, Venus year, Mercury year, Mars year, Jupiter year, and Saturn year, which refers to the orbital period of these planets.

The astronomers call the constellation of Gemini "Two Figures" and these are two heavenly forms, meaning like two bodies with arms embracing each other - this is how they described it.

These stars are elemental bodies from the world of nature. As they possess refinement in their own realm, that is, the world of elements, they are bright and luminous in the horizon at dawn.

Question: Do the stars of the heavens have a spiritual influence upon human souls or not?

Answer: Certain celestial bodies exert a physical influence upon the earth and its creatures which is clear and apparent and which requires no explanation. Consider the sun, which, through the help of divine grace, nurtures the earth and all its creatures. Indeed, were it not for the light and heat of the sun, all earthly things would entirely cease to exist.

But the reality of the matter is that in this infinite space all luminous bodies, even the particular elements of the universe, are interconnected like the organs and parts of the human body and have perfect relationship.

Were there no power of attraction, of gravitation, among the great planets which occupy interminable space they would drop, because their poise and endurance are due to that power of attraction which serves as a bond among them, and that bond is peace.

However, some among the ancients through the power of detachment gained knowledge of certain cosmic mysteries and obtained awareness of relationships and connections that exist between created things - they became aware of certain hidden secrets in the realities of things and deduced some future events from the relationships between existing things. This cannot be denied, as mentioned in the Kitab-i-Iqan regarding the brilliant star that indicated the birth of Christ. But the superstitions contained in astrological books are absolutely not to be trusted.

As careful investigators have discovered, the earth in relation to the planets is a heaven, and the other planets too from one perspective are heavens and from another perspective are mere heaps of dust.

As to thy questions regarding the stars: know that these brilliant stars are numberless and their existence is not void of wisdom both useful and important (i.e., their existence is of great importance.)

Rather, they are worlds, as this world of ours. But they differ in their bodies, by the difference of elements, from this earthly body. They differ in their formation. The beings existent upon these bodies are according to their formation.

Each of the celestial stars has its own particular nature. This earth, which is infinitely small in comparison, is not empty and purposeless - how much more so these great luminous celestial bodies! The Qur'an clearly states: "And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the living creatures He has scattered through them both." It says "in them both" not "in it" - clearly indicating that living creatures exist in both, since "creature" refers to a living, moving being. Despite this clarity, no one until now has noticed this.

Each of these stars is like unto the sphere of earth and is inhabited by living beings with the utmost grandeur. Although this earthly sphere is small, it containeth many different species - consider then how much more those great celestial bodies must contain! Living beings exist in each according to its composition, and assuredly none are void.

Thus it became known that all these luminous bodies are inhabited and the light of truth certainly shines and radiates in all of them. God did not create these infinite luminous bodies in vain.

Were it possible to build a heavenly railway; were it possible to invent an aeroplane to establish communication between the various planets many marvelous discoveries would have been achieved. Then the inhabitants of the earth could associate with the denizens of other spheres. They could learn from them many things. They could then realize the grandeur and infinity of the universe. They would see with their own eyes how stupendous and magnificent are these shining stars.

He then went on in the most wonderful and learned manner explaining to us the different combinations of stars, etc., for a long while.

Then I pointed to the Milky Way and told the legend regarding it and He said: "The stars that we can see in the heavens are not one per cent of those that actually exist.

Q. Concerning planets - can a planet be extinguished?

A. Yes, a planet can lose the bounty of God and be destroyed. As man depends on his elements and the brain in particular, so the "Sent Prophets or Manifestations" are like the brain of a planet, they cannot live without the help from this highest source or element of their beings.

Thus it became evident that the reality of Christ came from the divine heaven, not from the physical heaven, and likewise He ascended to the divine heaven, not to the physical heaven, for in the physical world there is no heaven - rather, what we see is infinite space, and the physical heaven is the orbit of the stars, meaning the circuit that each star traverses.

Consider, then, what a lofty pavilion the forgiving Lord hath reared for His forlorn and shelterless servants, a pavilion before which the jewel-studded sky is but a prison, and the higher world itself but straitened, lowly, and dark. Such is the bounty of that Lord of munificence, that nourisher and educator of creation.

O Ibrahim, namesake of the Friend of the All-Merciful Lord! Your namesake, when he gazed upon a star, said "This is my Lord" to awaken his people who believed in the real influence of celestial bodies. And when it set he said "I love not those that set." Then when the shining moon appeared, again to awaken the heedless he said "This is my Lord." And when it set he said "I love not those that set." Then when the brilliant sun appeared, again to awaken the veiled ones he said "This is my Lord."

In each month, the second day is the appearance of the moon, since usually on the first day it is hidden. This symbolizes that the divine heavenly moon has no manifestation in the beginning, but later becomes manifest. And twelve refers to how the celestial moon completes one cycle through twelve constellations each month, and this is the complete cycle of the moon. Similarly, the True Moon in its time had manifestations in the twelve tribes, twelve apostles, and twelve Imams. When fourteen is added to two and twelve, it becomes twenty-eight, and these are the lunar mansions that the moon traverses in the course of one month.

The first query was about the dark spots on the moon. Know that the first to ask this question was the Prophet Khidr, peace be upon him, when he came to the door of the house of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, in Medina after His ascension to heaven. He saw that Ali, peace be upon him, was standing by the door with great sorrow visible upon his countenance due to the cessation of revelation and the ascension of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family. He asked him about these spots on the moon, meaning the change in the appearance of its face. He answered him, may my soul be his sacrifice, with the well-known verse from the Qur'an. And the spots on this moon of heaven corresponded to the moon of authority. Those possessed of understanding know that what is there cannot be known except by what is here, and these described spots are indeed a station of the answer. It is what God has written by His hands of power on the face of the two moons: "There is no God but God, Muhammad is God's Messenger, Ali is God's Friend." This is the inner path.

As to what We impart unto thee concerning the ranks of the action of the planets: the Sun is the planet of the Divine Will, the Moon is the star of Divine Purpose, and the five are the stars of the five. There is no altering God's decree in aught, and verily God, thy Lord, is powerful, mighty.

He it is Who has made the sun and moon to move by a reckoning of fire, and We have ordained for them in the Book of Command, through stations of determination, in truth and by truth, at the Pole of Fire, a balancing. It befits not the sun to overtake the moon in its course, nor the moon to overtake the sun in its light.

At the midnight hour the sun entereth the sign of Aries. The sun of creation hath dawned at the beginning of days in perfect balance. On the night when the two spheres met, a sun from the All-Hearing joined with Gemini.

Praise be to God Who created water through His utterance manifest in the Kingdom of immortality. Then He gazed upon it, and it trembled within itself, and a portion of it was frozen. Thereupon the dusty earth appeared through His decree established in the realm of origination. When they separated and divided, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke another word. Then that water, brought into being through the Will manifest in creation through the essence of possibility, moved upon that earth brought into existence through the will of the All-Merciful. And there rose from them both a subtle, spiritual, luminous heat by its power to the highest rank, that it might attain to that station wherein the tongue of its Lord, the Most Glorious, speaks. When it reached the ultimate station, it paused in that most exalted place which is mentioned in creation as the highest sphere. Then the water mixed partially with the earth, and another heat rose from them both, and due to its weakness it did not reach the first one and halted at another station which is known as the second sphere. And likewise heat rose from them time after time until the stations known as the spheres were complete. Then the Tongue of Grandeur spoke another word, and thereby the stations and spheres began to revolve, and from the intensity of revolution a light shone forth and was transformed into a dome over the face of heaven. Then brilliant stars and luminous planets appeared. When the dominion of His Name, the Self-Subsisting, encompassed them from all directions, each one of them became circular as can be seen in the sun and moon. Exalted is the All-Powerful, the Wise Creator Who made His exalted Word the source of creation of all things above and below, the four elements, and the sublime natures brought into being.

This is the circle of the Command through which the heaven's sphere doth turn, and this is a truth which hath been irrevocably inscribed by the Pen of God in the Mother Book. By it are the spheres of existence set in motion, and unto everyone is rendered their due right, their proper station, and their befitting grace.

Praise be to God Who set in motion the spheres in the heaven of mystic knowledge through the winds of the will of His Name, the All-Merciful. When they moved, the light shone forth and spread across the face of the sky, becoming brilliant stars. Exalted is the Dawning-Place of verses through which mysteries were revealed in the beginning and the return.

And peace be upon you so long as the celestial spheres rotate in the kingdom of names and attributes.

It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; then He turned to the heaven and made them into seven firmaments (sab'a samawatin).

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