The Red Rose in the Sky
In the 37th surah of ar-Rahman, our Lord states the following;
When the sky is rent asunder, and becomes a crimson rose like melted oil.” (Surah, ar-Rahman: 37)
The word اَلدِّهَانُ (addihan) in the verse is used for two meanings. The first one is hot oil and the other is saffian (a kind of tanned and dyed leather). After this explanation, let us translate the verse again. If the sky is rent asunder, you shall see it like dyed leather or a crimson rose which seems like hot oil. Many interpreters of the Qur’an interpreted this verse as the situation of the sky at the moment of apocalypse. Because, the renting asunder of the sky reminded them the Doomsday. However, while we can understand the notion of renting asunder of the sky as going to space by passing over the atmosphere, we can also understand that as renting asunder the sky by eyes via telescopes and watching beyond. So from this aspect, the meaning of the verse is as follows; “If you could afford to go to space by renting asunder the sky or manage to cleave it with the equipments that you invent and watch its beyond, you will see a saffian in the color of a rose or hot oil.”
Then, what does “a crimson rose like melted oil” mean? If you wish, let us see the explanations of scientists and space researchers.
Nebula is the name given to nebular structures which are composed of gases, dust, hydrogen, helium and other ionized gases that exist in space and spread in wide areas. These eruptions of gases are very large and fast. Afterwards, these gases come closer and form a cloud of gas. The temperature of this cloud of gas is more than 15.000 degrees centigrade.
In fact, as a result of space researches of nowadays, scientists have come across with a Nebula which is in the color of a crimson rose looking like melted oil just as it is described in the verse.
Yes, this Nebula was named as “Rosette Nebula”, which means a cloud of gas that resembles the shape of a rose, by scientists because it just looks like a rose. Rosette Nebula is a vast mass of dust and gas away from the earth approximately 5200 light years and has a diameter of about 130 light years.
How can it be explained that something that has just been revealed thanks to today’s technological equipment of observation was informed by a person who did not know how to read and write in an age when there was no science and technology? Yes, is it possible for a person who lived at that age and who did not know how to read and write to give such news? Definitely not. Then the Qur’an is the pre-eternal word of Allah and the person (PBUH) who brought this news to us is His messenger. We believed in it!