Duluk of the sun
Email with question:
In 17:78 you have translated the word duluk to mean the decline of the sun from its highest point at Noon, but other scholars have interpreted this word to mean the point when the sun falls below the horizon, or in other word they say that duluk is at sunset. Could you please shed more light, thank you.
Reply:
In 17:78 you have translated the word duluk to mean the decline of the sun from its highest point at Noon, but other scholars have interpreted this word to mean the point when the sun falls below the horizon, or in other word they say that duluk is at sunset. Could you please shed more light, thank you.
Reply:
The word “duluk” of the sun is mentioned in verse 17:78, and this verse also gives us the confirmation that “duluk” means the decline of the sun from its highest point in the sky at noon.
The literal words in 17:78 are:
“You shall observe the salat from the “duluk” of the sun up to the “ghasaq” (darkness) of the night”
“You shall observe the salat from the “duluk” of the sun up to the “ghasaq” (darkness) of the night”
Here we have to define two points of time:
- When exactly does the “duluk” of the sun occur?
- When does the “ghasaq” (darkness) of the night start.
Let us first start with the darkness “ghasaq” of the night. When does the darkness start to fall? The answer is at sunset. At sunset it is not totally dark yet, but that is when the darkness starts to fall.
Let us first start with the darkness “ghasaq” of the night. When does the darkness start to fall? The answer is at sunset. At sunset it is not totally dark yet, but that is when the darkness starts to fall.
Some will say that the command in 17:78 speaks of the point when it is totally dark and not when darkness starts, is this correct?
To answer this question let us consider the following example:
If you are told:
“Start walking down the road, then when you reach the sea you shall start swimming”
Does this mean you should start swimming when you reach the beginning of the sea, or the middle of the sea, or the end of the sea? Obviously the only correct answer is that you should start swimming as soon as you get to the sea, or in other words, the beginning of the sea.
Similarly when we are told to observe the salat up till the “ghasaq” (darkness) of the night, this can only mean that the salat mentioned in 17:78 ends at the beginning of the darkness and not the middle or end of the darkness. The beginning of the darkness is at sunset.
Now we have defined the end of the salat mentioned in 17:78 to be sunset, it becomes easy to determine when exactly does this salat start, or in other words, when exactly does the “duluk” of the sun occur?
Those who claim that “duluk” means sunset will get unstuck here, this is because the command in 17:78 is to observe the salat from the “duluk” of the sun up to sunset, so if we interpret “duluk” to mean sunset (as they claim), this would mean that we have to observe the salat from sunset to sunset!
This obviously does not make any sense. This analysis confirms that the “duluk” of the sun must be sometime well before sunset.
The only visible points of change in the sun’s journey in our sky are three and they are: sunrise, sunset and decline from highest point in the sky.
The word used for sunrise in the Quran is “mashriq” as in 2:258 and the word used for sunset in the Quran is “ghuroob” as in 20:130.
This confirms that the “duluk” of the sun can only be the third of these three points, and it is the point when the sun declines from its highest point in the sky at noon.
Praise God who has assured us that the Quran provides explanations for all things:
“We have revealed to you this book to provide explanations for all things, and guidance, and mercy, and good news for the submitters.” 16:89
“We have revealed to you this book to provide explanations for all things, and guidance, and mercy, and good news for the submitters.” 16:89