In the Quran, there is mention of the moving shadow that can stand still, which may sound incorrect to skeptics. They argue that shadows always move as the Earth rotates. However, modern astronomy confirms that due to tidal locking, some celestial bodies, like the Moon, always show the same face to their partner — in the case of the Moon, the same side always faces the Earth. Tidal locking occurs when an object’s rotation period matches its orbital period around another object. The gravitational interaction between two bodies causes this. For instance, the Moon’s rotation and orbit are synchronized, so the same side always faces Earth. This phenomenon is also happening between Earth and the Sun, but due to the vast distance, this process takes much longer to achieve.
Tidal Locking is now a well-understood concept in astronomy, and the Quranic verse describing a shadow that can "stand still" (Quran 25:45) aligns with this concept. The verse states:
Have you not seen how your Lord extends the shade—He could have simply made it ˹remain˺ still if He so willed—then We make the sun its guide,25:45
This can be understood as a reference to the concept of tidal locking, where, over time, the Earth will eventually be tidally locked with the Sun, causing one side to always face the Sun, much like how the Moon always faces Earth today. Whilst these verses might not necessarily reference the scientific findings mentioned here, they showcase how, even the most hard to imagine realities explained by the Quran, can be shown to be permissible with modern scientific discoveries.
