The two Easts and the two Wests.
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Peace be upon all readers,
I believe that the meaning for the "two easts and the two wests" by Ar-Rahman is very profound in so far as it describes another scientific miracle of the Quran.
Geologists have noted in rock records that the alignment of various iron compounds in lava flows shows a reversal in alignment. They were at a loss to explain this until it was discovered that the Earth's magnetic field reverses every 200-250 thousand years. About as frequently as the ice ages.
If all the compasses in the world started pointing south rather than north, many people might think something very strange, very unusual, and possibly very dangerous was going on. Doomsayers would have a field day proclaiming the end is nigh, while more rational persons might head straight to scientists for an explanation.
Fortunately, those scientists in the know -- paleomagnetists, to be exact -- would have a ready answer. Such reversals in the Earth's magnetic field, they'd tell you, are, roughly speaking, as common as ice ages. That is, they're terrifically infrequent by human standards, but in geologic terms they happen all the time. As the time line at right shows, hundreds of times in our planet's history the polarity of the magnetic shield ensheathing the globe has gone from "normal," our current orientation to the north, to "reversed," and back again.
From http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/timeline.html
Therefore when the Earth's magnetic field reverses as it has done many times in the past the East and West will be reversed therefore the Earth has two easts and two wests as God says.
A profound proof of Divine authorship.
Ar-Rahman being the eternal author of creation is making us aware of this in the Quran. Ar-Rahman be Glorified.
It is also interesting that
Although other mechanisms ? such as meteor impacts ? have been postulated, it is generally agreed that reversals occur because of some change in the dynamo process that generates the magnetic field....
Many authors have pointed out that the dipole part of the magnetic field has been weakening during historic times, and that if the present trend continues, the dipole field will go to zero in roughly 1500 years. Some people take this to mean that we are entering a reversal. Although this possibility cannot be discounted, many investigators believe that the trend will not continue and that the field will regain its strength, as it has many times in the past.
From http//www.geolab.nrcan.gc.ca/geomag/reversals_e.shtml
We have been in a reversal of the magnetic pole since recorded history and it has been roughly 250 000 years since the last reversal.
The fact that the mention of the two easts and two wests occurs in a surah that deals with the coming of a day when the sky will turn to rose colored paint. A sign of the promise of Ar-Rahman.
5517 Lord of the two easts and the two wests.
5518 Which of your Lord's marvels can you deny?Ar-Rahman the Most Powerful, Most Merciful be Glorified.
Peace be upon you,
ObenSee http//observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,837058,00.html
http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3223739.stm
about how the Sun may be involved in this process....