The larger a star is, the
faster it burns. If the Sun, which warms us and provides us with food and life,
were ten times larger than it actually is, it would have died 10 million (as
opposed to 10 billion) years after its formation and we would not be here now.
If our planet’s orbit were closer to the Sun than it actually is, everything
would evaporate and vanish; if it were further away, everything would be
covered in ice. The Sun is the ideal size and at the ideal distance from Earth
to support life on our planet.
If Earth were just 1% further
away from the Sun or 5% closer to it, our planet would be uninhabitable. The
percentages in question are absolutely tiny when one considers the enormous
numbers in the universe. For example, let’s consider Venus. The Sun’s warmth
reaches Venus, the planet immediately closer to it than Earth, just two minutes
before it reaches us. In terms of size and structure, Venus is relatively
similar to Earth. However, a small difference in each planet’s orbit distance
gives rise to a significant difference:
Venus’ surface temperature reaches 470 degrees Celsius, high enough to melt
lead. In addition, its surface atmospheric pressure is 90 times that of
Earth’s, a fact that makes human life there impossible.
Allah could have created life
on each planet if He willed. However, He willed to do so only on Earth by
making countless factors dependent upon the most sensitive balances. If even
one of these balances were upset, human life on Earth would be impossible.
However, since He created and maintains all of perfect flawless balances, our
planet exists in a state of flawless creation:
It is He Who
splits the sky at dawn, and appoints the night as a time of stillness and the
Sun and Moon as a means of reckoning. That is what the Almighty, the
All-Knowing has ordained. (Surat al-An‘am, 96)
الله سبحانه وتعالى
