Heavenly Bodies and Navigation

The Quran states that the stars are created, among other things, to serve as navigational aids for people in their travels, both on land and sea. This reflects an understanding of the age-old practice of using celestial navigation based on the positions of the stars to determine direction and position when exploring or traveling across the Earth’s surface.

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلنُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُوا۟ بِهَا فِى ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۗ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لِقَوْمٍۢ يَعْلَمُونَ

And it is He Who created the stars for you, that you may be guided by them in the darkness of land and sea. We thus explain the revelations for people who know.

The Holy Quran · Al-An'aam (The Cattle) · 6:97

وَعَلَٰمَٰتٍۢ ۚ وَبِٱلنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ

And landmarks. And by the stars they guide themselves.

The Holy Quran · An-Nahl (The Bee) · 16:16