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The Quran and Mountains: Difference between revisions
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The word ''rawasiya'' comes from the root ''arsa'', the same root used for the Arabic 'anchor'. To 'throw out' or 'cast' 'the anchor' is ''alqa al-mirsah''. Using these terms, similar to the phrase "cast the anchor to keep the ship from moving", one can say "cast the mountains to keep the earth from shaking."<ref name="Campbell"></ref> Dr. [[Zakir Naik]] translates ''awtad'' as 'stakes' or 'pegs' (like those used to anchor a tent).<ref name="Zakir Naik"></ref> | The word ''rawasiya'' comes from the root ''arsa'', the same root used for the Arabic 'anchor'. To 'throw out' or 'cast' 'the anchor' is ''alqa al-mirsah''. Using these terms, similar to the phrase "cast the anchor to keep the ship from moving", one can say "cast the mountains to keep the earth from shaking."<ref name="Campbell"></ref> Dr. [[Zakir Naik]] translates ''awtad'' as 'stakes' or 'pegs' (like those used to anchor a tent).<ref name="Zakir Naik"></ref> | ||
{{Quran|16|15}} uses the word ''ard'' which can be used to describe the Earth, its surface, or the ground in general, | {{Quran|16|15}} uses the word ''ard'' which can be used to describe the Earth, its surface, or the ground in general. Critics argue that the ambiguity of this word is critical to the advocates' argument, as it can be and is adapted to variously refer to anything from the Earth, the crust, the lithosphere, the mantle or any combination of the above, as needed. | ||
Critics also argue that it problematic that the Quran uses in these contexts the word ''tameeda'', which advocates of the miracles interpret as meaning 'shaking' or 'disturbance', instead of the word ''zalzala,'' which is used elsewhere in the Quran and means ‘earthquake’. The advocates of the miracle, the critics argue, cannot explain why the Quran would only metaphorically allude to earthquakes rather than naming them outright, as the Quran does elsewhere. To the critics, the usage of an altogether different word than 'earthquakes' suggests that the Quran was not alluding to earthquakes and that the advocates of the miracle have made an arbitrarily favorable interpretation in understanding the verse as they do. | |||
Other interpretations of verse 21:31 are as follows: | Other interpretations of verse 21:31 are as follows: | ||