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Lightyears (talk | contribs) (Rejected the last text change (by CPO675) and restored revision 137492 by Lightyears: That site is a very mixed bag with some good content but lots of mistakes. In this case Q.55.22 and 35.12 show these are both meant to be earthly seas. The author is also not clear enough when he adds his own comments to translations. The hadiths may be useful if we ever have a page on hadith cosmology but are of limited evidential value for the Quran itself.) Tag: Manual revert |
(→The scale (al-mīzān): Added a section on the gates of heaven in Qu'ranic cosmology with some recent comments from Nicolai Sinai, Sean Anthony (and Tesei and Neuwirth) and it's links to the biblical celestial ocean separated by a firmament.) |
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In the hadiths, the idea of seven earths, one above the other is already apparent. | In the hadiths, the idea of seven earths, one above the other is already apparent. | ||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|418}}|Narrated Salim's father: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Any person who takes a piece of land unjustly <b>will sink down the seven earths</b> on the Day of Resurrection."}}{{Quote|{{Muslim|10|3923}}|Sa'id b. Zaid reported: | |||
{{Quote|{{Muslim|10|3923}}|Sa'id b. Zaid reported: | |||
I heard Allah's Apostle say: He who took a span of earth wrongly '''would be made to wear around his neck''' seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}} | I heard Allah's Apostle say: He who took a span of earth wrongly '''would be made to wear around his neck''' seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}} | ||
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Janos notes that Sumerian incantations dated to the 1st millenium BCE mention both the seven heavens and seven earths (citing Wayne Horowitz, who translated them as "the heavens are seven, the earths are seven").<ref>Janos, ''Qurʾānic cosmography in its historical perspective'' p. 221</ref> Tabataba'i and Mirsadri similarly note from Horowitz that this tradition was popular in the near east in first millennia BCE and CE, though also that only the seven heavens, but not seven earths found their way into the Hebrew literature.<ref>Tabataba'i and Mirsadri, ''The Qurʾānic Cosmology, as an Identity in Itself'' p. 209</ref> | Janos notes that Sumerian incantations dated to the 1st millenium BCE mention both the seven heavens and seven earths (citing Wayne Horowitz, who translated them as "the heavens are seven, the earths are seven").<ref>Janos, ''Qurʾānic cosmography in its historical perspective'' p. 221</ref> Tabataba'i and Mirsadri similarly note from Horowitz that this tradition was popular in the near east in first millennia BCE and CE, though also that only the seven heavens, but not seven earths found their way into the Hebrew literature.<ref>Tabataba'i and Mirsadri, ''The Qurʾānic Cosmology, as an Identity in Itself'' p. 209</ref> | ||
While contrasting the Biblical view of fresh and salty waters with the two seas of certain Qur'anic verses (fresh and salty - see for example {{Quran|25|53}} and the quest of Moses to find their junction in {{Quran|18|60}}), they note another difference to the Biblical and Mesopotamian cosmologies, which is that the Qur'an does not mention an ocean encircling the flat disk of the earth.<ref>Ibid. pp. 213-214</ref> | While contrasting the Biblical view of fresh and salty waters with the two seas of certain Qur'anic verses (fresh and salty - see for example {{Quran|25|53}} and the quest of Moses to find their junction in {{Quran|18|60}}), they note another difference to the Biblical and Mesopotamian cosmologies, which is that the Qur'an does not explicitly mention an ocean encircling the flat disk of the earth.<ref>Ibid. pp. 213-214</ref> | ||
The two seas are very much on the surface of the earth. | The two seas are very much on the surface of the earth. | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range| | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|55|19|24}}|He hath loosed the two seas. They meet. There is a barrier between them. They encroach not (one upon the other). Which is it, of the favours of your Lord, that ye deny? '''There cometh forth from both of them the pearl and coral-stone.''' His are the ships displayed upon the sea, like banners.}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|35|12}}|And not alike are the two bodies of water. One is fresh and sweet, palatable for drinking, and one is salty and bitter. '''And from each you eat tender meat and extract ornaments which you wear''', and you see the ships plowing through [them] that you might seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|18|60}}|And [mention] when Moses said to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period."}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|18|60}}|And [mention] when Moses said to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period."}} | ||
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{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|It is Allah who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; [...]}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|It is Allah who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; [...]}} | ||
While Tabataba'i and Mirsadri take these to be invisible pillars, Julien Decharneux in his book on Quranic Cosmology reads these verses as denying that any form of pillars hold up the firmament, noting that other verses refer to Allah holding the heavens ({{Quran|22|65}} and {{Quran|35|41}}). He | While Tabataba'i and Mirsadri take these to be invisible pillars, Julien Decharneux in his book on Quranic Cosmology reads these verses as denying that any form of pillars hold up the firmament, noting that other verses refer to Allah holding the heavens ({{Quran|22|65}} and {{Quran|35|41}}). He observes that this is in contrast to the Biblical view but in line with various Syriac Christian writings in the centuries leading up to Islam.<ref>Julien Decharneux (2023), ''Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur’ān and Its Late Antique Background'', Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 144-148</ref> | ||
{{Quote|Jacob of Sarugh, ''Homilies 3:35'', quoted by Julien Decharneux<ref>Ibid. p. 146</ref>|[The firmament] became like an arch hanging and standing without foundation [d-lā šatīsē], borne not by columns [law ʿamūdē], but by the remzā.}} | {{Quote|Aphrahat, ''Demonstrations 14:34'', quoted by Julien Decharneux<ref>Ibid. p. 146</ref>|Great are the works of God; deep and wondrous are his thoughts. He suspended the sky without pillars [d-lā ʿamūdē], and made firm the earth without supports.}}Remzā (mentioned below) commonly refers to a 'sign, gesture or symbol' in Syriac, associated with divine powers.<ref>Ibid. pp 210-211</ref>{{Quote|Jacob of Sarugh, ''Homilies 3:35'', quoted by Julien Decharneux<ref>Ibid. p. 146</ref>|[The firmament] became like an arch hanging and standing without foundation [d-lā šatīsē], borne not by columns [law ʿamūdē], but by the remzā.}} | ||
Tabataba'i and Mirsadri note that various verses describe the heavens as a structure or edifice with no fissures, though fragments of it may fall on the earth. | Tabataba'i and Mirsadri note that various verses describe the heavens as a structure or edifice with no fissures, though fragments of it may fall on the earth. | ||
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Additional details concerning the individual heavens are found in the accounts of Muhammad’s “night journey.” Rather than quoting at length, readers are referred to {{Bukhari|9|93|608}} for the long version. But here are the key points. | Additional details concerning the individual heavens are found in the accounts of Muhammad’s “night journey.” Rather than quoting at length, readers are referred to {{Bukhari|9|93|608}} for the long version. But here are the key points. | ||
Each of the seven heavens is populated by multiple angels and a few other folks as well. These heavens are entered through doors in the solid domes, each with an angelic guard and each populated by a resident prophet. For example, immediately above the dome of the first heaven is where Muhammad met Adam, and discovered (in the absence of true geographic knowledge) the sources of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The second heaven is the home of the Prophet Idris. Aaron is in the fourth heaven, Abraham the sixth, and Moses the seventh. | Each of the seven heavens is populated by multiple angels and a few other folks as well. These heavens are entered through doors in the solid domes, each with an angelic guard and each populated by a resident prophet. For example, immediately above the dome of the first heaven is where Muhammad met Adam, and discovered (in the absence of true geographic knowledge) the sources of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (the idea that the rivers of paradise are connected to Earth is also found in {{Bukhari|4|54|429}} and {{Muslim|40|6807}}, also likely potentially to the word 'sarab' in {{Quran|18|61}}).<ref>''Tesei, Tommaso. Some Cosmological Notions from Late Antiquity in Q 18:60–65: The Quran in Light of Its Cultural Context.'' Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 135, no. 1, American Oriental Society, 2015, pp. 19–32, [https://lockwoodonlinejournals.com/index.php/jaos/article/view/1669 https://doi.org/10.7817/jameroriesoci.135.1.19]. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7817/jameroriesoci.135.1.19</ref> The second heaven is the home of the Prophet Idris. Aaron is in the fourth heaven, Abraham the sixth, and Moses the seventh. | ||
====The scale (al-mīzān)==== | ====The scale (al-mīzān)==== | ||
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Thus it seems that here the Quran is referring to a firmament that fairly divided the waters above and below it. | Thus it seems that here the Quran is referring to a firmament that fairly divided the waters above and below it. | ||
===== The gates of the heavens ===== | |||
As Nicolai Sinai notes,<ref>Samāʾ | heaven, sky entry. Sinai, Nicolai. ''Key Terms of the Qur'an: A Critical Dictionary'' (p. 412). Princeton University Press. </ref> this is further supported by the sky (al-samā) having gates, a common cosmological idea in antiquity<ref>Anthony, Sean W., Dr.. ''Muhammad and the Empires of Faith: The Making of the Prophet of Islam.'' University of California Press. Kindle Edition. Location 1134 - 1145. | |||
''The cosmological notion of humankind being blocked from accessing Paradise by gates and, thus, the existence of a heavenly gatekeeper is quite an ancient one and by no means exclusive to Jewish, Christian, or Muslim sacred cosmology. Indeed, where “the keys to heaven” as opposed to “the keys of Paradise” motif appears first in the Islamic tradition is in the Qurʾan itself.'' </ref> (see: Quran {{Quran|7|40}}, {{Quran|15|14}}, {{Quran|78|19}}, {{Quran|5|11}} of which Allah holds the keys {{Quran|42|12}}), of which the opening causes the water to fall and drown the people of Noah once he's safe in the boat ({{Quran|54|11-12}}; cf. Genesis 7:11 and 8:2<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%207%3A11-8%3A2&version=NABRE Genesis 7:11-8:2]. New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE). BibleGateway.com. </ref>), which would seem to presuppose the Biblical notion that the firmament separates the waters above. | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|54|11}}|Then We opened the gates of the sky with pouring waters}} | |||
The sky is also the source of vivifying precipitation<ref>Samāʾ | heaven, sky entry. Sinai, Nicolai. ''Key Terms of the Qur'an: A Critical Dictionary'' (p. 412). Princeton University Press. </ref> (e.g., {{Quran|2|22}}, {{Quran|30|24}}, {{Quran|43|11}}, {{Quran|45|5}}, {{Quran|50|9}}, {{Quran|71|11}} and {{Quran|41|39}}), with it's life giving qualities to 'dead' soil shown as proof of Gods ability to resurrect the dead (e.g. Q 43:11 '“''and Who sent down out of heaven water in measure; and We revived thereby a land that was dead; even so you shall be brought forth''”), in line with the contemporary view of the qualities of the celestial waters, that are consistent with the fish miraculously regaining life in Q 18:61 and 63, that meaningfully takes place where the heavenly ocean joins the lower part of the world,<ref>''Tesei, Tommaso. Some Cosmological Notions from Late Antiquity in Q 18:60–65: The Quran in Light of Its Cultural Context.'' Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 135, no. 1, American Oriental Society, 2015, pp. 19–32, ''(pp. 28-29)'' <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.7817/jameroriesoci.135.1.19</nowiki>. <nowiki>https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7817/jameroriesoci.135.1.19</nowiki></ref> which Angelika Neuwirth notes is the exegetical view most in line with the Qur'anic evidence.<ref>Cosmology Entry. Space in cosmological context. Encyclopaedia Of The Qur’an. pp. 445-446. Angelika Neuwirth. 2001. | |||
Read online for free here: ''[https://archive.org/details/encyclopaedia-of-the-quran-6-volumes-jane-dammen-mc-auliffe/page/n481/mode/2up?q=Cosmology Encyclopaedia Of The Qur’an ( 6 Volumes). Page 15/325 / 482 of 3956 of PDF]''</ref> | |||
===The stars, the sun, and the moon=== | ===The stars, the sun, and the moon=== | ||
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It is not obvious from the [[Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)|translations]] of the Qur'an that the authors of the Qur'an actually distinguished between stars and planets, as the same word is often translated to mean either. But as ancient peoples generally knew that planets were different from ordinary stars (they moved) it is a safe assumption that the earliest Muslims were equally aware. | It is not obvious from the [[Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)|translations]] of the Qur'an that the authors of the Qur'an actually distinguished between stars and planets, as the same word is often translated to mean either. But as ancient peoples generally knew that planets were different from ordinary stars (they moved) it is a safe assumption that the earliest Muslims were equally aware. | ||
But the mistaken (if understandable) belief that stars are very small nearby objects is not merely reflected in the placement of them inside the nearest heaven. As with most other ancient people, the authors of the Qur'an believed that meteors literally were “falling | But the mistaken (if understandable) belief that stars are very small nearby objects is not merely reflected in the placement of them inside the nearest heaven. As with most other ancient people, the authors of the Qur'an believed that meteors literally were “falling stars” ''(see: [[Shooting Stars in the Quran]])''. [[Mistranslations_of_Islamic_Scripture_(English)#.2867:5.29_Shooting_stars|Verse 67:5]] tells us they are weapons against devils and jinn. | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}} | ||
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See also {{Quran|15|16-18}} and {{Quran-range|72|8|9}}. | See also {{Quran|15|16-18}} and {{Quran-range|72|8|9}}. | ||
==== Towers ==== | |||
The term used in 15:16 is burūjan, which is commonly translated, and has been understood by most to mean 'constellations/zodiac signs' or 'great stars'. However the word can also mean 'towers', and some classical commentators have suggested this meaning (along with mansions or castles),<ref>E.g. ''Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs on [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Abbas/15.16 verse 15:16.]'' (Though the tafsir/commentary is attributed to Ibn Abbas, the prophets cousin, it is widely accepted to be at least largely a forgery - however it does give us an educated medieval Muslim's view on this verse).</ref> and some modern Muslim translators have used this interpretation.<ref>''[https://quranx.com/15.16 See Quranx on verse 15:16.]'' Ahmad Khan has used 'towers' and Marmaduke Pickthall uses 'mansions'. </ref> | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|15|16-18}}|We have set in heaven <b>constellations/great stars/towers (burūjan),</b> and decked them out fair to the beholders, and We have guarded them from every outcast Satan, except someone who may eavesdrop, whereat there pursues him a manifest flame.}} | |||
Islamic scholars Gabriel Said Reynolds<ref>Gabriel Said Reynolds. 1st Edition. ''[https://www.routledge.com/The-Quran-and-its-Biblical-Subtext/Reynolds/p/book/9780415524247# The Qur'an and its Biblical Subtext.]'' Copyright 2010. Published March 1, 2012 by Routledge 2012. <nowiki>ISBN 9780415524247</nowiki>. Taylor and Francis Group. | |||
''A full in-depth analysis of the relevant verses and evidence stated for this meaning can be found on pp 114 - 131.''</ref> and Julien Decharneux<ref>''[https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110794083/html?lang=en Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur'ān and Its Late Antique Background (Studies in the History and Culture of the Middle East Book 47)]'' Decharneux, Julien. 2023. (p. 313). De Gruyter.</ref>support this interpretation of towers on the firmament, with the idea of the skies/heavens (samā) being a protected celestial fortress in both the Quran itself (e.g. {{Quran|41|12}}, {{Quran|21|32}}) and biblically related traditions. | |||
===The throne (''<nowiki/>'arsh'') of Allah=== | ===The throne (''<nowiki/>'arsh'') of Allah=== | ||
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Tabataba'i and Mirsadri observe that for the Qur'an, there is almost no reference to what is beneath the earth, except as no more than a geographic location. There is no concept of an underworld, unlike Mesopotamian mythologies, as well as those of Egypt and Greece.<ref>Mohammad Ali Tabatabaʾi and Saida Mirsadri, ''The Qurʾānic Cosmology, as an Identity in Itself'' p. 212</ref> | Tabataba'i and Mirsadri observe that for the Qur'an, there is almost no reference to what is beneath the earth, except as no more than a geographic location. There is no concept of an underworld, unlike Mesopotamian mythologies, as well as those of Egypt and Greece.<ref>Mohammad Ali Tabatabaʾi and Saida Mirsadri, ''The Qurʾānic Cosmology, as an Identity in Itself'' p. 212</ref> | ||
The Qur'an repeatedly described [[Jannah (Paradise)]] as comprising "Gardens from beneath which the rivers flow". Though not reflected in English translations, in every instance the definite article is used i.e. "the rivers". This is also noted by Tommaso Tesei, who has detailed how "sources confirm that during late antiquity it was widely held that paradise was a physical place situated on the other side of the ocean encircling the Earth. In accordance with this concept, it was generally assumed that the rivers flowing from paradise passed under this ocean to reach the inhabited part of the world." A notion of four rivers following a subterranean course from paradise into the inhabited world also occurs in contemporary near eastern and Syriac sources.<ref>Tesei, Tommaso. [https://www.academia.edu/12761000/_Some_Cosmological_Notions_from_Late_Antiquity_in_Q_18_60_65_The_Quran_in_Light_of_Its_Cultural_Context_._Journal_of_the_American_Oriental_Society_135.1_2015_19-32 Some Cosmological Notions from Late Antiquity in Q 18:60–65: The Quran in Light of Its Cultural Context.] Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 135, no. 1, American Oriental Society, 2015, pp. 19–32, https://doi.org/10.7817/jameroriesoci.135.1.19.</ref> | The Qur'an repeatedly described [[Jannah (Paradise)]] as comprising "Gardens from beneath which the rivers flow". Though not reflected in English translations, in every instance the definite article 'al' is used i.e. "the rivers". This is also noted by Tommaso Tesei, who has detailed how "sources confirm that during late antiquity it was widely held that paradise was a physical place situated on the other side of the ocean encircling the Earth. In accordance with this concept, it was generally assumed that the rivers flowing from paradise passed under this ocean to reach the inhabited part of the world." A notion of four rivers following a subterranean course from paradise into the inhabited world also occurs in contemporary near eastern and Syriac sources.<ref>Tesei, Tommaso. [https://www.academia.edu/12761000/_Some_Cosmological_Notions_from_Late_Antiquity_in_Q_18_60_65_The_Quran_in_Light_of_Its_Cultural_Context_._Journal_of_the_American_Oriental_Society_135.1_2015_19-32 ''Some Cosmological Notions from Late Antiquity in Q 18:60–65: The Quran in Light of Its Cultural Context.''] Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 135, no. 1, American Oriental Society, 2015, pp. 19–32, https://doi.org/10.7817/jameroriesoci.135.1.19.</ref> | ||
Though again not reflected in many English translations, the rivers are also always described as running below/underneath (taḥt / تحت) paradise and the people in paradise (e.g. Quran verses 3:15, 3:136, 3:195, 3:198, 4:13, 4:57, 4:112, 5:12, 5:18, 7:43, 25:10, 47:12, 98:8) rather than simply 'in' (fee /في) paradise, giving weight to this interpretation. | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|85}}|So Allah rewarded them for what they said with gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of doers of good.}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|5|85}}|So Allah rewarded them for what they said with gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of doers of good.}} | ||
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{{Quote|{{Quran|9|49}}|Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial." Have they not fallen into trial already? and indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides).}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|9|49}}|Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial." Have they not fallen into trial already? and indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides).}} | ||
And that humans who do not believe or are not righteous are told they will be put in the 'lowest of low' (which many classical tafsirs have stated means hell,<ref>E.g. ''Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas on'' [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Abbas/95.5 ''verse 95:4-6'']. </ref> among other interpretations). | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|95|4-6}}|Indeed, We created humans in the best form. | |||
But We will reduce them to the lowest of the low, | |||
except those who believe and do good—they will have a never-ending reward.}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|41|29}}|And those who disbelieved will [then] say, "Our Lord, show us those who misled us of the jinn and men [so] we may put them under our feet that they will be among the lowest."}} | |||
The direction of hell on the day of judgement or from the perspective of those in paradise at least, when it is mentioned, is invariably “down.” | The direction of hell on the day of judgement or from the perspective of those in paradise at least, when it is mentioned, is invariably “down.” |
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