3,487
edits
Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One: Difference between revisions
Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One (view source)
Revision as of 22:24, 11 November 2025
, 11 NovemberAutomated script replacing USC-MSA hadith numbering system for Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud
| [checked revision] | [checked revision] |
Lightyears (talk | contribs) |
Lightyears (talk | contribs) (Automated script replacing USC-MSA hadith numbering system for Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud) |
||
| Line 70: | Line 70: | ||
The only place in the hadith<ref name="hadith"></ref> where matliAA might seem to be used in an idiom meaning the east is in Sahih Muslim: | The only place in the hadith<ref name="hadith"></ref> where matliAA might seem to be used in an idiom meaning the east is in Sahih Muslim: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||52h|reference}}|…The belief is that of the Yemenites, the sagacity is that of the Yemenites, the tranquillity is among the owners of goats and sheep, and pride and conceitedness is among the uncivil owners of the camels, the people of the tents in the direction of sunrise.}} | ||
Here, qibala means direction and matliAAi a'''l'''shshamsi is translated as “of sunrise”, literally meaning the direction of the rising-place of the sun. The very next hadith is another version of the same hadith: | Here, qibala means direction and matliAAi a'''l'''shshamsi is translated as “of sunrise”, literally meaning the direction of the rising-place of the sun. The very next hadith is another version of the same hadith: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||52i|reference}}|The belief is that of the Yemenites, the sagacity is that of the Yemenites and the summit of unbelief is towards the East.}} | ||
This version of the hadith ends with “qibala almashriqi”, translated, “towards the East”. As mentioned above, al mashriq usually appears as an idiom to mean the east. It seems easy at first to argue that just as almashriq means the east in one version of this hadith, matliAAi a'''l'''shshamsi just means the east rather than the rising-place of the sun in the other version. However, even if almashriq means the east in Sahih Muslim Book 1, Number 92 (rather than literally, “the rising point”, as in Qur’an 37:5 and 70:40), both the east and the imagined setting-place of the sun would be in the same direction. These hadith only show that the directions (“qibala”) of these two things (“matliAAi a'''l'''shshamsi” and “almashriq”) are interchangeable. | This version of the hadith ends with “qibala almashriqi”, translated, “towards the East”. As mentioned above, al mashriq usually appears as an idiom to mean the east. It seems easy at first to argue that just as almashriq means the east in one version of this hadith, matliAAi a'''l'''shshamsi just means the east rather than the rising-place of the sun in the other version. However, even if almashriq means the east in Sahih Muslim Book 1, Number 92 (rather than literally, “the rising point”, as in Qur’an 37:5 and 70:40), both the east and the imagined setting-place of the sun would be in the same direction. These hadith only show that the directions (“qibala”) of these two things (“matliAAi a'''l'''shshamsi” and “almashriq”) are interchangeable. | ||
Conclusive evidence that matliAAi a'''l'''shshamsi in the above quoted hadith means literally the rising-place of the sun and not merely the east comes a little earlier in the first version of it in Book 1, Number 83, which has “where emerge the two horns of Satan”, which many other hadith tell us is where the sun rises.<ref>See {{Muslim| | Conclusive evidence that matliAAi a'''l'''shshamsi in the above quoted hadith means literally the rising-place of the sun and not merely the east comes a little earlier in the first version of it in Book 1, Number 83, which has “where emerge the two horns of Satan”, which many other hadith tell us is where the sun rises.<ref>See {{Muslim||828b|reference}} and {{Muslim||832|reference}}, for example.</ref> | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||51|reference}}|It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Mas’ud that the Apostle of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) pointed towards Yemen with his hand and said: Verily Iman is towards this side, and harshness and callousness of the hearts is found amongst the rude owners of the camels who drive them behind their tails (to the direction) where emerge the two horns of Satan, they are the tribes of Rabi’a and Mudar.}} | ||
===Wajadaha refers back to the sun as a literal object=== | ===Wajadaha refers back to the sun as a literal object=== | ||
| Line 149: | Line 149: | ||
Dr Zakir Naik, a prominent Muslim public speaker, claims that “balagha maghriba alshshamsi” means “he reached at the time of sunset”,<ref>lnvestigatelslam - [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-dad389i4c Scientific Error in Quran SUN SETTING IN MURKY WATER!!?] - YouTube</ref> and another interpretation appears on Osama Abdallah’s website, that it means “he reached the time of sunset”.<ref name="Answering Christianity">[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.answering-christianity.com%2Fsunrise_sunset.htm&date=2013-11-26 Did the Noble Quran really say that the sun sets and rises on earth?] - Answering Christianity</ref> In support of the time interpretation is the fact that both maghrib and matliAA can be used as an ism zaman (a noun to indicate the time that a verb happens). Maghrib is not used as an ism zaman anywhere in the Qur’an, but outside the Qur’an, al maghrib is the name given to the prayer that takes place at the time of sunset (one of the 5 daily prayers for Muslims). The phrase maghriba alshshamsi is also used to mean the time of sunset in two hadith, each with two versions (maghrib has an “-i” suffix here as it follows a preposition): | Dr Zakir Naik, a prominent Muslim public speaker, claims that “balagha maghriba alshshamsi” means “he reached at the time of sunset”,<ref>lnvestigatelslam - [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-dad389i4c Scientific Error in Quran SUN SETTING IN MURKY WATER!!?] - YouTube</ref> and another interpretation appears on Osama Abdallah’s website, that it means “he reached the time of sunset”.<ref name="Answering Christianity">[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.answering-christianity.com%2Fsunrise_sunset.htm&date=2013-11-26 Did the Noble Quran really say that the sun sets and rises on earth?] - Answering Christianity</ref> In support of the time interpretation is the fact that both maghrib and matliAA can be used as an ism zaman (a noun to indicate the time that a verb happens). Maghrib is not used as an ism zaman anywhere in the Qur’an, but outside the Qur’an, al maghrib is the name given to the prayer that takes place at the time of sunset (one of the 5 daily prayers for Muslims). The phrase maghriba alshshamsi is also used to mean the time of sunset in two hadith, each with two versions (maghrib has an “-i” suffix here as it follows a preposition): | ||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari| | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|||3459|darussalam}}|…bayna salati alAAasri ila maghribi a'''l'''shshamsi…<BR><BR>…between the ‘Asr prayer and sunset…}} | ||
The other version of this hadith is {{Bukhari| | The other version of this hadith is {{Bukhari|||5021|darussalam}}. | ||
Sahih Muslim has the following: | Sahih Muslim has the following: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||2942a|reference}}|…hatta maghribi a'''l'''shshamsi…<BR><BR>…at the time of sunset…}} | ||
There is one example in the Qur’an where matliAA is used as an ism zaman. Verse 97:5 has, “…hatta matlaAAi alfajr'''i'''” (“…until the rise of morn”). | There is one example in the Qur’an where matliAA is used as an ism zaman. Verse 97:5 has, “…hatta matlaAAi alfajr'''i'''” (“…until the rise of morn”). | ||
| Line 197: | Line 197: | ||
Similar phrases are used many times in the hadith. For example: | Similar phrases are used many times in the hadith. For example: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||827|reference}}|…hatta taghruba a'''l'''shshamsu … hatta tatluAAa a'''l'''shshamsu.<BR><BR>…till the sun sets … till the sun rises.}} | ||
The other way that the time of sunrise is referred to in the Qur’an uses the verb ashraqa, “to (sun)rise” in the form of an active participle or verbal noun as in the following verses: | The other way that the time of sunrise is referred to in the Qur’an uses the verb ashraqa, “to (sun)rise” in the form of an active participle or verbal noun as in the following verses: | ||
| Line 279: | Line 279: | ||
There are numerous hadith relating to the end of the world and use these phrases. See for example: | There are numerous hadith relating to the end of the world and use these phrases. See for example: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||157a|reference}}|…tatluAAa a'''l'''shshamsu min maghribiha…<BR><BR>…the sun rises from the place of its setting…}} | ||
Similarly, Sahih Muslim has the following: | Similarly, Sahih Muslim has the following: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||158|reference}}|…tulooAAu a'''l'''shshamsi min maghribiha…<BR><BR>…the rising of the sun [from] its place of setting.}} | ||
The next hadith has, even more significantly: | The next hadith has, even more significantly: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||159a|reference}}|…Do you know where the sun goes? […] Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out from its rising place […] Rise up and emerge out from the place of your setting, and it will rise from the place of its setting…}} | ||
Here, “mina matliAAiha” is translated as “from its rising place”, “mina maghribiki” as “from the place of your setting” (so the sun is commanded to go somewhere – it cannot be claimed that this is an idiomatic way of commanding the Earth to rotate), and “mina maghribiha” as “from the place of its setting”, all in reference to a'''l'''shshamsu, “the sun”. Maghribiha and maghribiki can only mean the sun’s setting-place. The hadith would have just used “mina almaghribi” if the meaning had just been “from the west”. | Here, “mina matliAAiha” is translated as “from its rising place”, “mina maghribiki” as “from the place of your setting” (so the sun is commanded to go somewhere – it cannot be claimed that this is an idiomatic way of commanding the Earth to rotate), and “mina maghribiha” as “from the place of its setting”, all in reference to a'''l'''shshamsu, “the sun”. Maghribiha and maghribiki can only mean the sun’s setting-place. The hadith would have just used “mina almaghribi” if the meaning had just been “from the west”. | ||
There is some inconsistency about the way the English translators of Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari translate maghribiha in other versions of the same hadith. See the footnotes for a discussion of this.<ref>It should be noted that while A. Siddiqui translates maghribiha in Sahih Muslim as “the place of its setting”, M. Khan translates maghribiha as “the west” in exactly the same Arabic phrases for the versions in Sahih Bukhari of the above quoted hadith. MatliAAiha does not appear in Sahih Bukhari so Khan did not have to translate that word. However, when M. Khan (this time with M. al-Hilali) later translated the Qur’an, maghriba a'''l'''shshamsi in 18:86 and matliAAa a'''l'''shshamsi in 18:90 are translated as “the setting place of the sun” and “the rising place of the sun”.<BR><BR>A. Siddiqui, whose translation of Sahih Muslim is used in the main text, also translates maghribiha as “the west” in the exact same Arabic phrases about the sun at the end of the world for seven other hadith in Sahih Muslim. These do not mention the rising place. He could not attempt to translate this as “the west” in the above quoted hadith because of the “your setting place” phrase and references nearby to the rising place using matliAAa, which as we saw earlier, never means east. The motivation for translating maghribiha as the west in the other hadith is probably to make it fit with Qur’an 2:258:<BR><BR>…‘But it is Allah that causeth the sun to rise from the east: Do thou then cause him to rise from the west.’…<BR><BR>…fainna Allaha yatee bi'''al'''shshamsi mina almashriqi fati biha mina almaghribi… - Qur’an 2:258<BR><BR>Here, almaghribi does not have the -ha suffix, so indeed it can just mean the west. The -i suffix is there because a noun following a preposition (mina means “from”) takes the genitive case.<BR><BR>There is another obvious motivation for translating maghribiha as “the west” rather than “its setting place”. This way the phrase can be interpreted as a figure of speech (with a literal meaning that the Earth’s rotation will reverse), thus saving those important hadith (except when they clearly say “your setting place”) from conflict with scientific knowledge unknown to Muhammad. We saw how some commentators (and some translators) reinterpreted verse 18:86 for the same reason.<BR><BR>These are the four hadith where Khan translates maghribiha (“its setting place”) as “the west”. It is clear from the use of the 3rd person (and in other versions, 2nd person) possessive endings that a more specific translation, “its setting place” would have been justified.<BR><BR>{{Bukhari| | There is some inconsistency about the way the English translators of Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari translate maghribiha in other versions of the same hadith. See the footnotes for a discussion of this.<ref>It should be noted that while A. Siddiqui translates maghribiha in Sahih Muslim as “the place of its setting”, M. Khan translates maghribiha as “the west” in exactly the same Arabic phrases for the versions in Sahih Bukhari of the above quoted hadith. MatliAAiha does not appear in Sahih Bukhari so Khan did not have to translate that word. However, when M. Khan (this time with M. al-Hilali) later translated the Qur’an, maghriba a'''l'''shshamsi in 18:86 and matliAAa a'''l'''shshamsi in 18:90 are translated as “the setting place of the sun” and “the rising place of the sun”.<BR><BR>A. Siddiqui, whose translation of Sahih Muslim is used in the main text, also translates maghribiha as “the west” in the exact same Arabic phrases about the sun at the end of the world for seven other hadith in Sahih Muslim. These do not mention the rising place. He could not attempt to translate this as “the west” in the above quoted hadith because of the “your setting place” phrase and references nearby to the rising place using matliAAa, which as we saw earlier, never means east. The motivation for translating maghribiha as the west in the other hadith is probably to make it fit with Qur’an 2:258:<BR><BR>…‘But it is Allah that causeth the sun to rise from the east: Do thou then cause him to rise from the west.’…<BR><BR>…fainna Allaha yatee bi'''al'''shshamsi mina almashriqi fati biha mina almaghribi… - Qur’an 2:258<BR><BR>Here, almaghribi does not have the -ha suffix, so indeed it can just mean the west. The -i suffix is there because a noun following a preposition (mina means “from”) takes the genitive case.<BR><BR>There is another obvious motivation for translating maghribiha as “the west” rather than “its setting place”. This way the phrase can be interpreted as a figure of speech (with a literal meaning that the Earth’s rotation will reverse), thus saving those important hadith (except when they clearly say “your setting place”) from conflict with scientific knowledge unknown to Muhammad. We saw how some commentators (and some translators) reinterpreted verse 18:86 for the same reason.<BR><BR>These are the four hadith where Khan translates maghribiha (“its setting place”) as “the west”. It is clear from the use of the 3rd person (and in other versions, 2nd person) possessive endings that a more specific translation, “its setting place” would have been justified.<BR><BR>{{Bukhari|||3199|darussalam}}, {{Bukhari|||4635|darussalam}}, {{Bukhari|||4636|darussalam}}, {{Bukhari|||7424|darussalam}}</ref> | ||
Finally, we have examples of matliAAa a'''l'''shshamsi meaning the rising-place of the sun in Sahih Muslim Book 1, Number 91 (discussed above) and in Sunan Al-Nasa-I, which has the phrase: | Finally, we have examples of matliAAa a'''l'''shshamsi meaning the rising-place of the sun in Sahih Muslim Book 1, Number 91 (discussed above) and in Sunan Al-Nasa-I, which has the phrase: | ||
| Line 297: | Line 297: | ||
{{Quote|{{Al Nasai||1|6|625}}|…qala bilalun ana fastaqbala matliAAa a'''l'''shshamsi…<BR><BR>…Bilal said, “I will”. He turned to face the direction where the sun woke them up…}} | {{Quote|{{Al Nasai||1|6|625}}|…qala bilalun ana fastaqbala matliAAa a'''l'''shshamsi…<BR><BR>…Bilal said, “I will”. He turned to face the direction where the sun woke them up…}} | ||
A literal translation would be “Bilal said, 'I will'. So he faced the rising-place of the sun…”<ref>This is also how fastaqbala (derived from qabala) is translated in hadith such as {{Muslim| | A literal translation would be “Bilal said, 'I will'. So he faced the rising-place of the sun…”<ref>This is also how fastaqbala (derived from qabala) is translated in hadith such as {{Muslim||1218a|reference}} (“facing qibla”, “fastaqbala alqiblata”).</ref> | ||
It describes how Bilal volunteered to stay up to make sure the dawn prayer was not missed. He faced the rising place of the sun, and they awoke when the sun shone on them. It is similar to {{Muslim| | It describes how Bilal volunteered to stay up to make sure the dawn prayer was not missed. He faced the rising place of the sun, and they awoke when the sun shone on them. It is similar to {{Muslim||680a|reference}}. | ||
Another example is found in a hadith in ''Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal'', which says that faith in Allah alone, then [[Jihad|jihad]], then [[Hajj|hajj]] are as preferable to other work as the distance between the rising place of the sun to the setting place of it (“kama bayna matlaAAi a'''l'''shshamsi ila maghribiha”).<ref>For the Arabic, see #18531 [https://web.archive.org/web/20160409051317/http://hadith.al-islam.com/Page.aspx?pageid=192&TOCID=767&BookID=30&PID=18241 here]</ref> | Another example is found in a hadith in ''Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal'', which says that faith in Allah alone, then [[Jihad|jihad]], then [[Hajj|hajj]] are as preferable to other work as the distance between the rising place of the sun to the setting place of it (“kama bayna matlaAAi a'''l'''shshamsi ila maghribiha”).<ref>For the Arabic, see #18531 [https://web.archive.org/web/20160409051317/http://hadith.al-islam.com/Page.aspx?pageid=192&TOCID=767&BookID=30&PID=18241 here]</ref> | ||
| Line 342: | Line 342: | ||
We saw above some of the hadith that describe the sun having setting and rising places which it goes into and comes out from. The following hadith is graded Sahih (authentic) by Dar-us-Salam (Hafiz Zubair 'Ali Za'i) and has a chain of narration graded as Sahih by al-Albani. It is from Sunan Abu Dawud, book XXV - Kitab Al-Ahruf Wa Al-Qira’at (Book of Dialects and Readings Of The Qur’an): | We saw above some of the hadith that describe the sun having setting and rising places which it goes into and comes out from. The following hadith is graded Sahih (authentic) by Dar-us-Salam (Hafiz Zubair 'Ali Za'i) and has a chain of narration graded as Sahih by al-Albani. It is from Sunan Abu Dawud, book XXV - Kitab Al-Ahruf Wa Al-Qira’at (Book of Dialects and Readings Of The Qur’an): | ||
{{Quote|{{ | {{Quote|{{Abu Dawud||4002|darussalam}}|Abu Dharr said: I was sitting behind the Apostle of Allah who was riding a donkey while the sun was setting. He asked: Do you know where this sets? I replied: Allah and his Apostle know best. He said: It sets in a spring of warm water.<ref>Kitab Al-Ahruf Wa Al-Qira’at [Book of Dialects and Readings Of The Qur’an], Chapter 1498, p. 1120 in Prof. Ahmad Hasan (trans.), Sunan Abu Dawud – English Translation With Explanatory Notes, Volume III. Chapters 1338-1890, XXV, hadith 3991, Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, 1984 quoted in [http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/shamoun/mhmd_on_sunset.html Muhammad and the Sun’s Setting Place] - Sam Shamoun, Answering Islam</ref> [The references section includes a link to the Arabic with sahih in chain grading<ref>For the Arabic, English, and grading by al-Albani, see [http://sunnah.com/abudawud/32/34 here]</ref>]}} | ||
There is also another version of the hadith in Musnad Ahmad (this time the spring is muddy rather than warm - the Arabic words sound similar and the same variant readings exist for Qur’an verse 18:86). The same hadith is also recorded by al-Zamakhshari (1075-1143 CE) in his commentary on the Qur’an, al-Kashshaf.<ref>For a translation see Al-Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf 3rd Edition, Volume 2, p. 743, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1987 quoted in (trans.) [http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Shabir-Ally/science11.htm Science in the Quran/ Chapter 11: The Sun & Moon and Their Orbits] - Sam Shamoun, Answering Islam (''The phrase translated “spring of slimy water” is actually, “hot spring” in the Arabic. For the Arabic, click [http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=2&tSoraNo=18&tAyahNo=86&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1 here]'')</ref> Even if one doubts that this is an authentic report about Muhammad, it is certainly further evidence that early Muslims understood 18:86 to mean a literal setting place. The possibility that Muhammad ever claimed a different interpretation thus further diminishes. | There is also another version of the hadith in Musnad Ahmad (this time the spring is muddy rather than warm - the Arabic words sound similar and the same variant readings exist for Qur’an verse 18:86). The same hadith is also recorded by al-Zamakhshari (1075-1143 CE) in his commentary on the Qur’an, al-Kashshaf.<ref>For a translation see Al-Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf 3rd Edition, Volume 2, p. 743, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1987 quoted in (trans.) [http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Shabir-Ally/science11.htm Science in the Quran/ Chapter 11: The Sun & Moon and Their Orbits] - Sam Shamoun, Answering Islam (''The phrase translated “spring of slimy water” is actually, “hot spring” in the Arabic. For the Arabic, click [http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=2&tSoraNo=18&tAyahNo=86&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1 here]'')</ref> Even if one doubts that this is an authentic report about Muhammad, it is certainly further evidence that early Muslims understood 18:86 to mean a literal setting place. The possibility that Muhammad ever claimed a different interpretation thus further diminishes. | ||
| Line 348: | Line 348: | ||
There are also numerous sahih hadith that state that the sun rises and sets between the horns of Satan, for example: | There are also numerous sahih hadith that state that the sun rises and sets between the horns of Satan, for example: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||828b|reference}}|Ibn ‘Umar reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Do not intend to observe prayer at the time of the rising of the sun nor at its setting, for it rises between the horns of Satan.}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||832|reference}}|…then cease prayer till the sun sets, for it sets between the horns of devil, and at that time the unbelievers prostrate themselves before it…}} | ||
These imply a belief that there were locations where the sun sets and rises. There are a few versions of the hadith below, which implies a bounded, flat Earth belief: | These imply a belief that there were locations where the sun sets and rises. There are a few versions of the hadith below, which implies a bounded, flat Earth belief: | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||2889a|reference}}|Thauban reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Allah drew the ends of the world near one another for my sake. And I have seen its eastern and western ends….}} | ||
The following hadith (also found in {{Muslim| | The following hadith (also found in {{Muslim||1747|reference}}) demonstrates a belief that the sun actually moves through the sky each day: | ||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari| | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|||3124|darussalam}}|…So, the prophet carried out the expedition and when he reached that town at the time or nearly at the time of the ‘Asr prayer, he said to the sun, ‘O sun! You are under Allah’s Order and I am under Allah’s Order O Allah! Stop it (i.e. the sun) from setting.’ It was stopped till Allah made him victorious….}} | ||
As S. Shamoun and J. Katz point out,<ref name="Answering Islam"></ref> Al-Tabari (839-923 CE) gives a lengthy hadith in the first volume of his History of the Prophets and Kings, which claims that Ibn ’Abbas gave an account of what Muhammad said about the sun and moon and the setting and rising places. Their quote has been verified in a library copy of Franz Rozenthal’s translation of this hadith for the purposes of this article. Whether or not Muhammad said the things attributed to him here (or said anything similar), this hadith certainly demonstrates a belief in literal rising and setting places among the early Muslims. | As S. Shamoun and J. Katz point out,<ref name="Answering Islam"></ref> Al-Tabari (839-923 CE) gives a lengthy hadith in the first volume of his History of the Prophets and Kings, which claims that Ibn ’Abbas gave an account of what Muhammad said about the sun and moon and the setting and rising places. Their quote has been verified in a library copy of Franz Rozenthal’s translation of this hadith for the purposes of this article. Whether or not Muhammad said the things attributed to him here (or said anything similar), this hadith certainly demonstrates a belief in literal rising and setting places among the early Muslims. | ||