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Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part Two: Difference between revisions
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==Introduction== | ==Introduction== | ||
The precise meaning of the opening phrases in verses 86 and 90 in the 18<sup>th</sup> chapter of the Qur’an, | The precise meaning of the opening phrases in verses 86 and 90 in the 18<sup>th</sup> chapter of the Qur’an, Surah al-Kahf, or “The Cave”, is a matter of considerable controversy. These verses occur within the Dhu’l Qarnayn episode in Qur’an 18:83-101. This passage says that Allah empowered a person called Dhu’l Qarnayn, “the two-horned one”, and gave him means or ways to all things. It says he used these to go on three journeys to unusual places where people live, and finishes with him making a prophecy about the end-times. Verses 86 and 90 are so controversial due to Muslim sensitivity to claims that they have Allah saying that the sun sets and rises in physical locations, and in particular that the sun sets in a muddy spring. | ||
episode in Qur’an 18:83-101. This passage says that Allah empowered a person called Dhu’l Qarnayn, “the two-horned one”, and gave him means or ways to all things. It says he used these to go on three journeys to unusual places where people live, and finishes with him making a prophecy about the end-times. Verses 86 and 90 are so controversial due to Muslim sensitivity to claims that they have Allah saying that the sun sets and rises in physical locations, and in particular that the sun sets in a muddy spring. | |||
While many people have written about these verses to promote various interpretations, there are many new, important arguments, and much more evidence that can be used to shed light on this matter. This is particularly true concerning 18:90, which is relatively neglected in such writings. | While many people have written about these verses to promote various interpretations, there are many new, important arguments, and much more evidence that can be used to shed light on this matter. This is particularly true concerning 18:90, which is relatively neglected in such writings. | ||
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Instead the word “fee” is used, and there does not seem to be any evidence that “it set in a spring of murky water” could be a figurative phrase meaning something else. There is also no evidence in Lane’s lexicon suggesting that such a phrase could be used as a figure of speech.<ref>Lane’s lexicon - [http://www.studyQuran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000024.pdf Volume 6 page 2240] and [http://www.studyQuran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000025.pdf page 2241] - StudyQuran.org</ref> Neither can “fee” mean “behind”.<ref>Lane’s lexicon - [http://www.studyQuran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000250.pdf Volume 6 page 2466] and [http://www.studyQuran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000251.pdf page 2467] - StudyQuran.org</ref> The word “waraa” is used in Arabic to mean behind. | Instead the word “fee” is used, and there does not seem to be any evidence that “it set in a spring of murky water” could be a figurative phrase meaning something else. There is also no evidence in Lane’s lexicon suggesting that such a phrase could be used as a figure of speech.<ref>Lane’s lexicon - [http://www.studyQuran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000024.pdf Volume 6 page 2240] and [http://www.studyQuran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000025.pdf page 2241] - StudyQuran.org</ref> Neither can “fee” mean “behind”.<ref>Lane’s lexicon - [http://www.studyQuran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000250.pdf Volume 6 page 2466] and [http://www.studyQuran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000251.pdf page 2467] - StudyQuran.org</ref> The word “waraa” is used in Arabic to mean behind. | ||
Most importantly, it would also be a highly misleading figure of speech to say that the sun set in a muddy spring when something else is meant. Abundant evidence set out in earlier sections of this article demonstrates that early Muslims understood it literally. This is unsurprising, especially considering the contextual issues discussed above, for example that a few words earlier Dhu’l Qarnayn reached maghriba a'''l'''shshamsi, and the usage of wajada, and that the literal reading reflected a popular legend. | |||
If “setting in a muddy spring” in 18:86 communicated a figurative meaning, why is there no evidence of this interpretation, and plentiful evidence that it was understood literally | If “setting in a muddy spring” in 18:86 communicated a figurative meaning, why is there for centuries no evidence of this interpretation, and plentiful evidence that it was understood literally until educated Muslim scholars learned that the literal interpretation was astronomically problematic? | ||
As for 18:90, even if the phrase in this verse could be regarded as a figure of speech in the sense that the sun was not exactly overhead during the period when it is described as “rising on a people”, the context of the surrounding words strongly imply that they must at least have been unusually close to it during that part of the day, as discussed above. We can also obviously rule out one literal interpretation where AAala means that the sun was in physical contact with the people as it was rising. That was set up as a straw man by al-Qurtubi (see above) who pretended that it was the only alternative to a figure of speech interpretation. | As for 18:90, even if the phrase in this verse could be regarded as a figure of speech in the sense that the sun was not exactly overhead during the period when it is described as “rising on a people”, the context of the surrounding words strongly imply that they must at least have been unusually close to it during that part of the day, as discussed above. We can also obviously rule out one literal interpretation where AAala means that the sun was in physical contact with the people as it was rising. That was set up as a straw man by al-Qurtubi (see above) who pretended that it was the only alternative to a figure of speech interpretation. | ||
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*[[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring (Part One)]] | *[[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring (Part One)]] | ||
*[[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Alexander Romance]] | |||
*[[Islamic Views on the Shape of the Earth]] | *[[Islamic Views on the Shape of the Earth]] | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130828002043/http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/235012104-apostates-why-did-you-leave-islam/page-3#entry2566325 Forum discussion showing Shi'ite hadith also confirm a literal meaning to the sun "setting in a muddy spring"] | |||
*[ | |||
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVwizsojd1Y&t=28s Does the Quran really say the Sun sets in a muddy spring?] - The Masked Arab - ''YouTube video'' | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVwizsojd1Y&t=28s Does the Quran really say the Sun sets in a muddy spring?] - The Masked Arab - ''YouTube video'' | ||
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zyZxYW9v_U The Physical Setting of the Sun], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muH2FLH84RE The Sun sets in a Murky Water] - islamwhattheydonttellyou164 - ''YouTube video'' | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zyZxYW9v_U The Physical Setting of the Sun], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muH2FLH84RE The Sun sets in a Murky Water] - islamwhattheydonttellyou164 - ''YouTube video'' | ||