Islamic Views on the Shape of the Earth: Difference between revisions

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Islamic Views on the Shape of the Earth (view source)

Revision as of 11:23, 27 October 2016

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(Added links to new article + additional point re verses used by apologists)
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If the [[Qur'an]] is a letter-by-letter dictation from [[Allah]], it should also concur with this fact that was known throughout the world ''before'' its [[revelation]], and it should contradict the flat Earth model widely believed in by the 7<sup>th</sup> century Bedouins of Arabia. Yet the evidence is that the Qur'an supports the flat Earth model (as well as [[Geocentrism and the Quran|geocentrism]]).
If the [[Qur'an]] is a letter-by-letter dictation from [[Allah]], it should also concur with this fact that was known throughout the world ''before'' its [[revelation]], and it should contradict the flat Earth model widely believed in by the 7<sup>th</sup> century Bedouins of Arabia. Yet the evidence is that the Qur'an supports the flat Earth model (as well as [[Geocentrism and the Quran|geocentrism]]).


==Did everyone know that the Earth was round at the time of Muhammad?==
For plentiful evidence that the earliest Muslims believed in a flat Earth, and a discussion of the failed attempts by ibn Taymiyyah and others to demonstrate that they believed in a round Earth, see the article [[Did Muhammad and the early Muslims know that the Earth is round|Did Muhammad and the Earliest Muslims Know the Earth is Round?]].
 
[https://islamqa.info/en/118698 One Islamic website] (copied by others) quotes from a book by ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH/1328 CE) who made a failed attempt to demonstrate a consensus, or even knowledge from the earliest Muslims of a round Earth. In their first quote from ibn Taymiyyah he cites scholars who lived shortly after Imam Ahmad (d. 241 AH / 855 CE) by which time Muslim scholars had encountered Greek and Indian science and did indeed know that the Earth was round. In a second quote, ibn Taymiyyah cites other scholars as saying there is a consensus that the heavens are round (but notice, no mention of the Earth). He says they used arguments from the Qur'an and sunnah, and narrations from the companions and 2nd generation. The evidence used by the scholars that Muhammad and the companions had this view about the shape of the heavens (as further described by ibn Taymiyyah, but not mentioned on the website) is extremely weak even for that. Then another quotation is given from one of the scholars, who merely claims the absence of any denial that the Earth is round from the leading scholars. So to summarise, there seems to be no evidence available to suggest that the earliest Muslims believed the Earth was round.
 
Instead, there is plenty of evidence that they thought the Earth to be flat. For details, see for example the quotations from Tabari's tafsir [https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#Tafsir_.28Commentaries.29 here] (see also the sections before and after it in that article for further evidence), and the comments by historians about Arab knowledge before and after they encountered Greek and Indian science [https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#Commentators_use_knowledge_unknown_to_7th_century_Arabs here] (including footnotes).


== Analysis==
== Analysis==
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Muslims sometimes claim "Merging here means that the night slowly and gradually changes to day and vice versa. This phenomenon can only take place if the earth is spherical. If the earth was flat, there would have been a sudden change from night to day and from day to night."  
Muslims sometimes claim "Merging here means that the night slowly and gradually changes to day and vice versa. This phenomenon can only take place if the earth is spherical. If the earth was flat, there would have been a sudden change from night to day and from day to night."  


This claim is false. The gradual shift from day to night and vice versa would still happen on a flat earth model. The only difference is that the flat earth model would be lit up at the same time, there would be no timezones just the same night and day for everyone.  
This claim is false. Consider that everyone who has ever believed in a flat Earth was aware of the gradual transition from night to day. The gradual shift from day to night and vice versa would still happen on a flat earth model. The only difference is that the flat earth model would be lit up at the same time, there would be no timezones just the same night and day for everyone.  


A simple experiment can be done to demonstrate the point. All that is needed is a dark room, table and flashlight. If the flashlight is slowed raised above the edge of the table (similar to a sunrise), a gradual shift from darkness to light will be observed. So verses 31:29 and 22:61 give no information about the Earth's shape. They are merely observations that anyone can make.
A simple experiment can be done to demonstrate the point. All that is needed is a dark room, table and flashlight. If the flashlight is slowed raised above the edge of the table (similar to a sunrise), a gradual shift from darkness to light will be observed. So verses 31:29 and 22:61 give no information about the Earth's shape. They are merely observations that anyone can make.
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{{Hub4|Cosmology|Cosmology}}
{{Hub4|Cosmology|Cosmology}}
*[[Did Muhammad and the early Muslims know that the Earth is round|Did Muhammad and the Earliest Muslims Know the Earth is Round?]]


{{Translation-links-english|[[Le Coran et la Terre plate|French]], [[Placatá Země a Korán|Czech]]}}
{{Translation-links-english|[[Le Coran et la Terre plate|French]], [[Placatá Země a Korán|Czech]]}}
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