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Cosmology of the Quran: Difference between revisions
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* Verses in which the seven heavens are likened to the earth (their interpretation of {{Quran|67|12}} mentioned above), including in terms of their width e.g. {{Quran|57|21}} "a Garden whereof the breadth is as the breadth of the heavens and the earth". | * Verses in which the seven heavens are likened to the earth (their interpretation of {{Quran|67|12}} mentioned above), including in terms of their width e.g. {{Quran|57|21}} "a Garden whereof the breadth is as the breadth of the heavens and the earth". | ||
* These heavens are arranged in layers ({{Quran|67|3}}, {{Quran|71|15}}), which more obviously suggests flatness, and this word tibiqan is similar to the Babylonian tubuqati, suggesting that seven superimposed flat heavens is a belief they have in common. | * These heavens are arranged in layers ({{Quran|67|3}}, {{Quran|71|15}}), which more obviously suggests flatness, and this word tibiqan is similar to the Babylonian tubuqati, suggesting that seven superimposed flat heavens is a belief they have in common. | ||
* While interest in the heavens (as opposed to their contents) is largely absent from pre-Islamic poetry, the poems of Umayya | * While interest in the heavens (as opposed to their contents) is largely absent from pre-Islamic poetry, the poems of Umayya ibn Abī al‐Ṣalt (d. 5 / 626) likened the heavens to seven floors one above another, and the carpet shaped earth to the uplifted heaven ("And [he] shaped the earth as a carpet then he ordained it, [the area] under the firmament [are] just like those he uplifted"). | ||
* Despite the obvious potential use of tents as an analogy for the heavens, the Qur'an does not do so. Mountains act as pegs to stabilise the earth rather than hold down a heavenly tent canopy. | * Despite the obvious potential use of tents as an analogy for the heavens, the Qur'an does not do so. Mountains act as pegs to stabilise the earth rather than hold down a heavenly tent canopy. | ||
* The notion of a flat sky was common in ancient Mesopotamia and the near east (as also noted by Janos, citing Horowitz<ref>Janos, ''Qurʾānic cosmography in its historical perspective'' pp. 216-217</ref>) though some scholars instead say that the universal belief of the scientifically naive peoples of the world was that it was dome shaped. Those who suppose that the pre-Islamic Arabs had a dome shaped conception due to their tent dwellings ignore the evidence that Mecca was an urban environment with flat roofs. | * The notion of a flat sky was common in ancient Mesopotamia and the near east (as also noted by Janos, citing Horowitz<ref>Janos, ''Qurʾānic cosmography in its historical perspective'' pp. 216-217</ref>) though some scholars instead say that the universal belief of the scientifically naive peoples of the world was that it was dome shaped. Those who suppose that the pre-Islamic Arabs had a dome shaped conception due to their tent dwellings ignore the evidence that Mecca was an urban environment with flat roofs. | ||
* They argue that the Qur'an's ideological antipathy to the Bedouins would have extended to their use of tents for pagan practices, and for this reason may have rejected any possible existing analogies with the heavens. | * They argue that the Qur'an's ideological antipathy to the Bedouins would have extended to their use of tents for pagan practices, and for this reason may have rejected any possible existing analogies with the heavens. | ||
They note that Janos too favours a flat heavens interpretation. For him, it was enough that the Qur'anic firmament is likened to a | They note that Janos too favours a flat heavens interpretation. For him, it was enough that the Qur'anic firmament is likened to a bināʾ (structure) or saqf (roof) ({{Quran|2|22}}, {{Quran|21|32}}, {{Quran|40|64}}); They note that the word saqf originally seems to have referred to flat roofs, including in the Qur'an {{Quran|16|26}}, {{Quran|43|33}}; and arranged in layers as mentioned above - they agree with him on the strength of this latter point, though he is also open to the dome-shaped view based on tafsir sources rather than any internal evidence, while van Bladel relies mainly on pre-Qur'anic sources for his discussion of whether the Qur'anic heavens are a dome, tent or roof.<ref name="vanBladelCords"/> | ||
Further evidence that they do not mention is found in {{Quran|21|104}} and {{Quran|39|67}}, which state that the heavens will be rolled up/folded up come the day of judgement. | Further evidence that they do not mention is found in {{Quran|21|104}} and {{Quran|39|67}}, which state that the heavens will be rolled up/folded up come the day of judgement. | ||