Geocentrism and the Quran: Difference between revisions

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(→‎The shape of the sun's course: Fixed garbled mixture of translations for 36:37-8 and pointer to notes above about the translation of "resting place")
(→‎The shape of the sun's course: Link to full discussion of the key words in verses 18:86 & 90)
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The Qur'an clearly tells the sun ends its daily cycle every night when the sun goes to its resting place. (ِمُسْتَقَرٍّ or mustaqarrin - see notes above in the section [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Geocentrism_and_the_Quran#Primary_Evidence Primary Evidence] regarding the translation of this word).
The Qur'an clearly tells the sun ends its daily cycle every night when the sun goes to its resting place. (ِمُسْتَقَرٍّ or mustaqarrin - see notes above in the section [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Geocentrism_and_the_Quran#Primary_Evidence Primary Evidence] regarding the translation of this word).


{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}| A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}  
{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}| A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. '''And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him.''' That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}  


The Qur'an also describes the locations where the sun can be seen to go up and down.  It can be seen by human eyes in the story of [[Dhul-Qarnayn]] (possibly Alexander the Great):
The Qur'an also describes the locations where the sun can be seen to go up and down.  It can be seen by human eyes in the story of [[Dhul-Qarnayn]] (possibly Alexander the Great):


{{Quote|{{cite quran|18|84|end=91|style=ref}}| Lo! We made him strong in the land and gave him unto every thing a road. And he followed a road. Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. Then he followed a road. Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom.}}
{{Quote|{{cite quran|18|84|end=90|style=ref}}| Lo! We made him strong in the land and gave him unto every thing a road. And he followed a road. '''Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring''', and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. Then he followed a road. '''Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom.'''}}


The place where the sun goes down has a name 'Mahgreb' (from the root ghuroob, meaning "to set" or "to be hidden by going away"). Today, North-Western Africa (Morocco in particular) is denoted by this very name. Interestingly, if one stands there and looks at the ocean at sunset one could 'observe' the sun going to its hidden resting place.
For a detailed discussion of the key words in these verses, see the article [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring Dhul Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring]


The Qur'an is quite clear about the course of the sun. It does not even describe a complete orbit, but merely a rounded course (falak) that has a beginning, an end, and a highest point.
The Qur'an is quite clear about the course of the sun. It does not even describe a complete orbit, but merely a rounded course (falak) that has a beginning, an end, and a highest point.
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