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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 09:59, 23 September 2023
, 23 September 2023→The Earth is flat, but only from a human perspective: Added in two more sentences adding to summarising the argument from a 'human perspective'. Corrected a typo. And added in links to other relevant wikiilsam pages, as well as one to the modern Flat Earth Society which lists these verses, along with many other religions verses as support for their theory - while this is more humorous than 'scholarship', I believe it is fitting in the 'See Also' section as it still drives the point.
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m (→The Earth is flat, but only from a human perspective: Added in two more sentences adding to summarising the argument from a 'human perspective'. Corrected a typo. And added in links to other relevant wikiilsam pages, as well as one to the modern Flat Earth Society which lists these verses, along with many other religions verses as support for their theory - while this is more humorous than 'scholarship', I believe it is fitting in the 'See Also' section as it still drives the point.) |
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Moreover, the tectonic plate interpretation is reliant on the "spread" verbs in such verses, divorcing them artificially from the nouns which describe the earth as something which was laid out (like a bed or carpet). Yet these are obviously all part of a connected imagery. | Moreover, the tectonic plate interpretation is reliant on the "spread" verbs in such verses, divorcing them artificially from the nouns which describe the earth as something which was laid out (like a bed or carpet). Yet these are obviously all part of a connected imagery. | ||
It is further notable that verses such as {{Quran-range|88|17|20}} assume that the 7th century listeners are aware of what is being referred to ("Do they not look..."), which can hardly be plate tectonics. Indeed, the earth appears essentially spread out and flat to a scientifically unaware observer. The Judeo-Christian tradition with which the Quran frequently assumes its | It is further notable that verses such as {{Quran-range|88|17|20}} assume that the 7th century listeners are aware of what is being referred to ("Do they not look..."), which can hardly be plate tectonics. Indeed, the earth appears essentially spread out and flat to a scientifically unaware observer. The Judeo-Christian tradition with which the Quran frequently assumes its listeners are familiar uses similar language (see [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2042%3A5&version=NIV Isaiah 42:5] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20136%3A6&version=NIV Psalms 136:6]). | ||
Perhaps most importantly, the spreading out of a flat earth makes sense as a beneficial act of creation for mankind. But it is far less obvious how the process of plate tectonics compares as the same kind of direct benefit as the creation of tracts, rivers and fruits of the Earth mentioned in the same verses. Finally, all these things are consistently described as creation events using verbs in the past tense in Arabic (not always clear in translations), yet all are ongoing processes to this day. | Perhaps most importantly, the spreading out of a flat earth makes sense as a beneficial act of creation for mankind. But it is far less obvious how the process of plate tectonics compares as the same kind of direct benefit as the creation of tracts, rivers and fruits of the Earth mentioned in the same verses. Finally, all these things are consistently described as creation events using verbs in the past tense in Arabic (not always clear in translations), yet all are ongoing processes to this day. | ||
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This modern reinterpretation of Qur'anic cosmology significantly aligns with modern science and historiography insofar as it understands the intent of the Qur'an to be based on the worldview of the 7th-century Arabian city where it is said to have been produced - that is, as far as Muhammad and his companions were concerned and could tell, the world was indeed flat, and this is the same perspective assumed by the Qur'an. The Qur'an and its first audience did not know the Earth was spherical and did not say as much. This reading of the Qur'an also benefits from not relying on faulty linguistic, historic, and geometric ideas in order to force fit a round earth reading into the verses. This view is the most common amongst educated Muslims today and is likely to predominate going forward. | This modern reinterpretation of Qur'anic cosmology significantly aligns with modern science and historiography insofar as it understands the intent of the Qur'an to be based on the worldview of the 7th-century Arabian city where it is said to have been produced - that is, as far as Muhammad and his companions were concerned and could tell, the world was indeed flat, and this is the same perspective assumed by the Qur'an. The Qur'an and its first audience did not know the Earth was spherical and did not say as much. This reading of the Qur'an also benefits from not relying on faulty linguistic, historic, and geometric ideas in order to force fit a round earth reading into the verses. This view is the most common amongst educated Muslims today and is likely to predominate going forward. | ||
On the other hand, critics, in line with academic scholars such as those quoted earlier in this article, argue that the context of most of the relevant verses is expressly the creation of the heavens and the earth and that these are therefore statements about the earth as a whole, even if the main purpose of the verses are to remind the audience how Allah has thereby made the earth traversible and hospitable to humans. | On the other hand, critics, in line with academic scholars such as those quoted earlier in this article, argue that the context of most of the relevant verses is expressly the creation of the heavens and the earth and that these are therefore statements about the earth as a whole, even if the main purpose of the verses are to remind the audience how Allah has thereby made the earth traversible and hospitable to humans. | ||
If these verses had meant specifically 'from a human perspective' (or with extra context not given anywhere in the text) and not literally, the Quran (as well as 'sahih' hadith), or God as Muslims believe to be doing the writing, could easily have stated so, or just added the context. Also, applying this method means virtually any unscientific text using incorrect human descriptions could rendered truthful. | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
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{{Hub4|Cosmology|Cosmology}} | {{Hub4|Cosmology|Cosmology}} | ||
* [[Scientific Errors in the Quran]] | |||
* [[Geocentrism and the Quran]] | |||
* [https://theflatearthsociety.org/home/index.php/featured/religious-references The Flat Earth Society - Religious References] - the current Flat Earth Society | |||
{{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]]}} | ||