Ehab Habeeb 0 Posted September 8, 2005 :D I have come across an anti-Islamic website, where someone used verses from the Qur'an taken out of their context to deny that the Qur'an is the word of God. I do not share these allegations with whoever made them. However, I would like to know what Muslims have to say about them and how these allegations can be refuted. 1. First allegation - They say that Qur'an is not the word of God because it describes the sun setting in a spring of water, while everyone knows that this is not true. They say that by the time of Muhammed everyone thought that the sun set in a spring of water, so they use this to say that Muhammed forged the Qur'an and that this is a proof of that. They use the following verse to allegate this: 018.086 ÃóÊóøì ÅöÃóÇ ÈóáóÛó ãóÛúÑöÈó ÇáÔóøãúÓö æóÌóÃóåóÇ ÊóÛúÑõÈõ Ãöà ÚóÃúäò ÃóãöÆóÉò æóæóÌóÃó ÚöäúÃóåóÇ ÞóæúãðÇ ÞõáúäóÇ ÃóÇ ÃóÇ ÇáúÞóÑúäóÃúäö ÅöãóøÇ Ãóäú ÊõÚóÃöøÈó æóÅöãóøÇ Ãóäú ÊóÊóøÎöÃó ÃöÃåöãú ÃõÓúäðÇ 018.086 Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness." Al-Qur'an, 018.086 (Al-Kahf [The Cave]) Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910 I have read on that site about other verses wrongly understood and wrongly used for their anti-Islamic intents. So this means that that site is rubbish. Anyway, how do Muslims refute this anti-Islamic allegation? 2. Second allegation - They use the following verse and some others to say that in the Qur'an it is stated that the Earth is flat. They say this was a common idea by the time of Muhammed, and they say that thus the Qur'an was forged by Muhammed. 020.053 ÇáóøÃöà ÌóÚóáó áóßõãõ ÇáÃÑúÖó ãóåúÃðÇ æóÓóáóßó áóßõãú ÃöÃåóÇ ÓõÈõáÇ æóÃóäúÒóáó ãöäó ÇáÓóøãóÇÃö ãóÇÃð ÃóÃóÎúÑóÌúäóÇ Èöåö ÃóÒúæóÇÌðÇ ãöäú äóÈóÇÊò ÔóÊóøì 020.053 "He Who has, made for you the earth like a carpet spread out; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. Al-Qur'an, 020.053 (Ta-Ha [Mystic letters Ta-Ha]) Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910 Perhaps this and the other verses where taken out of their context and wrongly used to make an anti-Islamic allegation. Anyway, I am interested in knowing how Muslim refute this allegation. Personally, I have another understanding of this and of the other verses that is compatible with the fact that the Earth is round. But I would like to know how do Muslims refute this anti-Islamic allegation. I would like to know how Muslims refute these anti-Islamic allegations. I would like to say again that I do not share these anti-Islamic views and allegations. :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest amani Posted September 8, 2005 Peace! both these allegation are easily twisted by those who say the Quran is not the word of Allah but these allegations are easily refuted :D allegation 1. (transalation of the verse in bold) from tafsir ibn kathir. Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun means, he followed a route until he reached the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun's setting, which is the west of the earth. As for the idea of his reaching the place in the sky where the sun sets, this is something impossible, and the tales told by storytellers that he traveled so far to the west that the sun set behind him are not true at all. Most of these stories come from the myths of the People of the Book and the fabrications and lies of their heretics. he found it setting in a spring of Hami'ah meaning, he saw the sun as if it were setting in the ocean. This is something which everyone who goes to the coast can see: it looks as if the sun is setting into the sea but in fact it never leaves its path in which it is fixed. regarding the earth being flat... this is also something easily misunderstood. the Earth has been made flat for us in regards to its surface, so that people can live on it and so that people can be comfortable upon it. The fact that it is round does not prevent that its surface has been made flat. This is because something that is round and very large, if it is made flat (its surface), then its surface will become very vast or broad (i.e. having a flat appearance). (taken from quote of sheikh abdul aziz bin baz Rahimullah.) feel free to ask anymore questions :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ehab Habeeb 0 Posted September 9, 2005 :D amani and thanks alot for your answers and refutations of these anti-Islamic allegations. It is interesting that your answers and your refutations are exactly the ones I thought for myself. he found it setting in a spring of Hami'ah meaning, he saw the sun as if it were setting in the ocean. This is something which everyone who goes to the coast can see: it looks as if the sun is setting into the sea but in fact it never leaves its path in which it is fixed. I thought exactly about this regarding this part of the anti-Islamic allegation. the Earth has been made flat for us in regards to its surface, so that people can live on it and so that people can be comfortable upon it. The fact that it is round does not prevent that its surface has been made flat. This is because something that is round and very large, if it is made flat (its surface), then its surface will become very vast or broad (i.e. having a flat appearance). Again I thought exactly about this and this is so evident. There is just a point on your answer that I didn't understand very well. What do you mean by the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun's setting, which is the west of the earth. Can you please explain better what do you mean by this? :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest amani Posted September 9, 2005 Can you please explain better what do you mean by this? :D <{POST_SNAPBACK}> salams the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun's setting, which is the west of the earth the sun *rises* in the east and sets in the west, so when we look in the direction of the sun setting, it would be westwards. that is basically what the above quote is saying. ie he walked west.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites