Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: (And to the earth, how it was spread out)
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Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: (And to the earth, how it was spread out)
He (Mighty and Majestic) says: [Al-Ghashiyah: 20] Meaning: And look at how Allah spread out this vast earth and made it a broad surface so that people can live on it through agriculture, construction, and other things. What do you think if the earth were a slope, not flat, like mountains that one climbs and ascends? It would be difficult, and people would not have settled on it. But Allah (Mighty and Majestic) made it a flat surface prepared for creation.
Some scholars have cited this verse as evidence that the earth is not spherical but a flat, extended surface. However, there is a problem with this argument; because there are verses indicating that the earth is spherical, and reality bears witness to that.So He the Mighty and Majestic says: [Az-Zumar: 5] And "takwir" (folding) means: rolling. It is known that night and day succeed one another on the earth. If they are rolled, it follows that the earth must be spherical.Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: [Al-Inshiqaq: 1-4] He said: [Al-Inshiqaq: 3] It has been reported in the hadith that on the Day of Resurrection, it will be spread out like the stretching of leather, meaning the stretching of skin, so that there will be no mountains, valleys, trees, or buildings in it; the Lord (Mighty and Majestic) will leave it as a flat, level plain, where you will see no crookedness or elevation.His saying: [Al-Inshiqaq: 1] When will the sky be split? We all know that it will not be split except on the Day of Resurrection, and that it is not split now.
Therefore: His saying: [Al-Inshiqaq: 3-4] Meaning: On the Day of Resurrection. So it is not spread out now.
Therefore: So it is spherical.
The tangible, certain reality now is that it is spherical, without doubt. The evidence for this is that if you travel in a straight line from here, from the Kingdom, heading west, you will come from the east, circle the earth, and return to the point from which you started. And likewise, if you travel heading toward the east, you will find yourself returning to the point from which you departed from the west.
So there is no doubt that it is spherical.So if a person says: If it is spherical as you claim, how do you prove that the waters of the seas remain on it while it is spherical?We say in answer to this: The One who holds the sky from falling upon the earth except by His permission holds the seas from overflowing upon the people and drowning them. And Allah is capable of all things.
Some of the people of knowledge said regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted: [At-Takwir: 6] Meaning: He restrained and prevented them from overflowing upon the people.Like something that is heated, meaning: He binds.
In any case, we cannot oppose the divine power.Rather, we say: The power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has held these seas from overflowing upon the people of the earth and drowning them, even if the earth is spherical.
He (Mighty and Majestic) says:
And at the earth - how it is spread out?
وَإِلَى الْأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْSome scholars have cited this verse as evidence that the earth is not spherical but a flat, extended surface. However, there is a problem with this argument; because there are verses indicating that the earth is spherical, and reality bears witness to that.So He the Mighty and Majestic says:
He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night
يُكَوِّرُ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى النَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ النَّهَارَ عَلَى اللَّيْلِ(1) When the sky has split [open] (2) And has responded to its Lord and was obligated [to do so] (3) And when the earth has been extended (4) And has cast out that within it and relinquished [it]
إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انْشَقَّتْ * وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ * وَإِذَا الْأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ * وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْAnd when the earth has been extended
وَإِذَا الْأَرْضُ مُدَّتْWhen the sky has split [open]
إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انْشَقَّتْTherefore: His saying:
(3) And when the earth has been extended (4) And has cast out that within it and relinquished [it]
وَإِذَا الأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ * وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْTherefore: So it is spherical.
The tangible, certain reality now is that it is spherical, without doubt. The evidence for this is that if you travel in a straight line from here, from the Kingdom, heading west, you will come from the east, circle the earth, and return to the point from which you started. And likewise, if you travel heading toward the east, you will find yourself returning to the point from which you departed from the west.
So there is no doubt that it is spherical.So if a person says: If it is spherical as you claim, how do you prove that the waters of the seas remain on it while it is spherical?We say in answer to this: The One who holds the sky from falling upon the earth except by His permission holds the seas from overflowing upon the people and drowning them. And Allah is capable of all things.
Some of the people of knowledge said regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And when the seas are filled with flame
وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْIn any case, we cannot oppose the divine power.Rather, we say: The power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has held these seas from overflowing upon the people of the earth and drowning them, even if the earth is spherical.