The Sphericity of the Earth

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah. Dear brothers, it is no secret to those who follow that I have been speaking extensively recently about the falsification of science, particularly in what is known as the theory of evolution. Some brothers comment on the episodes saying: "We want you to talk about a more critical issue, which is proving that the earth is not spherical as people claim, all this is Photoshop, but the earth is flat, and this is what the Quran and Sunnah state, so warn people of this great lie and deception."

Methodology of Dealing with Western Science

Brothers, before we talk about the flattening and sphericity of the earth, there is an important methodological point. When we say that there is falsification in Western science, especially regarding things that are ideologically and dogmatically directed such as the theory of evolution, this does not mean that we deny Western science in its entirety. By the grace of Allah, we have benefited and continue to benefit from Western science, and we have conducted scientific research in Western research institutions in America. We know that there are correct things and there are incorrect things, there are fabricated things and there are fixed things.

Therefore, it is indeed a strange emotional position and reaction for some to move from deifying Western science to completely neglecting it and disbelieving everything in it. Western science has both correctness and error. NASA is indeed proven to have practiced deception, Photoshop, and lying, as we will explain in the links, Allah willing. This matter has indeed become a sensory, obvious, known issue.

Consensus of Scholars on the Sphericity of the Earth

And indeed, the sphericity of the earth is a collective issue among the scholars of Muslims from past centuries. Even Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi, may Allah have mercy on him, who passed away in the year 456 AH, meaning a thousand years ago, said: "And I do not know anyone" - the meaning of the speech of course - "that anyone among the scholars from the imams of the Muslims who are worthy of the name of imamate by knowledge, may Allah be pleased with them, denied the sphericity of the earth, nor is there any report from any of them in its refutation" - meaning in the refutation of the sphericity of the earth - "a word, but the proofs from the Book and the Sunnah are upon its sphericity."

After him, Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "And I do not know anyone who said that it is not spherical and insisted on that except those who are not cared for by him from the ignorant." Meaning, he names those who say that the earth is not spherical as those who are not cared for by him and that they are ignorant. This is after mentioning many quotes from the scholars in confirming the sphericity of the earth.

And indeed, brothers, the matter has returned the speech about the sphericity of the earth to the calculation of the diameter of the earth. Al-Biruni, may Allah have mercy on him, who passed away in the year 440 AH - 440 or 456 - and was able through that to calculate the diameter of the earth with a number close by 1% to the number known currently, with very high accuracy.

The Quran and the Sphericity of the Earth

So, I am truly astonished that there are among the sons of Muslims until now who discuss this issue, and if they see a trend in the West of those who say the earth is flat, as if they have repeated the old church joke that the earth is flat, this dispute must be brought and transferred to the Islamic world, and the Quran is burdened with what it cannot bear.

Brothers, when the Quran says - and it is what Allah, the Exalted, says about Himself, glorified and exalted be He - "And it is He who has spread out the earth," do we say: "Ah, this is evidence that the earth is flat and not spherical"? This is a lack of understanding, brother. If you do not understand the Quranic text, do not collide it with science and collide it with reason. Allah, the Exalted, has blessed His servants that He has made the earth easy for them to live on, to build houses on it, He has not made it like a plate of the house going up and down, but it is spread out.

As Al-Razi said: "Because the earth's body is not large, every part of it is flat." Meaning, it is spread out for us in reality, the earth is spread out for us in reality, you can build on it, walk on it, not going up and down. But this does not mean that the Quran describes the spherical body completely, the whole sphere is a flat body. No, this is not the meaning of the verse.

Criticism of the Claim of the Flat Earth

Therefore, it is a great tragedy, brother, to claim and assert that the texts of the Quran and the Sunnah are clear and decisive in that the earth is flat and not spherical. This is, in truth, a strange lack of understanding and dealing with the Quran and the Sunnah.

Additional Sources

I wanted to say these two words, even though this is not my topic and I do not like to delve into the details and evidence. We will put two links: a link to the website of our brothers - may Allah honor them and raise their status - "The Muslim Researchers," they have a detailed, connected, and lengthy research on the issue that answers it from all aspects. And there is also a link to a fatwa from the website "Islam Question and Answer" by Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid, may Allah release him and his brothers and our brothers altogether.

Clarification of the Position

This is not my topic, and I do not want to delve into the details or enter into comments in response to those who say otherwise, because honestly, this is not my topic. And I know that after all this, there will be those who will see the title and say: "The sphericity of the earth? These backward people are still talking about the sphericity of the earth and that it is flat, while science has proven that and the NASA agency has even gone to the moon and so on." Unfortunately, I know that this will be the case, and it does not matter to me, and this is not my topic.

But I do not want to be misunderstood that when I deny part of Western science and say that it is ideologized and directed to serve the false Darwinian creed, I do not want it to be understood from that that I deny everything that has come from Western research. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best, with the emphasis that the sphericity of the earth is not originally established for us by Western research, but it is a matter from the Quran and the Sunnah and the consensus of the scholars. And peace be upon you.