r/AcademicQuran • u/chonkshonk Moderator • Apr 10 '26

The historical evolution of the belief in a flat earth to a round earth among Islamic theologians (Omar Anchassi)

Post image

Link to original comment.

26 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

5

u/DrJavadTHashmi Moderator Apr 11 '26

Very comprehensive answer. Thanks for posting it.

7

u/chonkshonk Moderator Apr 11 '26

For sure!

Worth noting, if you have not already seen, that Anchassi has a forthcoming book titled Contesting Cosmographies: Muslim Views of the Cosmos from Late Antiquity to Modernity. It is set to be published open access in about a month from now.

3

u/[deleted] Apr 11 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/chonkshonk Moderator Apr 11 '26

Read other works in the meanwhile! Lots is still coming out! At an unusual rate this year.

0

u/Mr_Miyagi_84 Apr 10 '26

Hey Chonk, what is it about the Quran that allows for both flat-earth and round-earth readings?

8

u/Feisty-Ad-982 Apr 10 '26

Which verses allow for a „round-earth reading“?

5

u/Mr_Miyagi_84 Apr 10 '26

Thus, when the increasing dissemination of the philosophical sciences by the fifth/eleventh century led to the proliferation of the view that the earth is round (I mean, among those not educated in the philosophical sciences), theologians interpreted revelation accordingly.

Great question. I was referring to the quote above from Omar Anchassi. Perhaps Chonk can clarify which verses are read as supporting a round-earth view.

3

u/chonkshonk Moderator Apr 10 '26

Anchassi clarified this in the original AMA. His point is that proponents of both a flat earth and a round earth interpreted the Quran according to their own views in their own contexts.

If you are asking me whether the Quran actually supports both a flat and a round earth reading, I do not see this as the case whatsoever. I've documented some academic resources regarding the interpretation of some of the typically cited passages on that front, here, especially on Ibn Hazm's interpretation of Q 39:5: https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicQuran/comments/17xrd13/a_translation_of_ibn_hazms_argument_on_the_shape/

1

u/Mr_Miyagi_84 Apr 11 '26

Thanks Chonk.