Personal, - Religious Wisdom - I

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All praise is due to Allaah The Almighty; we praise Him, ask His help and forgiveness and repent to Him. We seek refuge with Allaah The Almighty from the evil of our souls and the consequences of our evil deeds. No one can mislead a person whom Allaah The Almighty guides, and no one can rightly guide a person whom Allaah The Almighty misguides. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah Alone, who has no partner; and I testify that Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Religious wisdom is a well-known term. Those who read or study the biographies of our righteous predecessors or listen to their instructions frequently hear about it. Some people might read their biographies and feel as if they are reading about a historical matter that does not concern them. Also, when we read the biographies of the righteous predecessors and narrations concerning their religious wisdom, asceticism as well as inspiring narrations, we may judge them as being weak or fabricated, or may even accuse their narrators of overstating or extremism; likewise, we might even think they are incorrect, despite the fact that some of these narrations are true and correct. Rarely do we blame ourselves for failing to understand these meanings; likewise, many hearts may not be pure enough to comprehend that the state of the righteous predecessors was a result of their fear of Allaah The Almighty. Their state was also the result of their following the guidance of the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and those who preceded them.
In truth, I hesitated before writing about this topic to the extent that while I was reading and collecting its references I decided not to talk about it at all. This decision was not because the topic is not significant or important but because I felt that only the people known for their religious wisdom should talk about it; just as only those who are humble, pious and truthful should talk about truthfulness.
A person who pretends to have something that he does not own is blameworthy, just like a person who wears two stolen garments, therefore, I will talk about religious wisdom, but with no comparison to my own state. My role will only be to convey the sayings and words of wisdom excerpted from the biographies of the righteous predecessors of thisUmmah)Muslim nation(, and try to connect them with our reality. We ask Allaah The Almighty to grant us righteousness and piety as well as religious wisdom. If we cannot attain their lofty status, let us at least try to imitate them, for the person who imitates a particular group is one of them. Indeed, imitating noble people brings about success.
Religious wisdom is a prophetic term found in theSharee‘ah. Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, instructed him, saying:“Be religiously wise so that you would be the most devoted person in worship; be content so that you would be the most grateful person; love for people what you love for yourself so that you would be a believer; act kindly towards your neighbors so that you would be a Muslim; and do not laugh too much, for this makes the heart wither.”]Al-Bayhaqi[
In aHadeethon the authority of Huthayfah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:“The merit of knowledge is dearer to me than the merit of worship. Religious wisdom is the best act in Islam.”]Al-Bazzaar, Al-Haakim, At-Tabaraani inAl-'Awsatand Al-Haakim on the authority of Sa‘d, may Allaah be pleased with him[
In these authentic texts, the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, mentioned the term“religious wisdom”, thus, it is a prophetic term related to theSharee‘ah, even though such terms are not necessarily required to be explicitly mentioned by the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. As long as there is no contradiction between these terms and the texts of theSharee‘ah,there is no problem in using them.
There is plenty of evidence in the Quran andSunnahof the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, supporting the meaning of religious wisdom. For example, there is a comprehensive and greatHadeeththat many scholars consider to be a pillar on which Islam stands. In aHadeethon the authority of An-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer, may Allaah be pleased with him, he heard the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, say:“Both lawful and unlawful matters are evident, but between them are certain doubtful ]suspicious[ things which many people have no knowledge of. Thus, whoever guards against these doubtful things keeps his religion and his honor safe. On the other hand, whoever indulges in these doubtful things ]will eventually[ indulge in unlawful matters, just as a shepherd who grazes his cattle near the Hima ]private pasture[ of someone else and at any moment is liable to stray into it.”
ThisHadeethis well-known and memorized by people of all ages and is mentioned in the books ofSunnahwith many narrations. ThisHadeethalso establishes a rule for doubtful matters, where a person should be religiously wise. Avoiding doubtful matters is only one aspect of religious wisdom that has a much wider meaning.
AnotherHadeethin this regard is what An-Nawwaas ibn Sam‘aan, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:“Righteousness is good morals, and vice is what rankles in your chest and you fear that it might be revealed to people.”']Muslim[ Also, there is a narration when Waabisah ibn Ma‘bad, may Allaah be pleased with him, came to the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, who said:“Have you come to ask about righteousness?”Waabisah said,“Yes.”The Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:“Consult your heart; righteousness is what your soul and heart are assured of. Whereas, vice is what rankles in your heart and chest, even if people tell you again and again that it is permissible.”]Ahmad and Ad-Daarimi[ There is anotherHadeeth, which was narrated by Ahmad on the authority of Tha‘labah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that supports thisHadeeth.
ThisHadeethindicates how highly sensitive the righteous slaves of Allaah The Almighty are; to the extent that their souls become reassured and comforted by virtue, while at the same time they are repulsed by misdeeds, even if the people tell them that they are permissible acts. ThisHadeethdefinitely encourages us to refrain from doubtful matters and to perform what the hearts are assured of. It also describes the state of the righteous people and their hearts that follow the truth by virtue of the light given to them by Allaah The Almighty. Such hearts are comforted by virtue, guidance, piety and righteousness. On the other hand, they feel repulsed and doubtful about sins and all that cause them, even if people gave them different opinions that permit them to commit these sins. Only the true slaves of Allaah The Almighty can make this distinction between virtue and vice, and perhaps we can use this as a way to test our hearts; whether they are comforted by virtue, righteousness and piety or are averse to disobedience and evil deeds. They would be righteous hearts – Allaah Willing. Otherwise, their hearts would require refinement and purification. Obviously, this does not concern the rejecters whose hearts are totally covered, as their souls have become fettered by their fancies and desires and their souls are only comforted by disobedience of Allaah The Almighty and harming His righteous believers.
There are many people whose judgments are no longer sound and who view misdeeds to be good deeds and vice versa. Therefore, such distinction between virtue and vice is only given to righteous people whose hearts have totally turned to Allaah The Almighty. Such a heart loves no one except for the sake of Allaah The Almighty, and hates no one except for the sake of Allaah The Almighty. It turns to Allaah Alone and faces Him without deviation, just as the person turns towards theQiblahduring his prayers and stands before Allaah The Almighty five times a day. Thus, Allaah The Almighty is his sole direction. This person loves no one except Allaah The Almighty, and turns towards Him Alone. Such a soul has no will that contradicts the orders andSharee‘ahof Allaah The Almighty. For that reason, such a heart has attained a high degree and is comforted by virtue and repulsed by vice. Accordingly, Allaah The Almighty confers on him this light and criterion to make the distinction between right and wrong. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}O you who have believed, if you fear Allaah, He will grant you a criterion ]to judge between right and wrong[ and will remove from you your misdeeds and forgive you.{]Quran 8:29[









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Dought & clear, - (Knowledge ), - Who is a scholar (‘aalim)?

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I would like to know the correct reponse to the issue of saying that the term scholar cannot be used for an islamic teacher and it should be people like shayk fawzan, shayk ubayd and so on. in short, who can be called a scholar as this issue is causing division among the salafi brothers in my country.
Praise be to Allaah.
The words ‘aalim (scholar), faqeeh and mujtahid all carry the same meaning: they refer to one who strive to reach the shar‘i ruling and who has the ability to derive shar‘i rulings from the evidence.
This means that he has to acquire the tools (pre-requisites) of ijtihaad. No one can be described in these terms (‘aalim, mujtahid or faqeeh) except one who meets the pre-requisites of ijtihaad.
The scholars paid attention to these pre-requisites so that the door is not open to just anyone, old or young, to say about the religion of Allah that of which he has no knowledge.
But we will content ourselves with just two reports from which we will demonstrate what these pre-requisites are.
-1-
The first report was narrated from al-Shawkaani (may Allah have mercy on him) and what he said may be summed up in five points, listing five pre-requisites:
(i)
He should have knowledge of the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah.
This does not necessarily mean that he should have memorised the Sunnah; rather it is sufficient for him to be able to find reports in their places and be familiar with the contents of the books of Sunnah, foremost among which are the well-known compilations of the Sunnah (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Saheeh Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawood, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sunan al-Nasaa’i and Sunan Ibn Maajah), and so on.
He should also know what is saheeh (sound) and what is da‘eef (weak) in the texts of the Sunnah.
(ii)
He should have knowledge of the issues of consensus (ijmaa‘)
(iii)
He should be well versed in the Arabic language.
It is not stipulated that he should have learned it by heart; rather he should be able to understand the meanings and structure of the language.
(iv)
He should have knowledge ofusool al-fiqh(basic principles of Islamic jurisprudence), including analogy (qiyaas), because usool al-fiqh is the foundation for deriving rulings.
(v)
He should have knowledge of what abrogates and what is abrogated (al-naasikh wa’l-mansookh).
See:Irshaad al-Fuhool, 2/297-303
-2-
The second report was narrated from Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him):
He mentioned the pre-requisites of the mujtahid without differing greatly from what al-Shawkaani (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned, but he put it more clearly and said:
Ijtihaad is subject to several conditions, including the following:
(i) He (the mujtahid) should have knowledge of the shar‘i evidence that he needs for the purpose of ijtihaad, such as verses of the Qur’aan and hadeeths that speak of rulings.
(ii) He should have knowledge of the matters pertaining to the soundness or weakness of hadeeths, such as the isnaad, the men in the isnaad and so on.
(iii) He should be aware of what abrogates and what is abrogated (al-naasikh wa’l-mansookh) and issues on which there is consensus (ijmaa‘), so that he will not issue a ruling on the basis of something that has been abrogated or that is contrary to scholarly consensus.
(iv) He should have knowledge of various matters affecting the ruling, such as reports of specific meanings, reports that set limits, and so on, so that he will not issue a ruling that is contrary to that.
(v) He should have knowledge of the Arabic language and usool al-fiqh that has to do with verbal evidence, such as what is general and what is specific, what is absolute and what is restricted, what is mentioned in brief and what is mentioned in detail, and so on, so that his rulings will be in accordance with what is indicated by that evidence.
(vi) He should have the ability to derive rulings from the evidence.
End quote fromal-Usool fi ‘Ilm al-Usool, p. 85, 86;Sharh(commentary thereon), p. 584-590.
It should be pointed out that referring to the Sunnah now is much easier than it was before, because of the books that have been written on the Sunnah.
The one who fulfils these conditions is a scholar (‘aalim) who can derive shar‘i rulings from the evidence. Anyone who does not fit this description cannot be described as a ‘aalim, faqeeh or mujtahid.
It should also be noted that these words (‘aalim, mujtahid and faqeeh) are technical terms, as it were; according to the scholars they have specific meanings and pre-requisites. So it is not permissible to use them readily about anyone who speaks about Islamic rulings or teaches Islamic material in schools and universities, or who works in the field of da‘wah (calling people to Allah). A man may be a daa‘iyah, calling people to Allah, and putting a great deal of effort into that, without having reached the level of being a scholar (‘aalim).
We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to teach us that which will benefit us and increase us in knowledge.
And Allah knows best.



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Dought & clear, - (Knowledge ), - Hadeeths that differentiate between the scholars and the martyrs`

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How sound is this hadeeth: “The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr”?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The hadeeths which state that the scholars are superior to the martyrs, or that the ink of the scholar is superior to the blood of the martyr, were narrated from a number of the Sahaabah, but they have weak and flimsy, or fabricated isnaads, which we will mention here in brief:
1.
From Abu’d-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him):
It was narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr inJaami‘ Bayaan al-‘Ilm(1/150). His isnaad includes Ismaa‘eel ibn Abi Ziyaad, of whom Ibn Hibbaan said: He is a charlatan. Hence al-‘Iraqi classed it as da‘eef inTakhreej al-Ihya’, p. 5
2.
From ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with him).
It was narrated by Abu Na‘eem inAkhbaar Asbahaan(1718) and ad-Daylami inMusnad al-Firdaws. Its isnaad also includes Ismaa‘eel ibn Abi Ziyaad, who is mentioned above.
It was also narrated by Ibn al-Jawzi inal-‘Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah(1/81) via another isnaad. He said: This is not saheeh. Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: Muhammad ibn Yazeed al-Waasiti did not narrate anything from ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Ziyaad. Ibn Hibbaan said: He narrates fabricated reports from trustworthy narrators.
End quote.
3.
From Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
It was narrated by ad-Daylami inMusnad al-Firdaws. Its isnaad includes Ishaaq ibn al-Qaasim and his father, who are not known.
It was also narrated by al-Khateeb inTareekh Baghdaad(2/193) and via him by Ibn al-Jawzi inal-‘Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah(1/80). He said: This hadeeth is not soundly narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). al-Khateeb said: Its men are all trustworthy apart from Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, and we think that it is something that he made up.
End quote.
4. From an-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer (may Allah be pleased with him)
It was narrated by as-Sahami inTareekh Jarjaan(p. 91, 222), and by Ibn al-Jazwi inal-‘Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah(1/81). He said: This is not saheeh. As for Haroon ibn ‘Antarah, Ibn Hibbaan said: It is not permissible to quote him as evidence; he narrated such odd (munkar) reports that one cannot help thinking that he is the one who fabricated them. And Ya‘qoob al-Qummi is da‘eef.
End quote.
5.
From ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him)
It was narrated by ar-Raafa‘i inTareekh Qizween(3/481). Its isnaad includes ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Maslamah, who narrated odd (munkar) reports. It also includes ‘Abdullah ibn Luhay‘ah.
6. From ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him)
It was narrated by al-Marhabi inFadl al-‘Ilm– as was narrated by as-Suyooti inad-Durr al-Manthoor(3/423); it is also narrated inJuz’ Ibn ‘Amashleeq(p. 44) with the same isnaad, which includes Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qaasim, the mu’adhdhin of Tarsoos, for whom I could not find any biography.
7. From Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)
It was narrated by Ibn an-Najjaar from him, as was mentioned by as-Suyooti. It is also mentioned inLisaan al-Mizaan(5/225) via Jarraab al-Kadhdhaab (the liar).
8. From Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him)
It was narrated inJuz’ Ibn ‘Amashleeq(p. 45) via al-Kalbi from Abu Saalih from Ibn ‘Abbaas; this is a waahin (flimsy) isnaad.
9. From Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
It was narrated by as-Sam‘aani inAdab al-Imla’ wa’l-Istimla’(p. 181). Its isnaad includes al-Muzaffar ibn al-Husayn, the shaykh of as-Sam‘aani, for whom I could not find any biography.
To sum up, the hadeeth is not saheeh. Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadi said concerning it: It ismawdoo‘(fabricated). Imam adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Its text is fabricated. End quote fromMizaan al-I‘tidaal(3/517). Ash-Shawkaani mentioned it inal-Fawaa’id al-Majmoo‘ah(p. 17), and al-‘Aamiri mentioned it inal-Jadd al-Hatheeth fi Bayaan ma laysa bi Hadeeth(p. 203). Shaykh al-Albaani said inas-Silsilah ad-Da‘eefah(hadeeth no. 4832): This verdict (i.e., that it is fabricated) is what one feels comfortable with. End quote. Shaykh Muhammad Rasheed Rida said something similar inMajallat al-Manaar(3/698).
Secondly:
What appears to be the case is that what is narrated about the virtues of the blood of the martyr in and of itself has no parallel concerning the ink of the scholars. Rather we do not know of any saheeh hadeeth that speaks of the virtue of the ink of the scholars in and of itself, let alone about it being superior to the blood of the martyr. With regard to the blood of the martyr, it is proven that it will come on the Day of Resurrection with its colour the colour of blood and its fragrance the fragrance of musk, and the martyr is forgiven with the first drop of his blood that is shed… And other reports of that nature. But this is one thing, and the superiority of the martyr himself over the scholars is another matter.
Al-Mannaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
As a matter of fact, what is narrated concerning the martyr and the special rewards he will attain, and the saheeh reports about the protection against punishment and forgiveness of shortcomings that he will be granted, have no parallel concerning the scholar merely for the knowledge he has. No one can definitively state that the same ruling applies to the scholar. However it is possible that one who attains a higher degree will attain a better reward.
With regard to the scholar, what should be taken into consideration is the scholar’s character, the impact of his knowledge and what responsibilities he had. We should also examine the character of the martyr, the consequences of his martyrdom and what responsibilities he had. So the comparison should be made on the basis of the deeds of each of them and the benefits of his actions. How often a martyr or scholar warded off or reduced the impact of turmoil and was the cause of relief at a time of hardship. Therefore it may be that one martyr is better than a group of scholars, or one scholar is better than a group of martyrs, each according to his situation and the impact or legacy of his knowledge and deeds. End quote.
Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/603
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This issue – the superiority of the ink of the scholars over the blood of the martyrs, or vice versa – is an issue that was the subject of a great deal of debate, in which those who favoured each view gave their evidence.
What may decide the matter and bring about consensus on this issue is the following:
· Highlighting the different levels of virtue
· Highlighting which is superior
· Examining which of the two is more virtuous than the other (in the light of the above)
These three principles will explain the matter and help us to reach the right conclusion.
With regard to the different levels of virtue, there are four: Prophethood, siddeeqiyyah (see below), martyrdom and wilaayah (being a righteous close friend of Allah).
Allah, may He be glorified, mentioned them in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddeeqoon (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!
Such is the Bounty from Allah, and Allah is Sufficient as All-Knower”
[an-Nisa’ 4:69].
The highest of these levels of virtue is Prophethood and Messengership, followed by siddeeqiyyah. The siddeeqs are the prominent leaders of the followers of the Messengers, and their status is the highest after Prophethood.
If the pen of the scholar wrote that which is connected to siddeeqiyyah, , then it is superior to the blood of the martyr who did not reach the same level.
But if the martyr had attained the level of siddeeqiyyah and the shedding of his blood was connected to that, then his blood is superior to the ink of the scholar who fell short of that. The better of the two is the one who is a siddeeq.
If they were equal in terms of being siddeeq, then they are equal in terms of status. And Allah knows best.
Siddeeqiyyah is when one attains the level of perfection of faith in what the Messenger brought in terms of knowledge, belief and implementation. This level is based on knowledge. Everyone who has greater knowledge of what the Messenger brought and more complete faith in it will be of a higher level of siddeeqiyyah. Siddeeqiyyah is like a tree: its roots are knowledge, its branches are belief and its fruits are action.
This is a comprehensive discussion of the issue of the scholar and the martyr, and which of them is superior.
End quote fromMiftaah Daar as-Sa‘aadah, 1/297-299
This argument presented by Ibn al-Qayyim is, in our opinion, more sound and is better than being certain of the difference between the two as being two completely separate deeds, as it was discussed by many scholars.
And Allah knows best.



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Dought & clear, - (Knowledge ), - Reconciling between the view that the Earth is round and the verse “And Allah has made for you the earth wide spread (an expanse)” [Nooh 71:19]

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Could you please explain these Quranic verse. Actually one Non Muslim asked me to explain these verses.
Quran 71:19 And Allah has made the earth for you as a carpet (spread out).
Quran 78:6 Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, What does it mean ?
Quran 15:19 And the earth We have spread out (like a carpet); set thereon mountains firm and immovable; and produced therein all kinds of things in due balance.
Does it mean that Earth is flat? Tafsir Jalalayn says that EARTH is flat. But it is against Established Science.
Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
The scholars are unanimously agreed that the earth is round, but to human eyes it appears to be flat, because it is very big and its roundness or curvature cannot be seen at close distances. So the one who stands and looks sees it as flat, but when viewed as a whole, in reality it is round.
Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The proofs of the Qur’an and Sunnah indicate that it is round. End quote.
See also the answers to questions no. 201530and 118698
Secondly:
The verse (interpretation of the meaning)“And Allah has made for you the earth wide spread (an expanse)” [Nooh 71:19]indicates that it is spread out and shaped so that people can feel settled in it and be able to live and prosper in it. Ibn Katheer said:
That is, He spread it out, prepared it, made it stable and made it firm by means of the mountains.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/247
Similarly, the verse (interpretation of the meaning) “Have We not made the earth as a bed” [an-Naba’ 78:6]means that it is spread out and prepared for you and for your benefit, so that you can cultivate it, build dwellings in it and travel through it.
Ibn Katheer said:
That is, it is prepared for people in such a way that they can live in it, and it is firm, stable and steady.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/307
And the verse (interpretation of the meaning)“And the earth We spread out, and placed therein firm mountains, and caused to grow therein all kinds of things in due proportion” [al-Hijr 15:19]means We spread it out and placed firm mountains therein. This is like the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):“And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers” [ar-Ra‘d 13:3].
There is no contradiction between saying that it is round and saying that it was spread out, because in fact in its totality it is round, but to the one who stands on it and looks at it, it appears flat, as it appears to everyone.
Ar-Raazi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If it is said: Do the words“And the earth We spread out”indicate that it is flat?
We would respond: Yes, because the earth, even though it is round, is an enormous sphere, and each little part of this enormous sphere, when it is looked at, appears to be flat. As that is the case, this will dispel what they mentioned of confusion. The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And the mountains as pegs” [an-Naba’ 78:7]. He called themawtaad(pegs) even though these mountains may have large flat surfaces. And the same is true in this case.
End quote fromTafseer ar-Raazi, 19/131
Shaykh ash-Shanqeeti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If the scholars of Islam affirm that the earth is round, then what would they say about the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Do they not look at the camels, how they are created?
And at the heaven, how it is raised?
And at the mountains, how they are rooted and fixed firm?
And at the earth, how it is spread out?”
[al-Ghaashiyah 88:17-20].
Their response will be the same as their response concerning the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy (or hot) water” [al-Kahf 18:86]– that is, as it appears to be in the eye of the beholder, because the sun sets on one country, but remains up in the sky for another, until it rises from the east on the following morning. So the earth looks flat in every region or part of it, because of its immense size.
This does not contradict its real shape, because we may see a very high mountain, but if we climb it and reach its summit we may find a flat surface there, and find an entire nation living there, and some of the people there may not know anything about the rest of the world, and so on. End quote.
Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 8/428
Shaykh Rafee‘ ad-Deen ibn Waliyullah ad-Dahlawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his bookat-Takmeel:
Some may understand words such as “made the earth as a bed” [an-Naba’ 78:6], “He spread the earth” [an-Naazi‘aat 79:30]and “…how it is spread out…”[al-Ghaashiyah 88: 20]as meaning that it is flat, whereas the scholars affirm that it is round on the basis of sound evidence, so it is thought that there is a conflict. That may be refuted by the fact that the visible part of it (for a person standing on it) appears flat, because the larger a circle is, the more spread out it is, so we may say that it is flat on the basis of that part of it that is visible to us, and it is round in its totality, on the basis of rational thinking.
Quoted from him by Siddeeq Hasan Khan in his tafseer,Fath al-Bayaan, 15/208
And Allah knows best.


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