The Roundness of the Earth in the Quran:
Quranic Verses Alluding to the Roundness of the Earth
One of the most striking references to the Earth’s shape in the Quran is found in Surah Az-Zumar:
“Yukawwiru al-layla ‘ala an-nahari wa yukawwiru an-nahara ‘ala al-layli…”
يُكَوِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ عَلَى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ ٱلنَّهَارَ عَلَى ٱلَّيْلِ
“…He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night…”
(Quran 39:5)
The Arabic word “يُكَوِّرُ” (yukawwiru) is derived from the root “ك و ر” (kawwara), which means to coil or wrap something around. The use of this word in the context of night and day strongly suggests a cyclical, continuous process, indicative of a spherical Earth. The notion of wrapping something around something else, especially in a continuous manner, implies a round shape, as wrapping can only be done in such a way around a spherical object.
Another relevant verse is found in Surah An-Nazi’at:
“Wal-arda ba’da dhalika dahaha…”
وَٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَىٰهَآ
“…And after that He spread the earth…”
(Quran 79:30)
The word “دَحَىٰهَا” (dahaha) is often translated as “spread” or “expanded,” but the root word “دَحَىٰ” (dahā) also refers to the act of shaping something like an ostrich egg. Interestingly, an ostrich egg is not a perfect sphere but rather an oblate spheroid, which closely resembles the actual shape of the Earth—bulging slightly at the equator.
These subtle linguistic choices in the Quran reveal a depth of meaning that aligns with the Earth’s known shape—a round, oblate spheroid.
Historical Context: Human Understanding of Earth’s Shape
For centuries, various civilizations held differing views on the Earth’s shape. Ancient cultures, including the Greeks, speculated on the possibility of a round Earth. Pythagoras in the 6th century BCE was one of the first to propose a spherical Earth, based on the idea that the sphere was the most perfect shape. Aristotle later provided empirical evidence through observations of lunar eclipses and the curvature of the Earth’s shadow on the moon.
However, it wasn’t until the Renaissance period that the idea of a round Earth gained widespread acceptance in Europe. The famous voyages of Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan further cemented the understanding that the Earth was not flat. Despite these developments, the Quran had already hinted at this truth centuries before, offering a perspective that was both ahead of its time and congruent with later scientific findings.
Modern Scientific Discoveries
The Earth is not a perfect sphere; it is an oblate spheroid. This means that the planet is slightly flattened at the poles and bulges at the equator due to its rotation. This shape was confirmed through measurements and observations made possible by advancements in technology, such as satellite imaging and geodesy.
This discovery resonates with the Quranic description in Surah An-Nazi’at (79:30), where the Earth is described using a term that relates to the shape of an ostrich egg—a comparison that highlights the bulging nature of the equator, similar to the Earth’s actual shape. The gradual flattening at the poles and the bulging at the equator are consequences of the Earth’s rotation, a fact unknown to people in the 7th century but subtly referenced in the Quran.
The Reduction of Roundness: A Continual Process
Modern geodesy has revealed that the Earth’s shape is continually changing due to various factors, including tectonic activity, glacial melting, and even the redistribution of mass within the Earth itself. These processes cause slight variations in the Earth’s shape over time, leading to what scientists refer to as the reduction of roundness or changes in the planet’s oblateness.