THE EARTH IS NOT FLAT: A CHALLENGE TO QURANIC COSMOLOGY

Scientific Errors in the Quran and the Question of Divine Omniscience

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba

Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

One of the strongest claims made by Islamic theology is that the Quran is the perfect, infallible, and scientifically accurate word of God. Muslims frequently argue that the Quran contains miraculous scientific knowledge far beyond the understanding of seventh-century Arabia. However, when the Quran's descriptions of the Earth, the heavens, and the cosmos are examined in light of modern science, serious questions emerge.

If Allah is truly omniscient, possessing perfect knowledge of the universe, why do many Quranic descriptions appear to reflect the cosmological understanding of the ancient world rather than modern scientific reality?

The Earth is not flat. The Earth is not stationary. The sky is not a solid roof. Mountains do not prevent earthquakes. Modern science has established these facts beyond reasonable doubt.

The central question becomes:

Did the Quran reveal divine knowledge, or does it reflect the scientific understanding of the seventh century?

The Quran Describes the Earth as Spread Out

The Quran repeatedly describes the Earth as being spread out:

"And the earth We have spread out..." (Quran 51:48)

"Who made for you the earth a bed..." (Quran 2:22)

"And Allah has made the earth for you as a carpet." (Quran 71:19)

Classical Muslim commentators frequently understood these passages literally.

Ibn Kathir wrote that the Earth was made as a resting place and a bed for mankind. Early Islamic scholars generally described the Earth as extended and flattened for human habitation.

Although many modern Muslim apologists interpret these verses metaphorically, the question remains:

Why would an all-knowing God use language that generations of scholars understood to support a flat and stationary Earth?

Science Demonstrates That the Earth Is Spherical

Modern astronomy, satellite imagery, space exploration, and physics have established that the Earth is an oblate spheroid.

Evidence includes:

Photographs from space.
Circumnavigation of the globe.
Lunar eclipses.
Earth's shadow on the moon.
Gravity and planetary physics.
Satellite navigation systems.

The Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun.

No modern scientific discipline supports a flat Earth.

Mountains Do Not Prevent the Earth from Shaking

The Quran states:

"And He placed firm mountains in the earth lest it should shake with you." (Quran 16:15)

"And the mountains as pegs." (Quran 78:7)

The apparent meaning is that mountains stabilize the Earth and prevent movement.

Modern geology teaches the opposite.

Mountains are often formed by tectonic plate collisions. Many of the world's greatest mountain ranges exist precisely where earthquakes occur.

Examples include:

The Himalayas.
The Andes.
The Japanese mountain ranges.

Earthquakes frequently occur near mountain regions because of tectonic activity.

If mountains prevent the Earth from shaking, why do some of the world's strongest earthquakes occur in mountainous regions?

Is the Sky a Ceiling?

The Quran says:

"And We made the sky a protected ceiling." (Quran 21:32)

Ancient civilizations commonly believed that the sky was a solid dome over the Earth.

Modern astronomy demonstrates:

Outer space is a vacuum.
There is no solid roof above Earth.
Stars exist at enormous distances.
Galaxies fill the observable universe.

If God created billions of galaxies, why would revelation describe the heavens in language resembling ancient cosmology?

The Motion of the Sun

The Quran states:

"And the sun runs toward its resting place." (Quran 36:38)

Traditional Islamic commentators often interpreted this verse literally.

Certain hadith describe the sun prostrating beneath the throne of Allah before rising again.

Today we know:

The Earth rotates.
Day and night result from Earth's rotation.
The Earth orbits the sun.
The sun does not revolve around the Earth.

This raises important questions concerning traditional interpretations.

The Bible and the Shape of the Earth

Unlike the Quranic descriptions often cited in these debates, the Bible contains passages that many Christians believe are consistent with a spherical Earth.

"He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth." (Isaiah 40:22)

"He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters." (Job 26:10)

The Bible also states:

"He hangs the earth on nothing." (Job 26:7)

At a time when many ancient cultures believed the Earth rested upon pillars, animals, or mythical structures, the Bible describes the Earth as suspended in space.

While these verses were not written as scientific textbooks, many Christian apologists argue that they are remarkably consistent with modern scientific understanding.

Questions for Muslim Apologists

If Allah is omniscient, why do Quranic descriptions resemble ancient cosmology?
Why did many classical Muslim scholars interpret these verses literally?
Why would God describe the Earth as spread out like a carpet if He knew it was a rotating globe?
If mountains prevent earthquakes, why do major earthquakes occur in mountainous regions?
Where is the solid sky or protected ceiling described in the Quran?
Why does the Quran repeatedly speak from an Earth-centered perspective?
Why did many early Muslims accept geocentric interpretations?
If scientific miracles exist in the Quran, why are these verses constantly reinterpreted after scientific discoveries?
Does reinterpreting the text after scientific discoveries demonstrate divine revelation or human adjustment?
If Allah knew modern astronomy, geology, and cosmology, why are these concepts not clearly stated?

Is Allah Omniscient?

Islam teaches that Allah knows all things.

Yet if the Quran contains scientific descriptions that reflect seventh-century understanding rather than divine knowledge, one must ask:

Did Allah reveal limited scientific knowledge?
Were the verses misunderstood for over a thousand years?
Or does the Quran reflect the worldview of its human environment?

These questions deserve careful and honest examination.

The Authority of the Bible

Christians believe that Scripture reveals God's redemptive truth centered in Jesus Christ rather than serving as a scientific textbook. Nevertheless, many biblical statements are consistent with observable reality.

The Bible presents:

A universe created by God.
An Earth suspended in space.
The orderliness of creation.
The sovereignty of God over nature.

Most importantly, Scripture points humanity to salvation through Jesus Christ.

Jesus declared:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

Conclusion

The Earth is not flat.

The Earth is not stationary.

Mountains do not prevent earthquakes.

The sky is not a solid ceiling.

Modern science has overturned ancient cosmological ideas.

The challenge remains:

If the Quran comes from an all-knowing God, why do many of its cosmological descriptions appear consistent with ancient human understanding rather than divine scientific knowledge?

Every believer must honestly examine the evidence.

Truth does not fear investigation.

"For you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

— Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute

Sunday, June 28, 2026