Does the Koran state that the sun sets into a muddy pond?

Question

As I read the Koran, it says in Surah 18.86 that the sun sets in a muddy pond at the end of each day. Is this supposed to be literal truth since Mohammed said it, or is it to be read poetically and not literally? (I thought all Muslims believed the Koran to be literally correct in every word) Is that true?

Answer 1

To make you understand what the verse is about, here is a bigger picture of what God is talking about in the Quran. (Please, don't just take want you want from the Quran and throw away what you don't want.) With good intention I hope you see that what you proposed was wrong.

Surah Al-Kahfi (the Chapter of the Cave), 18th Chapter of the Holy Quran.

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

Verse 83:
And they (the pagan Arabs) ask you (O Muhammad), about Zul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite to you about him a report."

Verse 84:
Indeed We established him upon the earth (as a ruler), and We gave him to everything a way (for him to rule wisely).

Verse 85:
So he followed a way.

Verse 86:
Until when he reached the land of the setting sun (west), he found it (as if) setting in a sea of dark mud (the ocean), and he found near it a people (who have forsaken God). We said, "O Zul-Qarnayn, either you punish (them) or else adopt among them (a way of) goodness."

Verse 87:
He said, "As for one who wrongs, we will punish him. Then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with a worse punishment.

Verse 88:
But as for one who believes and does righteousness, he will have a reward of Paradise, and we will give command to him from our easy commands."

Verse 89:
Then he followed a way (another way than before).

Verse 90:
Until when he came to the land of the rising of the sun (east), he found it rising on a people for whom We had not made against it any shield (in the forms of houses or tents - they were wild people).

Verse 91:
Thus. And We had encompassed (all) that he had in knowledge.




This chapter continues to talk for seven more verses about Zul-Qarnayn's encounter with Gog and Magog.
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Who is Zul-Qarnayn you might ask. Early Muslims and many modern day Muslims say that the title Zul-Qarnayn (He Who Has Two Horns = He Who Controls East and West) belonged to Alexander the Great. But as western archeologists have found out, Alexander the Great was certainly a pagan and a bisexual, which could not possibly be the honored Zul-Qarnayn of the Quran. This title has therefore been refered to Cyrus the Great, the liberator of the Israelites in Babylonia.

Answer 2

All Praise be to Allah.

Salam Alaikom (Peace be with you)

There are many enemies unto truth, fabrications and false claims are made all the time. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon him) was the greatest of Humanity, pure of heart and most knowledgable in all areas.

All Praise be to Allah.

The Holy Quran is the message of God to Humanity, Complete and Perfect, and Mohammad was the Messenger of God.

There is a loss in translation perhaps, the different ways of stating in languages. The Holy Quran was brought to us in Arabic. In the Holy Quran God tells us if we are not sure, then we should ask the scholars, the people of remembrance.

The verse you mentioned is not leteral. When reading the Holy Quran :
1. You must be clean, pure.
2. Ask God for protection from the Devil's regime.
3. Want to seek truth.

This is a story of Moses, and what Moses saw on the shore as the sun dusked. It is the visual Moses had.

If you or anyone has any questions about the Holy Quran, Islam, the Prophet Mohammad (Peace and Blessings of God be Upon Him) There's a very informative, scholastic site where you can post questions and find answers : www.islam-qa.com

All Praise and thanks be to Allah.

Answer 3

For every Muslim the Quaran is the literal word of Allah. For Muslims this is the so called "Truth of the Quaran"
All the scholars such as the Baydawi, Jalalan, and Zamakhshari confirm it.

Qur’an (chapter "the Cave", verse 86),

"When he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring and found a people thereabout. We said: ‘O Dhul-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness"’ (Surah 18:86).

The Zamakhshari remarks in his book, "the Kash-shaf",

"Abu Dharr (one of Muhammad’s close companions) was with Muhammad during the sunset. Muhammad asked him: ‘Do you know, O Abu Dharr where this sets?’ He answered: ‘God and His apostle know better.’ Muhammad said: ‘It sets in a spring of slimy water"’ (3rd Edition, Volume 2 p. 743,1987).

In his book, "The Lights of Revelation" (p. 399), the Baydawi indicates,

"The sun sets in a slimy spring; that is, a well which contains mud. Some of the readers of the Qur’an read it, ‘...a hot spring’, thus the spring combines the two descriptions. It was said that Ibn ’Abbas found Mu’awiya reading it (as) hot. He told him, ‘It is muddy.’ Mu’awiya sent to Ka’b al-Ahbar and asked him, ‘Where does the sun set?’ He said in water and mud and there were some people. So he agreed with the statement of ibn al-’Abbas. And there was a man who composed a few verses of poetry about the setting of the sun in the slimy spring."

Answer 4

it actually means that the sun was setting over the horizon of the "muddy pond" as u so nicely put it and the quran is the words of God not the prophet and i really think that the prophet mohammad peace be upon him knew more about the universe than most other ppl

Answer 5

It is a figure of speach as it is aparant in the translation below:

Here are the three different translation of what you were referring to.

[Shakir 18:86] Until when he reached the place where the sun set, he found it going down into a black sea, and found by it a people. We said: O Zulqarnain! either give them a chastisement or do them a benefit.
[Yusufali 18:86] Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness."
[Pickthal 18:86] Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.

Answer 6

Numerous translations in many languages do not translate the true meaning of Quran, if you are so eager then learn Arabic because Quran is not poetry.

Answer 7

I can ans you but the question is, are you really keen to know the meaning? Learn arabic. The Quran was not brought down to earth in English.

Answer 8

What you have stated is untrue.
You have read the holy Quran yet you know not how to spell it's name.If you do not have an understanding of someones belief at least have the respect not to make false comments.

Answer 9

It would seem that Muhammad knew very little about the universe that God created.

Merry Christmas.

Answer 10

it's metaphoric.