FatwaFederal TerritoriesCreed (Aqidah)
BAYAN LINNAS SIRI 166: POLEMIK FLAT EARTH: SISI PANDANG ISLAM
What is the Islamic view on the flat earth claim, and do the Qur’anic verses about the earth being spread out mean it is flat?
Short answer
This Bayan Linnas affirms that the earth and the whole universe are creations of Allah, and that their creation is a sign for people to reflect on His power and mercy.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Bayan Linnas
- Topic
- Creed (Aqidah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
This Bayan Linnas affirms that the earth and the whole universe are creations of Allah, and that their creation is a sign for people to reflect on His power and mercy. The Office of the Federal Territories Mufti leans towards the view that Muslim supporters of the flat earth misunderstand the word al-ardh, which refers to the ground people stand on rather than the planet Earth. Terms such as spreading out and extending in the Qur’an are discussed with reference to exegetes, including those who state that the earth is spherical. The conclusion is that words such as flat and level should not be understood in a purely literal sense.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Kedua-dua ayat al-Qur'an ini memberi kita satu kefahaman bahawa penciptaan bumi dan seisinya adalah untuk manusia berfikir tentang kekuasaan-Nya, rahmat-Nya dan keagungan-Nya.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “BAYAN LINNAS SIRI 166: POLEMIK FLAT EARTH: SISI PANDANG ISLAM”, 17 February 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/bayan-linnas/3127-bayan-linnas-siri-166-polemik-flat-earth-sisi-pandang-islam. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/islamic-view-on-flat-earth-claim/