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Dead Sea region - the "lowest" point as given in the Quran

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Heba E. Husseyn
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« on: March 09, 2008, 01:44:00 am »

 


BismAllah ......  and AsSalam Alaykum



The Dead Sea basin was the place where the Romans were defeated by the Persians. The Lake of Lut region, which is the lowest region of the world, is 395 meter below the sea level.  The altitude of the Dead Sea could only be determined with modern measurement techniques. These measurements led to the discovery that this region is the "lowest region on the Earth."




"Alif. Lam. Mim.
The Romans have been defeated
In the nearer land, and they, after their defeat will be victorious
Within ten years - Allah's is the command in the former case and in the latter - and in that day believers will rejoice"   (Qur'an, 30:1-4)  Ar-Rum


The verse referring to the Dead Sea occurs in Surah Ar-Rum (The Romans) 30:1 - 4.  These verses are a miracle as well as a prophecy of the Noble Quran  (announcing the defeat of the Byzantine (roman) empire much before the event happened.  As we know,  there are many prophecies in the Quran where various future events are mentioned as already achieved.  It ought to be noted that NO prophecy of the Quran has been incorrect.  For complete information on Quranic prophecies check our post Prophecies of the Quran.

Also note that the translation "nearer" is not accurate.  The original Arabic word used in Verse 30:3 is "adnaa" which accurately means 'lowest.'  The term 'adnaa' is rarely used to define 'nearer.'  The Arabic word for nearer or nearest is 'aqrab' and 'qarib' for near.  So I don't know why most translators have used the term "nearer" to translate "adnaa."  You can check any English to Arabic dictionary to confirm.  The google English to Arabic translation is right there to show you.

 

The areas around the Dead Sea have been quite literally termed as "the lowest" in the Glorious Quran.  This conforms with a geological fact discovered much later in the modern era when geologist found this region to have the lowest degree of latitude.

The prophecy as well as the mention of the area around the Dead Sea being the most low lying region as given in the Quran has been explained by Yahya Harun as follows.


"In short, everyone was expecting Byzantium to be destroyed. But during this time, the first verses of Surat ar-Rum were revealed, announcing that Byzantium would triumph in 3 to 9 years. This predicted victory seemed so impossible that the Arab polytheists thought it would never come true.

Like all the other predictions in the Qur'an, however, this one also came true. In 622, Heraclius gained a number of victories over the Persians and conquered Armenia. In December 627, the two empires fought a decisive battle at Nineveh, some 50 kilometres east of the Tigris river, near Baghdad. This time too, the Byzantine army defeated the Persians. A few months later, the Persians had to sue for peace with Byzantium, which obliged them to return the territories they had taken from it.

The Byzantine victory was completed when Emperor Heraclius defeated the Persian ruler Khosrow II in 630, recaptured Jerusalem, and regained the "True Cross" for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  In the end, "the victory of the Romans" proclaimed by Allah in the Qur'an miraculously came true within the verses' stated "three to nine years" time frame.

Another miracle revealed in these verses is the announcement of a geographical fact that could not have been known by anyone at that time: that the Romans had been defeated in the lowest region of Earth. This Arabic expression adna al-Ard is interpreted as "a nearby place" in many translations. However, this is not the literal meaning, but rather a figurative interpretation. The word adna, derived from the word dani (low), means “the lowest”. The word ard means “the world.” Therefore, adna al-ard means 'the lowest place on Earth.'

Some interpreters of the Qur'an, considering the closeness of this region to the Arabs, prefer using the term "closest" instead of "lowest" in the translation.   However, the actual and literal meaning "lowest" indicates a very important geological fact: The Dead Sea, one of the regions in which the Byzantines were defeated in 613-14, is the lowest region on Earth.

As stated earlier, for Christian Byzantium, the loss of the True Cross was the heaviest blow in that defeat in Jerusalem, located near the shores of the Dead Sea.

The Byzantines and the Persians actually fought at the Dead Sea basin, which is situated at the intersection point of the lands belonging to Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. At 399 meters below sea level, the Dead Sea is the "lowest" place on Earth's surface.

However, as only modern measuring methods and equipment can prove this fact, it would have been impossible for anyone living at that time to realise this truth. Yet, the Qur'an states clearly that this region was the "lowest land" on Earth and thereby provides further evidence that it is the Word of Allah."


The miracle and prophecy of Verses 30:1-6 have also been explained very well in Imanway which I quote as under.


quote -

The Lowest Area on Earth:

The Romans have been defeated. In the lowest land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. Within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, before and after (these events) is only with Allâh, (before the defeat of Romans by the Persians, and after, i.e. the defeat of the Persians by the Romans). And on that Day, the believers (i.e. Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allâh to the Romans against the Persians), With the help of Allâh, He helps whom He wills, and He is the All­Mighty, the Most Merciful. (It is) a Promise of Allâh (i.e. Allâh will give victory to the Romans against the Persians), and Allâh fails not in His Promise, but most of men know not. (Holy Qur'an 30:1-6).

The Scientific Fact:- 

History books tell us about a battle between the Persian and the Byzantine empires – the latter signifies the eastern part of the Roman Empire - which was located in the area between Adhra`at and Basra, near the Dead Sea. The battle, which occurred in 619 A.C., ended with the victory of the Persians. The Romans received a severe blow in that battle and everyone at that time expected their kingdom to fall. Surprisingly, they were engaged in another battle in 622 A.C. in the area of Nineveh where they defeated the Persians and occupied many areas. Some months later, the Byzantines signed an agreement with the Persians according to which they returned all previously occupied areas. Geographical atlases show that the lowest spot on the surface of the earth is the area near the Dead Sea where the surface of the earth is as low as 395 meters below sea level. Photos taken by satellites support this fact.   Not to mention that the pagan Quraish of Mecca rejoiced at the overthrow of Rome by Persia. They were pro-Persian, and in their heart of hearts they hoped that the nascent movement of Islam, which at that time was, from a worldly point of view, very weak and helpless, would also collapse under their persecution. But they misread the true Signs of the times. They are told here that they would soon be disillusioned in their calculations, and it actually so happened at the battle of Issus in 622 ( the year of Hijrat) and in 624, when Heraclius carried his campaign into the heart of Persia and the Meccan Quraish were beaten off at Badr. ( footnote of the Holy Qur'an English Translation in the Madina, p1176/3506). 

unquote -


You will find many non-Muslim fundamentalists who are interested in little else but to attack the Noble Quran, trying much to refute this Quranic miracle but to no avail.  They go about saying that the Quran mentions about the "closest" land and not the "lowest."  There are two reasons why they say this.  First,  because of their total lack of knowledge of the Arabic language and second, their purposeful argumentative stubbornness to attack the Quran.  They haven't been able to come with any refutations about all the prophecies in the Quran.  This huge failure of theirs has made them still more cranky and agitated.  Well .. they can keep burning in their jealousy.  We don't care a damn!


For our knowledge and information, now coming to another verse ..  Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall's explains  Verse 25:40 wonderfully as also referring to the region around the Dead Sea.

"And indeed they have passed by the township whereon was rained the fatal rain. Can it be that they have not seen it ? Nay, but they hope for no resurrection." (24:40) Al-Furqan.

Pickthall writes about this verse "Trade caravans from Mecca into Syria passed by the Dead Sea."  If you look in the map, the Dead Sea is on the spot of the Lake of Lut.  The people of Lut were punished and destroyed by the Divine Power for their disobedience.  And in Verse 24:40, the Almighty Allah refers to a township or community that was destroyed in the past.  This, combined with the historical fact as mentioned by Pickthall that the large trade caravans of Mecca passed by the Dead Sea, would make it very likely that Verse 24:40 refers to the people of Lut around the Dead Sea region. 

And only Allah is the final Authority on every verse of the Great Quran.
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« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2008, 02:30:41 am »


Thank you sister Heba.  These verses of Surah Ar-Ruum are marvellous.  Just a few verses and they carry so much historical information as well as scientific truth.  Apart from the two interpretations of lowest and closest pertaining to language and grammar, the reason why people in those days preferred the interpretation "closest" instead of "lowest" was because at that time they had no scientific knowledge and couldn't comprehend how a land can be the "lowest" in the earth.  They didn't even know that the earth was round at that time.   It was much much later when geology began developing as a subject and latitudes and longitudes were implemented as a part of this subject to simplify its study that people started to realise the varying levels in the earth's physical features.  It was these studies that facilitated the understanding of these verses.  Alhumdulilah!
Walaikum salam.
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« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2019, 02:33:05 pm »



Alhumdulilah, very thorough piece.  Love it.

Islamophobes usually argue on the aspect (by only focusing on the translation) that the Quran mentions "nearer" so why do Muslims say that the Quran mentions "lowest" in regard to the Dead sea?  You've clarified that point so well.


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« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2019, 02:38:41 pm »



SubhanAllah.    Thanks for this educational post I was looking for. 

Maududi has interpreted Verse 30:3 very incorrectly.  He didn't even touch the issue of Dead Sea neither did he explain the precise definition of "adnaa."
   
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« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2019, 02:40:10 pm »



Btw, would anyone know why it's named Dead Sea?
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« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2019, 02:46:08 pm »



It's named Dead Sea because its water is highly saline ... extremely salty ... that discourages the existence of sea life.  There are hardly any fishes in the Dead Sea and no fishing trawlers throwing their nets to catch fish.  Findings also show there are no underwater plants in this sea either because of the same reason, too much salt in the water.    Level of bacteria is low as well.


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« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2019, 02:53:23 pm »



I see ..... right .. now I read Sister Heba's caption in one of the images she posted.  Dead Sea is also called Salt Sea.
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« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2019, 03:08:00 pm »



Right.   Also, it's said that Dead Sea is so salty that it's not easy for anyone to drown there.  The saline water keeps one afloat.  Check the images.





Look at the huge salt deposits turning into salt rocks!




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« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2019, 03:11:26 pm »



Ufff !!  floating on salt water!   ... and the salt rocks.  Never knew this.
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