A Cosmic Error in the Quran
One of the most striking scientific errors in the Quran appears in Surah 18, verses 83-98, which tells the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (identified by many scholars as Alexander the Great). In this narrative, Dhul-Qarnayn travels to the westernmost point of the earth and witnesses something extraordinary—or rather, something scientifically impossible.
"Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of murky water, and he found near it a people. We said, 'O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness.'" — Quran 18:86
What the Arabic Actually Says
The Arabic text is unambiguous. The word wajadaha (وَجَدَهَا) means "he found it" — Dhul-Qarnayn found the sun setting in a spring. The word maghrib (مَغْرِب) means "setting place" or "place of sunset." The phrase 'ayn hami'ah (عَيْن حَمِئَة) means "muddy/murky spring" or "spring of dark mud."
This isn't metaphorical language—the text describes Dhul-Qarnayn physically reaching the place where the sun sets and finding it descending into a pool of murky water.
Classical Islamic Interpretations
Ibn Kathir's Commentary
The renowned Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir (d. 1373) wrote in his tafsir: "The sun sets in a spring of murky water, meaning it sets as if it is going down into the ocean." He took the verse literally, understanding it to describe the actual setting place of the sun.
Al-Tabari's Multiple Accounts
Al-Tabari (d. 923), one of the most authoritative early Quranic commentators, recorded various narrations about this verse. Some of his sources described the sun as setting in a muddy spring, others in a hot spring. He recorded one account stating: "The sun sets in a spring containing mud."
Importantly, Al-Tabari didn't dismiss these as metaphors—he presented them as genuine descriptions of what Dhul-Qarnayn witnessed.
The Scientific Reality
Modern science conclusively proves that:
- The sun doesn't "set" anywhere—the appearance of sunset is caused by Earth's rotation
- The sun is a massive star approximately 1.4 million kilometers in diameter
- The sun is about 150 million kilometers from Earth
- It's physically impossible for the sun to descend into a spring of water on Earth
- There is no "place" where the sun sets—sunset appears differently depending on observer location
The Quranic description reflects a pre-scientific, geocentric understanding where the earth is flat and the sun literally travels across the sky and sets at a specific location.
Modern Apologetic Attempts
Faced with this obvious scientific error, modern Muslim apologists offer several defenses:
Defense 1: "It's just what it appeared like"
Some claim the verse only describes how the sunset appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn—like when we say the sun "rises" or "sets."
Problem: The text says he "found it [the sun] setting in a spring of murky water." This goes beyond describing an appearance—it describes Dhul-Qarnayn reaching the actual location where the sun sets. If it were merely describing an appearance, the verse would use different language.
Defense 2: "It's poetic language"
Some argue this is metaphorical or poetic.
Problem: Classical scholars didn't interpret it this way. The verse is presented as historical narrative, not poetry. The Quran doesn't indicate this is symbolic. If this is poetry, how do we determine what else in the Quran is merely poetic versus literally true?
Defense 3: "Muddy water could mean the horizon"
Some suggest "murky water" might refer to the horizon or clouds.
Problem: The Arabic clearly specifies a spring ('ayn)—a body of water—not clouds or horizon. This reinterpretation contradicts the plain meaning and classical understanding.
The Pattern of Geocentric Cosmology
This verse isn't isolated—the Quran repeatedly reflects a pre-scientific, geocentric worldview:
- Quran 91:1-2 describes the sun and its brightness without acknowledging it's a star
- Quran 36:38 says "the sun runs to its stopping place"—implying solar movement around Earth
- Quran 36:40 states "the sun is not to overtake the moon" as if they're on similar orbits
- Multiple verses describe a flat earth with the sky as a ceiling (see related article)
A Seventh-Century Worldview
The Quran's description matches the cosmological understanding common in the 7th-century Arabian Peninsula:
- Belief in a flat earth
- The sun as a relatively small object moving across the sky
- The existence of actual physical locations where the sun rises and sets
- A geocentric universe with Earth at the center
If the Quran is the eternal word of an all-knowing God, why does it reflect 7th-century scientific errors rather than timeless scientific truth?
Biblical Contrast: Phenomenological Language
The Bible also uses observational language like "sunrise" and "sunset," but it doesn't make the error of describing someone traveling to the physical location where the sun sets and finding it descending into water. Biblical language about astronomy is consistently phenomenological—describing things as they appear—without claiming scientific precision.
Importantly, the Bible makes clear that God's knowledge far exceeds human understanding:
"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" — Isaiah 55:8-9
The Bible doesn't claim to be a scientific textbook, but the Quran claims to be perfectly preserved divine revelation containing no errors or contradictions (Quran 4:82). One clear scientific error undermines that entire claim.
Questions to Consider
- If the Quran is the perfect, uncreated word of an all-knowing God, how can it contain a clear scientific error?
- Why do classical Islamic scholars interpret this verse literally if it's meant to be metaphorical?
- Does this error suggest human authorship influenced by 7th-century Arabian cosmology?
- If one verse can be reinterpreted when science proves it wrong, what prevents any verse from being reinterpreted?
- Can Muslims honestly say the Quran contains no contradictions or errors when faced with verses like this?
Conclusion
Quran 18:86 presents a clear scientific error: it describes the sun setting in a muddy spring, reflecting a primitive, geocentric cosmology. While modern apologists attempt creative reinterpretations, classical Islamic scholars understood the verse literally, and the Arabic text is unambiguous.
This error is particularly problematic because Muslims claim the Quran is the perfect, unchanged word of God containing no mistakes. One demonstrable error calls into question the entire foundation of Islamic claims about the Quran's divine origin and preservation.
Related articles: Stars as Missiles Against Devils, The Sky as a Solid Ceiling, Sun Prostrates Under Allah's Throne