Saudi Preacher Bandar Al-Khaybari: The Earth Does not Revolve around Itself - Extended Version

Bandar Al-Khaybari, a preacher with the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Al-Madina, claimed that the Earth is fixed and does not revolve around itself. The statements were made in a series of lectures held in the Sharjah emirate, between January 28 and 31, 2015, and posted on the Internet. This video-clip includes the entire section in which he discussed whether the Earth is fixed, and contains all the Quranic verses on which he based his argument.

Bandar Al-Khaybari: Someone is asking whether the Earth moves or whether it is fixed in place. Does it move or remain fixed? The truth, as described by our scholars Imam Ibn Baz and Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, is that the Earth is fixed and does not move. This is in keeping with the text, and it makes sense as well. But some people, like that Massari, ridicule the fatwa by Sheikh Abd Al-Saleh Al-Fawzan. He is a man of logic and should be taken seriously. In any case, the Earth is fixed, as said by Allah: "Lest it should shift with you" [Quran 31:10]. Allah said that it is the sun that revolves: "And the sun runs towards its stopping point" [Quran 36:38]. Allah said about the sun and the moon: "Each in an orbit swimming" [Quran 21:33]. Allah said: "Abraham said: Indeed, Allah brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up from the west" [Quran 2:258]. This is some of the evidence.

There is ample evidence that it is the sun that revolves around the Earth. As for evidence based on reason... The [Westerners] present all kinds of theories, but we Muslims also have theories and brains.

First, let's say that we go from here to Sharjah Airport and take a plane to China. Are you with me? Concentrate now. Let's say that this is the Earth, and let's assume that it is turning... If we take an international flight from Sharjah to China... You say that the Earth is turning, right? If the plane stopped in mid-air, wouldn't China come to it? Am I right or not? If the Earth really does turn - China should come to the plane.

Now, let's assume that the Earth revolves the other way - the plane will never catch up with China no matter how long it flies. Since China is also revolving, you will never get there.

Secondly, Allah talked about the [celestial] house frequented [by angels]. This house is located in the seventh heaven. The Prophet Muhammad said that if it fell from the sky, it would fall on the Kaaba. But if the Earth revolves, it would not fall on the Kaaba. It would fall in the ocean or somewhere on dry land. This proves that the Earth is fixed in place.

If the [celestial] house falls it will fall straight on the Kabaa, and this proves that the Earth is fixed. People, we cannot turn just anyone who makes statements into a star. We must resort to our immutable texts and our religious scholarship. Some in the West talk about the scientific inimitability of the Quran, saying: "If all this was mentioned in the Quran 1,400 years ago, how come you Muslims did not discover it yourselves?"

The [Americans] say that they landed on the moon, but they never set foot or laid their eyes on it. They produced it all in Hollywood or I don't know where. They said that they had gone to the moon and we just took their word for it.

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