An Interpretive Analysis of the Relationship between the Verse of Dahw al-Arz and Human Knowledge

The characteristics of the earth are among the issues that have been considered for specific purposes in the Holy Quran and human knowledge. "Dahw al-arz" is an example of these features that the Almighty God in the thirtieth verse of Surah Nazi`at refers to a stage of the creation of the earth. The commentators have long offered various interpretations of the event according to their knowledge or according to the understanding of the audience as well as the sources in the field. According to the narrations of the creation of the earth, the emergence of the earth from under the water and its spread have been considered as a valid interpretation for this verse. Another group, referring to the meanings of the word dahw and the employment of human new sciences, has considered it as a reference to the movement and shape of the earth. Interdisciplinary studies of the Qur'an and astronomy and the lexicology of "dahw" and relying on the rule of the possibility of using the word in more than one meaning in the Holy Qur'an and the use of definitive scientific findings in the field of cosmology and the movement of celestial bodies it concluded that by Dahw al-arz is meant a far lasting event that has begun with the separation of the earth from another object and its launch into space, and continued until it becomes spherical and the basic conditions of life have provided.