E-Book Overview
This book covers historical records of the four known times when peoples of the Arabian peninsula united and burst out of the Arabian deserts to conquer other nations (topics such as: The People of 'Ad, People of Thamud, Midianites, etc.). The book also examines the geographical references in the Qur'an cross-referencing them with historical locations. The surprise comes when Gibson examines the Holy City of Islam, known as Mecca. Here Gibson finds evidence that the original Holy City was in northern Arabia in the city of Petra. He theorizes that during an Islamic civil war one hundred years after Muhammad, the Ka'ba was destroyed and the Black Rock was moved to its present location. Gibson examines archaeological, historical and literary evidence that support this theory and addresses many questions and objections that readers may have. This book contains many references, as well as some useful appendices including a 32 page time line of Islamic history from 550 AD - 1095 AD, and a 20 page annotated selected bibliography of early Islamic sources in chronological order from 724 AD - 1100 AD plus a list of many early Qur'anic manuscripts. Fully referenced with many illustrations and photos. It has library binding, and is a must for every academic library or scholar of Middle Eastern History.
E-Book Content
Qur'ānic Geography Independent Scholars Press QG15.indd 1 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM QG15.indd 2 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM Qur'ānic Geography A SURVEY AND EVALUATION OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES IN THE QUR'ĀN WITH SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS FOR VARIOUS PROBLEMS AND ISSUES DAN GIBSON Independent Scholars Press Canada QG15.indd 3 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM Qur'ānic Geography by Dan Gibson Copyright © Dan Gibson, 2011 ISP (Independant Scholar’s Press is an imprint of CanBooks, Saskatoon, Canada.) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gibson, Daniel 1956 Qur'ānic Geography: a survey and evaluation of the geographical references in the Qur'ān with suggested solutions for various problems and issues. / Dan Gibson p. cm. - (Studies in antiquity and early Islam) Includes bibliographic references and index. ISBN: 978-0-9733642-8-6 1. Islamic Empire - History 622-661 2. Islamic Empire - History 661-750 - Historiography. 3. Middle East - Civilization - History - To 622 - Historiography For further orders contact: www.canbooks.ca Printed by Friesens Book Division, Altona, Manitoba, Canada QG15.indd 4 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM In memory of my father, David J. Gibson, who worked so long and hard on matching the Edomites with the Hyksos. QG15.indd 5 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM QG15.indd 6 2/20/2011 3:15:54 PM CONTENTS Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 PART I Geographical Background to Arabia Chapter 1 Geographical Locations in the Qur'ān . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Chapter 2 The Founding of the Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 PART II The People of ’Ad Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 The People of ’Ad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ’Ad in the Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Kings of ’Ad . . . . .