Ships and the Qur'an and the epistemology of navigation
Summary
- Ships are an interesting phenomenon that are referred to in the Qur'an on a number of different occasions.
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For the Arabs at the time of revelation they would likely have been considered as an object that people made and used. The Qur'an points out that the source of the innovation is God and that they are an example of His Mercy.
- My belief as a layperson is that this supports the contention that Islam is supportive of product innovation.
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Once we start talking about ships an associated construct - 'navigation' immediately arises.
- This is interesting because God explicitly refers to the tools necessary for navigation (stars) also being an example of His mercy.
- So not only do we have a product that He created for us, but also the knowledge and supporting resources necessary to use it. Worth noting is that these resources were created millions/billions of years and light years apart.
- The words used for knowledge also subsume notions of both navigation in a physical sense and also a metaphorical or spiritual sense.
- Finally all of this points towards our dominion over nature and the vocabulary used for this involves man needing to be grateful to God for this provision.
Introduction
This analysis originally started off as a reply to @Northwest and, as I dug deeper, opened up new and interesting areas of enquiry. So the first post below is the reply to Northwest and it should make sense even when taken out of the thread's context, though I also provide some background.
The replies to the first post (below) then go deeper into the issue of knowledge/epistemology and naval navigation - fascinatingly probing the links between those concepts yields results.
Background
The thread in which the following material appeared was to do with technological innovation. My contention was that the Qur'an not only accepts this, but puts it in a positive light. In order to support this claim I made reference to the Qur'anic story about Prophet Daoud's (عليه السلام). chain mail. I also pointed out how the Qur'an points out the moral/ethical burden of such technological development.
But this example was considered too specific and singular to be adequate. My challenge therefore was to come up with references to technology and innovation in the Qur'an that were more widespread and hence the material that appears below.
The initial post
This is my answer to my interlocutor after they challenged me about the specificity of my reference to Prophet Daoud's chainmail.
You've stimulated me to bring together something which I had noticed but never addressed or thought to bring together - the numerous but disparate references to ships in the Qur'an. As per my usual format of showing conversations with chatGPT, my prompts are in bold red and its answers are in regular black text.
I think it's reasonable to argue that ships per se are not the kind of innovation that Prophet's Yusuf and Nut ((عليه السلام).) brought i.e. to avert calamity and nor are they innovations for use at a specific point in time which applies to those two Prophets' innovations and that of Prophet Daoud ((عليه السلام).)
Rather the creation of ships is not tied to a specific time or situation nor indeed is it specifically tied to human survival in an acute sense.
More than this, of all the innovations we could be talking about, ships are actually quite profound in terms of the social and economic impact they have, e.g. in terms of migratory flows of people, encouragement of specialisation in terms of means of production and so on. Obviously, they also present challenges in terms of movements of goods that have cultural baggage attached and the obvious impact of international competition and so on.
My inference here is as a layperson and not a theologian. Still, if there is one innovation that points to Divine encouragement of human societal sophistication and complexity, this is it.
What are all references in the Qur'an to ships?
In a material sense ships are the product of human innovation, but clearly that human inspiration is God-given and as the Qur'an says it's a sign of His mercy and something which enables us to prevail over nature.
1. Surah Al-Baqarah (2:164):
- "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of the night and the day, the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason."
2. Surah Ya-Sin (36:41-42):
- "And a sign for them is that We carried their forefathers in a laden ship. And We created for them from the likes of it that which they ride."
3. Surah Az-Zukhruf (43:12-14):
- "And who created the species, all of them, and has made for you of ships and animals those which you mount. That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say. 'Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it.'"
4. Surah Al-Jathiya (45:12):
- "Allah is the one who subjected the sea for you so that ships may sail through it by His command and that you may seek of His bounty, and perhaps you will be grateful."
5. Surah Al-Isra (17:66):
- "Your Lord is the One who drives for you the ship in the sea so that you may seek of His bounty. He is indeed Most Merciful to you."
6. Surah An-Nahl (16:14):
- "And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty, and perhaps you will be grateful."
7. Surah Ar-Rum (30:46):
- "And among His Signs is this, that He sends the winds as glad tidings, giving you a taste of His Mercy, and that the ships may sail by His Command and that you may seek of His Bounty, in order that you may be thankful."
8. Surah Al-Furqan (25:53):
- "And it is He who has released [simultaneously] the two seas, one fresh and sweet and one salty and bitter, and He placed between them a barrier and prohibiting partition."
Are there any roots that commonly appear in association with ships?
In the Qur'an, the primary root associated with ships is {ف-ل-ك} (F-L-K). The derived word "فُلْك" (fulk) specifically means "ship" or "vessel."
Let's look at the occurrences of this root in the context of ships and check for any other roots that consistently appear close to it:
1. Surah Al-Baqarah (2:164): The verse mentions ships as "الْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ" (the ships which sail through the sea).
2. Surah Ya-Sin (36:41-42): The term "الْفُلْكِ" (the ships) is used to signify the ships that sail, carrying their passengers.
3. Surah Al-Isra (17:66): The verse mentions "الْفُلْكِ" (the ship) that sails in the sea.
4. Surah An-Nahl (16:14): Here, the ships are referred to as "الْفُلْكَ" (the ships) that move through the sea.
5. Surah Ghafir (40:79-80): The verses mention "الْفُلْكِ" (the ships) as a means of transport on both land (referring to animals) and sea.
6. Surah Ash-Shura (42:32-33): Ships, "الْفُلْكِ", are mentioned in the context of signs of God's power and mercy.
Looking at these verses and their contexts, ships (fulk) are often mentioned in relation to:
- The sea {ب-ح-ر} - B-H-R
- Sailing or traveling {ج-ر-ي} - J-R-Y
- Signs of God's mercy and creation {آيات} - Ā-Y-T
Thus, while the primary root associated with ships is {ف-ل-ك} (F-L-K), it frequently appears in the context of the sea, travel, and divine signs.
Going back to your preceding answer, for each instance of the occurrence of f-l-k can you tabulate where a-y-t appears please?
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