Dear Sword,
Wa alaikum assalam
Please see my response in two parts:
[1] THE LEFT OR THE BACK?In verse 37:139, God refers to the messenger that was rejected / condemned (mudhad) for his actions (37:141) as
'Jonah' (37:139). In another verse, God refers to Jonah as the
'companion of the fish' (68:48). Is this a contradiction or is the second description just a different way to reference the same entity implying synonymy? One would argue, it is of course the latter.
Similarly, verse 69:25 speaks about the
'left' which implies a contrast to the
'right' which has a somewhat 'glorified meaning' in the Quran (e.g. those of the right hand, right hand possessed). The glorification of the 'right' is also seen in other languages such as the English e.g.
'my right hand man' etc. Thus the 'left' in Arabic in particular contexts carries a meaning of the opposite of being 'glorified' such as being debased.
The 'back' (zahr) (like the left) is another expression which doesn't carry a glorified meaning when used in the context of the sinner:
For example:
006:031 "...while they will bear their burdens on their backs.."009:035 "...in the Fire of Hell and will be branded with it their foreheads and their flanks and their backs..."This is well documented in detail in Arabic lexicons. A small excerpt is provided as an example:
- - جَعَلَنِى بِظَهْرٍ (tropical:) He cast me off. (TA.) And جَعَلتُ حَاجَتَهُ بِظَهْرٍ (tropical:) I cast his want behind my back: (AO, K:) and ↓ جَعَلَهَا ظِهْرِيَّةً signifies the same: (S:) and ↓ اِتَّخَذَهَا ظِهْرِيًّا , (K,) and ↓ ظِهْرِيَّةً : (TA:) or the former of the last two phrases signifies he held it in contempt; [1]
Hence the synonymy between the expressions
'left' and
'back' should be apparent to anyone that studies the Arabic language and the Quran's use of these expressions in particular contexts. Therefore, there are absolutely no grounds for a critique which attempts to highlight an 'alleged' contradiction.
[2] GOD'S CREATION IN SIX PERIODSI have provided a response to this question in the following illustration.
CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE IN SIX PERIODShttp://quransmessage.com/charts%20and%20illustrations/six%20periods/six%20periods%20FM2.htmThe common mistake is to understand this as: Heavens (2 periods) + Earth (2 periods separately) + Earth (4 periods) = 8
This is incorrect.The instruction was given to
both the Heavens and the Earth to form simultaneously (41:11) and therefore there is an overlap. The earth was not created separately after the heavens were formed but
simultaneously.Thus it should be understood as: Heavens & Earth (2 periods simultaneously) + 4 periods = 6
I hope this helps, God willing.
Joseph
REFERENCE:[1] LANE. E.W, Edward Lanes Lexicon, Williams and Norgate 1863; Librairie du Liban Beirut-Lebanon 1968, Volume 5, Page 1928