Saudi Cleric: ‘No Doubt’ the Sun Revolves Around the Earth

A senior Saudi Muslim cleric says that “there is no doubt” that the sun revolves around the earth, as seen in a video translated Monday by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

During a recent interview on Saudi Arabia’s Channel 1 television, Saleh Al-Fawzan, a member of the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars, was asked about planetary movement.

The host asked, “Allah says in a Koranic verse: ‘And the sun runs towards its stopping point. That is the determination of the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing.’ Does the sun revolve around the earth?”

Screenshot: Saudi Channel 1 via MEMRI

The cleric, Al-Fawzan answered, “There is no doubt about it. The Koran says: ‘The sun runs…’ Nevertheless, they [scientists] say that the sun stands in place and the Earth moves. This contradicts the Koran.”

“Ignoring the Koran and adopting modern theories is not something a Muslim can do. A Muslim must follow the Koran,” Al-Fawzan implored the viewers.

Here is the video of his interview courtesy of MEMRI. While it was originally posted online in late January, MEMRI provided a translation on Monday: