Length: 07:10
Rating: 4.26 / 5 (out of 19 votes)

Since posting this video I have been made aware of another video by Dr. Zakir Naik stating that a famous geologist, a certain 'Dr. Frank Press' wrote in a respected book on geology (called 'Earth') that the 'function' of mountains was to 'stabilise the earth'.The only page numbers I have seen referenced for this pseudo-quote are pages 413 and 435:http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bldz4139ib.jpghttp://img116.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bldz4351mi.jpg(If the links are broken, let me know and I'll find somewhere else to host them.)As you can see, there is no mention of mountains bringing stability. Isostacy (a term misappropriated by Muslims in bizarre, false and wishful ways) is described as being Archimedes principle of buoyancy, applied to locally deforming regions of the earth's crust, 'floating' on the upper mantle. (Of course, this analogy can only be made because rocks deform plastically over geological timescales). As you can imagine, this doesn't have anything to do with mountains bringing stability... In fact, many geology sources state explicitly that mountain formation causes the movement associated with isostacy, due to the added weight of the crust in those areas. For example:http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10h.htmlThe above link was sent to me by a Muslim, arguing the case in favour of mountains stabilising the earth. Look for the following quote:'When the Earth's crust gains weight due to mountain building or glaciation, it deforms and sinks deeper into the mantle (Figure 10h-3). If the weight is removed, the crust becomes more buoyant and floats higher in the mantle.'Also give it a read for a good, simple description of the phenomenon of isostacy.In the pages of the book 'Earth', A certain confusion could possibly surround the statement that 'the root provides buoyant support,' if one were desperate to interpret the passage as fulfilling the Quran, but an honest examination of the passage and the context will show that stability isn't being discussed. Just the principle of buoyancy, as it applies to isostacy.I did find this interesting Muslim resource:http://www.islam-guide.com/frm-ch1-1-b.htmIf you look carefully, you will see that the statement that the 'function' of mountains is to 'stabilise' the earth isn't attributed to Dr. Frank or the book 'Earth' at all. It's from a book on the Quran. I don't believe this book is a respected geological work.It seems that Dr. Zakir Naik has jumped the gun on this one a bit. It doesn't matter though, it sounds good when he says it and for his kind of showman (and his eager audience) that's good enough.So, I set a challenge to anyone who's been taken in by Dr. Zakir Naik and his pseudoscientific babblings. If you can show me Dr. Frank Press (or any author of that book... Or any scientist respected in the field of geology) saying that mountains bring stability, along with the context, book/paper name, page number and (most helpfully) a photo of the pages covering the phenomenon, I'll make a video about it. :^)---The 'Miracles in the Quran' series is, as far as I have seen, a fallacious, deceitful work of pro-Islam propaganda.In this video I debunk the segment concerning the so-called 'function' of mountains.In reality it is a lame attempt to make some kind of scientific sense out of passages which are very obviously the product of ancient beliefs.Please watch my other Quran Mountain video here:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LIvETHedhPQAnd research the Quran passages here:http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/reference/searchquran.htmlOr, indeed, any official translation service.Preferably, if you're able, read the original Arabic, or the interpretations of the most respected Imams. If you are shown ANY supposedly miraculous Quran quote, look it up independently.I will guarantee that in most cases it will be a willful mistranslation, twisted in meaning from the respected translations and original Arabic.In the other cases, look up the science itself, or the world view of the ancient Greeks, or the Old Testament of the Bible.Of course, if you feel I'm wrong on any points, I'd love to see your comments and videos.Just keep the death threats and 'You're Going To Hell' comments to a minimum.Really, I've seen it all before and you're just making Islam look bad.