The scholar who traded a flat earth for a space shuttle

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 19 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1966, a prominent Saudi scholar issued a fatwa declaring the Earth fixed and stable, leading to international ridicule. It took a literal trip into space for him to change his mind, sparking a debate over whether his views were a matter of faith or simple observation.

Abdulaziz ibn Abdullah Al Baz, the second Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, became a lightning rod for controversy due to his 'pre-Copernican' views. In 1966, while serving as vice-president of the Islamic University of Medina, he published an article denouncing the rotation of the Earth as a 'falsehood.' He argued that the Earth was a fixed 'bed and cradle' for mankind, a position that led Egyptian journalists to mock him as a symbol of Saudi primitiveness. His stance was so polarizing that King Faisal reportedly ordered the destruction of unsold copies of the papers that published his claims.

The controversy reached a fever pitch when Ibn Baz suggested that those who denied the circulation of the Sun were committing an act of disbelief (kufr), making their blood and wealth 'violable.' However, his position was nuanced; he did not explicitly declare those who believed the Earth rotated as infidels, but rather targeted those who claimed the Sun was static. This specific theological distinction drew parallels from Western observers to the historical trial of Galileo by the Catholic Church.

The shift in his perspective came in 1985. After Prince Sultan bin Salman returned from a week aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, he shared his firsthand account of seeing the Earth rotate. Following this interaction, Ibn Baz changed his mind. While some critics still attribute a 'flat earth' belief to him based on his preference for sensory experience over scientific statements, others point out that he had previously cited scholars who argued the Earth was round, suggesting his views were more about the limits of human perception than a rejection of science.

Beyond cosmology, Ibn Baz was a pivotal figure in modern Islamic governance. He navigated a complex middle ground: legitimizing the Saudi ruling family while supporting Salafi reforms. He issued fatwas authorizing a wealth tax for the Soviet-Afghan War and permitted non-Muslim troops on Saudi soil during the Persian Gulf War—decisions that earned him criticism from both hardline jihadists like Osama bin Laden and liberal progressives alike.

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