[4] These people are either unaware of or concealing some realities regarding the legacy of Erudite Salafi Imam, Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “Indeed, the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets, for the prophets do not leave behind a dinar or a dirham for inheritance, but rather, they leave behind knowledge. So whoever takes hold of it, has acquired a large share (i.e. of inheritance)”. [(1)]

The anonymous writers at Wikipedia stated, “Many of ibn Baz’s views and rulings are considered controversial (both inside and outside Saudi Arabia), including those relating to cosmology…” [End of quote]

Response

Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allah have mercy upon him] was asked, “Is the earth spherical or flat?” He responded: According to the scholars, the Earth is spherical. Ibn Hazm and a group of other (scholars) have transmitted that the scholars hold a consensus that it is spherical. Meaning: Some of it is joined together with some and rolled up like a ball. However, Allah spread out the top of it for us and placed on it firm mountains, animals, and seas out of mercy for us. This is why Allah says: [وَإِلَى الأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ – And at the earth, how it has been spread out (to facilitate habitation and travel)?] [(2)]

It is flat and visible to us (i.e. the top) so that people can live on it and be calm (without worry). The fact that it is spherical does not exclude that its surface is not flat because if a large, great thing is flat, it will have a wide back. [(3)]

May Allah enter the Imam into Jannatul Firdaws! His remark is quite obvious for everyone to see.

Second, read Shaikh Abu Iyaad’s (may Allah preserve him) article on the link for more information about the statements of other Scholars regarding the shape of the earth. “Ibn Taymiyyah on the Shape of the Heaven and Earth and the Concept of Time and Related Issues:

https://salafitalk.net/st/printthread.cfm?Forum=6&Topic=1859

Third, if after reading Shaikh Abu Iyaad’s post in the aforementioned link you believe that the explanation offered by the other scholars is more persuasive or that the Imam’s position is incorrect, then you should know that every upright Mujtahid is rewarded for striving to reach the correct position, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “If a Mujtahid gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is correct, he will receive a double reward, and if he gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is wrong, even then he will get a reward”. [Bukhari Number 7352]

Finally, when it comes to other matters related to cosmology that are very clear and leave no room for any other opinion, the Imam [may Allah have mercy on him] was very stern about it, and he has every right to be because those who speculate about it have openly contradicted the divine texts. Read Shaikh Abu Iyaad’s and Shaikh Abu Khadeejah’s [may Allah preserve them] articles.

Disbelief of the One Who Denies Sun’s Motion Around the Earth

https://www.aqidah.com/creed/articles/auazc-disbelief-of-the-one-who-denies-suns-motion-around-the-earth.cfm

The Motion of the Sun Around the Earth and the Clear Islamic Belief from the Quran and Sunnah

https://abukhadeejah.com/the-motion-of-the-sun-around-the-earth-and-the-islamic-belief/

Also read:

Big Bang Cosmology and the Quran: A Response to Muslim Apologists Using Scientific Conjectures to Explain the Qur’an:

https://www.aqidah.com/creed/articles/nkqjq-big-bang-cosmology-and-the-quran.cfm

Indeed, the only people who are in disagreement about these matters are those who have either rejected or ignored the proofs and wish to make it a point of contention for others. The upright Salafi Scholars and their students do not have any doubt about these matters; rather, those who abandon or fail to give thorough consideration to the infallible divine texts are the ones plagued by doubts, speculation, and conjecture.

To be continued InShaaAllah.

[(1)]

Sunan At-Tirmidhee 2682

[(2)] https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/sura/88/16

[(3)] https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/5966/%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6#:~:text=%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A8%3A%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%B6%20%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%A9%20%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%AF%20%D8%A3%D9%87%D9%84,%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B8%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%B1%20%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%20%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%B4%20%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%A7%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B3 paraphrased

هل الأرض كروية أم سطحية؟
الجواب: الأرض كروية عند أهل العلم قد حكى ابن حزم وجماعة آخرون إجماع أهل العلم على أنها كروية، يعني: أنها منضم بعضها إلى بعض مدرمحة كالكرة، لكن الله بسط أعلاها لنا وجعل فيها الجبال الرواسي وجعل فيها الحيوان والبحار رحمة بنا ولهذا قال: وَإِلَى الأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ [الغاشية:20] فهي مسطوحة الظاهر لنا ليعيش عليها الناس ويطمئن عليها الناس، فكونها كروية لا يمنع تسطيح ظاهرها لأن الشيء الكبير العظيم إذا سطح صار له ظهر واسع