Islamic mythology

[1] However, the canonical narrative includes two key supernatural events: the divine revelation of the Quran and the Isra and Mi'raj — the night journey to Jerusalem followed by the ascension to the Seventh Heaven.

[1] In addition, Islamic scriptures contain a number of legendary narratives about biblical characters, which diverge from Jewish and Christian traditions in some details.

Central figures, such as Moses (Musa),[9] Abraham (Ibrahim),[10] Joseph (Yūsuf), Mary (Maryam)[11] and Jesus (Isa), reappear throughout the Quran.

[23] In Sūrah al-Anbiyāʼ, verse 21:30, the heavens and the earth were joined ("of one piece") as one "unit of creation", after which they were "cloven asunder".

[26][25] Critics note that modern cosmology does not fit well with creation of the universe in six (or eight) days and that it would be difficult to determine days before the sun and earth had been created,[22][27] but many preachers argue the word youm (plural ayam) can be translated as "era" or "period", and sometimes is in translations of the Quran.

[41] Another common traditions, portrayed the body of Adam lying on the ground for forty years, whereupon Iblis became curious of the new creation.

[42] In another tradition, it is not Azrael, but Iblis, included among the archangels, who succeeded in collecting soil from the earth, thus he later declined to prostrate himself before whose formation he just assisted.

[47] Another early exegete, Hud b. Muhakkam al-Hawwari (d. 3rd/9th century) presents the same reading by referring it to al-Hasan al-Basri who reported from Muhammad that "indeed, woman was created from a rib, and if you wish to straighten her you break her.

Pakistani scholar of the Qur'an, Israr Ahmed (d. 2010) was of the opinion that with the advances in our knowledge due to modern science, the notion of Eve's creation from Adam's rib is against human observation and reason.

He believes the "crooked rib" hadith is using a metaphor to make a point regarding the psychological nature of women.

[52] When Adam walked in heaven, he once read the Shahada inscripted in the Throne of God, a belief attested by Al-Bayhaqi, who attributes it to Umar.

[55] In the Quran, fire (nar) makes up the basic substance for spiritual entities,[56] in contrast to humans created from clay (tin).

Islamic mythology commonly acknowledges three different types of spiritual entities:[56] Angels, created from light (nur)[57] the heavenly hosts, and servants of God.

[59] There are great angels in Islam, Jibril, who bestowed revelations to prophets, Israfel, whose trumpet will bring the end of days as well as its resurrection, Mikail, who is responsible for the natural events, the weather, and the sustenance of living things.

[60][61][62] Jinn are creatures who have existed in Arabia before the establishment of Islam, and are believed to be capable of great mystical powers.

In Islam Jinn are intellectual creatures who, like humans, have received the Revealed Law, and will be accounted for on the Day of Judgement.

There are various stories as to the origin and role of Iblis in Islam, but he is consistently portrayed as the head of shaitan, and in direct opposition to God.

[65] Shaitan (Shayatin), created from smoke or fire (Samūm):[66] comparable to Christian demons or devils, usually regarded as the offspring of Iblis, They tempt humans (and jinn) into sin.

Other prominent creatures within Islamic mythological traditions are Buraq, Ghaddar, Hinn, Houris and Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog).

Later, spiritual entities from other cultures were identified with those of the Quran and assimilated to Islamic lore, such as Peri of Persian-[67] Ghoul of Arabian- and İye[68] of Turkic origin.

According to popular ideas derived from cultural beliefs during the Classical Islamic period, the earth is flat, surrounded by water, which is veiled in darkness, with Mount Qaf at the edge of the visible world.

[71] Hell is portrayed with the imageries of seas of fire, dungeons, thorny shrubs, the tree of Zaqqum, but also immense cold at bottom, inhabited by scorpions, serpents, zabaniyya and shayatin.

[75] The Islamic theoretical framework largely relied on the fundamental contributions of Aristotle (De caelo) and Ptolemy (Almagest), both of whom worked from the premise that the Earth was spherical and at the centre of the universe (geocentric model).

"[76] According to Islamic mythology, God instructed Adam to construct a building (called the Kaaba) to be the earthly counterpart of the House of Heaven and that Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ismail (Ishmael) later rebuilt it on its original foundations after was destroyed in the flood of Nuh (Noah).

[85][87] Beginning as a reaction to the Age of Enlightenment in Europe and the threat of Western colonialism, Salafi reformism sought out a more practical model to "restore the ummah", downplaying mystical, cosmic, and mythological aspects attributed to Muhammad, while simultaneously emphasizing the social and political role of the sunnah.

Sayyid Qutb attempted to break the connection between Khidr and the Quran, eliminating his identification with God's servant mentioned in Surah 18.