HadithEarthAngels
I understand there is a Hadith that the Earth is balanced on the back of an angel and the angel is riding a bull and the bull is on a whale. Is this narration, or any similar one, authentic?
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Zaid Alsalami,

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14 Answers
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3 Answers
Passed
Hassanain Govani,

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11 Answers
Passed
Seyed Ali Musawi,

Seyed Ali Musawi studied religion and history at the University of California, San Diego and subsequently he studied for more than 8 years at the Islamic Seminary in Qum, Iran, focusing on Islamic history and jurisprudence.

12 Answers
Passed
Seyed Ali Shobayri,

Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the Islamic College of London. He also studied at the Hawza Ilmiyya of England and continues Hawza and Islamic studies with private teachers.

164 Answers
Passed
Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answer updated 3 years ago

Bismihi ta'ala

Prior to anything, we must first establish whether the narration is authentic, as far as the text and the chain as well. 

If we were to assume it's all good as far as its issuance from a Ma'sum (a.s.), then we most certainly cannot take it in its literal meaning, and it must be interpreted in such a way that would make sense. Whale could refer to the orbit, maybe because the whale's back is not flat, and for the earth, it has "the equatorial bulge", the water could refer o space, rock could refer to planets, and so on.

Some of these explanations have been given in commentaries on al-Kafi. 

The Imam (a.s.) is duty-bound to say things that are not above or beyond people's comprehension at that time. There could be words omitted for brevity, like how the Quran addresses people and certain things. 

The following is a good detailed answer (in Arabic) from the holy Shrine of Imam Husain (a.s.):

https://alrasd.net/arabic/islamicheritagee/3590

And Allah ta'ala knows best

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