A Theoretical Model of the Influence of Geographical Setting and Regional Ecosystem on the Determination of the Miracle of Ṣāliḥ’s She-Camel (ʿA)

Khatami, Sayyedeh Somayeh; Asadi, Mohammad Ali

doi:10.22034/jksl.2025.526846.1471

A Theoretical Model of the Influence of Geographical Setting and Regional Ecosystem on the Determination of the Miracle of Ṣāliḥ’s She-Camel (ʿA)

Authors

Sayyedeh Somayeh khatami ¹

Mohammad Ali Asadi ²

¹ Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran

² Assistant Professor of Islamic Sources: Qurʾan and Nahj al-Balaghah, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran

10.22034/jksl.2025.526846.1471

Abstract

One of the miracles whose occurrence is repeatedly emphasized in the Holy Qurʾan is the miracle of Prophet Ṣāliḥ (ʿA), in which a she-camel emerged from a mountain. The present study seeks to answer two principal questions: Does the Holy Qurʾan address the influence of geographical conditions on the determination of the type of divine miracle (the she-camel)? How can geographical factors contribute to the determination of a particular miracle? This research adopts a grounded theory approach and employs data-driven theory building to construct a theoretical model by identifying subsidiary categories in relation to the core category. Drawing upon Qurʾanic verses and historical accounts preserved in the works of geographers concerning this region, three major categories were identified from at least sixty-one extracted data units. The findings indicate that the geographical characteristics of the region of al-Ḥijr were closely related to the miracle of the she-camel. Al-Ḥijr was a mountainous region whose inhabitants possessed remarkable skills in stone carving, while camels also occupied a highly significant place in their social and economic life. The core category, when supported by the necessary contextual conditions, generates important implications, including demonstrating the transhistorical nature of the Holy Qurʾan in light of scientific progress and highlighting the possibility of employing various scientific disciplines in the service of Qurʾanic objectives. Consequently, it clarifies the rationale behind the selection of the miracle of the she-camel in accordance with the geographical and human context, reveals the profound relationship between the miracles of the prophets and the environmental circumstances of their communities, and further substantiates the transhistorical character of the Holy Qurʾan. Nevertheless, achieving these outcomes requires careful planning for interdisciplinary research projects integrating geography and Qurʾanic studies.

Graphical Abstract

A Theoretical Model of the Influence of Geographical Setting and Regional Ecosystem on the Determination of the Miracle of Ṣāliḥ’s She-Camel (ʿA)

Keywords

Holy Qurʾan, geographical setting, Ṣāliḥ&‌‌‌‌‌rsquo

s she-camel, Thamūd

Subjects

Quran and natural sciences

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