Analysis of the Qur’anic Concepts of Mashriq (East), Maghreb (West), Mashriqain (Two Easts), Maghribain (Two Wests), Mashariq (Several Easts) and Maghreb (Several Wests): Observations in Quetta, Pakistan

In the current era various scientific facts revealed by the Holy Qur’an have been scientifically tested and acknowledged by the modern scientists. Also scientific knowledge of Earth and related sciences confirms and support the concepts given in the relevant verses of the Holy Qur’an. For example the Holy Qur’an contains verses that reveal the concepts of Mashriq (East), Maghrib (West), Mashriqain (two easts), Maghribain (two wests), Mashariq (several easts) and Magharib (several wests). This paper pinpoints and put forward scientific analysis of these concepts of the Holy Qur’an, compares and summarizes the pre-existing conventional tafaseer (explanations) with the modern scientific judgments and deliberates on their undisputable integrity. we analyzed these concepts, using scientific methodology, on a fixed location (x,y,z = 67.002, 30.1853, 1684 m) in Quetta, Pakistan. It was observed that the timings and positions (azimuths) of sunrise range from its northeastern extreme on 22nd June at 5:45 am, as 63o (NE), to its southeastern extreme on 22nd December at 8:04 am, as 122o (SE), respectively. The timings and positions (azimuths) of sunset range from its northwestern extreme on 22nd June at 7:21 am, as 300o (NW) to its southwestern extreme on 22nd December at 5:15 am, as 242o (SW), respectively. It was observed that the positions and timing of the sunrise and sunset change daily by shifting gradually from their winter to summer extremes and vice versa in a systematic and predictable manner. I conclude that the Qura’nic words Mashriq (east) and Maghrib (west) refers to the spans of horizons between the eastern and western extremes of the sun rises and sets. The words Mashriqain (two easts) and Maghribain (two wests) refer to the two extremes, i.e. northern and southern positions of sunrise and sunset on the eastern and western horizons, on 22nd June (in summer) and 22nd December (in winter), respectively. The words Mashariq (many easts) and Magharib (many wests) simply refer to the numerous positions of the daily sunrise and sunset on the eastern and western horizons. My results are in conformity with the relevant verses and notions of the Holy Qur’an that have been further explained in various tafaseer, with reference to the explanations of Ib-e-Abbas (RAA) and Akrama (RAA)

STRATIGRAPHY, PETROLOGY AND FACIES ASSOCIATIONS OF THE QUATERNARY SPIN KAREZ GROUP, HANNA-SPIN KAREZ AREA, QUETTA DISTRICT, PAKISTAN

The Hanna-Spin Karez area which comprises the Quaternary succession of the Spin Karez Group is located adjacent to the junction of Sulaiman and Kirthar Fold-Thrust Belts (Quetta Syntaxes), southwest of the Zarghun Trough in the northwestern Balochistan, Pakistan. The area comprises over 800 m thick conformable succession of the Quaternary age, covering surface area of ~30 km2. The succession has been named as the Spin Karez Group, which are further subdivide from base to top into three distinct lithostratigraphic units as: Hanna Lake Conglomerate, Hanna Red Clays and Spin Karez Conglomerate. The Hanna Lake Conglomerate comprises 200 m thick succession of boulder-pebble conglomerate. The Hanna Red Clays comprise over 500 m thick succession of dominantly red claystone rarely interbedded with siltstone and very fine-grained sandstone. The Spin Karez Conglomerate is composed of over 100 m thick succession of well-stratified and moderately- to well-sorted cobble/pebble conglomerate with occasional sandstone/siltstone lenses. The Triassic to Pliocene age older successions from the region's north and west provided the polymictic conglomerate, boulder to pebble size limestone, sandstone, chert, and conglomerate fragments. The Spin Karez Group comprises 15 types of gravel, sandstone and mudstone facies, which were grouped into 5 facies associations. The facies associations include braided channel deposits (FA-1), sheet-flood deposits (FA-2), floodplain deposits (FA-3), marginal lacustrine deposits (FA-4) and open-water lacustrine deposits (FA-5). The Spin Karez group evolved in three phases: i) Deposition of the Hanna Lake conglomerate started with the proximal and distal braided channel systems in the northern and southern parts of the study area respectively; ii) Deposition of the Hanna Red clays deposited in shallow lake with episodic sub-aerial exposure, providing reddish colour to the mud-dominant facies; iii) The depositional basin, once again, transformed to braided channel system, of the Spin Karez conglomerate, which evolved over the shallow water lake deposits of the Hanna Red clays.  The Spin Karez group was mainly controlled by continued subsidence and regional tectonics during the Quaternary period that accommodated the space for the small shallow basin (~30 km2) that stacked depositional systems

LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE NEWLY PROPOSED MIDDLE CRETACEOUS “BIBAI GROUP”, WESTERN SULAIMAN FOLD-THRUST BELT, PAKISTAN

The newly proposed Middle Cretaceous “Bibai Group”, named after the Bibai peak, is exposed in Kach-Ziarat, Spera Ragha-Chingun areas of the Western Sulaiman Fold-Thrust Belt, Pakistan. It comprises thick succession of the mafic volcanic rocks, volcanic conglomerate, mudstone and sandstone. The stratigraphic nomenclature proposed by previous workers was not clear enough, as they used different names for the succession, such as “Kahan Conglomerate Member” of the Mughal Kot Formation, “Parh-related volcanics” by considering it as part of the “Parh Group, “Bibai Formation” and “Bela Volcanic Group”, which were confusing and misleading. Also previous workers did not realize that the succession may be further classified into distinct mappable lithostratigraphic units and deserved the status of a “Group”. Therefore, we carefully examined and mapped the area and hereby propose the name “Bibai Group” for the overall volcanic and volcaniclastic succession of the Middle Cretaceous age. Based on distinct lithostratigraphic characters we further subdivided the “Group” into two lithostratigraphic units of formation rank, for which we propose the names “Chinjun Volcanics” and “Bibai Formation”. Also based on distinct lithostratigraphic characters we further propose to subdivide our “Babai Formation” into three lithostratigraphic units of member rank, which we named as the “Kahan Conglomerate Member”, “Ahmadun Member” and “Kach Mudstone Member”. In this paper we have defined and briefly described the Bibai Group, its constituent formations and their members. Also we examined and discussed the validity and status of the proposed subdivisions; e.g. formations and members, of the Bibai Group, and are fully satisfied that the proposed subdivisions are appropriate and comply with the Article 24 and 25 of the North American Stratigraphic Codes (2005) and that the previous nomenclatures are inconsistent, confusing and do not comply with the International Stratigraphic Codes.</jats:p