The historical miracle of the verse was that they were stronger than they were and raised the earth and its age more than they lived it. [Romans: 9] The existence of ancient monuments and structures that stood for thousands of years despite earthquakes and disasters, which shows superiority...
The historical miracle in “They were stronger than them, cultivated the land and developed it more than these have” (Ar-Rum 30:9)
The existence of ancient monuments and structures that survived for thousands of years despite earthquakes and disasters, which shows engineering superiority or special circumstances that made them resist the times. This is in line with the verse that mentions the superiority of some civilizations in strength and urbanization, but does not deny that some of these monuments have remained as a "sign" throughout history.
Examples of great buildings that have survived earthquakes:
1. Pyramids of Giza (Egypt) - 4,500 years ago
It survived violent earthquakes, such as the one in 1303 (with a magnitude of 6.5) that destroyed much of Cairo's buildings, but the pyramids were not substantially affected.
Reason for its persistence:
Its hierarchical design (distributes earthquake force).
Massive building materials (well-formed heavy stone blocks).
2. Ancient Roman arches (such as the Alcantara Bridge in Spain) - 2000 years ago
Built in Roman times and withstood frequent earthquakes.
The secret of its durability: the use of a "dry stone" (no slurry) technique with precise calculations for shock absorption.
3. Parthenon Temple (Greece) - 2,500 years ago
It was subjected to violent earthquakes (such as the earthquake of 373 AD) but its basic structure remained intact.
Reason for its survival: Flexible shafts designed to vibrate with earthquakes without collapse.
4. Great Wall of China - parts of it since 2000 years
Its old sections withstood earthquakes due to:
Use of local resistant materials (e.g. stone and crushed soil).
Its design is adapted to mountainous terrain.
5. Petra City (Jordan) - 2000 years ago
Carved in rock, it resisted numerous earthquakes due to its solid mountain nature.
Why have these effects withstood the demise of others?
Geometric wisdom: Some ancient civilizations understood earthquake-resistance concepts (e.g., elasticity, load distribution).
Material Selection: Steel stone is better than modern concrete in some cases.
Not exposed to human intervention: Many of the effects that have been removed have been caused by wars or looting, not just earthquakes.
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Source: Posted on Dr. Mohamed Bourbab's Facebook page on 2025-03-31
https://www.facebook.com/bourbab.m/posts/pfbid02ded46Dg5z23vELP62GVe1LJrENyXVDqEoJGhG6HQbzWXrGtVnau5UY85iFCQAzmol