Marib Dam In Quran

📖Surah Saba (34:15-16)
“In Sheba’s homeland, there used to be a sign: two gardens, on the right and on the left. ‘Eat from your Lord’s provision and be grateful to Him. A good land and a forgiving Lord.’ But they turned away, so We unleashed against them the flood of the dam (Sayl al-‘Arim), and We replaced their gardens with ones producing bitter fruit, tamarisks, and sparse lote trees.”

• The collapse of the Marib Dam (referred to as the “Flood of Arim” (سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِ) in the Qur’an 34:16) is debated among historians and scientists. The two most common explanations are:

Heavy Rainfall (Most Accepted View)

• The dam relied on maintenance, and over time, it became weaker due to neglect.
• Excessive rainfall caused a massive flood that broke the dam.
• This view is supported by historical accounts and makes sense because Yemen has seasonal flash floods that could have overwhelmed the dam.

There is much debate what caused the dam to collapse. Some scholars say it was heavy rains, while other believe an earthquake undid the stonework. According to legend, the breach was caused by large rats gnawing at it with their teeth and scratching it with their nails. While according to the Koran, the collapse was an act of God punishing the Sabaeans for their ungratefulness. The holy scriptures says:

Additional Information

The collapse of the Marib Dam (referred to in Qur’an 34:15-16 as “Sayl al-‘Arim” or “the Flood of Arim”) happened centuries before the time of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). There were no widely known records, detailed historical accounts, or Biblical references about this event. So how did the Prophet (ﷺ) know?