Thinking back to videos ages past, I seem to recall a few views of approaching sandstorms and their inevitable swallowing of the filmer, so I decided I would set out to find them again. What I found then after finding a few storms, was a strange video of what appeared to be a sand fountain, or sand geyser of some kind.
Most all of the video descriptions copy the same description word for word, but this blog post (which has a loud streaming song playing in the background, press the green “pause” button on the left above the COEXIST image to mute it) is the only one that seems to have any spacing adjustments, as if everyone else just copy-pasted it into theirs. However, the feed she links to is the popularly linked Muxlim.tv feed. She notes, “In KSA was reported..” which I thought might be a news outlet of some kind, but just means Kingdom of Saudia Arabia. The town is purportedly Al Ahsaa City (or Al-Ahsae City) in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Here is the wiki entry for Al-Ahsa (which also lists it as Al-Hasa), describing it as an oasis.
The earliest posted version I’ve been able to find is a MySpace TV post from October 27, 2007 but it has a website watermark that doesn’t appear in the others which leads me to suspect they came upon the video and reposted it with the music muted, adding the watermark. Due to the waviness and quality of the picture when the camera moves, I presume it to have been taken from a cellphone.
Many of the descriptions refer to the Qur’an for such peculiar events, quoting an ambiguous passage referring to the earth releasing its burdens (which could apply to dozens of things, like volcanos).
A forum post here seems to dismiss the event as a common event, this one just happen to be with sand. For the moment, I personally simply presume it to be a pocket of natural gas (or a broken pipe, perhaps) finding an easy route to the surface. Notice how the sand doesn’t mound up on the edges of the geyser, but the ground seems to remain flat, leading me to suspect it is falling back down inside.
I will update this post, here, as I find new details.
Update 1 This version on YouTube is from June 16, 2007, which to my knowledge is not a statistic one can fake, since YouTube itself automatically assigns the date of the post.
Update 2 This version, lacking the music background and watermark, is dated by YouTube as December 26, 2006.
3. This version sounds as if it has on-scene audio (but a different watermark) for a brief period before the music cuts in. The watermarked site is a “games and rare videos” site mostly in arabic.
4. After reading quite a few suggestions, I have come to suspect that it may actually just be muddy water — especially the fact that it does not pile up on the sides as water naturally would not. It could very simply be a burst water main gushing up through a hole in the ground near the road. The color of the mud is likely what led to the suggestion of sand — I can find no particular evidence other than mere suggestion that it is actually sand spewing out, notably because sand tends to pile up.
ALAH WAKBARE
Nice analysis
i came a cross this a few weeks back and didnot know the event was dated back 26 december 2006 or prior
it was also my assumption that massive reserves of Natural Gass might be ressponsible for this
but last i heard was that Aramco Geological Team was investigating it i havent read any reports from them yet
an wayz Good work
hope to see more
and ReCCO im nost sure if your Muslim or not but the Arabic word is
ALLAH Hu Akbar — God is the Greatest –or It is The God Who is Great
not ALAH Wakbare .. i dont even know what Wakbare means or if it is an arabic Word
Any wayz
Peace
I did a little research and found out that Alhasa (the oasis where the sand fountain was discovered)
is actually in a county that contains Rub Al Khali or the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia..
The Empty Quarter is known for its Marshlands and the Biggest Sand dessert in the World
and “The largest oil field in the world”
so I’d say that the most obvious reason would be Natural Gas since all the prerequisites for Natural Gas deposits are there
Oil Deposits, Marshlands .. but it seems though that the pressurized natural Gas has found a way to the surface
Peace!
Hi brothers. As Aramco Geological Team is investigating or has finised their investigation and not making it public for whatsoever reason, this fountain is exceptional. As you have lloked on the video very carefuly, you see as well that four people are standing beside teh fountain. If natural gases were coming out or leakage in gas pipe no one can stand beside such a huge discharge or leakage. the other thing that makes it strange is the wind. it seems to be very low wind and sand/ very course mud (does not seems water at all, even aramco would have never asked its geologists to investigate) is flowing like a Real Fountain, its realy scary and exceptional. whether you link it with God/Allah or not but it seems to be exceptionaly strange phenomena.
The reason they are not making the findings public is, I suspect, because the causes are ordinary, everyday, common causes and nothing particularly exciting or newsworthy. The only exceptional thing about it so far has been that it has drawn so much attention from people who know very little about ordinary fountains.
bullcrap only allah brainwashed idiots would believe this
I’m a Muslim and I think this has nothing to do with a Miracle (generally speaking if we exclude everything of being a miracle).
One more thing. @ablestmage, The soundtrack is not a “song”… It’s recitation of Quran Aya’s. I would humbly request you to please edit your words as it is considered disrespectful by followers of 2nd largest religion on earth to call Quranic recitation as a Song.
By the way, the term used for recitation in Arabic is “Tilawat”. You can use that if you want to. But, please kindly accept my request.
Hadi:
To be “disrespectful” is a deliberate intent of misinformation, and to call the recitation a song is not disrespectful. The recipient of the purported “disrespect” has the responsibility to discern as to whether the idea presented is genuinely disrespectful or a mistaken interpretation on behalf of the recipient — the latter of which is the case, clearly. “Song” applies in many widely varied forms, of which this also qualifies. Call it what you wish.
I find it really funny that you took it onto yourself the comment that I made. What I meant to inform to you was what’s considered by Muslims as disrespectful.
Nowhere have I stated that you intentionally called the recitation of a Quranic verse a song. Moreover, any following Muslim readers will acknowledge the fact that you didn’t do this on purpose now that you have stated that.
And, to clarify my appraisal of this issue. As any sane person would know that every religion has its code of conduct and the way its aspects are handled.
For example, in Christianity, they are ok to make a portrait of their God and prophet while Muslims do not make pictures and portraits of their God (Allah) and Prophet (PBUH). Similarly, Muslims do not associate the recital of Quran as something that is meant for leisure and entertainment like a “song”. Quran’s recital doesn’t have an orchestra. So, there’s a difference between a song and Quran’s recitation.
Meanwhile, I would again humbly request you to be a bit more considerate while using your vocabulary on this public forum.
I’m not sure how it could be funny — I am the administrator.
In Christianity, it is not OK to paint a portrait of God according to the graven images commandment — but it is done by many because there is no legal penalty due to the separation of religious expression and secular government, being dissimilar to most Arab nations in which Muslim code is so intricately woven into the legal system. There is disagreement among Christians as to whether depictions of God are permissible, but agree that it is not the government’s authority to assert punishment.
You speak of one specific, narrow interpretation of song. Song applies to leisure and frivolity in some cases, but also applies to deep, thoughtful, holy, sacred worship in other cases. The psalms of David, for instance, are sacred scripture — but also songs. Songs in general do not imply musical instruments, orchestration, performance for profit, nor a predetermined structure, meter, rhythm, pace or style, nor purpose, meaning or value.
While the recitation may not fit with the particular variety of song you cited, it does falls under the broad category of song. Whether Muslims consider this disrespectful is unrelated.
I sternly advise you to revise your impression that my vocabulary is in error.
Ok, my purpose was to aware you of how a large majority of people (ie, Muslims) have a way of treating their particular religious aspect of recital.
After that, it’s your choice. My work here is done.