Qur'aan & Modern
Science : Compatible or Incompatible?
Introduction
The Challenge of the Qur’aan
Astronomy
Physics
Geography
Geology
Oceanology
Biology
Botany
Zoology
Medicine
Physiology
Embryology
General Science
Conclusion
Introduction
In the Name of Allah Almighty, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful
 Ever since the dawn of human life on this planet, Man has always
sought to understand Nature, his own place in the scheme of Creation and the
purpose of Life itself. In this quest for Truth, spanning many centuries and diverse
civilizations, organized religion has shaped human life and determined to a large
extent, the course of history. While some religions have been based on books,
claimed by their adherents to be divinely inspired, others have relied solely on
human experience.
Al-Qur’aan, the main source of the Islamic
faith, is a book believed by Muslims, to be of completely Divine origin.
Muslims also believe that it contains guidance for all mankind. Since the message
of the Qur’aan is believed to be for all times, it should be relevant to every age.
Does the Qur’aan pass this test? Here, I intend to give an objective analysis of
the Muslim belief regarding the Divine origin of the Qur’aan, in the light of
established scientific discoveries.
There was a time, in the history of world
civilization, when ‘miracles’, or what was perceived to be a miracle, took
precedence over human reason and logic. But how do we define the term ‘miracle’?
A miracle is anything that takes place out of the normal course of life and for
which humankind has no explanation. However, we must be careful before we accept
something as a miracle. An article in ‘The Times of India’ Mumbai, in
1993 reported that ‘a saint’ by the name ‘Baba Pilot’ claimed to have
stayed continuously submerged under water in a tank for three consecutive days
and nights. However, when reporters wanted to examine the base of the tank of water
where he claimed to have performed this ‘miraculous’ feat, he refused to
let them do so. He argued by asking as to how one could examine the womb of a mother that
gives birth to a child. The ‘Baba’ was hiding something. It was a gimmick
simply to gain publicity. Surely, no modern man with even the slightest inkling towards
rational thinking would accept such a ‘miracle’. If such false miracles are the tests
of divinity, then we would have to accept Mr. P. C. Sorcar, the world famous
magician known for his ingenious magical tricks and illusions, as the best God-man.
A book, claiming Divine origin, is in
effect, claiming to be a miracle. Such a claim should be easily verifiable in any age,
according to the standards of that age. Muslims believe, that the Qur’aan
is the last and final revelation of God, the miracle of miracles revealed as a mercy
to mankind. Let us therefore investigate the veracity of this belief.
I would like to thank Brother Musaddique
Thanks for his editorial assistance. May Allah Almighty (swt) reward him for his efforts, Aameen
Dr. Zakir Naik
(Islamic Research Foundation)
The
Challenge Of The Qur'aan
 Literature
and poetry have been instruments of human expression and creativity, in all
cultures. The world also witnessed an age when literature and poetry occupied pride of
position, similar to that now enjoyed by science and technology.
Muslims as well as non-Muslims agree
that Al-Qur’aan is Arabic literature par excellence - that it is the best Arabic
literature on the face of the earth. The Qur’aan, challenges mankind in the
following verses:
“And
if ye are in doubt As to what We have revealed From time to time to Our Servant, then
produce a Soorah Like thereunto; And call your witnesses or helpers (If there are any)
besides Allah, If your (doubts) are true. But if ye cannot –And of a surety you
cannot. hen fear the Fire Whose fuel is Men and Stones – Which is prepared for those
Who reject Faith.”
[Al-Qur’aan 2:23-24]
(Al-Qur’an 2:23-24 indicates
Soorah or Chapter No. 2 and Ayaat or Verses 23 and 24.)
The same notation is followed throughout the
book. References and translation of the Qur’aan are from the translation of the
Qur’aan by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, new revised edition, 1989, published by Amana
Corporation, Maryland, USA.
The challenge of the Qur’aan, is to produce
a single Soorah (chapter) like the Soorahs it contains. The same challenge is repeated
in the Qur’aan several times. The challenge to produce a Soorah, which, in beauty,
eloquence, depth and meaning is at least somewhat similar to a Qur’aanic
Soorah remains unmet to this day. A modern rational man, however, would never accept a
religious scripture, which says, in the best possible poetic language, that
the world is flat. This is because we live in an age, where human reason, logic and
science are given primacy. Not many would accept the Qur’aan’s extraordinarily
beautiful language, as proof of its Divine origin. Any scripture claiming to be a
divine revelation must also be acceptable on the strength of its own reason and logic.
According to the famous physicist and Nobel
Prize winner, Albert Einstein, “Science without religion is lame. Religion
without science is blind.” Let us therefore study the Qur’aan, and analyze
whether The Qur’aan and Modern Science are compatible or incompatible?
The Qur’aan is not a book of science
but a book of ‘signs’, i.e. ayats. There are more than six thousand
‘signs’ in the Qur’aan of which more than a thousand deal with science. We
all know that many a times Science takes a ‘U-turn’. In this book I have
considered only established scientific facts and not mere hypotheses and theories
that are based on assumptions and are not backed by proof.
Astronomy
CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE: THE BIG BANG
The creation of the universe is explained by astrophysicists in a widely
accepted phenomenon, popularly known as the Big Bang. It is supported by observational
and experimental data gathered by astronomers and astrophysicists for decades.
According to the Big Bang, the whole universe was initially one big mass (Primary
Nebula). Then there was a Big Bang (Secondary Separation) which resulted in the
formation of Galaxies. These then divided to form stars, planets, the sun, the moon,
etc. The origin of the universe was unique and the probability of it occurring by chance
is zero. The Quraan contains the following verse, regarding the origin of the universe:
Do not the
Unbelievers see That the heavens and the earth Were joined together (as one Unit of
Creation), before We clove them asunder? [Al-Quraan 21:30]
The striking congruence between the Quraanic
verse and the Big Bang is inescapable! How could a book, which first appeared in the deserts
of Arabia 1400 years ago, contain this profound scientific truth?
THERE WAS AN INITIAL GASEOUS MASS BEFORE THE CREATION
OF GALAXIES
Scientists say that before the galaxies in
the universe were formed, celestial matter was initially in the form of gaseous
matter. In short, huge gaseous matter or clouds were present before the formation of
the galaxies. To describe initial celestial matter, the word smoke is more
appropriate than gas. The following Quraanic verse refers to this state of the
universe by the word dhukhan which means smoke.
Moreover, He
Comprehended In His design the sky, And it had been (as) smoke: He said to it And to the
earth: Come ye together, Willingly or unwillingly. They said: We do come (Together), in
willing obedience. [Al-Quraan 41:11]
Again, this fact is a corollary to the Big
Bang and was not known to the Arabs during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him). What then, could have been the source of this knowledge?
THE SPHERICAL SHAPE OF THE EARTH
In early times, people believed that
the earth is flat. For centuries, men were afraid to venture out too far, lest they
should fall off the edge. Sir Francis Drake was the first person who proved
that the earth is spherical when he sailed around it in 1597. Consider the
following Quraanic verse regarding the alternation of day and night:
Seest thou not that
Allah merges Night into Day And He merges Day into Night? [Al-Quraan 31:29]
Merging here means that the night slowly
and gradually changes to day and vice versa. This phenomenon can only take place if
the earth is spherical. If the earth was flat, there would have been a sudden change
from night to day and from day to night.
The following verse also alludes to
the spherical shape of the earth:
He created the
heavens And the earth In true (proportions): He makes the Night Overlap the Day, and the
Day Overlap the Night. [Al-Quraan 39:5]
The Arabic word used here is Kawwara
meaning to overlap or to coil the way a turban is wound around the head. The overlapping
or coiling of the day and night can only take place if the earth is spherical.
The earth is not exactly round like a ball,
but geo-spherical i.e. it is flattened at the poles. The following verse contains a
description of the earths shape: The Quraan and Modern Science: Compatible or
Incompatible?
And the earth,
moreover, Hath He made egg shaped. [Al-Quraan 79:30]*
(* The Arabic word dahaha has
been translated by A. Yusuf Ali as vast expanse, which also is correct. The word dahaha
also means an ostrich-egg. Consider the following verses related to the nature of light
from the sun and the moon: It is He who made the sun To be a
shining glory And the moon to be a light (Of beauty). [Al-Quraan 10:5])
The Arabic word for egg here is dahaha,
which means an ostrich-egg. The shape of an ostrich-egg resembles the geo-spherical
shape of the earth. Thus the Quraan correctly describes the shape of the earth, though the
prevalent notion when the Quraan was revealed was that the earth is flat.
THE LIGHT OF THE MOON IS REFLECTED
LIGHT
It was believed by earlier civilizations
that the moon emanates its own light. Science now tells us that the light of the
moon is reflected light. However this fact was mentioned in the Quraan 1,400 years ago in
the following verse:
Blessed is He Who
made Constellations in the skies, And placed therein a Lamp And a Moon giving light.
[Al-Quraan 25:61]
The Arabic word for the sun in the Quraan, is
shams. It is referred to as siraaj, which means a torch or as wahhaaj
which means a blazing lamp or as diya which means shining glory. All three
descriptions are appropriate to the sun, since it generates intense heat and light
by its internal combustion. The Arabic word for the moon is qamar and it is
described in the Quraan as muneer, which is a body that gives nur i.e.
light. Again, the Quraanic description matches perfectly with the true nature of the moon,
which does not give off light itself and is an inert body that reflects the light of the
sun. Not once in the Quraan, is the moon mentioned as siraaj, wahhaaj or diya or the
sun as nur or muneer. This implies that the Quraan recognizes the difference between
the nature of sunlight and moonlight.
Consider the following verses related
to the nature of light from the sun and the moon:
It is He who made
the sun To be a shining glory And the moon to be a light (Of beauty).
[Al-Quraan 10:5]
See ye not How Allah
has created The seven heavens One above another, And made the moon A light in their midst,
and made the sun As a (Glorious) Lamp? [Al-Quraan 71:15-16]
THE SUN ROTATES
For a long time European philosophers
and scientists believed that the earth stood still in the centre of the universe
and every other body including the sun moved around it. In the West, this geocentric
concept of the universe was prevalent right from the time of Ptolemy in the second
century B.C. In 1512, Nicholas Copernicus put forward his Heliocentric
Theory of Planetary Motion, which asserted that the sun is motionless at the centre of
the solar system with the planets revolving around it.
In 1609, the German scientist Yohannus
Keppler published the Astronomia Nova. In this he concluded that not only do
the planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun, they also rotate upon their axes
at irregular speeds. With this knowledge it became possible for European scientists to
explain correctly many of the mechanisms of the solar system including the sequence
of night and day.
After these discoveries, it was thought that
the Sun was stationary and did not rotate about its axis like the Earth. I
remember having studied this fallacy from Geography books during my school days.
Consider the following Quraanic verse:
It is He Who created
The Night and the Day, And the sun and the moon: All (the celestial bodies) Swim along,
each in its Rounded course. [Al-Quraan 21:33]
The Arabic word used in the above verse is yasbahn.
The word yasbahn is derived from the word sabaha. It carries with it the idea of motion
that comes from any moving body. If you use the word for a man on the ground, it would not
mean that he is rolling but would mean he is walking or running. If you use the word for a
man in water it would not mean that he is floating but would mean that he is swimming.
Similarly, if you use the word yasbah
for a celestial body such as the sun it would not mean that it is only flying
through space but would mean that it is also rotating as it goes through space. Most of
the school textbooks have incorporated the fact that the sun rotates about its
axis. The rotation of the sun about its own axis can be proved with the help of an
equipment that projects the image of the sun on the table top so that one can examine the
image of the sun without being blinded. It is noticed that the sun has spots which
complete a circular motion once every 25 days i.e. the sun takes approximately 25 days
to rotate around its axis.
In fact, the sun travels through space at roughly
150 miles per second, and takes about 200 million years to complete one
revolution around the center of our Milky Way Galaxy.
It is not permitted
To the Sun to catch up The Moon, nor can The Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims
along In (its own) orbit (According to Law). [Al-Quraan 36:40]
This verse mentions an essential fact
discovered by modern astronomy, i.e. the existence of the individual orbits of the
Sun and the Moon, and their journey through space with their own motion. The fixed
place towards, which the sun travels, carrying with it the solar system, has
been located exactly by modern astronomy. It has been given a name, the Solar Apex.
The solar system is indeed moving in space towards a point situated in the constellation
of Hercules (alpha Layer) whose exact location is firmly established.
The moon rotates around its axis in
the same duration that it takes to revolve around the earth. It takes approximately 29
days to complete one rotation. One cannot help but be amazed at the scientific accuracy of
the Quraanic verses. Should we not ponder over the question: What was the source of
knowledge contained in the Quraan?
THE SUN WILL EXTINGUISH AFTER A CERTAIN
PERIOD
The light of the sun is due to a chemical
process on its surface that has been taking place continuously for the past five
billion years. It will come to an end at some point of time in the future when the sun
will be totally extinguished leading to extinction of all life on earth. Regarding the
impermanence of the suns existence the Quraan says:
And the Sun Runs its
course For a period determined For it; that is The decree of (Him) The exalted in Might,
The All-Knowing. [Al-Quraan 36:38]
(** A similar message is
conveyed in the Quran in 13:2, 35:13, 39:5 and 39:21.)
The Arabic word used here is mustaqarr,
which means a place or time that is determined. Thus the Quraan says that the sun runs
towards a determined place, and will do so only up to a pre-determined period of time
meaning that it will end or extinguish.
THE PRESENCE OF INTERSTELLAR MATTER
Space outside organized astronomical systems was earlier assumed to be a vacuum.
Astrophysicists later discovered the presence of bridges of matter in this
interstellar space. These bridges of matter are called plasma, and consist of
completely ionized gas containing equal number of free electrons and positive ions. Plasma
is sometimes called the fourth state of matter (besides the three known states viz.
solid, liquid and gas). The Quraan mentions the presence of this interstellar material in
the following verse:
He Who created the
heavens And the earth and all That is between. [Al-Quraan 25:59]
It would be ridiculous, for anybody to
even suggest that the presence of interstellar galactic material was known 1400
years ago.
THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE
In 1925, an American astronomer by the
name of Edwin Hubble, provided observational evidence that all galaxies are
receding from one another, which implies that the universe is expanding. The
expansion of the universe is now an established scientific fact. This is what Al-Quraan
says regarding the nature of the universe:
With the power and
skill Did We construct The Firmament: For it is We Who create The vastness of Space.
[Al-Quraan 51:47]
The Arabic word msin is correctly
translated as expanding it, and it refers to the creation of the expanding vastness
of the universe. Stephen Hawking, in his book, A Brief History of Time,
says, The discovery that the universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual
revolutions of the 20th century.
The Quraan mentioned the expansion
of the universe, before man even learnt to build a telescope! Some may say that the
presence of astronomical facts in the Quraan is not surprising since the Arabs
were advanced in the field of astronomy. They are correct in acknowledging the
advancement of the Arabs in the field of astronomy. However they fail to realize that the
Quraan was revealed centuries before the Arabs excelled in astronomy. Moreover many
of the scientific facts mentioned above regarding astronomy, such as the origin of
the universe with a Big Bang, were not known to the Arabs even at the peak of their scientific
advancement. The scientific facts mentioned in the Quraan are therefore not due
to the Arabs advancement in astronomy. Indeed, the reverse is true. The Arabs
advanced in astronomy, because astronomy occupies a place in the Quraan.
PHYSICS
THE EXISTENCE OF SUBATOMIC PARTICLES
In ancient times a well-known theory by the
name of Theory of Atomism was widely accepted. This theory was originally
proposed by the Greeks, in particular by a man called Democritus, who lived
about 23 centuries ago. Democritus and the people that came after him, assumed that
the smallest unit of matter was the atom. The Arabs used to believe the same. The Arabic
word dharrah most commonly meant an atom. In recent times modern science has
discovered that it is possible to split even an atom. That the atom can be split further
is a development of the 20th century. Fourteen centuries ago this concept would
have appeared unusual even to an Arab. For him the dharrah was the limit beyond which one
could not go. The following Quraanic verse however, refuses to acknowledge this
limit:
The Unbelievers say,
Never to us will come The Hour: say, Nay! But most surely, By my Lord, it will come Upon
you by Him Who knows the unseen From Whom is not hidden The least little atom In the
Heavens or on earth: Nor is there anything less Than that, or greater, but Is in the
Record Perspicuous. [Al-Quraan 34:3]
(A similar message is conveyed
in the Quran in 10:61.)
This verse refers to the Omniscience of
God, His knowledge of all things, hidden or apparent. It then goes further and says
that God is aware of everything, including what is smaller or bigger than the atom.
Thus the verse clearly shows that it is possible for something smaller than the atom to
exist, a fact discovered only recently by modern science.
GEOGRAPHY
THE WATER CYCLE
In 1580, Bernard Palissy was the first man to describe the present day concept of water
cycle. He described how water evaporates from the oceans and cools to form
clouds. The clouds move inland where they rise, condense and fall as rain. This water
gathers as lakes and streams and flows back to the ocean in a continuous cycle. In the
7th century B.C., Thales of Miletus believed that surface spray of the oceans was
picked up by the wind and carried inland to fall as rain. In earlier times people
did not know the source of underground water. They thought the water of the oceans,
under the effect of winds, was thrust towards the interior of the continents. They
also believed that the water returned by a secret passage, or the Great Abyss. This
passage is connected to the oceans and has been called the Tartarus, since Platos
time. Even Descartes, a great thinker of the eighteenth century,
subscribed to this view. Till the nineteenth century, Aristotles theory was
prevalent. According to this theory, water was condensed in cool mountain caverns and
formed underground lakes that fed springs. Today, we know that the rainwater that
seeps into the cracks of the ground is responsible for this. The water cycle is described
by the Quraan in the following verses:
Seest thou not that
Allah Sends down rain from The sky, and leads it Through springs in the earth? Then He
causes to grow, Therewith, produce of various Colours. [Al-Quraan 39:21]
He sends down rain
From the sky And with it gives life to The earth after it is dead: Verily in that are
Signs For those who are wise. [Al-Quraan 30:24]
And We send down
water From the sky according to (Due) measure, and We cause it To soak in the soil; And We
certainly are able To drain it off (with ease). [Al-Quraan 23:18]
No other text dating back 1400 years ago
gives such an accurate description of the water cycle.
WINDS IMPREGNATE THE CLOUDS
And We send the
fecundating winds, Then cause the rain to descend From the sky, therewith providing You
with water (in abundance). [Al-Quraan 15:22]
The Arabic word used here is lawqih,
which is the plural of laqih from laqaha, which means to impregnate or fecundate.
In this context, impregnate means that the wind pushes the clouds together
increasing the condensation that causes lightning and thus rain. A similar description is
found in the Quraan:
It is Allah Who
sends The Winds, and they raise The Clouds: then does He Spread them in the sky As He
wills, and break them Into fragments, until thou seest Raindrops issue from the midst
Thereof: then when He has Made them reach such Of His servants as He wills, Behold, they
do rejoice! [Al-Quraan 30:48]
The Quraanic descriptions are absolutely
accurate and agree perfectly with modern data on hydrology. The water cycle is
described in several verses of the Glorious Quraan, including 3:9, 7:57, 13:17, 25:48- 49,
36:34, 50:9-11, 56:68-70, 67:30 and 86:11.
GEOLOGY
MOUNTAINS ARE LIKE PEGS (STAKES)
 In Geology, the phenomenon of folding is a recently discovered
fact. Folding is responsible for the formation of mountain ranges. The earths
crust, on which we live, is like a solid shell, while the deeper layers are hot
and fluid, and thus inhospitable to any form of life. It is also known that the stability
of the mountains is linked to the phenomenon of folding, for it was the folds
that were to provide foundations for the relief that constitute the mountains. Geologists
tell us that the radius of the Earth is about 3,750 miles and the crust on which we
live is very thin, ranging between 1 to 30 miles. Since the crust is thin, it has a
high possibility of shaking. Mountains act like stakes or tent pegs that hold
the earths crust and give it stability. The Quraan contains exactly such a description
in the following verse:
Have We not made The
earth as a wide Expanse, And the mountains as pegs? [Al-Quraan 78:6-7]
The word awtad means stakes or pegs
(like those used to anchor a tent); they are the deep foundations of geological folds.
A book named Earth is considered as a basic reference textbook on geology in
many universities around the world. One of the authors of this book is Frank Press,
who was the President of the Academy of Sciences in the USA for 12 years and was
the Science Advisor to former US President Jimmy Carter. In this book he
illustrates the mountain in a wedge-shape and the mountain itself as a small part of
the whole, whose root is deeply entrenched in the ground. According to Dr. Press,
the mountains play an important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth.
(* Earth, Press and Siever, p. 435.
Also see Earth Science, Tarbuck and Lutgens, p. 157.)
The Quraan clearly mentions the
function of the mountains in preventing the earth from shaking:
And We have set on
the earth Mountains standing firm, Lest it should shake with them. [Al-Quraan
21:31]
The Quraanic descriptions are in perfect
agreement with modern geological data.
MOUNTAINS FIRMLY FIXED
The surface of the earth is broken into
many rigid plates that are about 100 km in thickness. These plates float on a
partially molten region called aesthenosphere. Mountain formations occur at the boundary
of the plates. The earths crust is 5 km thick below oceans, about 35 km thick
below flat continental surfaces and almost 80 km thick below great mountain ranges. These
are the strong foundations on which mountains stand. The Quraan also speaks about the strong
mountain foundations in the following verse:
And the mountains
Hath He firmly fixed. [Al-Quraan 79:32]
(*A similar message is contained in the
Qur'aan in 88:19, 31:10 and 16:15)
OCEANOLOGY
BARRIER BETWEEN SWEET AND SALT WATERS
Consider the following Quraanic verses:
 He
has let free the two bodies Of flowing water, Meeting together: Between them is a Barrier
Which they do not transgress. [Al-Quraan 55:19-20]
In the Arabic text the word barzakh
means a barrier or a partition. This barrier is not a physical partition. The
Arabic word maraja literally means they both meet and mix with each other. Early
commentators of the Quraan were unable to explain the two opposite meanings for the two
bodies of water, i.e. they meet and mix, and at the same time, there is a barrier
between them. Modern Science has discovered that in the places where two different seas
meet, there is a barrier between them. This barrier divides the two seas so
that each sea has its own temperature, salinity and density. Oceanologists
are now in a better position to explain this verse. There is a slanted unseen water
barrier between the two seas through which water from one sea passes to the other.
(Principles of Oceanography,
Davis, pp. 92-93.)
But when the water from one sea enters the
other sea, it loses its distinctive characteristic and becomes homogenized with the
other water. In a way this barrier serves as a transitional homogenizing area for
the two waters. This scientific phenomenon mentioned in the Quraan was also
confirmed by Dr. William Hay who is a well-known marine scientist and Professor
of Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado, U.S.A. The Quraan
mentions this phenomenon also in the following verse:
And made a
separating bar between the two bodies Of flowing water? [Al-Quraan 27:61]
This phenomenon occurs in several places,
including the divider between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean at Gibralter.
But when the Quraan speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it
mentions the existence of a forbidding partition with the barrier.
It is He Who has Let
free the two bodies Of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, And the other salty and
bitter; Yet has He Made a barrier between them, And a partition that is forbidden To be
passed. [Al-Quraan 25:53]
Modern science has discovered that in estuaries,
where fresh (sweet) and salt-water meet, the situation is somewhat different from that
found in places where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh
water from salt water in estuaries is a pycnocline zone with a marked density
discontinuity separating the two layers. This partition (zone of separation) has
salinity different from both the fresh water and the salt water.
This phenomenon occurs in several places,
including Egypt, where the river Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
(Oceanography, Gross, p. 242. Also see Introductory
Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301.)
(Oceanography, Gross, p. 244 and Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301. )
DARKNESS IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN
 Prof. Durga Rao is
an expert in the field of Marine Geology and was a professor at King Abdul Aziz University
in Jeddah. He was asked to comment on the following verse:
Or (the Unbelievers
state) Is like the depths of darkness In a vast deep ocean, Overwhelmed with billow Topped
by billow, Topped by (dark) clouds: Depths of darkness, one Above another: if a man
Stretches out his hand, He can hardly see it! For any to whom Allah Giveth not light,
there is no light! [Al-Quraan 24:40]
Prof. Rao said that scientists have only now
been able to confirm, with the help of modern equipment that there is darkness in the
depths of the ocean. Humans are unable to dive unaided underwater for more than 20 to
30 meters, and cannot survive in the deep oceanic regions at a depth of more than
200 meters. This verse does not refer to all seas because not every sea can be described
as having accumulated darkness layered one over another. It refers especially to a
deep sea or deep ocean, as the Quraan says, darkness in a vast deep ocean. This
layered darkness in a deep ocean is the result of two causes:
A light ray is composed of seven
colours. These seven colours are Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Red (VIBGYOR).
The light ray undergoes refraction when it hits water. The upper 10 to 15 metres of
water absorb the red colour. Therefore if a diver is 25 metres under water and gets
wounded, he would not be able to see the red colour of his blood, because the red colour
does not reach this depth. Similarly orange rays are absorbed at 30 to 50 metres, yellow
at 50 to 100 metres, green at 100 to 200 metres, and finally, blue beyond 200 metres and
violet and indigo above 200 metres. Due to successive disappearance of colour, one layer
after another, the ocean progressively becomes darker, i.e. darkness takes place
in layers of light. Below a depth of 1000 meters there is complete darkness.
(Oceans, Elder and Pernetta, p. 27. 1 2)
The suns rays are absorbed by clouds, which
in turn scatter light rays thus causing a layer of darkness under the clouds. This is the
first layer of darkness. When light rays reach the surface of the ocean they are reflected
by the wave surface giving it a shiny appearance. Therefore it is the waves which
reflect light and cause darkness. The un-reflected light penetrates into the depths
of the ocean. Therefore the ocean has two parts. The surface characterized by light
and warmth and the depth characterized by darkness. The surface is further
separated from the deep part of the ocean by waves. The internal waves cover the deep
waters of seas and oceans because the deep waters have a higher density than the waters
above them. The darkness begins below the internal waves. Even the fish in the depths of
the ocean cannot see; their only source of light is from their own bodies.
The Quraan rightly mentions: Darkness in a
vast deep ocean overwhelmed with waves topped by waves. In other words, above these
waves there are more types of waves, i.e. those found on the surface of the ocean. The
Quraanic verse continues, topped by (dark) clouds; depths of darkness, one above
another.
These clouds as explained are barriers one
over the other that further cause darkness by absorption of colours at different
levels.
Prof. Durga Rao concluded by saying, 1400
years ago a normal human being could not explain this phenomenon in so much detail. Thus
the information must have come from a supernatural source.
Biology
EVERY LIVING THING IS MADE OF WATER
Consider the following Quraanic verse:
 Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined
together (as one Unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every
living thing. Will they not then believe? [Al-Quraan 21:30]
Only after advances have been made in
science, do we now know that cytoplasm, the basic substance of the cell is made up
of 80% water. Modern research has also revealed that most organisms consist of
50% to 90% water and that every living entity requires water for its existence. Was it
possible 14 centuries ago for any human-being to guess that every living being was made of
water? Moreover would such a guess be conceivable by a human being in the deserts
of Arabia where there has always been scarcity of water?
The following verse refers to the creation
of animals from water:
And Allah has
created Every animal from water. [Al-Quraan 24:45]
The following verse refers to the
creation of human beings from water:
It is He Who has Created man from water:
Then has He established Relationships of lineage And marriage: for thy Lord Has power
(over all things). [Al-Quraan 25:54]
Botany
 PLANTS CREATED IN
PAIRS, MALE AND FEMALE
Previously humans did not know that plants
too have male and female gender distinctions. Botany states that every plant has a
male and female gender. Even the plants that are unisexual have distinct elements
of both male and female.
And has sent Down
water from the sky. With it have We produced Diverse pairs of plants Each separate from
the others. [Al-Quraan 20:53]
FRUITS CREATED IN PAIRS, MALE AND
FEMALE
And fruit Of every
kind He made In pairs, two and two. [Al-Quraan 13:3]
Fruit is the end product of reproduction of
the superior plants. The stage preceding fruit is the flower, which has male
and female organs (stamens and ovules). Once pollen has been carried to the
flower, they bear fruit, which in turn matures and frees its seed. All fruits therefore
imply the existence of male and female organs; a fact that is mentioned in the Quraan. In
certain species, fruit can come from non-fertilized flowers (parthenocarpic
fruit) e.g. bananas, certain types of pineapple, fig, orange, vine, etc. They also
have definite sexual characteristics.
EVERYTHING MADE IN PAIRS
And of everything We
have created pairs. [Al-Quraan 51:49]
This refers to things other than humans,
animals, plants and fruits. It may also be referring to a phenomenon like electricity in
which the atoms consist of negatively and positively charged electrons and protons.
Glory to Allah, Who
created In pairs all things that The earth produces, as well as Their own (human) kind And
(other) things of which They have no knowledge. [Al-Quraan 36:36]
The Quraan here says that everything is
created in pairs, including things that the humans do not know at present and may
discover later.
Zoology
ANIMALS AND BIRDS LIVE IN COMMUNITIES
 There is not an animal (That lives) on the earth, Nor a being that flies
On its wings, but (forms Part of) communities like you. [Al-Quraan 6:38]
Research has shown that animals and birds
live in communities, i.e. they organize, and live and work together.
THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS
Regarding the flight of birds the Quraan says:
Do they not look at
The birds, held poised In the midst of (the air And) the sky? Nothing Holds them up but
(the power Of) Allah. Verily in this Are Signs for those who believe.
[Al-Quraan 16:79]
A similar message is
repeated in the Quraan in the verse: Do they not observe The birds above them, Spreading
their wings And folding them in? None can uphold them Except (Allah) Most Gracious: Truly
it is He That watches over all things. [Al-Quraan 67:19]
The Arabic word amsaka literally
means, to put ones hand on, seize, hold, hold someone back, which expresses the
idea that Allah Almighty holds the bird up in His power. These verses stress the extremely
close dependence of the birds behaviour on Divine order. Modern scientific data has
shown the degree of perfection attained by certain species of birds with regard to the
programming of their movements. It is only the existence of a migratory programme
in the genetic code of the birds that can explain the long and complicated
journey that very young birds, without any prior experience and without any guide, are
able to accomplish. They are also able to return to the departure point on a definite
date.
Prof. Hamburger in his book Power
and Fragility gives the example of mutton-bird that lives in the Pacific with
its journey of over 15,000 miles in the shape of figure 8. It makes this journey
over a period of 6 months and comes back to its departure point with a maximum delay of
one week. The highly complicated instructions for such a journey have to be contained in
the birds nervous cells. They are definitely programmed. Should we not reflect on the
identity of this Programmer?
THE BEE
 And thy Lord taught the Bee To build its cells in hills, On trees, and in
(mens) habitations; Then to eat of all The produce (of the earth), And find with skill the
spacious Paths of its Lord. [Al-Quraan 16:68-69]
Von-Frisch received the Nobel Prize
in 1973 for his research on the Behaviour and communication of the bees. The bee,
after discovering any new garden or flower, goes back and tells its fellow bees the
exact direction and map to get there, which is known as bee dance. The meanings of
this insects movements that are intended to transmit information between worker
bees have been discovered scientifically using photography and other methods. The Quraan
mentions in the above verse how the bee finds with skill the spacious paths of its Lord.
The worker bee or the soldier bee is a
female bee. In Soorah Al-Nahl chapter no. 16, verses 68 and 69 the gender used for
the bee is the female gender (fasluk and kul), indicating that the bee that leaves
its home for gathering food is a female bee. In other words the soldier or worker bee is a
female bee. In fact, in Shakespeares play, Henry the Fourth, some of the
characters speak about bees and mention that the bees are soldiers and that they
have a king. That is what people thought in Shakespearean times. They thought that the worker
bees are male bees and they go home and are answerable to a king bee. This, however,
is not true. The worker bees are females and they do not report to a king bee but to a
queen bee. But it took modern investigations in the last 300 years to discover this.
 SPIDERS WEB / HOME IS FRAGILE
The Quraan mentions in Soorah Al-Ankabt,
The parable of those who Take protectors
other than Allah Almighty Is that of the Spider, Who builds (to itself) A house; but truly
The flimsiest of houses Is the Spiders house If they but knew. [Al-Quraan 29:41]
Besides giving the physical description of
the spiders web as being very flimsy, delicate and weak, the Quraan also stresses
on the flimsiness of the relationship in the spiders house, where the female spider
many a times kills its mate, the male spider.
LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNICATION OF ANTS
Consider the following Quraanic verse:
And before Solomon
were marshaled His hosts of Jinns and men And birds, and they were all Kept in order and
ranks. At length, when they came To a (lowly) valley of ants, One of the ants said: O ye
ants, get into Your habitations, lest Solomon And his hosts crush you (Under foot) without
knowing it. [Al-Quraan 27:17-18]
In the past, some people would have probably mocked
at the Quraan, taking it to be a fairy tale book in which ants talk to each
other and communicate sophisticated messages. In recent times, research has shown us
several facts about the lifestyle of ants, which were not known earlier to
humankind. Research has shown that the animals or insects whose lifestyle is closest in
resemblance to the lifestyle of human beings are the ants. This can be seen from the
following findings regarding ants:
The ants bury their
dead in a manner similar to the humans.
They have a
sophisticated system of division of labour, whereby they have managers, supervisors,
foremen, workers, etc.
Once in a while they
meet among themselves to have a chat.
They have an
advanced method of communication among themselves.
They hold regular markets
wherein they exchange goods.
They store grains
for long periods in winter and if the grain begins to bud, they cut the roots, as if
they understand that if they leave it to grow, it will rot. If the grains stored by them
get wet due to rains, they take these grains out into the sunlight to dry, and once these
are dry, they take them back inside as though they know that humidity will cause
development of root systems and thereafter rotting of the grain.
Medicine
HONEY
HAS HEALING PROPERTIES
The bee assimilates juices of various
kinds of flowers and fruit and forms within its body the honey, which it stores in
its cells of wax. Only a couple of centuries ago man came to know that honey comes from
the belly of the bee. This fact was mentioned in the Quraan 1,400 years ago in the
following verse:
There issues From
within their bodies A drink of varying colours, Wherein is healing for men.
[Al-Quraan 16:69]
We are now aware that honey has a healing
property and also a mild antiseptic property. The Russians used honey to
cover their wounds in World War II. The wound would retain moisture and would leave
very little scar tissue. Due to the density of honey, no fungus or bacteria would grow in
the wound. A person suffering from an allergy of a particular plant may be given
honey from that plant so that the person develops resistance to that allergy. Honey is
rich in fructose and vitamin K. Thus the knowledge contained in the Quraan
regarding honey, its origin and properties, was far ahead of the time it was revealed.
Physiology
BLOOD CIRCULATION AND THE PRODUCTION OF
MILK
The Quraan was revealed 600 years before the Muslim
scientist Ibn Nafees described the circulation of the blood and 1,000 years before William
Harwey brought this understanding to the Western world. Roughly thirteen
centuries before it was known what happens in the intestines to ensure that organs
are nourished by the process of digestive absorption, a verse in the Quraan
described the source of the constituents of milk, in conformity with these notions.
To understand the Quraanic verse concerning
the above concepts, it is important to know that chemical reactions occur in the intestines
and that, from there, substances extracted from food pass into the blood stream
via a complex system; sometimes by way of the liver, depending on their chemical
nature. The blood transports them to all the organs of the body, among which are
the milk-producing mammary glands.
In simple terms, certain substances
from the contents of the intestines enter into the vessels of the intestinal wall itself,
and these substances are transported by the blood stream to the various organs.
This concept must be fully appreciated if we
wish to understand the following verse in the Quraan:
And verily in cattle
there is A lesson for you. We give you to drink Of what is inside their bodies, Coming
from a conjunction Between the contents of the Intestine and the blood, A milk pure and
pleasant for Those who drink it. [Al-Quraan 16:66]
And in cattle (too)
ye Have an instructive example: From within their bodies We produce (milk) for you To
drink; there are, in them, (Besides), numerous (other) Benefits for you; And of their
(meat) ye eat. [Al-Quraan 23:21]
(Translation of this Qur'aanic
verse is from the book The Bible, the Quran and Science by Dr. Maurice Bucaille.)
The Quraanic description of the production of
milk in cattle is strikingly similar to what modern physiology has discovered.
Embryology
MAN IS CREATED FROM ALAQ : A LEECH-LIKE
SUBSTANCE
 A few years
ago a group of Arabs collected all information concerning embryology from the
Quraan, and followed the instruction of the Quraan:
If ye realise this
not, ask Of those who possess the Message. [Al-Quraan 16:43 & 21:7]
All the information from the Quraan so
gathered, was translated into English and presented to Prof. (Dr.) Keith Moore, who
was the Professor of Embryology and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at the University
of Toronto, in Canada. At present he is one of the highest authorities in the field of
Embryology. He was asked to give his opinion regarding the information present in the
Quraan concerning the field of embryology. After carefully examining the translation of
the Quraanic verses presented to him, Dr. Moore said that most of the information
concerning embryology mentioned in the Quraan is in perfect conformity with modern
discoveries in the field of embryology and does not conflict with them in any way. He
added that there were however a few verses, on whose scientific accuracy he could not
comment. He could not say whether the statements were true or false, since he
himself was not aware of the information contained therein. There was also no
mention of this information in modern writings and studies on embryology. One such
verse is:
Proclaim! (or Read!)
In the name Of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created Created man, out of A (mere) clot Of
congealed blood. [Al-Quraan 96:1-2]
The word alaq besides meaning a
congealed clot of blood also means something that clings, a leech-like substance. Dr.
Keith Moore had no knowledge whether an embryo in the initial stages appears like a
leech. To check this out he studied the initial stage of the embryo under a very
powerful microscope in his laboratory and compared what he observed with a diagram of
a leech and he was astonished at the striking resemblance between the two!
In the same manner, he acquired more
information on embryology that was hitherto not known to him, from the Quraan. Dr. Keith
Moore answered about eighty questions dealing with embryological data
mentioned in the Quraan and Hadith. Noting that the information contained in the Quraan
and Hadith was in full agreement with the latest discoveries in the field of embryology,
Prof. Moore said, If I was asked these questions thirty years ago, I would not have
been able to answer half of them for lack of scientific information
Dr. Keith Moore had earlier authored the
book, The Developing Human. After acquiring new knowledge from the Quraan, he
wrote, in 1982, the 3rd edition of the same book, The Developing Human. The book was the
recipient of an award for the best medical book written by a single author. This
book has been translated into several major languages of the world and is used as a
textbook of embryology in the first year of medical studies. In 1981, during the Seventh
Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Dr. Moore said, It has been a great
pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quraan about human development. It is
clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad peace be upon him from God or
Allah Almighty, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many
centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad peace be upon him must have been a
messenger of God or Allah Almighty. 12
Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson, Chairman of the
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the Baylor College of Medicine,
Houston, U.S.A., proclaims: ...these Hadiths, sayings of Muhammad (peace be upon him)
could not have been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available
at the time of the writer (7 th century). It follows that not only is there no conflict
between genetics and religion (Islam) but in fact religion (Islam) may guide science by
adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches there exist statements
in the Quraan shown centuries later to be valid which support knowledge in the Quraan
having been derived from God.
(The reference for this
statement is the video tape titled This is the Truth. For a copy of this video tape
contact the Islamic Research Foundation.)
MAN CREATED FROM A DROP EMITTED FROM
BETWEEN THE BACK BONE AND THE RIBS
Now let man but
think From what he is created! He is created from A drop emitted Proceeding from between
The back bone and the ribs. [Al-Quraan 86:5-7]
In embryonic stages, the reproductive
organs of the male and female, i.e. the testicles and the ovaries, begin their
development near the kidney between the spinal column and the eleventh and twelfth ribs.
Later they descend; the female gonads (ovaries) stop in the pelvis while the male
gonads (testicles) continue their descent before birth to reach the scrotum through the
inguinal canal. Even in the adult after the descent of the reproductive organ, these
organs receive their nerve supply and blood supply from the Abdominal Aorta, which is
in the area between the backbone (spinal column) and the ribs. Even the lymphatic
drainage and the venous return goes to the same area.
HUMAN BEINGS CREATED FROM NUTFAH
(Minute Quantity of Liquid)
The Glorious Quraan mentions no less
than eleven times that the human being is created from nutfah, which means a minute
quantity of liquid or a trickle of liquid which remains after emptying a cup. This is
mentioned in several verses of the Quraan including 22:5 and 23:13. 13 Science has
confirmed in recent times that only one out of an average of three million sperms
is required for fertilising the ovum. This means that only a 1/three millionth part or
0.00003% of the quantity of sperms that are emitted is required for fertilisation.
(The same is also mentioned in
the Qur'aan in 16:4, 18:37, 35:11, 36:77, 40:67, 53:46, 75:37, 76:2 and 80:19.)
HUMAN BEINGS CREATED FROM SULALAH
(Quintessence of liquid)
And made his progeny
From a quintessence Of the nature of A fluid despised. [Al-Quraan 32:8]
The Arabic word sullah means quintessence
or the best part of a whole. We have come to know now that only one single spermatozoon
that penetrates the ovum is required for fertilization, out of the several millions
produced by man. That one spermatozoon out of several millions, is referred to in the
Quraan as sullah. Sullah also means gentle extraction from a fluid. The fluid
refers to both male and female germinal fluids containing gametes. Both ovum and
sperm are gently extracted from their environments in the process of fertilization.
MAN CREATED FROM NUTFATUN AMSHAAJ
(Mingled liquids)
Consider the following Quraanic verse:
Verily We created Man from a drop Of mingled sperm.
[Al-Quraan 76:2]
The Arabic word nutfatin amshaajin
means mingled liquids. According to some commentators of the Quraan, mingled liquids
refers to the male or female agents or liquids. After mixture of male and female
gamete, the zygote still remains nutfah. Mingled liquids can also refer to
spermatic fluid that is formed of various secretions that come from various glands.
Therefore nutfatin amsaj, i.e. a minute quantity of mingled fluids refers to the
male and female gametes (germinal fluids or cells) and part of the surrounding fluids.
SEX DETERMINATION
The sex of a fetus is determined by
the nature of the sperm and not the ovum. The sex of the child, whether female or male,
depends on whether the 23rd pair of chromosomes is XX or XY respectively. Primarily
sex determination occurs at fertilization and depends upon the type of sex chromosome
in the sperm that fertilizes an ovum. If it is an X bearing sperm that fertilizes
the ovum, the fetus is a female and if it is a Y bearing sperm then the fetus is a male.
That He did create
In pairs male and female, From a seed when lodged (In its place). [Al-Quraan
53:45-46]
The Arabic word nutfah means a minute
quantity of liquid and tumn means ejaculated or planted. Therefore nutfah
specifically refers to sperm because it is ejaculated. The Quraan says:
Was he not a drop of
sperm emitted (In lowly form)? Then did he become A clinging clot; Then did (Allah
Almighty) make And fashion (him) In due proportion. And of him He made Two sexes, male And
female. [Al-Quraan 75:37-39]
Here again it is mentioned that a small
quantity (drop) of sperm (indicated by the word nutfatan min maniyyin) which comes
from the man is responsible for the sex of the fetus.
Mothers-in-law in the Indian subcontinent,
by and large prefer having male grandchildren and often blame their daughters-in-law if
the child is not of the desired sex. If only they knew that the determining factor is the nature
of the male sperm and not the female ovum! If they were to blame anybody, they should
blame their sons and not their daughters-in-law since both the Quraan and Science
hold that it is the male fluid that is responsible for the sex of the child!
FOETUS PROTECTED BY THREE VEILS OF
DARKNESS
He makes you, In the
wombs of your mothers, In stages, one after another, In three veils of darkness.
[Al-Quraan 39:6]
According to Prof. Keith Moore these three
veils of darkness in the Quraan refer to:
anterior abdominal wall of the
mother
the uterine wall
the amnio-chorionic membrane.
EMBRYONIC STAGES
Man We did create
From a quintessence (of clay); Then We placed him As (a drop of) sperm In a place of rest,
firmly fixed; Then We made the sperm Into a clot of congealed blood; Then of that clot We
made A (foetus) lump; then We Made out of that lump Bones and clothed the bones With
flesh; then We developed Out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah Almighty, The
Best to create! [Al-Quraan 23:12-14]
In this verse Allah Almighty states
that man is created from a small quantity of liquid which is placed in a place of
rest, firmly fixed (well established or lodged) for which the Arabic word qarrin makn
is used.
The uterus is well protected from the posterior
by the spinal column supported firmly by the back muscles. The embryo is
further protected by the amniotic sac containing the amniotic fluid. Thus
the foetus has a well protected dwelling place.  This small quantity of fluid is made into alaqah, meaning something which
clings. It also means a leech-like substance. Both descriptions are scientifically
acceptable as in the very early stages the foetus clings to the wall and also appears to
resemble the leech in shape. It also behaves like a leech (blood sucker) and
acquires its blood supply from the mother through the placenta. The third meaning of the word
alaqah is a blood clot. During this alaqah stage, which spans the third and
fourth week of pregnancy, the blood clots within closed vessels. Hence the embryo acquires
the appearance of a blood clot in addition to acquiring the appearance of a leech. In
1677, Hamm and Leeuwenhoek were the first scientists to observe human sperm cells
(spermatozoa) using a microscope. They thought that a sperm cell contained a miniature
human being which grew in the uterus to form a newborn.  This was known as the perforation theory. When scientists discovered
that the ovum was bigger than the sperm, it was thought by De Graf and others that
the foetus existed in a miniature form in the ovum. Later, in the 18th century
Maupertuis propagated the theory of biparental inheritance. The alaqah is
transformed into mudghah which means something that is chewed (having teeth marks)
and also something that is tacky and small which can be put in the mouth like gum. Both
these explanations are scientifically correct. Prof. Keith Moore took a piece of
plaster seal and made it into the size and shape of the early stage of foetus and chewed
it between the teeth to make it into a Mudgha. He compared this with the photographs of
the early stage of foetus. The teeth marks resembled the somites which is the early
formation of the spinal column.
This mudghah is transformed into bones (izm).
The bones are clothed with intact flesh or muscles (lahm). Then Allah Almighty makes it
into another creature. Prof. Marshall Johnson is one of the leading scientists in
US, and is the head of the Department of Anatomy and Director of the Daniel Institute
at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in US. He was asked to comment on
the verses of the Quraan dealing with embryology. He said that the verses of the Quraan
describing the embryological stages cannot be a coincidence. He said it was probable that Muhammad
(peace be upon him) had a powerful microscope. On being reminded that the Quraan was
revealed 1400 years ago, and microscopes were invented centuries after the time of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him), Prof. Johnson laughed and admitted that the first
microscope invented could not magnify more than 10 times and could not show a
clear picture. Later he said: I see nothing here in conflict with the concept that
Divine intervention was involved when Muhammad (peace be upon him) recited the Quraan.
According to Dr. Keith Moore, the
modern classification of embryonic development stages which is adopted throughout
the world, is not easily comprehensible, since it identifies stages on a numerical basis
i.e. stage I, stage II, etc. The divisions revealed in the Quraan are based on
distinct and easily identifiable forms or shapes, which the embryo passes through. These
are based on different phases of prenatal development and provide elegant scientific
descriptions that are comprehensible and practical. Similar embryological stages of human
development have been described in the following verses:
Was he not a drop Of
sperm emitted (In lowly form)? Then did he become a clinging clot; Then did (Allah
Almighty) make and fashion (him) In due proportion. And of him He made Two sexes, male and
female. [Al-Quraan 75:37-39]
Him Who created
thee, fashioned thee in due proportion, And gave thee a just bias; In whatever Form He
wills, Does He put thee together. [Al-Quraan 82:7-8]
EMBRYO PARTLY FORMED AND PARTLY
UNFORMED
At the mugdhah stage, if an incision is
made in the embryo and the internal organ is dissected, it will be seen that most
of them are formed while the others are not yet completely formed.
According to Prof. Johnson, if we
describe the embryo as a complete creation, then we are only describing that part
which is already created. If we describe it as an incomplete creation, then we are only
describing that part which is not yet created. So, is it a complete creation or an
incomplete creation? There is no better description of this stage of embryo genesis
than the Quraanic description, partly formed and partly unformed, as in the
following verse:
We created you Out
of dust, then out of Sperm, then out of a leech-like Clot, then out of a morsel Of flesh,
partly formed And partly unformed. [Al-Quraan 22:5]
Scientifically we know that at this early
stage of development there are some cells which are differentiated and there are some
cells that are undifferentiated some organs are formed and yet others unformed.
SENSE OF HEARING AND SIGHT
The first sense to develop in a developing human embryo is hearing. The foetus can
hear sounds after the 24th week. Subsequently, the sense of sight is developed and by the
28th week, the retina becomes sensitive to light. Consider the following Quraanic
verses related to the development of the senses in the embryo:
And He gave You (the
faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (And understanding). [Al-Quraan
32:9]
Verily We created
Man from a drop Of mingled sperm, In order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), Of
Hearing and Sight. [Al-Quraan 76:2]
It is He Who has
created For you (the faculties of) Hearing, sight, feeling And understanding: little
thanks It is ye give! [Al-Quraan 23:78]
In all these verses the sense of hearing is
mentioned before that of sight. Thus the Quraanic description matches with the
discoveries in modern embryology.
GENERAL SCIENCE
FINGERPRINTS
Does man think that
We Cannot assemble his bones? Nay, We are able to put Together in perfect order The very
tips of his fingers. [Al-Quraan 75:3-4]
Unbelievers argue regarding resurrection
taking place after bones of dead people have disintegrated in the earth and how each
individual would be identified on the Day of Judgment. Almighty Allah answers that
He can not only assemble our bones but can also reconstruct perfectly our very
fingertips.
Why does the Quraan, while speaking about
determination of the identity of the individual, speak specifically about fingertips?
In 1880, fingerprinting became the scientific method of identification, after
research done by Sir Francis Golt. No two persons in the world can ever have
exactly the same fingerprint pattern. That is the reason why police forces
worldwide use fingerprints to identify the criminal. 1400 years ago, who could have
known the uniqueness of each humans fingerprint? Surely it could have been none other than
the Creator Himself!
PAIN RECEPTORS PRESENT IN THE SKIN
It was thought that the sense of feeling
and pain was only dependent on the brain. Recent discoveries prove that there are pain
receptors present in the skin without which a person would not be able to feel pain.
When a doctor examines a patient suffering from burn injuries, he verifies the degree
of burns by a pinprick. If the patient feels pain, the doctor is happy, because
it indicates that the burns are superficial and the pain receptors are intact. On the
other hand if the patient does not feel any pain, it indicates that it is a deep burn and
the pain receptors have been destroyed. The Quraan gives an indication of the existence of
pain receptors in the following verse:
Those who reject Our
signs, We shall soon Cast into the Fire; As often as their skins Are roasted
through, We shall change them For fresh skins, That they may taste The Penalty: for Allah
Is Exalted in Power, Wise. [Al-Quraan 4:56]
Prof. Tagatat Tejasen, Chairman of the
Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, has spent a great amount of
time on research of pain receptors. Initially he could not believe that the Quraan
mentioned this scientific fact 1,400 years ago. He later verified the translation of this
particular Quraanic verse. Prof. Tejasen was so impressed by the scientific accuracy
of the Quraanic verse, that at the 8th Saudi Medical Conference held in Riyadh on the
Scientific Signs of Quraan and Sunnah he proclaimed in public: There is no God but
Allah Almighty and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger.
CONCLUSION
To attribute the presence of scientific facts in the Quraan to coincidence would be
against common sense and a true scientific approach. The Quraan invites all humans to
reflect on the Creation of this universe in the verse:
Behold! In the
creation Of the heavens and the earth, And the alternation Of Night and Day There are
indeed Signs For men of understanding. [Al-Quraan 3:190]
The scientific evidences of the Quraan
clearly prove its Divine Origin. No human could have produced a book, fourteen hundred
years ago, that would contain profound scientific facts, to be discovered by humankind
centuries later. The Quraan, however, is not a book of Science but a book of Signs.
These signs invite Man to realize the purpose of his existence on earth, and to
live in harmony with Nature. The Quraan is truly a message from Allah Almighty, the Creator
and Sustainer of the universe. It contains the same message of the Oneness of God,
that was preached by all prophets, right from Adam, Moses, Jesus to Muhammad (peace
be upon them).
Several detailed tomes have been written
on the subject of Quraan and modern science and further research in this field is on.
Inshallah, this research will help mankind to come closer to the Word of the Almighty.
This booklet contains only a few of the scientific facts present in the Quraan. I cannot
claim to have done full justice to the subject. Prof.Tejasen accepted Islam on the
strength of just one scientific sign mentioned in the Quran. Some people may require ten
signs while some may require hundred signs to be convinced about the Divine Origin of
the Quraan. Some would be unwilling to accept the Truth even after being shown a
thousand signs. The Quraan condemns such a closed mentality in the verse:
Deaf, dumb and
blind, They will not return (To the path). [Al-Quraan 2:18]
The Quraan contains a complete code of
life for the individual and society. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), the Quraanic
way of life is far superior to the isms that modern man has invented out of
sheer ignorance. Who can give better guidance than the Creator Himself?
I pray that this humble effort is
accepted by Allah Almighty, to whom I pray for mercy and guidance (Aameen).
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