The Holy Qur’an and Science I
Science and modern inventions have come to agree with what has been revealed in the Holy Qur’an several hundreds of years ago. A good example is the embryonic development. The Holy Qur’an states:
“We created man from extract of clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspending thing, and blood clot) then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chew-like substance) ...”
(Qur’an 23:12-14)
Modern scientists agreed that alaqah mentioned in the Holy Qur’an accurately described the embryo stage. Similarly, the scientists agreed with the description of the mudghah stage of the child development. Questions came up again as to how could Muhammad S.A.W who was never a scientist know these over hundreds of years ago?
The use of advanced equipments and powerful microscopes to confirm that indeed the embryo and its sac during the alaqah stage is similar to a blood clot, and that the mudghah stage acquires the appearance of a chewed-liked substance and testimony to the scientific knowledge of the Holy Qur’an.
According to Ibrahim, as far as it is known in the history of embryology, little was known about the staging and classification of human embryos until the twentieth century. For this reason, the description of the human embryo in the Holy Qur’an cannot be based on scientific knowledge in the seventh century. The only reasonable conclusion is that these descriptions were revealed to Muhammad S.A.W from ALLAH S.W.T. He could not have known such details because he was an unlettered man with absolutely no scientific training.
The Holy Qur’an and Science II
Modern scientists have just discovered that mountains have underlying roots. These roots are deeply embedded in the ground, thus mountains have a shape like a peg. The Holy Qur’an many hundreds of years ago has described this when it says:
“Have We not made the earth as a bed, and the mountains as pegs?”
(Qur’an 78:6-7)
According to the modern scientists, these roots can reach several times their elevations above the surface of the ground. So the most suitable word to describe mountains on the basis of this information is word ‘peg’ since a properly set peg is hidden under the surface of the ground. The history of science tells us that the theory of mountains having deep roots was introduced only in the later half of the nineteenth century.
Mountains play an important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth. They prevent the shaking of the earth. According to Geologists; the whole earth would have been unstable if not for the mountains that dotted it. The Holy Qur’an further reveals:
“And He has set firm mountains in the earth so that it would not shake with you …”
(Qur’an 16:15).
The question is this –
could anyone during the time of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W have known of the true shape of the mountains?
Could anyone imagine that the solid massive mountain which he sees before him actually extends deep into the earth and has a root?
The same exposition which Holy Qur’an gave on the role of mountains was also given on the origin of the entire universe. The Holy Qur’an, many years ago, revealed that the illuminating stars we see at night were, just as was the whole universe, in that ‘smoke’ material. It states:
“Then He turned to the heaven when it was smoke.”
(Qur’an 41:11)
Because the earth and the phenomena around us such as the sun, the moon, stars, planets e.t.c have been formed from this same ‘smoke’, we can conclude that the earth and the heavens were one connected entity. They, by the power of the Almighty, were formed and then separated from each other. Holy Qur’an says:
“Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were one connected entity, then We separated them?”
(Qur’an 21:30)
The Holy Qur’an and Science III
Still on science, the Holy Qur’an mentioned that there is a barrier between two seas that meet and that they do not transgress.
“He has set forth the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier between them. They do not transgress.”
(Qur’an 55:19-20)
Modern scientists have 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 won temperature as well as density. For example, the Mediterranean Sea water is warm saline and less dense compared to the Atlantic Ocean water.
When the Mediterranean Sea water meets enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar still, moves several hundreds of kilometres into the Atlantic water at a depth of about 1,000 meters with its won warm, saline and less dense, the Mediterranean water stabilizes at this depth. Although there are large waves, strong currents and tides in these seas, they do not mix or transgress this barrier.
When the Holy Qur’an speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of a “forbidding partition” with the barrier thus:
“He is the one who has set free two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition.” (Qur’an 25:53)
We may ask this question;
why did the Holy Qur’an mention the partition when speaking about the divider between fresh and salt water, but did not mention it when speaking about the divider between the two seas?
Modern scientists explain that where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, the situation is somewhat different from what is found in places where two seas meets. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water is a kind of ‘zone’ which has a different salinity from the fresh water and the salt water.
This has just been discovered only recently, using advanced equipment to measure temperature, salinity, density, oxygen etc. The human eye cannot see the difference between the two seas that meet, rather the two seas appear to us as one homogenous sea. Similarly, the human eye cannot see the division of water in a place called estuaries into three kinds – Fresh Water, Salt Water and the Partition. The Holy Qur’an mentioned these many hundred years ago while the scientists only discovered them recently.
“It is He Who has Let the two bodies Of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, And the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, a partition that is not to be passed.”
(Q.25:53)
“He has let free the two seas meeting together: Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress.”
(Q55:19-20)
Qur’an further describes deep sea thus:
“Or (the unbelievers’ state) is like the darkness in a deep sea. It is covered by waves, above which are waves, above which are clouds. Darkness, one above another. If a man stretches out his hand he cannot see it.”
(Q24:40)
The above verse mentions the darkness found in deep seas and ocean, where if man stretches out his hand, he cannot see it. The darkness in deep seas and oceans is found around a depth of 200 meters and below. At this depth, there is no light and human beings cannot dire more than 40 meters without the aid of submarines or special equipment. All these Qur’anic expositions are no doubt beyond the comprehension of Muhammad, which further confirms that the message is divine.
Science and modern inventions have come to agree with what has been revealed in the Holy Qur’an several hundreds of years ago. A good example is the embryonic development. The Holy Qur’an states:
“We created man from extract of clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspending thing, and blood clot) then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chew-like substance) ...”
(Qur’an 23:12-14)
Modern scientists agreed that alaqah mentioned in the Holy Qur’an accurately described the embryo stage. Similarly, the scientists agreed with the description of the mudghah stage of the child development. Questions came up again as to how could Muhammad S.A.W who was never a scientist know these over hundreds of years ago?
The use of advanced equipments and powerful microscopes to confirm that indeed the embryo and its sac during the alaqah stage is similar to a blood clot, and that the mudghah stage acquires the appearance of a chewed-liked substance and testimony to the scientific knowledge of the Holy Qur’an.
According to Ibrahim, as far as it is known in the history of embryology, little was known about the staging and classification of human embryos until the twentieth century. For this reason, the description of the human embryo in the Holy Qur’an cannot be based on scientific knowledge in the seventh century. The only reasonable conclusion is that these descriptions were revealed to Muhammad S.A.W from ALLAH S.W.T. He could not have known such details because he was an unlettered man with absolutely no scientific training.
The Holy Qur’an and Science II
Modern scientists have just discovered that mountains have underlying roots. These roots are deeply embedded in the ground, thus mountains have a shape like a peg. The Holy Qur’an many hundreds of years ago has described this when it says:
“Have We not made the earth as a bed, and the mountains as pegs?”
(Qur’an 78:6-7)
According to the modern scientists, these roots can reach several times their elevations above the surface of the ground. So the most suitable word to describe mountains on the basis of this information is word ‘peg’ since a properly set peg is hidden under the surface of the ground. The history of science tells us that the theory of mountains having deep roots was introduced only in the later half of the nineteenth century.
Mountains play an important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth. They prevent the shaking of the earth. According to Geologists; the whole earth would have been unstable if not for the mountains that dotted it. The Holy Qur’an further reveals:
“And He has set firm mountains in the earth so that it would not shake with you …”
(Qur’an 16:15).
The question is this –
could anyone during the time of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W have known of the true shape of the mountains?
Could anyone imagine that the solid massive mountain which he sees before him actually extends deep into the earth and has a root?
The same exposition which Holy Qur’an gave on the role of mountains was also given on the origin of the entire universe. The Holy Qur’an, many years ago, revealed that the illuminating stars we see at night were, just as was the whole universe, in that ‘smoke’ material. It states:
“Then He turned to the heaven when it was smoke.”
(Qur’an 41:11)
Because the earth and the phenomena around us such as the sun, the moon, stars, planets e.t.c have been formed from this same ‘smoke’, we can conclude that the earth and the heavens were one connected entity. They, by the power of the Almighty, were formed and then separated from each other. Holy Qur’an says:
“Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were one connected entity, then We separated them?”
(Qur’an 21:30)
The Holy Qur’an and Science III
Still on science, the Holy Qur’an mentioned that there is a barrier between two seas that meet and that they do not transgress.
“He has set forth the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier between them. They do not transgress.”
(Qur’an 55:19-20)
Modern scientists have 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 won temperature as well as density. For example, the Mediterranean Sea water is warm saline and less dense compared to the Atlantic Ocean water.
When the Mediterranean Sea water meets enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar still, moves several hundreds of kilometres into the Atlantic water at a depth of about 1,000 meters with its won warm, saline and less dense, the Mediterranean water stabilizes at this depth. Although there are large waves, strong currents and tides in these seas, they do not mix or transgress this barrier.
When the Holy Qur’an speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of a “forbidding partition” with the barrier thus:
“He is the one who has set free two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition.” (Qur’an 25:53)
We may ask this question;
why did the Holy Qur’an mention the partition when speaking about the divider between fresh and salt water, but did not mention it when speaking about the divider between the two seas?
Modern scientists explain that where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, the situation is somewhat different from what is found in places where two seas meets. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water is a kind of ‘zone’ which has a different salinity from the fresh water and the salt water.
This has just been discovered only recently, using advanced equipment to measure temperature, salinity, density, oxygen etc. The human eye cannot see the difference between the two seas that meet, rather the two seas appear to us as one homogenous sea. Similarly, the human eye cannot see the division of water in a place called estuaries into three kinds – Fresh Water, Salt Water and the Partition. The Holy Qur’an mentioned these many hundred years ago while the scientists only discovered them recently.
“It is He Who has Let the two bodies Of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, And the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, a partition that is not to be passed.”
(Q.25:53)
“He has let free the two seas meeting together: Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress.”
(Q55:19-20)
Qur’an further describes deep sea thus:
“Or (the unbelievers’ state) is like the darkness in a deep sea. It is covered by waves, above which are waves, above which are clouds. Darkness, one above another. If a man stretches out his hand he cannot see it.”
(Q24:40)
The above verse mentions the darkness found in deep seas and ocean, where if man stretches out his hand, he cannot see it. The darkness in deep seas and oceans is found around a depth of 200 meters and below. At this depth, there is no light and human beings cannot dire more than 40 meters without the aid of submarines or special equipment. All these Qur’anic expositions are no doubt beyond the comprehension of Muhammad, which further confirms that the message is divine.