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The Qur'an, Knowledge, and Science
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
By A. Abd-Allah
Note: All translations of the Qur'an in this article are based on several
translators including Yusuf Ali, Marmaduke Pickthal, T. B. Irving, and
N. J. Dawood. However, there are some differences which the author felt
made the English closer to the Arabic. The author is indebted to Dr. M. Zerroug for
reviewing this article.
The Description of Knowledge in the Qur'an and by the Prophet (saaws)
There are plenty of references to knowledge and the pursuit of knowledge
in the Qur'an. The general feeling they leave the reader with is that
the possessor of knowledge or wisdom has been given a very powerful
gift, and that the pursuit of knowledge is something which should be
done actively by everyone. Here are a few verses on the subject:
[96:1-5]
Read! In the name of your Lord who created -
Created the human from something which clings.
Read! And your Lord is Most Bountiful -
He who taught (the use of) the Pen,
Taught the human that which he knew not.
These five verses make up the first passage revealed from the Qur'an to
mankind through the Prophet Muhammad (saas). It is interesting that of all the
things which Allah chose to begin His revelation with is related to the
actions of reading and writing, especially the latter. The ability to
write and store information is described by Professor Carl Sagan in his
book COSMOS: "Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions,
binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one
another. Books break the shackles of time, proof that humans can work
magic." [21]
[2:269]
He [Allah] grants wisdom to whom He pleases; and
he to whom wisdom is granted indeed receives a
benefit overflowing. But none will grasp the
Message except men of understanding.
[20:114]
High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth.
Do not be in haste with the Qur'an before its
revelation to you is completed, but say, "O my
Sustainer! Increase my knowledge."
[3:190-191]
Verily in the creation of the heavens and the
earth, and the alternation of night and day -
there are indeed signs for men of understanding;
Men who remember Allah, standing, sitting, and
lying down on their sides, and contemplate the
creation of the heavens and the earth (with the
thought) "Our Lord! Not for nothing have You
created (all) this. Glory to You! Give us
salvation from the suffering of the Fire."
These verses are a clear demonstration that 'science' and 'religion' were
NOT meant to be fundamentally incompatible with each other by Allah. In
fact, verses [3:190-191] strongly imply that "contemplating" the world
around us is an integral part of faith.
[29:20]
Say: Travel through the earth and see how Allah
originated creation; so will Allah produce the
second creation (of the Afterlife): for Allah
has power over all things.
There are also references in the Qur'an describing the value (in the
sight of Allah) of a knowledgeable person as opposed to an ignorant
person. They are not equal:
[39:9]
...Say: Are those equal, those who know and
those who do not know? It is those who are
endued with understanding that remember (Allah's
Message).
[58:11]
...Allah will raise up to (suitable) ranks (and
degrees) those of you who believe and who have
been granted knowledge.
The first source of Islam is the Qur'an - and we have seen some verses
above on the subject of knowledge. The second source is the life of
Prophet Muhammad (saas). Here are a few of the Prophet's sayings on the
subject of knowledge:
"Upon a person whom Allah desires good, He
bestows the knowledge of faith." - from the
hadith collections of Bukhari and Muslim
"A person who follows a path for acquiring
knowledge, Allah will make easy the passage to
Paradise for him." - from the collection of
Muslim
"A Muslim is never satiated in his quest for
good (knowledge) till it ends in Paradise." -
from the collection of Tirmidhi
The Relationship Between the Qur'an and Modern Science
Modern scientific theory today finds itself quite close to the Qur'an.
There are at least two reasons behind this observation. The first is the lack
of inconsistencies between the Qur'an and observable natural phenomena.
Science has not been able to produce theories or experiments that fundamentally
contradict the Qur'an. Had our science done so, either our understanding of
the Qur'an or of the world would have been to blame: the Qur'an itself is
true for all times. The second reason for the remarkable harmony between
the Qur'an and science is the presence in the Qur'an itself of very clear and positive encouragement to contemplate and investigate the world around us.
As the verses quoted above indicate, Allah has not forbidden man to question,
and in fact, it seems He wants us to do so.
However, the Qur'an goes beyond simply encouraging all human beings to be
aware of the natural world. It also contains widely dispersed references
on a variety of subjects which are not only scientifically accurate, but in
some cases, quite advanced relative to the time of the Prophet Muhammad
(saas). For the Muslim who reads and understands these references, they
serve to strengthen his or her faith of course. For the non-Muslim who
questions the authenticity or authorship of the Qur'an, these references
provide some interesting answers. One possible reason for these Qur'anic
verses which describe the natural world can be found in the following
verse:
[41:53]
Soon will We show them Our Signs in the
(farthest) horizons, and within themselves,
until it becomes manifest to them that it is the
Truth...
The historical event which this verse alludes to is the conquest of
Makkah. However, almost every verse in the Qur'an carries a historical
and a universal meaning, and therefore one possible interpretation of this
verse is that it refers to the gradual discovery of greater and greater
natural "evidence" of the Creator's involvement in our world. Two of
the most important and most fascinating goals of modern science are to
peer farther and farther out to the edge of the universe, and to look
deeper and deeper into the structure of the human body. It is in these
two areas that we find the "signature" of Allah's creative power at its
strongest.
A Selection of Qur'anic Verses which Comment on the Natural World
A. - On the ongoing process of creation
[16:8]
...and He creates other things beyond your
knowledge...
[24:45]
...Allah creates what He wills...
These two verses, among others, indicate that Allah has not 'finished'
creation; rather, it is an ongoing process. This is very significant
from a scientific point of view because we are gradually beginning to
observe and understand certain natural phenomena which are still in a
process of formation. One prime example is our observation of still-
emerging galaxies from huge clouds of nebulae. Another is the evolution
of species, with its associated evidence of strange and exotic
"intermediate" life forms turned into fossils. These two examples are
just the tip of the iceberg; the following excerpt from the physicist
Paul Davies' book The Cosmic Blueprint underscores the growing awareness
of continuous creation:
"An increasing number of scientists and writers
have come to realize that the ability of the
physical world to organize itself constitutes a
fundamental, and deeply mysterious, property of
the universe. The fact that nature has creative
power, and is able to produce a progressively
richer variety of complex forms and structures,
challenges the very foundation of contemporary
science. 'The greatest riddle of cosmology,'
writes Karl Popper, the well-known philosopher,
'may well be...that the universe is, in a sense,
creative.'" [21]
B. - On pollution and the wasting of natural resources
[30:41]
Rottenness (decay/corruption) has appeared on
land and sea because of what the hands of men
have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste
of some of their deeds, in order that they may
turn back (from evil).
[7:31]
O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel
at every time and place of prayer; eat and
drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah does
not love those who waste.
The importance of understanding the ecological consequences of our
actions as individuals or as a society was not fully appreciated until
this century. We now understand that we cannot alter the face of the
earth indiscriminately without paying some penalty, which may be
disastrous. We also understand that caution ought to be applied
globally, not just locally but truly "on land and sea". Ecological
awareness does not imply asceticism however. According to the Qur'an,
we are not forbidden to take pleasure in this life, however we are
forbidden from wasting resources needlessly.
C. - On the dual nature of iron
[57:25]
...And We sent down iron in which is mighty
harm, as well as many benefits for mankind...
Iron is one of two metals found abundantly on the earth (aluminum being the
other). It was known to many ancient civilizations, and is the most
important metal we use today. The general description of it in the Qur'an
was accurate in the time of the ancients, and it is even more so today:
iron is the basis for most weapons of war and most of the everyday tools
which we work with.
D. - On the origin of life in water
[21:30]
...And We made every living thing from water...
[24:45]
And Allah has created every animal from water...
Modern scientific theory on the origin of life was not firmly
established up until the last two or three centuries. Prior to that,
the predominant theory on the origin of life was based on a concept
called "spontaneous generation" where living creatures literally popped
out of inanimate matter spontaneously and continuously. This view was
discredited with the work of many Renaissance scientists including
Harvey and Redi, and in the 1850's, Louis Pasteur's research on
bacteriology sealed the coffin on this theory. Starting with the work
of Huxley up to the present day, an alternative theory has been proposed
where life is understood to have emerged from a long, increasingly
complex chain of chemical reactions. These reactions are believed to
have begun in the depths of the oceans because the atmosphere was not
sufficiently developed to protect living organisms from ultraviolet
radiation:
"...it is believed that early forms of life
developed in oceans or pools...It has been
suggested that the colonization of land, about
425,000,000 years ago, was possible only because
enough ozone was then produced to shield the
surface from ultraviolet light for the first
time." [20]
This idea of life originating in the oceans is strongly supported by the
two Qur'anic verses quoted above.
It is important to note however that the Qur'an does NOT contain an
exclusive endorsement for evolution. While the verses quoted above
indicate beyond any doubt that Allah created all living things from water,
there are many other verses that emphasize His Absolute power over
everything.
[41:39]
"...For He (Allah) has power over all things."
[3:47]
"...when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it,
'Be', and it is."
E. - On the diversity of mankind
[30:22]
And among His Signs is the creation of the
heavens and the earth, and the variations in
your languages and your colors; verily in that
are Signs for those who know.
[49:13]
O mankind! We created you from a male and
female, and made you into nations and tribes,
that you may know each other. Verily the most
honored of you in the sight of Allah is the one
who is most deeply conscious of Him...
The racial and linguistic differences between humans are not meant as
reasons to discriminate. Allah simply describes this diversity as a part
of His creative power, and He does not single out any race as being
inherently superior to the others. The emphasis in [49:13], in fact, is
to learn to communicate with one another.
F. - On the Water Cycle
Most of us are familiar with the water cycle from our classes in middle
school, where we learned how a drop of seawater evaporates, then becomes
a drop of rainwater, and then finally returns to the sea via rivers or
underground channels. The first person in modern times to understand
this process was Bernard Palissy who described it correctly in 1580 [10].
Prior to him, most of the ancient Greek and Roman scholars had various
incomplete or incorrect theories on the water cycle (Plato, for example,
believed that precipitation eventually descended into the abyss called
Tartarus and from there it fed into the oceans [10]).
The Qur'an does not give a complete description of the water cycle from
start to end, however there are a few precise references to specific
stages. Perhaps the most fascinating of these references are the
following two verses on rain clouds:
[30:48]
It is Allah Who sends the winds, and then they
raise clouds: then He spreads them in the sky as
He wills and makes them dark, then you see the
drops issue from the midst of them...
[24:43]
Don't you see how Allah drives clouds with
force, then joins them together, then makes them
into a heap? - then you see the drops issue from
the midst of them. And He sends down from the
sky mountains (of clouds) wherein is hail: He
strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns
it away from whom He pleases. The flash of His
lightning well-nigh snatches away the sight.
The two verses are describing the stages in the formation of rain clouds,
which is in turn a stage in the water cycle. A close examination of these
two verses suggests that they make reference to two different phenomena,
one of "spreading" the clouds and the other of "joining" them together, two
different processes by which rain clouds might be formed.
Modern meteorology has come to this very conclusion within
the last two centuries. [17,18,19]
There are two types of clouds which can yield precipitation, and they
are classified by their shape: stratus (layer-type) and cumulus (heap-
type). The precipitative layer clouds are further subdivided into
stratus and nimbostratus (nimbo meaning rain). The first verse above on
rain clouds ([30:48]) precisely sums up the formation of layer rain
clouds. It is known today that these types of clouds are started under
conditions of gradual, rising winds:
"...and then they [winds] raise clouds..." [30:48]
Next, the cloud takes on its distinctive shape, that of a layer:
"...then He spreads them..." [30:48]
If the conditions are right (i.e. low enough temperature, high enough
humidity, etc.), the cloud droplets further condense into (larger) rain
droplets, and we observe this effect from the ground as a darkening of the
cloud layer:
"...and makes them dark..." [30:48]
Finally, drops of rain fall from the cloud.
"...then you see the drops issue from the midst of them..." [30:48]
The second type of precipitative cloud is the heap type, and it is
subdivided into cumulus, cumulonimbus, and stratocumulus. These clouds
are characterized by being puffy-shaped and piled upon each other.
Cumulus and cumulonimbus are the true heap clouds - stratocumulus is a
form of degenerated, spread-out cumulus [18]. The second verse above on
rain clouds ([24:43]) describes the formation of heap rain clouds. These
clouds are formed under conditions of strong updrafts (thermals) and
downdrafts of air:
"...drives clouds with force..." [24:43]
As the puffs of clouds form, they may unite into a single giant cloud, all
piled up on top of one another:
"...then joins them together, then makes them into a heap..." [24:43]
At this point, either a cumulus or a cumulonimbus cloud has formed -
either of which can yield rain. The rest of the verse is applicable to
the case of a cumulonimbus (which is familiar to all of us as the
towering thunderstorm cloud). If the heap cloud assumes large
vertical proportions, then it can appear to the observer on the ground
as a huge mountain or hill, but more importantly, by extending high into
the atmosphere, the upper cloud droplets can freeze and thereby yield
hail [17, 18]:
"...And He sends down from the sky mountains (of clouds) wherein is
hail..." [24:43]
Finally, cumulonimbus clouds (i.e. thunderstorms) can have one
last vivid property: lightning [17, 18]:
"...The flash of His lightning well-nigh snatches away the sight..." [24:43]
Other Qur'anic verses deal with more stages in the water cycle.
[23:18]
And We send down water from the sky according to
(due) measure, then We cause it soak into the
soil. And We are most certainly able to
withdraw it.
This is a single verse stating that rainfall is absorbed into the ground
and that it can eventually be removed (drained).
[13:17]
He sends down water from the sky, and the rivers
flow, each according to its measure...
[39:21]
Don't you see that Allah sends down rain from
the sky, and leads it through the springs in the
earth?...
Two methods by which absorbed rainfall is moved are described here:
surface and underground rivers.
There are other references in the Qur'an to the water cycle (e.g. [40:13],
[23:18], [25:48], [29:63], and others) , and all of them have the same
property as the verses quoted above: modern scientific findings are fully
compatible with them [10].
A few other verses also deal with water but in a slightly different
context. They are not nearly as numerous as the verses on the water
cycle.
[56:68-69]
Do you see the water which you drink? Do you
bring it down from the cloud or do We?
This rhetorical question emphasizes our inability to fulfill one of our
oldest dreams: to control the rain. The fact is we cannot make it rain
unless a pre-existing cloud is in the vicinity - and then only under the
proper conditions, and even then we are not assured of success. The
cloud should have different sized cloud particles, a high rate of
condensation from the rising air, and good vertical development. If all
of these characteristics are present, then we MAY coax some more rain
out through cloud seeding and various other techniques. However, modern
meteorologists are unsure of its effectiveness. Regardless, it is the
presence of the necessary preconditions which we have no control over,
and this ultimately stops us from arbitrarily bringing down the water of
any cloud in the form of rain [10].
The following verse describes a property of large rivers.
[25:53]
It is He who has caused to mix freely the two
great bodies of water, this one pleasant-tasting
and sweet and this one salty and bitter, and He
made between them a barrier and a forbidding
ban.
A description of the estuaries of large rivers is supplied by the verse
above. These estuaries are relatively unusual because the outgoing
fresh water of the river does not immediately mix with the salt water of
the sea into which the river empties. Instead, the fresh water
penetrates deep into the salt water body before any mixing occurs, far
from the mouth of the river. Small rivers do not have this property.
[10]
Finally, one more reference to clouds.
[52:44]
And were they to see a piece of the sky falling
down, they would (only) say "Heaps of clouds!"
Another reference to clouds but this time in the context of responding
to a challenge by an earlier peoples who ridiculed a prophet by asking
him to cause a piece of the sky to fall on them, apparently thinking it
to be a solid cap around the earth. Allah refutes their challenge here,
declaring that they would only find a pile of clouds, something all of
us would understand today. [10]
G. - On Human Embryological and Fetal Development
The Qur'an has an extensive amount of information on the growth of the
human embryo and fetus, especially the former. Before presenting this
information, it may be helpful to provide a brief outline of human
development in the womb as modern science understands it. [10]
- An unfertilized egg is produced by the
female, and is subsequently placed in her
Fallopian tubes.
- The male cohabits with the female, and a
single sperm cell fertilizes the egg.
- The fertilized egg retreats into the uterus,
and attaches itself to the uterine wall.
- Embryological growth (roughly 3 months).
- Fetal growth (6 months).
- Birth
We will examine some of these stages in greater detail as the verses in
the Qur'an require. First, however, two verses which give a general
overview of human development:
[71:14]
...seeing that it is He (Allah) Who has created
you in stages...
[35:11]
And Allah created you from dust, then from a
drop...
The first verse is a very general, yet accurate description of our
creation as coming in stages (see the six-step outline above). The
second verse puts some perspective on the whole affair: how man
originally came from dust (Adam), and then from a drop.
There are at least four specific details regarding human development in
the Qur'an which modern science has revealed only within the last few
centuries, and in some cases only in this present century. The first
concerns the emission of semen:
[75:37]
Was he (man) not a drop of semen emitted?
In spite of the large amount of liquid which can be produced by a man
during human intercourse, this verse emphasizes that only a small drop
of it is important.
The second important detail in the Qur'an on human development is the
description of the fertilizing liquid (i.e. semen):
[86:6]
He (man) is created from a gushing liquid.
[76:2]
We created the human from a drop which is a
mixture...
[32:8]
Then He (Allah) made his (Adam's) progeny from a
quintessence of a despised liquid.
The second and third verses relate to the contents of semen. Modern
science has established that semen is in fact a composition of different
secretions which come from four different glands during ejaculation: the
testicles, the seminal vesicles, the prostate gland, and the urinary
tract glands. The actual sperm cells come from the testicles; the other
three glands produce no fertilizing agents. The Qur'an goes farther
than just informing us that semen is a mixture of liquids. It
tells us in [32:8] that only the "quintessence" of the liquid is used
(the "despised" comes from the fact that semen is emitted from the same
place as urine, and thus may be despicable in some people's sight). The
Arabic word for "quintessence" in this verse signifies extracting the
absolute best out of something. The numbers tell the story: a normal
ejaculation involves about 3 ml of fluid containing between 120,000,000
and 150,000,000 sperm cells. Of these cells, only one fertilizes the
egg in the female, and this is the point which [32:8] alludes to [15].
A third detail of human development mentioned in the Qur'an concerns the
newly fertilized egg:
[75:37-38]
Was he (man) not a drop of semen emitted? Then
he did become something leech-like which
clings...
Recent observations of the fertilized egg in the womb have revealed that
the egg literally implants itself into the uterine wall. It "clings" in
the strongest sense, and it remains like so in the early stage of
development. On top of that, the developing organism acts as a leech on
the female host in the sense that it draws its sustenance directly from
its mother's body [10].
Finally, the Qur'an gives a fascinating account of embryological
development (the first three months) in the following verses (certain
words have been transliterated directly from the Arabic):
[23:14]
...We made the drop into an ALAQAH (leech-like
structure), and then We changed the ALAQAH into
a MUDGHAH (chewed-like substance), then We
changed the MUDGHAH into IDHAAM (bones,
skeleton), then We clothed the IDHAAM with LAHM
(flesh, muscles), then We caused him to grow and
come into being as another creation.
[22:5]
...We created you out of dust, then out of a
drop, then out of a MUDGHAH, partly formed and
partly unformed...
Verse [23:14] divides embryological development into four stages. The
first stage picks up right after fertilization ("drop"), and is
characterized by an ALAQAH or "leech-like structure" which describes how
the egg implants itself into the uterus (see above). The second stage
describes the embryo as evolving into a MUDGHAH which means something which
has been chewed (especially a piece of meat), or which has the appearance
of having been chewed. This seemingly crude description is in fact quite
accurate: after the fertilized egg lodges itself in the uterus, it begins
to receive its first nutrients and energy from its mother. Consequently,
it begins to grow especially rapidly, and after a week or two it looks like
a ragged piece of meat to the naked eye. This effect is enhanced by the
development of small buds and protrusions which will eventually grow into
complete organs and limbs.
The next two stages described in verse [23:14] tell of bones being made
from the MUDGHAH, followed by the "clothing" of the bones with flesh or
muscles. If we follow the progress of the embryo with our own eyes, we
find that after approximately four weeks, a process called
'differentiation' begins, where groups of cells within the embryo
transform themselves to form certain large organs. One of the earliest
structures to develop in this stage is the cartilaginous basis of the
human skeleton (in subsequent months, the cartilage hardens or
ossifies). It is followed soon after by the appearance of a host of
other organs including muscles, ears, eyes, kidneys, heart, and more.
This maintains the order described in the Qur'an. Verse [23:14]
concludes with the growth of the organism in the womb (and simple growth
is the primary characteristic of the fetal stage) followed by its birth.
Verse [22:5] adds one more interesting note on the embryo. In this
verse, the MUDGHAH is qualified with the phrase
"partly formed and partly unformed."
As alluded to above, our modern observations of embryological development
have revealed how different structures and organs develop one after another
through differentiation. This gives rise to unusual situations where the
embryo is unevenly formed (i.e. lungs but no ears for example). [11,16]
H. - On Cosmology
Of all the references in the Qur'an to scientific matters, the most
numerous are on the creation and structure of the universe and the
earth. This area is singled out in several verses like the one below as
an example of Allah's creative power:
[45:3]
Verily, in the heavens and the earth are signs
for those who believe.
For a much more detailed exposition of the Qur'an and cosmology (and
science in general), interested readers should consider reading
M. Bucaille's book 'The Bible, The Qur'an, and Science' [10]. Below, a
brief summary of some of the more powerful verses.
First, a verse which makes a small note regarding the age of mankind
with respect to the universe:
[76:1]
Has there not been over Man a long period of
Time when he was not yet a thing thought of?
The Arabic word for "Time" in this verse is "Dahr" and it can mean
either all of eternity or simply a tremendously long time. Modern
science can help us understand this verse better. The first appearance
of humans on this earth is estimated to have occurred on the order of one
million years ago. The age of the universe, on the other hand, is
estimated at roughly fifteen billion years. If we normalize the age of
the universe to one day, then man would be less than six seconds old.
The following verse deals with the creation of the heavens and the
earth.
[50:38]
And We created the heavens and the earth and all
between them in six days, and nothing touched us
of weariness.
Notice the sharp counterpoint to the Bible at the end of this verse
regarding whether Allah "rested" after the sixth day from tiredness.
However, a more subtle yet perhaps vastly more important difference is
brought out when we look at the first verse in the Bible, Genesis [1:1]:
Bible [1:1]
In the beginning, God created the heavens and
the earth.
There is no mention of "and all between them", as opposed to the Qur'an
(which refers to this in several verses, no less). Modern science has
just within this last century discovered that much of the mass of the
universe is contained in the vast spaces between galaxies and stars
(ignoring for the moment the possibility of 'dark matter' which would
only make a stronger point). In spite of having only a single hydrogen
atom every few cubic meters on average (interstellar material), the
universe is so huge that the "empty" space may account for more of the
total universe's mass than all the stars combined - at the very least,
it is a significant amount. Thus, it is an important omission to leave
out "all between" the earth and the other stars and galaxies
("heavens").
As to the debate which has wracked Christianity and Judaism for
centuries regarding the meaning of "six days", the word "days" in
classical Arabic has a secondary meaning of a "very long time" or an
"era" [12]. The Qur'an, however, presents a conclusive answer to this
question via the following three verses scattered throughout the text:
[22:47]
And yet they ask you to hasten on the
Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His
promise. Verily a Day in the sight of your Lord
is like a thousand years of your reckoning.
[32:5]
He (Allah) directs (all) affairs from the
heavens to the earth: in the end will (all
affairs) go up to Him on a Day the space whereof
will be (as) a thousand years of your reckoning.
[70:4]
The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a Day
the space whereof is (as) fifty thousand years.
It is clear from these verses that a "day" in the Qur'an can easily have
different meanings in different contexts, and is thus not constrained to
mean a strict 24-hour period.
The next two verses address certain details of creation.
[21:30]
Don't those who reject faith see that the
heavens and the earth were a single entity then
We ripped them apart?...
[41:11]
Moreover, He applied His design to the heavens,
while it was (yet) vapor,and He said to it and
to the earth, "Come (into being), willingly or
unwillingly." They said, "We do come in
obedience."
Verse [21:30] foreshadows the modern cosmological theory known as the Big
Bang theory wherein all matter is presumed to have originated from a
violent explosion. Verse [41:11] refers to a later stage in creation, one
in which a cosmologist would describe the universe as filled with a
nebulous gas undergoing a slow coalescence into gross structures such as
clusters, galaxies, stars, and so on. The words of these two verses may
seem coarse and simplistic to the modern eye, but this does not detract
from their general accuracy.
Then there are verses that speak of the sun and the moon.
[25:61]
Blessed is He Who put in the heavens
constellations, and put in it a lamp and a
light-giving moon.
This verse emphasizes the sun as a direct source of light ("lamp"),
whereas the moon is not given this title. Man has long since
established that the moon's light is simply reflected sunlight.
[55:5]
The sun and the moon follow precise courses.
The meaning of this verse is obvious, and we have known the mathematical
description of these "courses" since Kepler and Newton formulated them
several centuries ago.
[21:33]
It is He Who created the night and the day, and
the sun and the moon: all swim along, each in
its rounded course.
This verse supplements the previous one: here, we learn that the sun and
moon follow "rounded courses." It is significant that the Arabic word
used here - "falak" - does not mean circular course, just rounded.
Kepler was the first European astronomer to realize that the paths of
the planets and the moon are elliptical. It was not until later,
though, that astronomers also realized that the sun has an orbit as well
- around the center of the Milky Way.
The Qur'an contains a number of verses on the structure and contents of
the universe. There are too many to list here, but the following three
form an interesting sample:
[51:47]
And the heavens We did create with Our Hands,
and We do cause it to expand.
Flatly stating what Einstein refused to believe at first, this verse
anticipates Hubble's discovery of the expanding universe by
approximately thirteen centuries. This verse
makes a very clear point that the expansion is continuous (until the
Day of Judgement, which is guaranteed by Allah to come upon
us unexpectedly).
[42:29]
And among His signs is the creation of the
heavens and the earth, and the living creatures
that He has scattered through both of them...
[45:13]
And He has subjected to you (man), from Him, all
that is in the heavens and on earth: behold, in
that are signs indeed for those who reflect.
These two verses are extremely interesting. Not only does the first one
very strongly imply the existence of living creatures on other planets
throughout the universe, but the second tells us that the heavens are
"subject" to us. With a little imagination, we (or perhaps our
children) can begin dreaming of the possibility of interstellar travel -
and not just confined to our own solar system!
Bibliography
[1]. The Qur'an
[2]. At-Tabari. Abridged Tafseer (commentary) of the Qur'an. Arabic
[3]. Ali, Abdullah Yusuf. The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an. Amana
Corporation, Maryland, 1991
[4]. Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur'an. Dar-Al-Andalus
Limited, Gibraltar, 1984
[5]. Irving, Thomas. The Noble Qur'an. Amana Books, Vermont, 1992.
[6]. Pickthall, Mohammed. The Meaning of the Glorious Koran. Penguin
Books, New York
[7]. Dawood, N. J. The Koran. Penguin Books, London, 1990
[8]. Nadvi, Syed M. Muslim Thought and its Source. Ashraf Press,
Lahore, 1947
[9]. Kazi, Mazhar. Guidance from the Messanger. Islamic Circle of
North America, New York, 1990
[10]. Bucaille, Maurice. The Bible, the Qur'an, and Science. American
Trust Publications, Indiana, 1979
[11]. Moore, K., A. Zindani, M. Ahmed. New Terms For Classifying Human
Development
[12]. Wehr, Hans. Arabic-English Dictionary. Spoken Language
Services, New York, 1976
[13]. Steingass, F. Arabic-English Dictionary. Librairie du Liban,
Lebanon, 1978
[14]. The Holy Bible - Revised Standard Version
[15]. Sussman, Maurice. Developmental Biology. Prentice-Hall, New
Jersey, 1973
[16]. Bodemer, Charles. Embryology, Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier
Incorporated, Connecticut, 1988
[17]. Chandler, T. J. The air around us. Natural History Press, New
York, 1969
[18]. Kotsch, William. Weather for the Mariner. Naval Institute
Press, Maryland, 1983
[19]. Battan, Louis. Fundamentals of Meteorology. Prentice-Hall, New
Jersey, 1983
[20]. Sagan, Carl et. al. Life, Encyclopedia Brittanica. Encyclopedia
Britannica, Chicago, 1992
[21]. Davies, Paul. The Cosmic Blueprint. Simon & Schuster, New York,
1988
[22]. Sagan, Carl. Cosmos. Ballantine Books, New York, 1980
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