The Qur'an, Knowledge, and Science
Ghulam Mustafa
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 Description of Knowledge in the Qur'an and by the Prophet (saas)
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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