Science and the Holy Quran

By Najwa Al-Haruthi

Yemen Times

Muslims believe that the revelation of the Holy Quran was a momentous event in human history. For us Muslims, the Quran is the final literal word of God to all mankind.This is something that Muslims agree on and believe in, but it has been found that Quran’s miracles can now be proven by scientific approaches as well. Several major scientific experiments have been carried out recently, giving a clear indication that the Quran indeed has mysteries that can only be revealed through science and not only by other religious means.As a Muslim I would like to shed light on some scientific facts that existed in the Quran for the last 1,400 years. That may help us Muslims recite the Quran with a good understanding of its meaning and more meditation, and also to convey to the non-Muslim world the fascination and truth in our Holy Book. Let me note some scientific facts that demonstrate the ability and majesty of God, the Creator and let us not forget some statements of Western scientists about theQuran, its scientific facts and about our prophet Muhammad.First of all, I would like to mention a scientific fact that I personally wondered about for so long. After extensive research, I became eager to understand the Quran more and more in-depth. In the past, I used to recite the Quran with little attention or focus on its meaning. In the 89th chapter of the Quran (Surah al Fajr 89) the world ‘I ram’ was mentioned. I did not know that ‘I ram’ meant a city of pillars but I was sure that the mystery behind it would be unveiled when scientists and historians come together and try to look into its this issue.And I was right! ‘I ram’ (city of pillars) was not known in ancient history and was not recorded by historians, but the December 1978 edition of National Geographic introduced interesting information mentioning that in 1473, the city of Elba was excavated in Syria. The city was found to be 4,300 years old. But what was found later about Elba was even more fascinating.Researchers recently found in the library of Elba a record of all of the cities with which Elba had done business. Believe it or not, there on the list was the name of ‘I ram’. The people of Elba had done business with the people of ‘I ram’, which was phonetically identical to the word mentioned in the Quran.There is much information contained in the Quran whose source cannot be attributed to anyone other than Allah. For example, scientific data, which has been discovered in present time, has been existent in this book for 1,400 years. In fact Allah, Almighty, states the very common origin of this universe clearly: “Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together, then we parted them, and we made from water every living thing. Will they not believe?’[21:30].This parting of the heavens and the earth mentioned clearly in the above verse is common to scientists. It also fact that life originated from water without doubt, life with no water is impossibleIn another chapter, the 16th chapter (surah an –Nahl), God said, “And thy Lord taught the Bee to built its cells in hills, on trees, and in (man’s) habitations. Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth) and follow the ways of thy Lord made smooth: three issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing from men: verily in this is a sign for those who give thought.” [68,69]The Quran mentions that the female bee leaves its home to gather food. Now, a person might guess on that, saying, “The Bee that you see flying around – it could be male, or it could be female. I think I will guess female.’ Certainly, he has a one in two chance of being right. So it happens that the Quran is right. But it also happens that that was not what most people believed at the time when the Quran was revealed. Can you tell me the difference between a male and a female bee? Well, it takes a specialist to do that, but it has been discovered that the male bee never leaves its home to gather food. However, in Shakespeare’s play, Henry the Fourth, some of characters discuss bees and mention that the bees are soldiers and have a king. That is what people thought in Shakespeare’s time – that the bees that one sees flying around are male bees and that they go home and answer to a king. However that is not true at all. The fact is that they are all females, and they answer to a queen. Yet it took modern scientific investigations in the last 300 years to discover that this is the case.To conclude, I would like to mention some statements about our prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that in fact. These statements are not my own. They are of a professor and chairman of the Department of Anatomy at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry of the University of Manitoba in Canada.The professor said, “Muhammad was a very ordinary man, he couldn’t read, didn’t know how to write and in fact, he was illiterate. We are talking about 1,400 years ago you have some illiterate person making profound pronouncements and statements that are accurate of a scientific nature. I personally can’t see how this could be by mere chance; there is too much accuracy. I have no difficulty in my mind reconciling that this is a divine inspiration or a revelation which led him to these statements.”I do not think that witness will be as great as God’s witness. A wise and powerful witness which has been recorded in Quran: “By the star when it goes down, your companion is neither astray nor being misled, nor does he say (caught) of his own desire. It is no less than inspiration set down to him. He was taught by one Mighty in power. Endued with wisdom for he appeared (in stately form), while he was in the highest part of the horizon. Then he approached and came closer. And was at distance of but tow bow-lengths or (even) nearer; so did ‘Allah’ convey the inspiration to his servant (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey .The (prophets) mind and heart in no way falsified that which he saw.”Muhammad and his miracle has to be the end of existence, has to be for every human being because Muhammad was sent to humanity at large.The Quran was described by the prophet Muhammad as the miracle that can never come to an end. The more you look into it, the more you will understand, and the more you understand, the more faith you will have.But unfortunately, that materialistic life has effected on man, Muslim or non–Muslim. However I pity Muslims having to live with that materialistic life.I have mentioned this subject only briefly in order to remember Allah’s promise:“We will show them our signs on the furthest horizon and within themselves until they know that this is the truth.”Lastly, let’s to be aware of this verse: “And we indeed made the Quran easy to understand and to remember: then is there any that will receive admonition [54:40].May Allah help us to be among those who receive admonition.