Quran and Modern Science - Dr Maurice Bucaille

INTRODUCTION

Dr. Maurice Bucaille is an eminent French surgeon, scientist, scholar and author of “THE BIBLE, THE QUR’AN AND SCIENCE” which contains the result of his research into the Judeo-Christian Revelation and the Qur’an. It is a unique contribution in the field of religion and science. Being an outstanding Scientist, he was selected to treat the mummy of Merneptah (Pharaoh) which he did. During his visit to Saudi Arabia he was shown the verses of the Holy Qur’an in which Allah says that the dead body of the Pharaoh will be preserved as a “Sign” for posterity. An impartial scientist like Dr. Bucaille, who (being also a Christian) was conversant with the Biblical version of Pharaoh’s story as being drowned in pursuit of Prophet Moses. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that unknown to the world till only of late, the Holy Qur’an made definite prediction about the preservation of the body of that same Pharaoh of Moses’ time. This led Dr. Bucaille to study the Holy Qur’an thoroughly after learning the Arabic language. The final conclusion of his comparative study of Qur’an and the Bible is that the statements about scientific phenomena in the Holy Qur’an are perfectly in conformity with the modern sciences whereas the Biblical narration’s on the same subjects are scientifically entirely unacceptable.

FROM THE ORIGIN OF MAN

As most people in the West have been brought up on misconceptions concerning Islam and the Qur’an; for a large part of my life, I myself was one such person. Let me cite one or two specific examples to indicate the kind of inaccurate ideas generally current.

MISCONCEPTIONS

As I grew up, I was always taught that ‘Mahomet’ was the author of the Qur’an; I remember seeing French translations bearing this information. I was invariably told that the ‘author’ of the Qur’an simply compiled, in a slightly different form, stories of sacred history taken from the Bible; the ‘author’ was said to have added or removed certain passages, while setting forth the principles and rules of the religion he himself had founded. There are moreover Islamic scholars today in France whose duties include teaching and who express exactly these views, although perhaps in a more subtle form. This description of the origins of the Qur’anic text, which is so out of touch with reality, might lead one immediately to assume that if there are scientific errors in the Bible, there must also be errors of this kind in the Qur’an! This is the natural conclusion to be drawn in such circumstances, but it is based on a misconception. We are well aware that at the time of Muhammad - the Qur’anic Revelation took place between 610 and 632 A.D - scientific obscurantism prevailed, both in the Orient as well as in the West. In France, for example, this period corresponded roughly to the reign of King Dagobert, the last of the Mrovingians. This approach to what was supposedly the Qur’anic text may on first sight seem logical, but when one examines the text with an informed and impartial eye, it becomes clear that this approach is not at all in keeping with reality. We shall see in a moment the truth of this statement, which is obvious from the texts. Whenever there is textual proof of the existence in the Qur’an of statements that are in agreement with modern knowledge, but which in the Bible are related in a manner that is scientifically unacceptable, the stock response is that, during the period separating the two Scriptures, Arab scientists made discoveries in various disciplines which enabled them to arrive at these supposed adaptations. This approach takes no account whatsoever of the history of the sciences. The latter indicates that the great period of Islamic civilizations, during which, as we know, science made considerable progress, came several centuries after the communication of the Qur’an to the communication of the Qur’an to man. Furthermore, scientific history informs us that, as far as the subjects dealt with in this present book are concerned, no discoveries were made during, the period separating the Bible from the Qur’an. When this aspect of the Qur’an is mentioned in the West, however, we are likely to hear it said that while this may indeed be so, nowhere is this fact referred to in the translations of the Qur’an which we possess today, or in the prefaces and commentaries that accompany them. This is a very judicious remark. Muslim - and indeed non-Muslim - translators who have produced a French version of the Qur’an are basically men of letters. More often than not, they mistranslate a passage because they do not possess the scientific knowledge required to understand its true meaning. The fact is, however, that in order to translate correctly, one must first understand what one is reading. A further point is that translators - especially those mentioned above - - may have been influenced by notes provided by ancient commentators often came to be regarded as highly authoritative, even though they had no scientific knowledge - nor indeed had anybody else at that time. They were incapable of imagining that the texts might contain allusions to secular knowledge, and thus they could not devote attention to a specific passage by comparing it to other verses in the Qur’an dealing with the same subject - a process that often provides the key to the meaning of a word or expression. From this results the fact that any passage in the Qur’an that gives rise to a comparison with modern secular knowledge is likely to be unreliably translated. Very often, the translations are peppered with inaccurate - if not totally nonsensical - statements. The only way to avoid such errors is to possess a scientific background and to study the Qur’anic text in the original language.

SCIENTIFIC ERRORS

On the subject of man, as well as the other topics mentioned earlier, it is not possible to find any corresponding data in the Bible. Furthermore the scientific errors contained in the Bible - such as those describing man’s first appearance on earth, which, as we have seen, may be deduced from the Genealogies that figure in Genesis are not to be found in the Qur’an. It is crucial to understand that such errors could not have been ‘edited out’ of the Qur’an since the time they first became apparent: well over a thousand years have elapsed since the most ancient manuscripts and today’s texts of the Qur’an, but these texts are still absolutely identical. Thus, if Muhammad were the author of the Qur’an (a theory upheld by some people), it is difficult to see how he could have spotted the scientific errors in the Bible dealing with such a wide variety of subjects and have proceeded to eliminate every single one of them when he came to compose his own text on the same themes. Let us state once again, that no new scientific facts had been discovered since the time the Bible was written that might have helped eliminate such errors. In view of the above, it is imperative to know the history of the texts, just as it is essential to our understanding of certain aspects of the Bible for us to be aware, of the conditions in which it was written. As we have noted earlier, experts in Biblical exegesis consider the books of Old and New Testaments to be divinely inspired works. Let us now examine, however, the teachings of Muslim exegetes, who present the Qur’an in quite a different fashion. When Muhammad was roughly forty years old, it was his custom to retire to a retreat just outside Mecca in order to meditate. It was here that he received a first message from God via the Angel Gabriel, at a date that corresponds to 610 A.D. After a long period of silence, this first message was followed by successive revelations spread over some twenty years. During the Prophet’s lifetime, they were both written down and recited by heart among his first followers. Similarly, the revelations were divided into suras (chapters) and collected together after the Prophet’ death (in 632 A.D.) in a book: the Qur’an. The Book contains the Word of God, to the exclusion of any human additions. Manuscripts dating from the first century of Islam authenticate today’s text, the other form of authentication being the recitation by heart of the Qur’an, a practice that has continued unbroken from the time of the Prophet down to the present day.

UNCORRUPTED NATURE OF THE QUR’AN

In contrast to the Bible, therefore, we are presented with a text that is none other than the transcript of the Revelation itself; the only way it can be received and interpreted is literally. The purity of the revealed text has been greatly emphasized, and the uncorrupted nature of the Qur’an stems from the following factors: First, as stated above, fragments of the text were written down during the Prophet’s lifetime; inscribed on tablets, parchments and other materials current at the time. The Qur’an itself refers to the fact that the text was set down in writing. We find this in several suras dating from before and after the Hejira (Muhammad’s departure from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D.) In addition to the transcription of the text, however, there was also the fact that it was learned by heart. The text of the Qur’an is much shorter than the Old Testament and slightly longer than the New Testament. Since it took twenty years for the Qur’an to be revealed, however, it was easy for the Prophet’s followers to recite it by heart, sura by sura. This process of recitation afforded a considerable advantage as far as an uncorrupted text was concerned, for it provided a system of double-checking at the time the definitive text was written down. This took place several years after the Prophet’s death; first under the caliphate of Abu Bakr, his first successor, and later under the caliphate of Omar and in particular that of Uthman (644 to 655 A.D.) The latter ordered an extremely strict recension of the text, which involved checking it against the recited versions.

TEXT OF QUR’AN UNCORRUPTED

After Muhammad’s death, Islam rapidly expanded far beyond the limits of the area in which it was born. Soon, it included many peoples whose native language was not Arabic. Very strict steps were taken to ensure that the text of the Qur’an did not suffer from this expansion of Islam: Uthman sent copies of his entire recension to the principal centers of the vast Islamic empire. Some copies still exist today, in more or less complete form, in such places as Tashkent (U.S.S.R) and Istanbul. Copies have also been discovered that date from the very first centuries after the Hejira; they are all identical, and all of them correspond to the earliest manuscripts. Today’s editions of the Qur’an are all faithful reproductions of the original copies. In the case of the Qur’an, there are no instances of rewriting or corruption of the text over the course of time. If the origin of the Qur’an had been similar to those of the Bible, it would not be unreasonable to suppose that the subjects it raised would be presented in the light of the ideas influenced by certain opinions of the time, often derived from myth and superstition. If this were the case, one might argue that there were untold opportunities for inaccurate assertions, based on such sources, to find their way into the many and varied subjects briefly summarized above. In actual fact, however, we find nothing of the kind in the Qur’an. But having said this, we should note that the Qur’an is a religious book par excellence. We should not use statements that have a bearing on secular knowledge as a pretext to go hunting after any expression of scientific laws. As stated earlier, all we should seek are reflections on natural phenomena, phrases occasioned by references to divine omnipotence and designed to emphasize that omnipotence in the eyes of mankind throughout the ages. The presence of such reflections in the Qur’an has become particularly significant in modern times, for their meaning is clearly explained by the data of contemporary knowledge. This characteristic is specific to the Qur’an.

UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES

It was not until I had learnt Arabic and read the Qur’an in the original that I realized the precise meaning of certain verses. Only then did I make certain discoveries that were astounding. With my basic ideas on the Qur’an - which to begin with were inaccurate, just as those of most people in the West - I certainly did not expect to find in the text the statements that I in fact uncovered. With each new discovery, I was beset with doubt lest I might be mistaken in my translation or perhaps have provided an interpretation rather than a true rendering of the Arabic text. Only after consultations with several specialists in linguistics and exegesis, both Muslim and non-Muslim, was I convinced that a new concept might be formed from such a study: the compatibility between the statements in the Qur’an and firmly established data of modern science with regard to subjects on which nobody at the time of Muhammad - not even the Prophet himself - could have had access to the knowledge we possess today. Since then, I have not found in the Qur’an any support given to the myths or superstitions present at the time the text was communicated to man. This is not the case for the Bible, whose authors expressed themselves in the language of their period. In ‘La Bible le Coran et la Science’ (The Bible, the Qur’an and Science), which first appeared in the original French in 1976 and which subsequently appeared in English in 1978, I set forth the main points of these findings. On November 9, 1976, I gave a lecture to the Academia de Medecine (French academy of Medicine) in which I explored the statements of the origins of man contained in the Qur’an; the title of the lecture was ‘Donnees physiologiques et embryologiques de Coran’(Physiological and Embryological Data in the Qur’an). I emphasised the fact that these data - which I shall summarize below - formed part of a much wider study. The following are some of the points which arise from a reading of the Qur’an:* a concept of the creation of the world which, while different from the ideas contained in the Bible, is fully in keeping with today’s general theories on the formations of the universe;* statements that are in perfect agreement with today’s ideas concerning the movements and evolution of the heavenly bodies;* a prediction of the conquest of space;* notions concerning the water cycle in nature and the earth’s relief, which were not proven correct until many centuries later.All of these data are bound to amaze anyone who approaches them inan objective spirit. They add a much wider dimension to the problem studied in the present work. The basic point remains the same , however: we must surely be in the presence of facts which place a heavy strain on our natural propensity for explaining everything in materialistic terms, for the existence in the Qur’an of these scientific statements appears as a challenge to human explanations.That does not mean to say, however, that the statements in the Qur’an - especially those concerning man - may all of them be examined in the light of the findings of modern science. The creation of man as described in both the Bible and the Qu’ran totally eludes scientific investigation of the event per se. Similarly, when the New Testament or the Qur’an informs us that Jesus was not born of a father, in the biological sense of the term, we cannot counter this Scriptural statement by saying that there is no example in the human species of an individual having been formed without receiving the paternal chromosomes that make up one half of its genetic inheritance. Science does not explain miracles, for by definition miracles are inexplicable, thus, when we read in both the Qur’an and the Bible that man was moulded from the ground, we are in fact learning a fundamental religious principle: Man returns from where he came, for from the place he is buried, he will rise again on the judgment. Side by side with the main religious aspect of such reflections on man, we find in the Qur’an statements on man that refer to strictly material facts. They are quite amazing when one approaches them for the first time. For example, the Qur’an describes the origins of life in general and devotes a great deal of space to the morphological transformation undergone by man, repeatedly emphasizing the fact that God fashioned him as He willed. We likewise discover statements on human reproduction that are expressed in precise terms that lend themselves to comparison with the secular knowledge we today possess on the subject.

INTEREST TO MEN OF SCIENCE

The many statements in the Qur’an that may thus be compared with modern knowledge are by no means easy to find. In preparing the study published in 1976, I was unable to draw on any previous works known in the West, for there were none. All I could refer to were a few works in Arabic dealing with themes treated in the Qur’an that were of interest to men of science - there was, however, no overall study. Over and above this, research of this kind requires scientific knowledge covering many different disciplines. It is not easy, however, for Islamologists to acquire such knowledge, for they possess a mainly literary background. Indeed, such questions hardly seem to occupy a place in their field of classic Islamology, at least as far as the West is concerned. Only a scientist, thoroughly acquainted with Arabic literature, can draw comparisons between the Qur’anic text - for which he must be able to read Arabic - and the data supplied by modern knowledge. There is another reason why such statements are not immediately apparent: Verses bearing on a single theme are scattered throughout the Qur’an. The book is indeed a juxtaposition of reflections on a wide variety of subjects referred to one after the other and taken up again later on, often several times over. The data on a precise theme must therefore be collected from all over the Book and brought together under a single heading. This requires many hours’ work tracking down verses, in spite of the existence of thematic indexes provided by various translators, for such lists may perhaps be incomplete and indeed, in many cases, they often are. - (Taken from: “The Origin of Man”, by Dr. Maurice Bucaille Source: islamicity.com )

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Islamic Quran and Science

Mankind is at the threshold of the 21st century in terms of the common era. This age is rightly called the information age with computers, electronic mail and business and commerce and the Internet with WEB pages. To many thinkers religion is alien to science. Science simply means a specialized branch of knowledge. In Arabic it is called 'Ilm. A scientist in Arabic is called an 'Alim. The west is wrong in separating Science from Religion. The great universal Muslim scientists about thousand years ago were at the forefront of knowledge particularly in the sciences and technology without ever giving up their religion. In fact Islam in general and the Qur'an in particular inspired the Muslim scientists to seek and advance knowledge. Hence they achieved all these without any conflict with religion. Today many western educated Muslims follow the western path of separation of religion from science. On the other hand those Muslims trained in Islamic theology have refrained from modern sciences.

By moving away from the reading and in depth study of the Qur'an Muslims have lost the golden opportunity of many a scientific discovery and advancement of knowledge. By moving away from their Scriptures the Western people made many scientific discoveries and inventions. This is because of the suppression and obscurantism practiced by the Church against the scientists and intellectuals in the past. Even the scriptures themselves were a hurdle to the cause of seeking the truth through observation and experimentation as lucidly pointed by Dr. Maurice Bucaille in his most popular book " The Bible, Qur'an and Science."

Science is not a divine revelation but it provides a means for the welfare of man and to better understanding the creation of Allah(SWT), the natural phenomena and their purpose. In simplest terms science means knowledge and Islam exhorts its followers to relentlessly pursue knowledge. The Noble Qur'an, Allah (SWT) ordained His servants to pray to Him thus:

" O Lord! Increase me in knowledge." (20: 114)

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (SWT) peace be upon him to have once said," Learning comprises treasure houses whose keys are queries." Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) encouraged the spirit of investigation and analysis of facts. One of the most inspiring Ayath (verses) in the Qur'an is the following:

" And He has subjected to you, as from Him, all that is in the heavens and on earth: behold, in that are signs indeed for those who reflect." (45: 13)

To reflect is really the scientific spirit, which leads to understanding and discoveries about Allah's (SWT) creation and natural phenomena. Allah (SWT) guides the efforts of the scientists to meaningful purposes.
The more one investigates the more one knows about Allah (SWT) and His design of the universe. The emphasis is on thinking which leads the way to the cherishing care of Allah to establish all things in nature to service for the benefit of mankind. Allah (SWT) has given us the faculties and the intellectual genius for this purpose. The Muslim should never regard the study of natural sciences as forbidden territory or "haram". According to the Muslim traditions he who seeks knowledge is blessed, but the seeker who also attains success is twice blessed. The Muslim intellectuals have proved this in the past and they already set the trend.

This work was undertaken to prove there is no conflict between science and Islam and many chapters in this book have been based on the Qur'anic inspirations the author derived from reading different Ayath (Verses). Even at the dawn of the 21st century of the CE, the Muslims can derive inspiration from the in depth study of the Qur'an and make new scientific discoveries and push forward the frontiers of knowledge. Many of the Chapters in the book were published as articles in many Muslim magazines and intellectual journals throughout the world. At the urging of many of my friends and Muslim scholars I have collected them in these two volumes titled " The Qur'an and Science." I humbly believe that the younger generation of Muslims will get inspiration from the revelations in the Qur'an and do investigate and contribute to the bank of knowledge.

Pakistan Daily (www.Daily.pk)

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.

Science and the Holy Quran

By Najwa Al-Harithi

the 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.

Quran and Science - Lecture by Nadir Ahmed

Relativity in the Quran

The conclusion to which we are led by the findings of modern Science is that time is not an absolute fact, as supposed by materialists, but only a relative perception. What is more interesting is that this fact, undiscovered by Science until the 20th century CE, was imparted to mankind in the Quran fourteen centuries ago. There are various references in the Quran to the relativity of time.
It is possible to see the scientifically-proven fact that time is a psychological perception dependent on events, setting, and conditions in many verses of the Quran. For instance, the entire life of a person is a very short time as informed by the Quran. Allaah Says (what means): “On the Day when He will call you, and you will answer (His Call) with (words of ) His Praise and Obedience, and you will think that you have stayed (in this world) but a little while!” [Quran 17:52].
Allaah also Says (what means): “And on the Day when He shall gather them together, (it will seem to them) as if they had not tarried (on earth) longer than an hour of a day: they will recognize each other”. [Quran 10:45].
In some verses, it is indicated that people perceive time differently and that sometimes people can perceive a very short period of time as a very lengthy one. The following conversation of people held during their judgment in the Hereafter, is a good example of the saying of Allaah (which means): “He will say: ‘What number of years did ye stay on earth?’ They will say: ‘We stayed a day or part of a day: but ask those who keep account.’ He will say: ‘Ye stayed not but a little, - if ye had only known!’” [Quran 23:112-114].
In some other verses it is stated that time may flow at different paces in different settings, as in the saying of Allaah (which means): “Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allaah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.” [Quran 15:47]
And also in the saying of Allaah (which means): “The angels and the Spirit ascend unto him in a day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years.” [Quran 70:47].
These verses are all manifest expression of the relativity of time. The fact that this result only recently understood by Science in the 20th century CE was communicated to man 1,400 years ago by the Quran is an indication of the revelation of the Quran by Allaah, Who encompasses the whole time and space.
The narration in many other verses of the Quran reveals that time is a perception. This is particularly evident in the stories. For instance, Allaah has kept the Companions of the Cave, a believing group mentioned in the Quran, in a deep sleep for more than three centuries. When they were awoken, these people thought that they had stayed in that state but a little while, and could not figure out how long they slept; Allaah Says (what means): “Then We drew (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they heard not). Then We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties would best calculate the time that they had tarried”. [Quran 18:11-12].
In a later verse of this very chapter Allaah Says (what means): “Such (being their state), we raised them up (from sleep), that they might question each other. Said one of them: “How long have you stayed (here)?” They said: “We have stayed (perhaps) a day, or part of a day.” (At length) they (all) said: “Allaah (alone) knows best how long you have stayed here….” [Quran 18:19].
The situation told in the below verse is also evidence that time is in truth a psychological perception. Allaah Says (what means): “Or (take) the similitude of one who passed by a hamlet, all in ruins to its roofs. He said: “Oh! How shall Allaah bring it (ever) to life after (this) its death?” but Allaah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up (again). He said: “How long did you tarry (thus)?” He said: (Perhaps) a day or part of a day.” He said: “Nay, you have tarried thus a hundred years; but look at your food and your drink; they show no signs of age; and look at your donkey: And that We may make of you a sign unto the people, Look further at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh.” When this was shown clearly to him, he said: “I know that Allaah has power over all things.” [Quran 2:259].
The above verse clearly emphasises that Allaah Who created time is unbound by it. Man, on the other hand, is bound by time that is ordained by Allaah. As in the verse, man is even incapable of knowing how long he stayed in his sleep. In such a state, to assert that time is absolute (just like the materialists do in their distorted mentality), would be very unreasonable.

(IslamWeb)

The Expansion of the Universe in the Quran

In 1929, in the California Mount Wilson observatory, an American astronomer by the name of Edwin Hubble made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of astronomy. While he observed the stars with a giant telescope, he found out that the light from them was shifted to the red end of the spectrum and that this shift was more pronounced the further a star was from the earth.
This discovery had an electrifying effect in the world of science, because according to the recognized rules of physics, the spectra of light beams traveling towards the point of observation tend towards violet while the spectra of the light beams moving away from the point of observation tend towards red. During Hubble's observations, the light from stars was discovered to tend towards red. This meant that they were constantly moving away from us.
Long before, Hubble made another very important discovery: Stars and galaxies moved away not only from us, but also from one another. The only conclusion that could be derived from a universe where everything moves away from everything else is that the universe constantly 'expands'.
To better understand, the universe can be thought of as the surface of a balloon being blown up. Just as the points on the surface of a balloon move apart from each other as the balloon is inflated, so do the objects in space move apart from each other as the universe keeps expanding.
In fact, this had been theoretically discovered even earlier. Albert Einstein, who is considered the greatest scientist of the century, had concluded after the calculations he made in theoretical physics that the universe could not be static.
However, he had laid his discovery to rest simply not to conflict with the widely recognized static universe model of his time. Later on, Einstein was to identify his act as 'the greatest mistake of his career'. Subsequently, it became definite by Hubble's observations that the universe expands.
What importance, then, did the fact that the universe expands have on the existence of the universe? The expansion of the universe implied that if it could travel backwards in time, the universe would prove to have originated from a single point. The calculations showed that this 'single point' that harbored all the matter of the universe should have 'zero volume' and 'infinite density'. The universe had come about by the explosion of this single point with zero volume. This great explosion that marked the beginning of the universe was named the 'Big Bang' and the theory started to be so called.
It has to be stated that 'zero volume' is a theoretical expression used for descriptive purposes. Science can define the concept of 'nothingness', which is beyond the limits of human comprehension, only by expressing it as a point with zero volume'. In truth, 'a point with no volume' means 'nothingness'. The universe has come into being from nothingness. In other words, it was created.
The Big Bang theory showed that in the beginning all the objects in the universe were of one piece and then were parted. This fact, which was revealed by the Big Bang theory was stated in the Quran 14 centuries ago, when people had a very limited knowledge about the universe; Allaah says (what means): "Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?" [Quran 21:30]
As stated in the verse, everything, even the 'heavens and the earth' that were not yet created, were created with a Big Bang out of a single point, and shaped the present universe by being parted from each other.
When we compare the statements in the verse with the Big Bang theory, we see that they fully agree with each other. However, the Big Bang was introduced as a scientific theory only in the 20th century.
The expansion of the universe is one of the most important pieces of evidence that the universe was created out of nothing. Although this fact was not discovered by science until the 20th century, Allaah has informed us of this reality in the Quran (revealed 1,400 years ago) saying (what means): " And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander." [Quran 51: 47]

(IslamWeb)

Consistency between the Quran and modern science –I

Cosmology
Cosmology is the branch of astronomy concerned with the origin, structure and evolution of the universe as a whole. Throughout history, science and religion have sought to explain the universe, and often have conflicted in their explanations. Modern cosmology, which applies particular mathematical relationships and scientific theories in search of an explanation, is mostly a product of the twentieth century. Today’s cosmological research is based on a mathematical description of the universe which Albert Einstein developed in the context of his theories of special and general relativity in the early 1900s.
These theories involve a lot of very sophisticated mathematics for a full understanding. Basically, they concern the laws of motion under high speeds approaching the speed of light (special relativity) and the impact of strong gravitational fields (general relativity) applied to the explanation of cosmological phenomena. What is a wonder and an indication of the universality of Islam is that several of the key scientific findings in modern cosmology, according to some scientists, seem to be reflected in the Noble Quran, revealed by Allaah to the Prophet Muhammad , more than 1400 years ago.
These findings are: (a) the 'big bang theory' of how the universe began; (b) the expansion of the universe and (c) relativity of time.
The Big Bang Theory and the Unity of Creation
Most cosmologists today have accepted the Big Bang Theory in describing the origin of the universe. This theory states that the universe began at a single hot, dense point, or 'singularity'. Out of this point developed what is often referred to as 'cosmic soup', a constant interchange between matter and energy with no separation between stars and planets or the heavens and the Earth as we recognise them. The Noble Quran appears to be consistent with this theory; Allaah Says (what means): "Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them..." [Quran 21:30] This verse clearly describes the initial unity of all creation and subsequent division of the universe into the phenomena we observe. Abdullaah Yusuf Ali, in the notes to his English translation of the twenty first Quranic chapter, points out, that as man acquires more knowledge about the physical world, he is also bound to expand his awareness of the overriding unity in the cosmos. As an example, he cites the discovery of the direct correlation between measurements of sunspot activity and changes in the Earth’s magnetic field. There are many other examples in our daily life, including the influence of the moon on the tides and women's monthly cycle, the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field on the migration of birds, gravitational and centrifugal forces that keep the solar system bound together in harmony, preventing planets from flying away and crashing into each other.
In essence, the initial unity of creation continues to exist, not in the form of a singularity, but through various bonding relationships that allow multiple forms of creation to maintain their linkage to the initial 'oneness' of the universe.
The Expansion and Structure of the Universe
The Quran points to the continued expansion of the universe in the verse (which means): "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander." [Quran 51:47] In 1929, American astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that the farther a galaxy was from the Earth, the greater the speed of its outward movement. In fact, he found the movement of a galaxy to be directly proportional to its distance. This means that if a galaxy is ten times as far away as another galaxy, it is moving at ten times the speed.
Based on this discovery, and other observations, scientists have concluded that the universe is expanding. Furthermore, Dr. Haruk Nurbaki, in his book 'Verses of the Koran and Facts of Science', states that the Quran also suggests a structure of the universe which corresponds to modern scientific findings. The Quran states (what means): "[It is Allaah] who created the seven heavens in layers." [Quran 67: 3]
Dr. Nurbaki correlates the reference to the seven heavens with the descriptions of cosmic regions by modern scientists. He states that when one looks at space from Earth, he is surrounded by seven magnetic fields extending into the infinity of space. These fields consist of (i) the spatial field occupied by Earth and the rest of the solar system; (ii) the spatial field of the Earth’s galaxy, the Milky Way; (iii) the spatial field occupied by a 'local cluster' of galaxies to which the Milky Way belongs; (iv) the central magnetic field of the universe represented by a collectivity of clustered galaxies; (v) the band represented by quasars, which serve as 'star hatcheries'; (vi) the field of the expanding universe, represented by the receding galaxies; and (vii) the outermost field of space representing infinity.
The Relativity of Time
Dr. Mansour Hassab-Elnaby, in a paper entitled: 'A New Astronomical Quranic Method for the Determination of the Greatest Speed C', asserts that the Quran establishes a time/space reference system, which is indicative of the relativity of time and the constancy of the speed of light (represented by 'C' in scientific notation). Albert Einstein used these concepts to establish his well-known 'field equations' which provide the mathematical explanation for the interaction of matter, energy, space and time in the universe. The basis of Dr. Hassab-Elnaby’s paper is the Quranic verse (which means): "He arranges [each] matter from the heaven to the earth; then it will ascend to Him in a Day, the extent of which is a thousand years of those which you count." [Quran 32:5]
Thus, the Quran suggests that time is not absolute in the universe, a discovery made only in the early part of the twentieth century. The abovementioned Quranic verse, according to Dr. Hassab-Elnaby, implies a 'cosmic affair' of extremely high speed, making it possible to travel, in one day, the distance the moon travels around the Earth over a period of 1,000 years. The use of the lunar calendar in reckoning Earth time is explicitly stated in the following verse (which means): "…[It is Allaah who made] the moon a derived light and determined for it phases – that you may know the number of years and account [of time]…" [Quran 10:5]
Furthermore, Dr. Hassab-Elnaby uses the mathematical relationship given in this verse – one day of 'cosmic reckoning' equal to a thousand years of 'Earth reckoning' – along with established scientific data on the movements of the Earth and the moon to calculate the speed which provides a linkage between the two systems of reckoning time. The resulting speed, he points out, is 299,792.458 kilometres per second, which is exactly, to the decimal point, the speed of light recorded by the United States National Bureau of Standards.
The Quran as Part of Universal Order
The correlation between the findings of science in the past century and the Quran highlights the importance of preserving the written word, emphasised in Islam because it bridges space and time, providing inspiration and verification for those separated from direct contact with the Prophet Muhammad and his companions . It has also led some scientists to take a closer look at the Quran.
Dr. Maurice Bucaille of the French Academy of Science, author of 'The Bible, the Koran and Science', states that "…It comes as no surprise to learn that religion and science have always been considered to be twin sisters by Islam and that today, at a time when science has taken such great strides, they continue to be associated. Furthermore, certain scientific data are used for a better understanding of the Quranic text. What is more, in a century where for many scientific truth has dealt a deathblow to religious belief, it is precisely the discoveries of science that, in an objective examination of the Islamic Revelation, have highlighted the supernatural character of certain aspects of the revelation." Islam encourages man’s search for knowledge to both enhance appreciation of the cosmic order and augment his capability to serve as a representative of Allaah in governing the affairs of the Earth. The Quran seems to call attention to the importance of observing the heavens in this search. It states (what means): "And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, turned away." [Quran 21:32]
Thus, important evidence seems to be emerging in the modern world that the Quran contains revelation which transcends space and time, forming a part of the cosmic order to guide the path of mankind and strengthen the bond between religion and science.

(IslamWeb)

Consistency between the Quran and modern science -II

Embryology
The Quran is the last revelation, and a proof not only to the pagan Arabs one thousand four hundred years ago, but also to the scientists of today. Perhaps one of the most remarkable qualities of the Quran for those living nowadays is the complete consistency between it and many of the discoveries of modern science. One of the first Western scientists to make a serious study of this subject was Maurice Bucaille, who wrote a book called 'The Bible, the Koran and Science'. In this book, he compared the statements concerning natural and scientific data in the Bible and the Quran. He concluded:
"The Quran is not only free from contradictions in its narrations, the sign of the various human manipulations to be found in the gospels, but provides a quality all of its own for those who examine it objectively and in the light of science, i.e. its complete agreement with modern scientific data."
Embryology, the issue to be discussed in this part, is one of the most remarkable areas of description in the Noble Quran. The development of the foetus is mentioned in the Quran in some detail. The early stages of which could not have been known at the time of Prophet Muhammad because the size of the foetus at these stages is too small to see with the naked eye, rather a microscope is needed.
The Quran states (what means): "What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allaah [due] grandeur. While He has created you in stages?" [Quran 71:13-14] And also (what means): "And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay. Then We placed him as a sperm-drop (Nutfah) in a firm lodging [i.e., in the womb]. Then We made the sperm drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allaah, the best of creators." [Quran 23:12-14]
The use of the phrase (which means): "…Extract of clay…" means, in other words, that we are made from the earth.
The word: "…Nutfah…" literally means a 'small drop'.
The description of the next stage as a "…Clinging clot…" accurately represents the stage where the fertilised cell attaches itself to the innermost layer of the uterus by hair-like projections. Another meaning for the Arabic word 'Alaqah' which is used in the Quran, (other than 'clinging clot'), is 'leech like'. This describes the process of implantation in the first few days entirely correctly and is so concise as to use just one word.
The word 'Alaqah' has been also translated as ‘something that clings’.
This only identifies part of the descriptive accuracy of this word. The word has a number of meanings: its root meaning is from the Arabic verb 'Aliqa' which means: "To hang, be suspended, dangle; to stick, cling, cleave adhere to; to catch, get caught or stuck; to be attached, affixed, subjoined." Other forms of the verb have related meanings, such as to be affectionately attached to someone. (Dictionary definitions from Hans- Wehr)
The meanings apply ideally to the process through which the fertilised ovum becomes lodged in the womb.
The noun 'Alaqah' carries the meaning of 'medical leech' and 'blood clot'. The leech is an interesting little creature. The creature is a parasite, which lives on blood, which it sucks out of the body of its host. Not only is this a similar process to what happens to an embryo in the earliest stages, but also in the earliest stages of the embryo it looks remarkably like a leech.
The meaning of a clinging thing can easily be seen in this use of the verbal noun. As for blood clot, it is first necessary to point out that it is the process of clotting or coagulating which brings the idea of clinging to this word and not blood. When blood coagulates, the material is primarily known to be sticky which explains the use of 'Alaqah' for this material. What we have is also a living fluid half way to becoming a soft solid, which is an accurate description of the embryo as the cells which have multiplied until they form a fluid now begin to form tissue structures.
The description of the: "…lump [of flesh]…" 'Mudhghah' is the Arabic word, which also means (chewed flesh) implies something like teeth marks.
This accurately describes the Somite development. The Somites, as Hamilton, Boyd and Mossman say, "Are conspicuous features of embryos in the period under consideration and are readily seen in the surface contour. They are bases from which the greater part of the axial skeleton and musculature are developed".
The age of the embryo is referred to by the number of these Somites since "They form one of its characteristic external features". These features, along with the pharyngeal arches which also appear at this period (four weeks), give the embryo the clear appearance of a chewed lump in which the indentations of teeth are present.
The structure of the embryo, as it develops and gains its form, is primarily skeletal at and before five weeks. That is, what you see in pictures of embryos this age is the bones and a number of semi-translucent organs.
The bones at this stage have structure and form and are easily the most marked and visible feature of the embryo, but they are, of course, not fully calcified (many bones are still in the final calcifying stage into adulthood).
Over the next couple of weeks, a quite definite change takes place in the appearance of an embryo. Instead of bones and organs, all that can be seen now is (the flesh of) a naked body. The embryo begins to look much more human. It is a reference to this, which seems most fitting with the general tone and meaning of (this part of) the verse mentioned above (which means): "…And We covered the bones with flesh…"

(IslamWeb)