The Consistency between Qur'an and Modern Science

The Consistency between Qur'an and Modern Science

The Qur'an 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 Qur'an
for those living nowadays is the complete consistency between the
Qur'an and most of the discoveries of modern sciences.

One of the first Western scientists to make a serious study of this
subject was Maurrice Bucaille, who wrote a book called "The Bible, the
Qur'an and Science". In this book, he compared the statements
concerning natural and scientific data in the Bible and the Qur'an. He
concluded: "The Qur'an follows on from the two Revelations that
preceded it and 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.

"What is more, statements are to be found in it (as has been shown)
that are connected with science, and yet it is unthinkable that a man
of Muhammad's time could have been the author of them. Modern
scientific knowledge therefore allows us to understand certain verses
of the Qur'an which, until now, it has been impossible to interpret.

"The comparison of several Biblical and Qur'anic narrations of the same
subject shows the existence of fundamental differences between the
statements in the former, which are scientifically unacceptable, and
declarations in the latter which are in perfect agreement with modern
data: this was the case of the Creation and the Flood, for example.

"An extremely important complement to the Bible was found in the text
of he Qur'an on the subject of the history of the Exodus, where the two
texts were very much in agreement with archaeological findings, in the
dating of the time of Moses.
Besides, there are major differences between the Qur'an and the Bible
on other subjects: they serve to disprove all that has been
maintained-without a scrap of evidence-concerning the allegation that
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is supposed to have copied the Bible to
produce the text of the Qur'an...

"In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad's day, it is
inconceivable that many of the statements in the Qur'an which are
connected with science could have been the work of a man. It is,
moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Qur'an as the
expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a very special place,
on the account of the guarantee of authenticity it provides and the
presence in it of scientific statements which, when studied today,
appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms."

Some statements involving data confirmed by modern science are:

1. The Accurate Description of Embryonic and Fetal Development:

At the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), prevalent theories included
those of Aristotle who thought that a child was formed by the
congealing of menstrual blood catalyzed by the male blood, as rennet
does to cheese. In the Eighteenth Century, Hartsoeker claimed to have
seen within the sperm a pre-formed human being through the primitive
microscopes.

The Qur'an reflected none of these, describing the development of the
embryonic human with detailed accuracy: "We created man from a
quintessence of clay, We then placed him as a drop (Nutfa) in a place
of rest firmly fixed, then we made the drop into an Alaqah (leech-like)
and then we changed the leech-like structure into a Mudghah,
(chewed-like) and then We made out of that chewed-like substance bones,
then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused him to grow and
come into being and attain the definitive form. Blessed be Allah, The
Perfect Creator. After that, at length you will die. Again, on the Day
of Judgment, you will be raised up." (Holy Qur'an, 23:12-16)

The Prophet (PBUH) further explained the meaning of Nutfa as meaning
both the male sperm and female ovum. The word "alaqah" has three
meanings in Arabic:
1) A thing that clings;
2) A blood clot; and
3) A leech-like thing.
All three accurately describe the first stage of the developing embryo.
After the fertilization of the egg, a blastocyst develops, which has on
its exterior villocites which literally "cling" to the wall of the
uterus. It then goes on to resemble a leech both in appearance and
behaviour. It also goes on to resemble a blood clot.

The next stage, when it becomes "chewed-like", is also accurate. It is
also true that the bones precede the development of muscle and flesh.
The Prophetic traditions state: "When forty-two nights have passed over
the conceptus, Allah sends an Angel to it, who shapes it, makes its
ears, eyes, skin, flesh and bones. Then he says 'O Lord! Is it male or
female?' And your Lord decides what He wishes and then the angel
records it." This accurate information gives the correct time for the
recognizable growth of the features described, and the sex of the fetus
cannot be definitely determined until just after forty-two days.

This was not known until the invention of powerful microscopes only
decades ago. I have mentioned this subject only briefly, and quoted a
few of the verses and hadiths (Prophet Muhammad's sayings) concerning
this topic. Keith Moore, Professor and Chairman, Department of Anatomy,
University of Toronto, Canada, and author of The Developing Human, who
is considered one of the leading embryologists, said concerning these
statements in the Qur'an and authenticated hadeeth: "Until the 19th
Century, nothing was known about classifying the stages of human
development. A system of staging human embryos was developed around the
end of the 19th Century based on alphabetical symbols.

During the 20th century, numerals were used to describe 23 stages of
embryonic development. This system of numbering the stages is not easy
to follow and a better system would be based on the morphological
changes. In recent years, the study of the Qur'an has revealed another
basis for the classification of the stages of the developing embryo
which is based on easily understood actions and changes in shape. It
utilizes terms which were sent from God to Muhammad (PBUH) by the Angel
Gabriel and recorded on the Qur'an... It is clear to me that these
statements must have come to Muhammad (PBUH) from God because almost
all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later.
This proves to me that Muhammad (PBUH) must have been a Messenger of
God."

2. Cosmology:

"Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth
were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them. And We
have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?"
(Holy Qur'an, 21:30). This verse clearly mentions the common origin of
the universe, a fact that was not discovered until forty years ago with
the advent of nuclear physics. The separation seems to refer to what
the scientists call the "Big Bang." Also, all living things are
composed of protoplasm, which consists of 80-85 percent water. "Then,
He rose over towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and
to the earth: 'Come willingly or unwillingly.' They both said: 'We come
willingly.'" (Holy Qur'an, 41:11)

The word smoke describes accurately the primeval state of the universe,
which was composed of a hot gaseous mass, with particles moving
vigorously, just as in smoke. From this the stars, planets and the
earth were formed. "With power did We construct the heaven. Verily, We
are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof." (Holy Qur'an, 51:47)


It is an accepted fact that we are living in an expanding universe. "It
is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip
the day. They all float, each in an orbit" (Holy Qur'an, 36:40)

The Arabic word referring to a movement with self-propelled motion is
the verb yasbahuna (in the text). It implies a motion that comes from
the body in question. If it takes place in water, it is to swim; it is
to move by the action of one's own legs if it takes place on land. For
movement that occurs in space it would mean, "to rotate."

The sun is actually in orbit, not around the earth but around the
centre of the galaxy, so there is no contradiction, since the Qur'an
does not specify the Sun's orbit. "He coils the night upon the day and
He coils the day upon the night." (Holy Qur'an, 39:5) To coil or to
wind is the translation of the Arabic verb kawwarra. The original
meaning of the verb is to coil a turban around the head.

The process of perpetual coiling, including the interpenetration of one
sector by another is expressed in the Qur'an just as if the concept of
the Earth's roundness had already been conceived at the time, which is
clearly not the case. "It is He who made the Sun a shining thing and
the moon as a light, and measured out their stages..." (Holy Qur'an,
10:5) The Qur'an describes the Sun as a "siraj" which means a torch,
generating its own heat and light whereas the Moon is described
"an-nur" which is light originating from another source.

3. Geology:

"Have We not made the earth as a bed; and the mountains as pegs?" (Holy
Qur'an, 78:6-7) "And Allah has cast into the ground mountains standing
firm so that it does not shake with you." (Holy Qur'an, 31:10)

It has recently been discovered that mountains have roots that go into
the earth's crust which is composed of seven tectonic plates. Their
movement is the cause of earthquakes. It is thought that the roots and
weight of the mountains play a vital role in stabilizing the earth's
crust.

4. The Water Cycle:

The Qur'an correctly describes the water cycle, and the origin of
underground springs as being from rainwater. Obvious you may think, but
the Greek philosophers did not get it right, suggesting that
underground springs were produced by sea spray collecting in caves
which fed a great underground sea through the 'abyss'! In fact the
water cycle was not accurately propounded until the 18th century. The
Qur'an, however, states: "Hast though not seen that Allah sent water
down from the sky and led it through sources into the ground?" (Holy
Qur'an, 39:21)

For the sake of brevity, I have only mentioned a few of many statements
and provided limited explanation of the statements contained in the
Qur'an and traditions dealing with scientific subjects. The Qur'an is
consistent with external realities, and it is also consistent
internally. It is the nature of the works of men, be they scientists,
philosophers, sages or mystics to contain inconsistencies and
contradictions. This cannot be so with the Divine Revelation as the
Qur'an states: "Do they not then consider the Qur'an carefully? Had it
been from other than Allah, they would surely, have found therein many
a contradiction." (Holy Qur'an, 4:82)

http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/archive/article.php?lang=E&id=57749

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