Quran vs Modern Sciences
Almost 1400 hundred years ago, The holy book Qur’an sent down to our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). At that time, there was no concept of modern sciences. But today we are totally believing in science. It matters in every aspect of our life. But the fact is that the basics bridges, on which science is standing, all are found in Quran with proper facts & clearness.
As this book is the message of Allah Almighty, who is a creature of everything, so in many Ayah’s of Quran, he told us such things, which was discovered by science in later centuries.
We’ll see them one by one in Light of Qur’an Ayat and Science proofs.
Sky Protection
The sky plays a crucial role in the existence of the earth. The sky protects the earth from the lethal rays of Sun. If the sky didn't exist, then the sun’s radiation would have killed off all lives on earth. It also acts like a blanket wrapped around the earth, to protect it from freezing cold of space.
The temperature above the sky is almost -270C. If this temperature was to reach earth, then the planet would freeze over instantly. The sky also protects the earth's life by warming its surface by retention of heat which is known as the greenhouse effect, It also controls the temperature by reducing temperature extremes between day and night. These are the same protective functions of the sky.
All these roles of sky discovered very late by scientists in the 20th century. Even the greenhouse effect discovered by John Tyndall in 1859.
But the Qur’an, which is sent down to earth more than 1400 years ago asks to consider upon sky:
(Surah Al-Anbya:32) وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ سَقْفًۭا مَّحْفُوظًۭا ۖ وَهُمْ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِهَا مُعْرِضُونَAnd We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away.
Now the 2nd one is:
Mountains
The Quran Draws our Attention to very important characteristics of mountains:
(Surah An-Naba: 6،7)أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَـٰدًۭا۔ وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًۭاHave We not made the earth a resting place? And the mountains as stakes?
The Quran indicates that mountains have deep roots. And Quran describes it by using the word stakes. In fact, Mountains have deep roots and the word stake is an accurate description for them. A book titled “Earth”, by geophysicist Frank Press explains that mountains are like stakes, and are buried deep under the surface of the earth.
Expansion of Universe
At that time, when the science of astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the universe was described in Quran:
(Surah Adh-Dhariyat:47)وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـٰهَا بِأَيْي۟دٍۢ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَWe built the universe with great might, and We are certainly expanding it.
The fact that the universe is expanding was discovered in the last century. The physicist Stephen Hawking, in his “The brief history of time” writes:
“The discovery that the universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century۔”
The Quran mentions the expansion of the universe even before the invention of the telescope.
Sun’s Orbit
In 1512, the astronomer, Nicholas Copernicus put the theory that the sun is stationary & motionless in the center of the solar system and planets revolve around it. The belief that the sun is stationary is widespread in astronomers until the 20th century. But It is now a well-established scientific fact that the sun is not stationary but it is moving in an orbit around the center of our milky way galaxy.
The Quran mentions the orbit of the sun in the following ayah:
(Surah Al-Anbya:33)وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّۭ فِى فَلَكٍۢ يَسْبَحُونَAnd He is the One Who created the day and the night, the sun and the moon—each travelling in an orbit.
The Quran would have been wrong according to astronomers just a couple of decades ago, but we now know the Quranic account of the sun's motions is consistent with modern astronomy. It shows that Quran is consistent with modern science, even though it is not a book of science.
Weight of Clouds
According to scientists, the weight of the average cumulus cloud is 1.1 million pounds! Think about that for a moment. This means that at any given moment, there are millions of pounds of water floating above your head. That’s the equivalent of 100 elephants.
So, how does that much weight stay afloat? For one thing, the weight is spread out into millions of droplets over a really big space
But even before the discovery of this fact by the scientist, Allah says in Quran:
(Surah Ar-Ra'd:12)هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرِيكُمُ ٱلْبَرْقَ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًۭا وَيُنشِئُ ٱلسَّحَابَ ٱلثِّقَالَIt is He who shows you lightning, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds.
Pain Receptors
For a long time, it was thought the sense of feeling and pain was dependent on the brain. However, it was discovered that there are pain receptors present in the skin. Without these pain receptors, a person would not be able to feel pain.
Consider the following verse on pain:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًۭا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلْنَـٰهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًۭاIndeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses - We will drive them into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted in Might and Wise. (Surah An-Nisa: 56)
God tells the people who reject his message, that when they are in hell and their skins are burnt off (so they can’t feel pain). He will give them new skin so that they continue to feel the pain. The Quran makes it clear that pain is dependent upon the skin.
The discovery of pain receptors in the skin is a fairly decent one for biology. It was discovered by Charles Scott Sherrington in 1906.
Lying and Movement
There was a cruel oppressive tribal leader named Abu Jahl, who lived during the time of Hazrat Muhammad(SAW). Allah revealed a verse of the Quran to warn him:
(Surah Al-'Alaq: 15,16)كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَة ِ- نَاصِيَةٍۢ كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍۢNo! If he does not stop, We shall drag him by his forehead, his lying, sinful forehead (forleck).
God didn't call this person a liar but calls his forehead (The front part of the brain) ‘Lying and Sinful’, and warns him to stop.
This verse is significant for two reasons. The first is that the front part of our brain is responsible for voluntary moments. This is known as the frontal lobes. A book titled ‘Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology, which includes the results of the research on the functions of this area of the brain. The motivation and foresight to plan and initiate movement occur in the arterial portion of the frontal lobes. The frontal area, the part of the brain that is responsible for movement is said to be seized if the man doesn't stop.
Secondly, numerous studies showed that the same region(frontal lobe) is responsible for the lying function of the brain. One such study is at the University of Penselveniya in which volunteers were asked questions during a computerized interrogation. It was found that when the volunteers were lying, there was significantly increased activity in the prefrontal and premotor cortices(frontal lobe region). This is responsible for lying and movement. Quran links lying and movement with the frontal lobe. which was discovered with image medicine equipment in the late 20th century.
Conclusion
These are some of those facts which are in the Quran. There are many more, but only a few ones are discussed here for keeping the fair length of this article.
It is important to note that Quran is not a book of science, but it is consistent with true science. Which proves that it is revealed by the creature of this universe. To claim that scientific facts in Quran are due to coincidence would be irrational. This is revealed in our holy prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The Quran covers all aspects of life and relates to our feelings, needs & wants. It touches the dimensions of our inner soul and informs us that we have a real purpose of life. those who follow God’s guidance will find inner peace and paradise as a reward in the hereafter. and rejection of his message will lead to depression in this life and Hellfire after death.
Allah says in Quran:
“We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?” (Surah Fussilat:53)
Thank you for reading up here. May Allah gives you reward from his endless treasure and also give us the strength to follow his message. Share this and earn virtues.
Remember me and my teammate in your prayers. Jazak Allah!
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