BOOK OF SCIENCE TAKEN FROM QUR'AN!

BOOK OF SCIENCE TAKEN FROM QUR'AN!

ASTRONOMY
CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE: ‘THE BIG BANG’
The creation of the universe is explained by astrophysicists in a widely
accepted phenomenon, popularly known as the ‘Big Bang’. It is supported by
observational and experimental data gathered by astronomers and
astrophysicists for decades. According to the ‘Big Bang’, the whole universe
was initially one big mass (Primary Nebula). Then there was a ‘Big Bang’
(Secondary Separation) which resulted in the formation of Galaxies. These
then divided to form stars, planets, the sun, the moon, etc. The origin of the
universe was unique and the probability of it occurring by ‘chance’ is zero.
The Qur’aan contains the following verse, regarding the origin of the
universe:

“Do not the Unbelievers see That the heavens and the earth
Were joined together (as one Unit of Creation), before We clove them
asunder?” [Al-Qur’aan 21:30]

The striking congruence between the Qur’aanic verse and the ‘Big Bang’ is
inescapable! How could a book, which first appeared in the deserts of Arabia
1400 years ago, contain this profound scientific truth?

THERE WAS AN INITIAL GASEOUS MASS BEFORE THE
CREATION OF GALAXIES
Scientists say that before the galaxies in the universe were formed, celestial
matter was initially in the form of gaseous matter. In short, huge gaseous
matter or clouds were present before the formation of the galaxies. To
describe initial celestial matter, the word ‘smoke’ is more appropriate than
gas. The following Qur’aanic verse refers to this state of the universe by the
word dhukhan which means smoke.

“Moreover, He Comprehended In His design the sky, And it had been
(as) smoke: He said to it And to the earth: ‘Come ye together, Willingly
or unwillingly.’ They said: ‘We do come (Together), in willing
obedience.’” [Al-Qur’aan 41:11]

Again, this fact is a corollary to the ‘Big Bang’ and was not known to the
Arabs during the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). What then, could have
been the source of this knowledge?

THE SPHERICAL SHAPE OF THE EARTH
In early times, people believed that the earth is flat. For centuries, men were
afraid to venture out too far, lest they should fall off the edge. Sir Francis
Drake was the first person who proved that the earth is spherical when he
sailed around it in 1597. Consider the following Qur’aanic verse regarding
the alternation of day and night:

“Seest thou not that Allah merges Night
into Day And He merges Day into Night?” [Al-Qur’aan 31:29]

Merging here means that the night slowly and gradually changes to day and
vice versa. This phenomenon can only take place if the earth is spherical. If
the earth was flat, there would have been a sudden change from night to day
and from day to night.

The following verse also alludes to the spherical shape of the earth:

“He created the heavens And the earth In true (proportions): He makes the
Night Overlap the Day, and the Day Overlap the Night.”
[Al-Qur’aan 39:5]

The Arabic word used here is Kawwara meaning ‘to overlap’ or ‘to coil’– the
way a turban is wound around the head. The overlapping or coiling of the day
and night can only take place if the earth is spherical.
The earth is not exactly round like a ball, but geo-spherical i.e. it is flattened
at the poles. The following verse contains a description of the earth’s shape:

“And the earth, moreover, Hath He made egg shaped.”
[Al-Qur’aan 79:30]

The Arabic word for egg here is dahaha, which means an ostrich-egg. The
shape of an ostrich-egg resembles the geo-spherical shape of the earth. Thus
the Qur’aan correctly describes the shape of the earth, though the prevalent
notion when the Qur’aan was revealed was that the earth is flat.

THE LIGHT OF THE MOON IS REFLECTED LIGHT
It was believed by earlier civilizations that the moon emanates its own light.
Science now tells us that the light of the moon is reflected light. However this
fact was mentioned in the Qur’aan 1,400 years ago in the following verse:

“Blessed is He Who made Constellations in the skies, And placed therein
a Lamp And a Moon giving light.” [Al-Qur’aan 25:61]

The Arabic word for the sun in the Qur’aan, is shams. It is referred to as
siraaj, which means a ‘torch’ or as wahhaaj which means ‘a blazing lamp’ or
as diya which means ‘shining glory’. All three descriptions are appropriate to
the sun, since it generates intense heat and light by its internal combustion.
The Arabic word for the moon is qamar and it is described in the Qur’aan as
muneer, which is a body that gives nur i.e. light. Again, the Qur’aanic
description matches perfectly with the true nature of the moon, which does
not give off light itself and is an inert body that reflects the light of the sun.
Not once in the Qur’aan, is the moon mentioned as siraaj, wahhaaj or diya or
the sun as nur or muneer. This implies that the Qur’aan recognizes the
difference between the nature of sunlight and moonlight.
2 The Arabic word dahaha has been translated by A. Yusuf Ali as “vast
expanse”, which also is correct. The word dahaha also means an ostrich-egg.

Consider the following verses related to the nature of light from the sun and
the moon:

“It is He who made the sun To be a shining glory And the
moon to be a light (Of beauty).” [Al-Qur’aan 10:5]

“See ye not How Allah has created The seven heavens One above
another, “And made the moon A light in their midst, and made the sun
As a (Glorious) Lamp?” [Al-Qur’aan 71:15-16]

THE SUN ROTATES
For a long time European philosophers and scientists believed that the earth
stood still in the centre of the universe and every other body including the sun
moved around it. In the West, this geocentric concept of the universe was
prevalent right from the time of Ptolemy in the second century B.C. In 1512,
Nicholas Copernicus put forward his Heliocentric Theory of Planetary
Motion, which asserted that the sun is motionless at the centre of the solar
system with the planets revolving around it.
In 1609, the German scientist Yohannus Keppler published the ‘Astronomia
Nova’. In this he concluded that not only do the planets move in elliptical
orbits around the sun, they also rotate upon their axes at irregular speeds.
With this knowledge it became possible for European scientists to explain
correctly many of the mechanisms of the solar system including the sequence
of night and day.
After these discoveries, it was thought that the Sun was stationary and did not
rotate about its axis like the Earth. I remember having studied this fallacy
from Geography books during my school days. Consider the following
Qur’aanic verse:

“It is He Who created The Night and the Day, And the
sun and the moon: All (the celestial bodies) Swim along, each in its
Rounded course.” [Al-Qur’aan 21:33]

The Arabic word used in the above verse is yasbahûn . The word yasbahûn is
derived from the word sabaha. It carries with it the idea of motion that comes

from any moving body. If you use the word for a man on the ground, it would
not mean that he is rolling but would mean he is walking or running. If you
use the word for a man in water it would not mean that he is floating but
would mean that he is swimming.
Similarly, if you use the word yasbah for a celestial body such as the sun it
would not mean that it is only flying through space but would mean that it is
also rotating as it goes through space. Most of the school textbooks have
incorporated the fact that the sun rotates about its axis. The rotation of the sun
about its own axis can be proved with the help of an equipment that projects
the image of the sun on the table top so that one can examine the image of the
sun without being blinded. It is noticed that the sun has spots which complete
a circular motion once every 25 days i.e. the sun takes approximately 25 days
to rotate around its axis.
In fact, the sun travels through space at roughly 150 miles per second, and
takes about 200 million years to complete one revolution around the center of
our Milky Way Galaxy.

“It is not permitted To the Sun to catch up The Moon, nor can The Night
outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along In (its own) orbit (According to
Law).” [Al-Qur’aan 36:40]

This verse mentions an essential fact discovered by modern astronomy, i.e.
the existence of the individual orbits of the Sun and the Moon, and their
journey through space with their own motion. The ‘fixed place’ towards,
which the sun travels, carrying with it the solar system, has been located
exactly by modern astronomy. It has been given a name, the Solar Apex. The
solar system is indeed moving in space towards a point situated in the
constellation of Hercules (alpha Layer) whose exact location is firmly
established.
The moon rotates around its axis in the same duration that it takes to revolve
around the earth. It takes approximately 29½ days to complete one rotation.
One cannot help but be amazed at the scientific accuracy of the Qur’aanic

verses. Should we not ponder over the question: “What was the source of
knowledge contained in the Qur’aan?”

THE SUN WILL EXTINGUISH AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD
The light of the sun is due to a chemical process on its surface that has been
taking place continuously for the past five billion years. It will come to an end
at some point of time in the future when the sun will be totally extinguished
leading to extinction of all life on earth. Regarding the impermanence of the
sun’s existence the Qur’aan says:

“And the Sun Runs its course For a
period determined For it; that is The decree of (Him) The exalted in
Might, The All-Knowing.” [Al-Qur’aan 36:38]

The Arabic word used here is mustaqarr, which means a place or time that is
determined. Thus the Qur’aan says that the sun runs towards a determined
place, and will do so only up to a pre-determined period of time – meaning
that it will end or extinguish.

THE PRESENCE OF INTERSTELLAR MATTER
Space outside organized astronomical systems was earlier assumed to be a
vacuum . Astrophysicists later discovered the presence of bridges of matter in
this interstellar space. These bridges of matter are called plasma, and consist
of completely ionized gas containing equal number of free electrons and
positive ions. Plasma is sometimes called the fourth state of matter (besides
the three known states viz. solid, liquid and gas). The Qur’aan mentions the
presence of this interstellar material in the following verse:

“He Who created the heavens And the earth and all That is between.” [Al-Qur’aan 25:59]

It would be ridiculous, for anybody to even suggest that the presence of
interstellar galactic material was known 1400 years ago.
similar message is conveyed in the Qur’an in 13:2, 35:13, 39:5 and 39:21.

THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE
In 1925, an American astronomer by the name of Edwin Hubble, provided
observational evidence that all galaxies are receding from one another, which
implies that the universe is expanding. The expansion of the universe is now
an established scientific fact. This is what Al-Qur’aan says regarding the
nature of the universe:

“With the power and skill Did We construct The Firmament:
For it is We Who create The vastness of Space.” [Al-Qur’aan51:47]

The Arabic word mûsi‘ûn is correctly translated as ‘expanding it’, and it
refers to the creation of the expanding vastness of the universe. Stephen
Hawking, in his book, ‘A Brief History of Time’, says, “The discovery that
the universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual revolutions of the
20th century.”
The Qur’aan mentioned the expansion of the universe, before man even learnt
to build a telescope! Some may say that the presence of astronomical facts in
the Qur’aan is not surprising since the Arabs were advanced in the field of
astronomy. They are correct in acknowledging the advancement of the Arabs
in the field of astronomy. However they fail to realize that the Qur’aan was
revealed centuries before the Arabs excelled in astronomy. Moreover many of
the scientific facts mentioned above regarding astronomy, such as the origin
of the universe with a Big Bang, were not known to the Arabs even at the
peak of their scientific advancement. The scientific facts mentioned in the
Qur’aan are therefore not due to the Arabs’ advancement in astronomy.
Indeed, the reverse is true. The Arabs advanced in astronomy, because
astronomy occupies a place in the Qur’aan.

II. PHYSICS
THE EXISTENCE OF SUBATOMIC PARTICLES
In ancient times a well-known theory by the name of ‘Theory of Atomism’
was widely accepted. This theory was originally proposed by the Greeks, in
particular by a man called Democritus, who lived about 23 centuries ago.
Democritus and the people that came after him, assumed that the smallest unit
of matter was the atom. The Arabs used to believe the same. The Arabic word
dharrah most commonly meant an atom. In recent times modern science has
discovered that it is possible to split even an atom. That the atom can be split
further is a development of the 20th century. Fourteen centuries ago this
concept would have appeared unusual even to an Arab. For him the dharrah
was the limit beyond which one could not go. The following Qur’aanic verse
however, refuses to acknowledge this limit:

“The Unbelievers say, ‘Never to us will come The Hour’: say, ‘Nay! But most surely, By my Lord, it will come Upon you – by Him Who knows the unseen – From Whom is not
hidden The least little atom In the Heavens or on earth: Nor is there
anything less Than that, or greater, but Is in the Record Perspicuous.’”
[Al-Qur’aan 34:3]

This verse refers to the Omniscience of God, His knowledge of all things,
hidden or apparent. It then goes further and says that God is aware of
everything, including what is smaller or bigger than the atom. Thus the verse
clearly shows that it is possible for something smaller than the atom to exist, a
fact discovered only recently by modern science.
4 A similar message is conveyed in the Qur’an in 10:61.

III. GEOGRAPHY

THE WATER CYCLE
In 1580, Bernard Palissy was the first man to describe the present day concept
of ‘water cycle’. He described how water evaporates from the oceans and
cools to form clouds. The clouds move inland where they rise, condense and
fall as rain. This water gathers as lakes and streams and flows back to the
ocean in a continuous cycle. In the 7th century B.C., Thales of Miletus
believed that surface spray of the oceans was picked up by the wind and
carried inland to fall as rain. In earlier times people did not know the source
of underground water. They thought the water of the oceans, under the effect
of winds, was thrust towards the interior of the continents. They also believed
that the water returned by a secret passage, or the Great Abyss. This passage
is connected to the oceans and has been called the ‘Tartarus’, since Plato’s
time. Even Descartes, a great thinker of the eighteenth century, subscribed to
this view. Till the nineteenth century, Aristotle’s theory was prevalent.
According to this theory, water was condensed in cool mountain caverns and
formed underground lakes that fed springs. Today, we know that the
rainwater that seeps into the cracks of the ground is responsible for this.
The water cycle is described by the Qur’aan in the following verses:

“Seest thou not that Allah Sends down rain from The sky, and leads it Through
springs in the earth? Then He causes to grow, Therewith, produce of
various Colours.” [Al-Qur’aan 39:21]

“He sends down rain From the sky And with it gives life to The earth
after it is dead: Verily in that are Signs For those who are wise.” [Al-
Qur’aan 30:24]

“And We send down water From the sky according to (Due) measure,
and We cause it To soak in the soil; And We certainly are able To drain
it off (with ease).” [Al-Qur’aan 23:18]

No other text dating back 1400 years ago gives such an accurate description
of the water cycle.

WINDS IMPREGNATE THE CLOUDS

“And We send the fecundating winds, Then cause the rain to descend
From the sky, therewith providing You with water (in abundance).” [Al-
Qur’aan 15:22]

The Arabic word used here is lawâqih, which is the plural of laqih from
laqaha, which means to impregnate or fecundate. In this context, impregnate
means that the wind pushes the clouds together increasing the condensation
that causes lightning and thus rain. A similar description is found in the
Qur’aan:

“It is Allah Who sends The Winds, and they raise The Clouds:
then does He Spread them in the sky As He wills, and break them Into
fragments, until thou seest Raindrops issue from the midst Thereof: then
when He has Made them reach such Of His servants as He wills, Behold,
they do rejoice!” [Al-Qur’aan 30:48]

The Qur’aanic descriptions are absolutely accurate and agree perfectly with
modern data on hydrology. The water cycle is described in several verses of
the Glorious Qur’aan, including 3:9, 7:57, 13:17, 25:48- 49, 36:34, 50:9-11,
56:68-70, 67:30 and 86:11.

IV. GEOLOGY

MOUNTAINS ARE LIKE PEGS (STAKES)
In Geology, the phenomenon of ‘folding’ is a recently discovered fact.
Folding is responsible for the formation of mountain ranges. The earth’s
crust, on which we live, is like a solid shell, while the deeper layers are hot
and fluid, and thus inhospitable to any form of life. It is also known that the
stability of the mountains is linked to the phenomenon of folding, for it was
the folds that were to provide foundations for the reliefs that constitute the
mountains. Geologists tell us that the radius of the Earth is about 3,750 miles
and the crust on which we live is very thin, ranging between 1 to 30 miles.
Since the crust is thin, it has a high possibility of shaking. Mountains act like
stakes or tent pegs that hold the earth’s crust and give it stability. The Qur’aan
contains exactly such a description in the following verse:

“Have We not made The earth as a wide Expanse, And the mountains as pegs?”
[Al-Qur’aan 78:6-7]

The word awtad means stakes or pegs (like those used to anchor a tent); they
are the deep foundations of geological folds. A book named ‘Earth’ is
considered as a basic reference textbook on geology in many universities
around the world. One of the authors of this book is Frank Press, who was the
President of the Academy of Sciences in the USA for 12 years and was the
Science Advisor to former US President Jimmy Carter. In this book he
illustrates the mountain in a wedge-shape and the mountain itself as a small
part of the whole, whose root is deeply entrenched in the ground.5 According
to Dr. Press, the mountains play an important role in stabilizing the crust of
the earth.
The Qur’aan clearly mentions the function of the mountains in preventing the
earth from shaking:

“And We have set on the earth Mountains standing
firm, Lest it should shake with them.” [Al-Qur’aan 21:31]

The Qur’aanic descriptions are in perfect agreement with modern geological
data.

MOUNTAINS FIRMLY FIXED
The surface of the earth is broken into many rigid plates that are about 100
km in thickness. These plates float on a partially molten region called
aesthenosphere. Mountain formations occur at the boundary of the plates. The
earth’s crust is 5 km thick below oceans, about 35 km thick below flat
continental surfaces and almost 80 km thick below great mountain ranges.
These are the strong foundations on which mountains stand. The Qur’aan also
speaks about the strong mountain foundations in the following verse:

“And the mountains Hath He firmly fixed.” [Al-Qur’aan 79:32]
similar message is contained in the Qur’an in 88:19, 31:10 and 16:15

V. OCEANOLOGY

BARRIER BETWEEN SWEET AND SALT WATERS
Consider the following Qur’aanic verses:

“He has let free the two bodies Of flowing water, Meeting together: Between them is a Barrier Which they do not transgress.” [Al-Qur’aan 55:19-20]

In the Arabic text the word barzakh means a barrier or a partition. This barrier
is not a physical partition. The Arabic word maraja literally means ‘they both
meet and mix with each other’. Early commentators of the Qur’aan were
unable to explain the two opposite meanings for the two bodies of water, i.e.
they meet and mix, and at the same time, there is a barrier between them.
Modern Science has discovered that in the places where two different seas
meet, there is a barrier between them. This barrier divides the two seas so that
each sea has its own temperature, salinity and density. 7 Oceanologists are
now in a better position to explain this verse. There is a slanted unseen water
barrier between the two seas through which water from one sea passes to the
other.
But when the water from one sea enters the other sea, it loses its distinctive
characteristic and becomes homogenized with the other water. In a way this
barrier serves as a transitional homogenizing area for the two waters. This
scientific phenomenon mentioned in the Qur’aan was also confirmed by Dr.
William Hay who is a well-known marine scientist and Professor of
Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado, U.S.A. The Qur’aan
mentions this phenomenon also in the following verse:

“And made a separating bar between the two bodies Of flowing water?”
[Al-Qur’aan 27:61]

This phenomenon occurs in several places, including the divider between the
Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean at Gibralter. But when the Qur’aan
speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the
7 Principles of Oceanography, Davis, pp. 92-93.

existence of “a forbidding partition” with the barrier.

“It is He Who has Let free the two bodies Of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, And the other salty and bitter; Yet has He Made a barrier between them, And a
partition that is forbidden To be passed.” [Al-Qur’aan 25:53]

Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and saltwater
meet, the situation is somewhat different from that found in places
where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh
water from salt water in estuaries is a “pycnocline zone with a marked density
discontinuity separating the two layers.” 8 This partition (zone of separation)
has salinity different from both the fresh water and the salt water. 9
This phenomenon occurs in several places, including Egypt, where the river
Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea.

DARKNESS IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN
Prof. Durga Rao is an expert in the field of Marine Geology and was a
professor at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah. He was asked to
comment on the following verse:

“Or (the Unbelievers’ state) Is like the depths of darkness In a vast deep ocean, Overwhelmed with billow Topped by billow, Topped by (dark) clouds: Depths of darkness, one Above another: if a man Stretches out his hand, He can hardly see it! For
any to whom Allah Giveth not light, there is no light!” [Al-Qur’aan 24:40]

Prof. Rao said that scientists have only now been able to confirm, with the
help of modern equipment that there is darkness in the depths of the ocean.
Humans are unable to dive unaided underwater for more than 20 to 30 meters,
and cannot survive in the deep oceanic regions at a depth of more than 200
meters. This verse does not refer to all seas because not every sea can be
8 Oceanography, Gross, p. 242. Also see Introductory Oceanography, Thurman,
pp. 300-301.
9 Oceanography, Gross, p. 244 and Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp.
300-301.

described as having accumulated darkness layered one over another. It refers
especially to a deep sea or deep ocean, as the Qur’aan says, “darkness in a
vast deep ocean”. This layered darkness in a deep ocean is the result of two
causes:
A light ray is composed of seven colours. These seven colours are Violet,
Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Red (VIBGYOR). The light ray
undergoes refraction when it hits water. The upper 10 to 15 metres of
water absorb the red colour. Therefore if a diver is 25 metres under water and
gets wounded, he would not be able to see the red colour of his blood,
because the red colour does not reach this depth. Similarly orange rays are
absorbed at 30 to 50 metres, yellow at 50 to 100 metres, green at 100 to 200
metres, and finally, blue beyond 200 metres and violet and indigo above 200
metres. Due to successive disappearance of colour, one layer after another,
the ocean progressively becomes darker, i.e. darkness takes place in layers of
light. Below a depth of 1000 meters there is complete darkness. 10
. The sun’s rays are absorbed by clouds, which in turn scatter light rays
thus causing a layer of darkness under the clouds. This is the first layer
of darkness. When light rays reach the surface of the ocean they are
reflected by the wave surface giving it a shiny appearance. Therefore it is the
waves which reflect light and cause darkness. The unreflected light penetrates
into the depths of the ocean. Therefore the ocean has two parts. The surface
characterized by light and warmth and the depth characterized by darkness.
The surface is further separated from the deep part of the ocean by waves.
The internal waves cover the deep waters of seas and oceans because the deep
waters have a higher density than the waters above them. The darkness begins
below the internal waves. Even the fish in the depths of the ocean cannot see;
their only source of light is from their own bodies.
The Qur’aan rightly mentions:

“Darkness in a vast deep ocean overwhelmed with waves topped by waves”.

In other words, above these waves there are more types of waves, i.e. those
found on the surface of the ocean. The Qur’aanic verse continues, “topped by
(dark) clouds; depths of darkness, one above another.”
These clouds as explained are barriers one over the other that further cause
darkness by absorption of colours at different levels.
Prof. Durga Rao concluded by saying, “1400 years ago a normal human being
could not explain this phenomenon in so much detail. Thus the information
must have come from a supernatural
source”.

VI. BIOLOGY

EVERY LIVING THING IS MADE OF WATER
Consider the following Qur’aanic verse:

“Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one Unit of Creation),
before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing.
Will they not then believe?” [Al-Qur’aan 21:30]

Only after advances have been made in science, do we now know that
cytoplasm, the basic substance of the cell is made up of 80% water. Modern
research has also revealed that most organisms consist of 50% to 90% water
and that every living entity requires water for its existence. Was it possible 14
centuries ago for any human-being to guess that every living being was made
of water? Moreover would such a guess be conceivable by a human being in
the deserts of Arabia where there has always been scarcity of water? The
following verse refers to the creation of animals from water:

“And Allah has created Every animal from water.” [Al-Qur’aan 24:45]

The following verse refers to the creation of human beings from water:

“It is He Who has Created man from water: Then has He established
Relationships of lineage And marriage: for thy Lord Has power (over all
things).” [Al-Qur’aan 25:54]

VII. BOTANY

PLANTS CREATED IN PAIRS, MALE AND FEMALE
Previously humans did not know that plants too have male and female gender
distinctions. Botany states that every plant has a male and female gender.
Even the plants that are unisexual have distinct elements of both male and
female.

“‘And has sent Down water from the sky.’ With it have We produced Diverse pairs of plants Each separate from the others.” [Al-
Qur’aan 20:53]

FRUITS CREATED IN PAIRS, MALE AND FEMALE
“And fruit Of every kind He made In pairs, two and two.”
[Al-Qur’aan 13:3]

Fruit is the end product of reproduction of the superior plants. The stage
preceding fruit is the flower, which has male and female organs (stamens and
ovules). Once pollen has been carried to the flower, they bear fruit, which in
turn matures and frees its seed. All fruits therefore imply the existence of
male and female organs; a fact that is mentioned in the Qur’aan.
In certain species, fruit can come from non-fertilized flowers (parthenocarpic
fruit) e.g. bananas, certain types of pineapple, fig, orange, vine, etc. They also
have definite sexual characteristics.

EVERYTHING MADE IN PAIRS

“And of everything We have created pairs.” [Al-Qur’aan 51:49]

This refers to things other than humans, animals, plants and fruits. It may also
be referring to a phenomenon like electricity in which the atoms consist of
negatively – and positively – charged electrons and protons.

“Glory to Allah, Who created In pairs all things that The earth produces,
as well as Their own (human) kind And (other) things of which They
have no knowledge.” [Al-Qur’aan 36:36]

The Qur’aan here says that everything is created in pairs, including things that
the humans do not know at present and may discover later.

VIII. ZOOLOGY

ANIMALS AND BIRDS LIVE IN COMMUNITIES

“There is not an animal (That lives) on the earth, Nor a being that flies
On its wings, but (forms Part of) communities like you.” [Al-Qur’aan 6:38]
Research has shown that animals and birds live in communities, i.e. they
organize, and live and work together.

THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS
Regarding the flight of birds the Qur’aan says:

“Do they not look at The birds, held poised In the midst of (the air And) the sky? Nothing Holds them up but (the power Of) Allah. Verily in this Are Signs for those who
believe.” [Al-Qur’aan 16:79]

A similar message is repeated in the Qur’aan in the verse:

“Do they not observe The birds above them, Spreading their wings And folding them
in? None can uphold them Except (Allah) Most Gracious: Truly it is He
That watches over all things.” [Al-Qur’aan 67:19]

The Arabic word amsaka literally means, ‘to put one’s hand on, seize, hold,
hold someone back,’ which expresses the idea that Allah holds the bird up in
His power. These verses stress the extremely close dependence of the birds’
behaviour on Divine order. Modern scientific data has shown the degree of
perfection attained by certain species of birds with regard to the programming
of their movements. It is only the existence of a migratory programme in the
genetic code of the birds that can explain the long and complicated journey
that very young birds, without any prior experience and without any guide,
are able to accomplish. They are also able to return to the departure point on a
definite date.

Prof. Hamburger in his book ‘Power and Fragility’ gives the example of
‘mutton-bird’ that lives in the Pacific with its journey of over 15,000 miles in
the shape of figure ‘8’. It makes this journey over a period of 6 months and
comes back to its departure point with a maximum delay of one week. The
highly complicated instructions for such a journey have to be contained in the
birds’ nervous cells. They are definitely programmed. Should we not reflect
on the identity of this ‘Programmer’?

THE BEE
“And thy Lord taught the Bee To build its cells in hills, On trees, and in
(men’s) habitations; Then to eat of all The produce (of the earth), And
find with skill the spacious Paths of its Lord.” [Al-Qur’aan 16:68-69]

Von-Frisch received the Nobel Prize in 1973 for his research on the
behaviour and communication of the bees. The bee, after discovering any new
garden or flower, goes back and tells its fellow bees the exact direction and
map to get there, which is known as ‘bee dance’. The meanings of this
insect’s movements that are intended to transmit information between worker
bees have been discovered scientifically using photography and other
methods. The Qur’aan mentions in the above verse how the bee finds with
skill the spacious paths of its Lord.
The worker bee or the soldier bee is a female bee. In Soorah Al-Nahl chapter
no. 16, verses 68 and 69 the gender used for the bee is the female gender
(fa’slukî and kulî), indicating that the bee that leaves its home for gathering
food is a female bee. In other words the soldier or worker bee is a female bee.
In fact, in Shakespeare’s play, “Henry the Fourth”, some of the characters
speak about bees and mention that the bees are soldiers and that they have a
king. That is what people thought in Shakespearean times. They thought that
the worker bees are male bees and they go home and are answerable to a king
bee. This, however, is not true. The worker bees are females and they do not
report to a king bee but to a queen bee. But it took modern investigations in
the last 300 years to discover this.

SPIDER’S WEB / HOME IS FRAGILE
The Qur’aan mentions in Soorah Al-‘Ankabût,

“The parable of those who Take protectors other than Allah Is that of the Spider, Who builds (to itself) A house; but truly The flimsiest of houses Is the Spider’s house – If
they but knew.” [Al-Qur’aan 29:41]

Besides giving the physical description of the spider’s web as being very
flimsy, delicate and weak, the Qur’aan also stresses on the flimsiness of the
relationship in the spider’s house, where the female spider many a times kills
its mate, the male spider.

LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNICATION OF ANTS
Consider the following Qur’aanic verse:

“And before Solomon were
marshaled His hosts – of Jinns and men And birds, and they were all
Kept in order and ranks. “At length, when they came To a (lowly) valley
of ants, One of the ants said: ‘O ye ants, get into Your habitations, lest
Solomon And his hosts crush you (Under foot) without knowing it.’” [Al-
Qur’aan 27:17-18]

In the past, some people would have probably mocked at the Qur’aan, taking
it to be a fairy tale book in which ants talk to each other and communicate
sophisticated messages. In recent times, research has shown us several facts
about the lifestyle of ants, which were not known earlier to humankind.
Research has shown that the animals or insects whose lifestyle is closest in
resemblance to the lifestyle of human beings are the ants. This can be seen
from the following findings regarding ants:
(a) The ants bury their dead in a manner similar to the humans.
(b) They have a sophisticated system of division of labour, whereby they
have managers, supervisors, foremen, workers, etc.
(c) Once in a while they meet among themselves to have a ‘chat’.
(d) They have an advanced method of communication among themselves.
(e) They hold regular markets wherein they exchange goods.
(f) They store grains for long periods in winter and if the grain begins to
bud, they cut the roots, as if they understand that if they leave it to
grow, it will rot. If the grains stored by them get wet due to rains, they
take these grains out into the sunlight to dry, and once these are dry,
they take them back inside as though they know that humidity will
cause development of root systems and thereafter rotting of the grain.

IX. MEDICINE

HONEY HAS HEALING PROPERTIES
The bee assimilates juices of various kinds of flowers and fruit and forms
within its body the honey, which it stores in its cells of wax. Only a couple of
centuries ago man came to know that honey comes from the belly of the bee.
This fact was mentioned in the Qur’aan 1,400 years ago in the following
verse:

“There issues From within their bodies A drink of varying colours,
Wherein is healing for men.” [Al-Qur’aan 16:69]

We are now aware that honey has a healing property and also a mild
antiseptic property. The Russians used honey to cover their wounds in World
War II. The wound would retain moisture and would leave very little scar
tissue. Due to the density of honey, no fungus or bacteria would grow in the
wound. A person suffering from an allergy of a particular plant may be given
honey from that plant so that the person develops resistance to that allergy.
Honey is rich in fructose and vitamin K. Thus the knowledge contained in the
Qur’aan regarding honey, its origin and properties, was far ahead of the time
it was revealed.

X. PHYSIOLOGY

BLOOD CIRCULATION AND THE PRODUCTION OF MILK
The Qur’aan was revealed 600 years before the Muslim scientist Ibn Nafees
described the circulation of the blood and 1,000 years before William Harwey
brought this understanding to the Western world. Roughly thirteen centuries
before it was known what happens in the intestines to ensure that organs are
nourished by the process of digestive absorption, a verse in the Qur’aan
described the source of the constituents of milk, in conformity with these
notions.
To understand the Qur’aanic verse concerning the above concepts, it is
important to know that chemical reactions occur in the intestines and that,
from there, substances extracted from food pass into the blood stream via a
complex system; sometimes by way of the liver, depending on their chemical
nature. The blood transports them to all the organs of the body, among which
are the milk-producing mammary glands.
In simple terms, certain substances from the contents of the intestines enter
into the vessels of the intestinal wall itself, and these substances are
transported by the blood stream to the various organs.
This concept must be fully appreciated if we wish to understand the following
verse in the Qur’aan:

“And verily in cattle there is A lesson for you. We
give you to drink Of what is inside their bodies, Coming from a
conjunction Between the contents of the Intestine and the blood, A milk
pure and pleasant for Those who drink it.” [Al-Qur’aan 16:66]

“And in cattle (too) ye Have an instructive example: From within their
bodies We produce (milk) for you To drink; there are, in them, (Besides),
numerous (other) Benefits for you; And of their (meat) ye eat.”
[Al-Qur’aan 23:21]

The Qur’aanic description of the production of milk in cattle is strikingly
similar to what modern physiology has discovered.

XI. EMBRYOLOGY

MAN IS CREATED FROM ALAQ
A LEECH-LIKE SUBSTANCE
A few years ago a group of Arabs collected all information concerning
embryology from the Qur’aan, and followed the instruction of the Qur’aan:

“If ye realise this not, ask Of those who possess the Message.” [Al-
Qur’aan 16:43 & 21:7]

All the information from the Qur’aan so gathered, was translated into English
and presented to Prof. (Dr.) Keith Moore, who was the Professor of
Embryology and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at the University
of Toronto, in Canada. At present he is one of the highest authorities in the
field of Embryology. He was asked to give his opinion regarding the
information present in the Qur’aan concerning the field of embryology. After
carefully examining the translation of the Qur’aanic verses presented to him,
Dr. Moore said that most of the information concerning embryology
mentioned in the Qur’aan is in perfect conformity with modern discoveries in
the field of embryology and does not conflict with them in any way. He added
that there were however a few verses, on whose scientific accuracy he could
not comment. He could not say whether the statements were true or false,
since he himself was not aware of the information contained therein.
There was also no mention of this information in modern writings and studies
on embryology. One such verse is:
“Proclaim! (or Read!) In the name Of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created – Created man, out of A (mere) clot Of congealed blood.” [Al-Qur’aan 96:1-2]

The word alaq besides meaning a congealed clot of blood also means
something that clings, a leech-like substance. Dr. Keith Moore had no
knowledge whether an embryo in the initial stages appears like a leech. To
check this out he studied the initial stage of the embryo under a very powerful
microscope in his laboratory and compared what he observed with a diagram
of a leech and he was astonished at the striking resemblance between the two!

In the same manner, he acquired more information on embryology that was
hitherto not known to him, from the Qur’aan. Dr. Keith Moore answered
about eighty questions dealing with embryological data mentioned in the
Qur’aan and Hadith. Noting that the information contained in the Qur’aan and
Hadith was in full agreement with the latest discoveries in the field of
embryology, Prof. Moore said, “If I was asked these questions thirty years
ago, I would not have been able to answer half of them for lack of scientific
information”

Dr. Keith Moore had earlier authored the book, ‘The Developing Human’.
After acquiring new knowledge from the Qur’aan, he wrote, in 1982, the 3rd
edition of the same book, ‘The Developing Human’. The book was the
recipient of an award for the best medical book written by a single author.
This book has been translated into several major languages of the world and
is used as a textbook of embryology in the first year of medical studies.
In 1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia,
Dr. Moore said, “It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements
in the Qur’aan about human development. It is clear to me that these
statements must have come to Muhammad from God or Allah, because
almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later.
This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God or
Allah.”

Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson, Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology, at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, U.S.A.,
proclaims: “...these Hadiths, sayings of Muhammad (pbuh) could not have
been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available at
the time of the writer (7th century). It follows that not only is there no conflict
between genetics and religion (Islam) but in fact religion (Islam) may guide
science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific
approaches… there exist statements in the Qur’aan shown centuries later to
12 The reference for this statment is the video tape titled ‘This is the Truth’. For a
copy of this video tape contact the Islamic Research Foundation.

be valid which support knowledge in the Qur’aan having been derived from
God.”
MAN CREATED FROM A DROP EMITTED FROM BETWEEN
THE BACK BONE AND THE RIBS

“Now let man but think From what he is created! He is created from A
drop emitted – Proceeding from between The back bone and the ribs.”
[Al-Qur’aan 86:5-7]

In embryonic stages, the reproductive organs of the male and female, i.e. the
testicles and the ovaries, begin their development near the kidney between the
spinal column and the eleventh and twelfth ribs. Later they descend; the
female gonads (ovaries) stop in the pelvis while the male gonads (testicles)
continue their descent before birth to reach the scrotum through the inguinal
canal. Even in the adult after the descent of the reproductive organ, these
organs receive their nerve supply and blood supply from the Abdominal
Aorta, which is in the area between the backbone (spinal column) and the
ribs. Even the lymphatic drainage and the venous return goes to the same
area.

HUMAN BEINGS CREATED FROM NUTFAH

(Minute Quantity of Liquid)
The Glorious Qur’aan mentions no less than eleven times that the human
being is created from nutfah, which means a minute quantity of liquid or a
trickle of liquid which remains after emptying a cup. This is mentioned in
several verses of the Qur’aan including 22:5 and 23:13. 13
Science has confirmed in recent times that only one out of an average of three
million sperms is required for fertilising the ovum. This means that only a
13 The same is also mentioned in the Qur’an in 16:4, 18:37, 35:11, 36:77, 40:67,
53:46, 75:37, 76:2 and 80:19.

1/three millionth part or 0.00003% of the quantity of sperms that are emitted
is required for fertilisation.

HUMAN BEINGS CREATED FROM SULALAH
(Quintessence of liquid)

“And made his progeny From a quintessence Of the nature of A fluid
despised.” [Al-Qur’aan 32:8]

The Arabic word sulâlah means quintessence or the best part of a whole. We
have come to know now that only one single spermatozoon that penetrates the
ovum is required for fertilization, out of the several millions produced by
man. That one spermatozoon out of several millions, is referred to in the
Qur’aan as sulâlah. Sulâlah also means gentle extraction from a fluid. The
fluid refers to both male and female germinal fluids containing gametes. Both
ovum and sperm are gently extracted from their environments in the process
of fertilization.

MAN CREATED FROM NUTFATUN AMSHAAJ

(Mingled liquids)
Consider the following Qur’aanic verse:

“Verily We created Man from a drop Of mingled sperm.” [Al-Qur’aan 76:2]

The Arabic word nutfatin amshaajin means mingled liquids. According to
some commentators of the Qur’aan, mingled liquids refers to the male or
female agents or liquids. After mixture of male and female gamete, the zygote
still remains nutfah. Mingled liquids can also refer to spermatic fluid that is
formed of various secretions that come from various glands.
Therefore nutfatin amsaj, i.e. a minute quantity of mingled fluids refers to the
male and female gametes (germinal fluids or cells) and part of the
surrounding fluids.

SEX DETERMINATION
The sex of a fetus is determined by the nature of the sperm and not the ovum.
The sex of the child, whether female or male, depends on whether the 23rd
pair of chromosomes is XX or XY respectively. Primarily sex determination
occurs at fertilization and depends upon the type of sex chromosome in the
sperm that fertilizes an ovum. If it is an ‘X’ bearing sperm that fertilizes the
ovum, the fetus is a female and if it is a ‘Y’ bearing sperm then the fetus is a
male.

“That He did create In pairs – male and female, From a seed when
lodged (In its place).” [Al-Qur’aan 53:45-46]

The Arabic word nutfah means a minute quantity of liquid and tumnâ means
ejaculated or planted. Therefore nutfah specifically refers to sperm because it
is ejaculated. The Qur’aan says:

“Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (In lowly form)? “Then did he become A clinging clot; Then did (Allah) make And fashion (him) In due proportion. “And of him He made Two sexes, male And female.” [Al-Qur’aan 75:37-39]

Here again it is mentioned that a small quantity (drop) of sperm (indicated by
the word nutfatan min maniyyin) which comes from the man is responsible
for the sex of the fetus.
Mothers-in-law in the Indian subcontinent, by and large prefer having male
grandchildren and often blame their daughters-in-law if the child is not of the
desired sex. If only they knew that the determining factor is the nature of the
male sperm and not the female ovum! If they were to blame anybody, they
should blame their sons and not their daughters-in-law since both the Qur’aan
and Science hold that it is the male fluid that is responsible for the sex of the
child!

FOETUS PROTECTED BY THREE VEILS OF DARKNESS

“He makes you, In the wombs of your mothers, In stages, one after
another, In three veils of darkness.” [Al-Qur’aan 39:6]

According to Prof. Keith Moore these three veils of darkness in the Qur’aan
refer to:
(i) anterior abdominal wall of the mother
(ii) the uterine wall
(iii) the amnio-chorionic membrane.

EMBRYONIC STAGES

“Man We did create From a quintessence (of clay); Then We placed him
As (a drop of) sperm In a place of rest, firmly fixed; Then We made the
sperm Into a clot of congealed blood; Then of that clot We made A
(foetus) lump; then We Made out of that lump Bones and clothed the
bones With flesh; then We developed Out of it another creature. So
blessed be Allah, The Best to create!” [Al-Qur’aan 23:12-14]

In this verse Allah states that man is created from a small quantity of liquid
which is placed in a place of rest, firmly fixed (well established or lodged) for
which the Arabic word qarârin makîn is used.
The uterus is well protected from the posterior by the spinal column
supported firmly by the back muscles. The embryo is further protected by the
amniotic sac containing the amniotic fluid. Thus the foetus has a well
protected dwelling place. This small quantity of fluid is made into alaqah,
meaning something which clings. It also means a leech-like substance. Both
descriptions are scientifically acceptable as in the very early stages the foetus
clings to the wall and also appears to resemble the leech in shape. It also
behaves like a
leech (blood sucker) and acquires its blood supply from the mother through
the placenta. The third meaning of the word alaqah is a blood clot. During