Science In The Qur'an:By Rasha El-Haggan, English Major at University of Maryland Baltimore County (Copyrighted 1999) This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen Al-Islam as your religion. Islam, meaning submission to god, is one of the major religions in existence. It is the fastest growing religion in the world. Its followers, the Muslims, exist in all corners of the world. They follow the divine word of Allah and his messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him). Many of Islam’s followers are scientists such as Keith L. Moore and Maurice Bocaille. They have adopted Islam as their religion due to its scientific nature. In fact, scientists in Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt view the Qura’n, Islam’s holy book, as a book of science. Ironically, the simple thought of religion leading scientific discoveries and complementing modern science is unheard of in the western world. In many countries such as the United States of America, the separation of church and state is a wide and deeply rooted belief. To even consider a religious book as a book of science would probably merit a few raised eyebrows. However, it is amazing how the Qur’an not only complements science, but is actually used as a tool to investigate more about science. Thus, through proving that the Qur’an holds explicit facts concerning the fields of biology, astronomy and geology, one will deduct that the Qur’an is indeed a scientific book. Before I start with my argument, there are a few key points that need to be made. First, the Qur’an is an Arabic text. Translating the Arabic to English loses much of the meaning. Due to this fact, when writing this paper, I have studied the Arabic text to supply my evidence. I then used the National English translation of the Qur’an to supply the English quotations read in this essay. In fact, the Qur’an should never be studied in its English form. Muslims are required to use the Qur’an in it’s Arabic form. The second point that needs to be made is the Qur’an in it’s English forms has only one interpretation, that of the Arabic verse it is translating. In Arabic, there are rarely more than one interpretation of a certain verse. If there are, then there is extensive research that is done by scholars to disprove or prove one of the interpretations. None of these ambiguous verses are used in this essay. All verses that are cited are subject to only one interpretation which all Muslim scholars have united on. Lastly, the purpose of this essay is not to prove the divinty of the Qur’an. It is only to prove that the Qur’an contains factual scientific information that deems it a necessary book of science to be studied by all scientists. The Qur’an’s contributions to biological science, the Qur’an excels in it’s vivid description of embryology. The Qur’an describes the development of the fetus from its conception to its birth in such great detail that it would seem to have been a recollection of a great obstetric surgeon. Dr. Keith L. Moor, a professor of Anatomy and Associate Dean of Basic Sciences at the University of Toronto, before becoming a Muslim, wrote a detailed description in the Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of how the Qur’an explains the embryo. Translations of the verses provided in his essay (as well as in this part of the essay) were provided by Dr. Sheik Abdul Majid Zendani, a Professor of Islamic Studies in King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Allah says in the Qur’an, "He makes you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness" (Qur’an 39:6). Recently, scientists have named three layers of tissue as the anterior abdominal wall, the uterine wall, and the amnicochrionic membrane (Moore, 25). The phrase veil of darkness in this context is the Arabic word Thulumat which actually means covers (it is known that when one covers something, this something is in darkness), that is the layers that cover the fetus. The Qur’an then goes on to describe the stages of the human fetus which have only been known by scientists in the 20th century (Moore, 15). Allah says, "Then We placed him as a drop in a place of rest" (Qur’an 23:13). The drop, known as nutfa in Arabic has been interpreted to be the zygote which divides to form a blastocyst implanted in the uterus—a place of rest. This interpretation is also supported by another verse in the Qur’an which states "a human being is created from a mixed drop." The zygote is that mixed drop since it is made up of the sperm and the ovum (Moore, 15). "Then We made the drop into a leech-like structure" (Qur’an 23:14). The word Alaqah in Arabic refers to this "leech-like structure." Dr. Moore thinks this to be an appropriate description of the human embryo from days 7-24 when it clings to the endometrium of the uterus in the same exact way that a leech clings to skin. In fact, if one looks at a picture of a leech and a picture of the embryo during that phase, one will notice the strong resemblance between both creations. Just as the leech derives blood from the host, the human embryo derives blood from the decidua or pregnant endometrium (Moore, 16). Of course since the leech-like structure can only be seen by a microscope which was not invented till the 17th century by Leewenhoek, Muhammad (PBUH) could have never fabricated such information. "Then of that leech-like structure, We made a chewed lump" (Qur’an 23:14). Here, a "chewed lump" is mudgha in Arabic. Toward the end of the fourth week, the human embryo looks somewhat like a chewed lump of flesh resulting from the somites which resemble teeth marks. The somites represent the beginnings of the vertebrae. "Then We made out of the chewed lump, bones, and clothed the bones in flesh" (Qur’an 23:14). This verse indicates that after the chewed lump stage, bones and muscles form. This corresponds to the development of the embryo. "First the bones form as cartilage models and then the muscles (flesh) develop around them from the somatic mesoderm" (Moore, 3). "Then we developed out of it another creature" (Qur’an 23:14). Before the eighth week, the embryo does not contain human features. After the eighth week, the human embryo develops the primordia of all the internal and external organs and parts. At this stage the creature is no longer called an embryo. It is now a fetus, therefore it’s "another creature." "And He gave you hearing and sight and feeling and understanding" (Qur’an 32:9). Dr. Moore says in his study that the primordia of the internal ears appear before the beginning of the eyes, and the brain which is the site of understanding develops last. "Then out of a piece of chewed flesh, partly formed and partly unformed" (Qur’an 22:5). This verse refers to the embryo that is composed of both differentiated and undifferentiated tissues. When the cartilage bones are differentiated, "the embroyonic connective tissue or mesenchyme around them is undifferentiated. It later differentiates into the muscles and ligaments attached to the bones" (Moore, 3). "And We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term" (Qur’an 22:5). Allah here tells the Muslims that he is the one to determine whether the embroys will remain in the uterus until full term. Dr. Moore has found out that only about 30% of zygotes that form actually develop into fetuses that survive until birth. The Qur’an’s accuracy in science reaches far beyond the boundaries of biology. It explains many astronomical facts including the Big Bang Theory, the Expansion Theory, the Atom theory, and the concept of times zones. Firstly, Allah says in the Qur’an "Do the unbelievers not realize that the heaven and the earth used to be one solid mass that We exploded into existence?" (Qur’an 21:30). One of the most plausible theories of the creations of the universe is the Big Bang Theory. This theory states that the universe used to be one whole mass that exploded into pieces. Moreover, the expansion theory is also mentioned in the Qur’an. Allah says "It is We who have built the universe and it is We who are steadily expanding it" (Qur’an 1:47). The expansion theory was first suggested by the general theory of relativity. It is backed up by the physics examination of the galactic spectrum. It states that the size of the universe is contatntly increasing (Bocaille, 2). Additionally, the Qur’an discussed time zones centuries before the scientific "discovery" was made. People, hundreds of years ago, couldn’t travel far enough in a short time to find out about the existence of these zones. The Qur’an however, addresses this when it states, "When the Day of Judgement arrives it will all occur at an instant; and this very instant will catch some people in the day time and some at night" (Qur’an, 27:16). The word day time in Arabic, Al-Nahar is very distinct. It cannot be misinterpreted to mean anything other than the time when the sun is out. Similarly, the word night in Arabic, Al-Layl, cannot mean anything but the time when the sun is not out. The concept of time zones was discussed in the Qur’an hundreds of years ago, even though it was not understood till recently. Lastly, the existence of atoms is an old concept. For years this idea was known after being advanced by the Greek philosopher, Democritus (Miller, 5). Atoms were viewed as the smallest existing particles. However, the Qur’an challenged this fact by stating "Allah is aware of an atom’s weight . . . and even anything smaller than that" (Qur’an, 30:21). Now, modern science has discovered that this smallest unit of matter (i.e. the atom, which has all of the same properties as its element) can be split into its component parts. This is a new idea, a development of the last century yet interestingly enough, this information had already been documented in the Qur'an. Overall, the Qur’an has provided numerous facts leading to great astronomical discoveries. The fact that the earth and the heavens had the same origin, the explanation of the process of day and night, the fact that the sun moves by its own motion, that the moon does not generate its own light, the prospect of space travel; all these discoveries were already mentioned in the Qur’an hundreds of years ago (Bocaille, Celestial 4). As Sir John William Draper said in his book, The Intellectual Development of Europe, "The Muslim has left his intellectual impress on the World. He has indelibly written it on the heavens as any may see who reads the names of the stars on a common celestial globe" (Draper, 80). Finally, the Qur’an presents geological facts dealing with mountains and archaeology that could not have been fabricated by any human lacking the technological equipment needed to prove these facts. The Qur’an states, "When you look at the mountains, you think that they are standing still, but they are moving, like clouds" (Qur’an, 27:88). Geologists have now proven that although mountains appear to be standing still, they are not. They are constantly moving upwards as the earth’s plates fold into each other. In addition the Qur’an describes the mountains as pegs, part of them visible, and the other is not (Qur’an, 78:7). In other words, mountains have roots. Dr. Frank Press, author of The Earth, and president of the Academy of Sciences in New Jersey wrote that mountains have roots. He wrote that they play an important role in stabilizing the earth’s crust (Haq, 1). Simultaneously, Professor Siaveda, one of the most renowned Japanese geologists states that "Mountains have roots that support the earth according to the law of Archimedes" (Hag, 2). In the Qur’an it states that Allah, "Has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you" (Qur’an, 16:15). This verse has been translated, among others in the Qur’an dealing with the subject of mountains, as substantiating the concept that mountains have roots. When Professor Siaveda encountered these verses in the Qur’an he said, "This is very mysterious, but according to these verses this is truly a remarkable book" (Haq, 7). No man could have possibly fabricated this information fourteen centuries ago. Professor Palmer, who is one of the foremost geologists in the USA and the head of the Centennial Anniversary of the American Geological Society was greatly astonished when he was presented with these scientific facts. He said, "We [the Society] look forward to a continuing dialogue on the topic of science in the Qur’an in the context of geology" (Al-Zendani, 18). Last, but not least, in the eighty-ninth chapter of the Qur’an, Allah mentions a city called Iram. However, most historians denied the existence of this city, as there was no proof of it. However, in 1973 a city named Elba was excavated in Syria. The city was forty-three centuries old. Researchers found records in Elba’s library listing all the cities Elba had dealt with. The city of Iram was on that list. The people of Elba had done business with the people of Iram! (Miller, 1). Once again the Qur’an stood the test of time. The Qur’an being only fourteen centuries old, mentioned a city thirty centuries before its time. In conclusion, it has been proven that the Qur’an does not only support science and the quest for new discoveries, but it has also complemented science in the initiation of the process of the experimental method. According to Dr. Karl Pearson, a famous American scientist, "The hypotheses of science are based on observed facts, which, when confirmed by criticism and experiments, are turned into laws of nature… such is the contribution of Islam to modern science" (Zahoor, Muslim Scientists and Astronomers . . . 6). The Qur’an has become a leading source in the areas of biology, astronomy and geology due to its accuracy. Overall, its consistent accuracy can only be attributed to a divine source. No human in the seventh century and many centuries following could have known this information. As Allah says in the Qur’an, "Soon will We show them Our signs in the farthest regions of the earth and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth" (Qur’an, 41:53). Works Cited Bocaille, Maurice. "Celestial Organization." Celestia 4.26 April. 1998 http://www.maxinet.com/yusuf/sciece/celest.htm. Bocaille, Maurice. "The Conquest of Space." Space. 1.26 April 1998 http://www.maxinet.com/yusuf/sciece/space.htm. Dr. Haq, Z. Dr. Zahoor, A. "Quotations from Famous Historians of Science." 19976.21 April 1998 http://www.erols.com/zenithco/Intro1.html#refer1. Miller, Gary. "The Amazing Qur’an." University of Essex Islamic Society. 9.25 April 1998 http://www.ummah.org.uk/science/amzaquran.htm. Moore, Keith L. "A Scientists Interpretation of References to Embryology in the Qur’an." The Journal of the Islamic Medical Association. 18 (Jan-June. 1986): 15-16 pp 25. April 1998 http://www.ummah.org.uk/science/moore.htm.
I have to thank Lisa McGown for making the wonderful flowers
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