Ramadan Lecture: 19 (The Holy Qur’an and the Scientific Discoveries)

The Holy Qur’an is not a book of science or history. It is the Word of Allah encompassing His Omnipotence, Omniscience and Exaltedness manifested in countless creatures and in all systems around us. The Qur’an repeatedly invites the human beings to think about their creation, the creation of celestial spheres and how the system has been regulated under some laws.

Since man has been sent to this planet; at least every fifth verse reminds him the natural phenomenon taking place around him. Out of 6236 verses of the Holy Qur’an more than 750 verses deal with the natural phenomenon. A big number of verses pertaining to the biological, physiological data and re-production can be presented in this lecture which shows that this information, imparted 1450 years before, cannot be a creation of the human mind. Out of a large number of verses, I just present here three examples, pertaining to natural phenomenon, as dealt with by the Holy Qur’an:

1- The Aquatic Character of Life:

As said earlier, the Holy Qur’an is not a book of Science or History, instead, its subject-matter is human beings and how they can create a worth living society, which resonates with the concept of the unity of mankind, where all individuals have been given guidelines to achieve moral excellence and spiritual enlightenment. Allah has sent us to earth which is regulated under physical and biological laws, bestowing on us the last message:  Al-Qur’an al-Karim for our guidance. The wonders of the Qur’an will never come to an end. Allah says in the Qur’an: “??????????? ???? ????????? ????? ?????? ?????” (We created every living thing with water) Surah 21: Verse 30. Now we know that all living cells contain 70% water by weight. 

The intrinsic and basic concept underlying the portion of the above verse that life is of aquatic character, was never prevalent in any preceding society before Muhammad, peace be upon him. Therefore, a man from Arabian peninsula cannot be the author of such ideas. This is one of a large number of examples which shows Qur’an’s divine character.

2- The Holy Qur’an on Finger Prints:

Challenging those who do not believe in the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment, Allah says:  " ???  ??????  ???  ??  ????  ????? " (“Surely, We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of human beings’ fingers”). Surah: 75, Verse: 4.

1450 years before, we were asked to ponder and meditate about the mystery of finger tips. Unfortunately we did not pay any heed to it. At last through hit and trial and laborious experiments man came to know that every one of us has unique Finger Prints even born as one of the identical twins. Had we taken up this verse centuries before we would have been leading the world in Forensic and allied sciences!!!

Dear readers! You are requested to ask your children to learn the Qur’an, keeping themselves the students of their cherished field, as a lot of facts of the planet are yet to be explored. 

3- The Holy Qur’an on the Water Cycle:

In the reported history of the mankind, centuries before the Holy Christ (AS), Greek philosophers tried to investigate the Basic Substance of the Universe---out of which it has been formed; and, tried to interpret the “water-cycle”. The Greek Philosopher Thales, the father of philosophy, claimed that the Earth is a disc which floats on the water and that everything comes out of water and returns to water.

With regard to the Water-Cycle, almost all Greek philosophers, including Plato (d. 390 BC) and Aristotle (d. 350 BC), both speculated about “Percolation” as part of the Water-Cycle. Not only Greeks but Father of the Modern Philosophy, Rene Descartes (d. 1650 CE) believed that the rough oceans and their tyrant waves and tides push the water upwards into the hidden creeks of the earth which make the springs flow on top of the hills and make the rivers (water channels) flow on the face of earth.

The Holy Qur’an, 1450 years ago, has already elaborated the Water-Cycle:

  ??????? ??????? ???????? ?????????? ????????? ???????? ????????????? ??? ??????????? ?????? ???????? ????????????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ???????? ???? ?????????? ? ???????? ??????? ????? ??? ???????? ???? ??????????? ????? ???? ???????????????

(It is Allah who drives the winds that raise the clouds. He spreads them as He will in heaven and breaks them up, so that you can see the rain falling from their midst. When He sends it down upon His servants, they are filled with joy, though before its coming they may have lost all hope). Surah: 30, Verse: 48.

 A good deal of the Qur’anic verses imply that it is the rain-water which makes the rivers to flow and not the ocean’s underground up-ward thrust of water which causes the rivers to flow. For example, in Surah Ibrahim, a verse reads:

  ??????? ??????? ?????? ????????????? ??????????? ????????? ???? ??????????? ?????? ?????????? ????? ???? ???????????? ??????? ??????? ? ????????? ?????? ?????????  ?????????? ??? ????????? ??????????? ? ????????? ?????? ????????????

(It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth, and sends down water from the sky, and with it produces fruits for your sustenance. And He committed the ships to your service, sailing through the sea by His command, and He committed the rivers (water-channels) to your service). Surah: 14, Verse: 32.

Dear readers! About the water-cycle, it is reported in the Wikipedia: “The first published thinker to assert that rainfall alone was sufficient for the maintenance of rivers was Bernard Palissy (1580 CE), who is often credited as the “discoverer” of the modern theory of the water-cycle. Palissy’s theories were not tested scientifically until 1674 CE, in a study commonly attributed to Pierre Perrault. Even then, these beliefs were not accepted in mainstream science until the early nineteenth century”.

The following verse clearly indicates that it is the rain-water which causes the springs and fountains to flow:

"?????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????????? ?????? ??????????? ?????????? ??? ?????????"

(Have you not considered how Allah sends down water from the sky, and then causes it to travel through the earth in the shape of springs?). Surah: 39, Verse: 21.

One should not be misled with the following verses of Surah al-Waqi’ah, which, in the Qur’anic context, reaffirms the Omnipotence of Allah Almighty:

."?????????????? ????????? ??????? ???????????. ????????? ?????????????? ???? ????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????. ???? ???????? ??????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????"

(Have you seen the water you drink? Is it you who sent it down from the clouds, or are We the Sender?  If We will, We can make it salty. Will you not be thankful?) Surah: 56, Verses: 68-70.

 Dear readers! I am not trying to create any reconciliation between the Qur’an and the modern science, as most of the Muslim philosophers, in early Islam, have been trying for reconciliation between Islam and the Greek philosophy. My effort is to bring thinking minds of the Ummah to al-Qur’an al-Karim. How unfortunate we are!!! We could never take al-Qur’an al-Karim as an Avenue of Knowledge during past centuries. Had we taken the Qur’an as a Source of knowledge we could have reached the heights of development centuries ago.

Dear readers! Another important issue which needs immediate attention of the Ummah is Madrassas and their Courses of Reading and Syllabus. Now, in the institutions of religious education only the rituals are being taught in Pakistan. In our history all such academic centers like one established in Farangi Mahal by ‘Allama Nizam ud Din Sehalvi (d. 1749 CE)---the term: Dars e Nizami was coined after him; and, Jami’a Rahimiyyah by Shah Waliullah Dehlawi (d.1762 CE) used to impart comprehensive information about life including: engineering, medical science, mathematics, aljebra, history, etc. in addition to religious disciplines, like: tafsir, hadith, fiqh, sirah, tasawwuf, etc. It seems to be imperative now that the curricula and courses of reading in madrassas should be revised in order to bring their students in the main stream again.  

For details, please click the following link: 

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3awgda_lecture-19-qur-an-e-karim-aur-jadeed-scienci-iktishafat-prof-dr-m-akram-chaudhary-former-vice-chance_school 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpCWsN7enSM&list=PLCRJJ1gnWed9-M3H1OXAU96-7MofbqUVR