For centuries, people have been fascinated by the connection between the Quran and contemporary science. The fact that the Quran contains statements that are consistent with scientific findings that have only been made in the last few centuries has astounded numerous scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim. While some contend that the Quran is a book of science, others counter that it is a book of divine guidance that occasionally offers scientific facts to support its veracity.
This article will examine some of the astounding scientific facts found in the Quran, contrast them with recent findings, and prove that the Quran is a book of guidance from Allah rather than a science textbook. These scientific allusions are meant to provoke thought about the Quran’s miraculous qualities and help people acknowledge it as Allah’s inspired word.
1. The Quran and Modern Science: Coincidence or Divine Revelation?
Islamic scholars stress that the Quran’s primary goal is to lead humanity towards righteousness rather than to offer a scientific discourse. Nonetheless, natural phenomena are discussed in verses of the Quran that have only lately been comprehended by modern science.
According to French physician Dr. Maurice Bucaille, author of The Bible, The Quran and Science:
“The Quran contains no verses that are in conflict with contemporary science. Only in the modern era have many of the Quran’s claims about natural phenomena been uncovered.”
This brings up a crucial query: How could a book that was revealed in the seventh century, long before human civilization had the resources to make scientific discoveries, contain such knowledge? Let’s look at a few instances.
2. The Expanding Universe: A Quranic Revelation
Edwin Hubble first put forth the theory that the universe is expanding in the 20th century. Our knowledge of cosmology was completely transformed by this discovery. But this phenomenon was already mentioned in the Quran more than 1400 years ago:
“And we are [its] expanders, and we built the heaven with strength.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:47)
In Arabic, “Mūsi‘ūn” (مُوسِعُونَ) means “expanding,” which is exactly in line with contemporary astrophysical observations. Unless it was revealed by God, how could an uneducated prophet in the seventh century have known about the expanding universe?
3. Embryology in the Quran: A Scientific Miracle
The Quran contains one of the most remarkable scientific explanations of human embryology. Renowned embryologist Dr. Keith L. Moore was shocked by how accurately the Quran described fetal development:
“Since practically all of this information was not discovered until many centuries later, it is evident to me that Muhammad must have received these statements directly from God.”
The following are the phases of human development as described in the Quran:
“We used a clay extract to create man. Then, firmly fixed, we made him a drop in a settlement. The drop was then transformed into a clinging clot, which was then transformed into a lump, which was then transformed into bones, and the bones were then covered with flesh before he was developed into yet another creation. The Best of Creators, Allah, is so blessed.” (Surah Al-Mu’minun 23:12–14)
These are the exact stages at which human embryonic development takes place, according to modern science. If not from divine revelation, how could the Quran include such detailed biological information?
4. The Protective Atmosphere: A Quranic Hint
The Earth’s atmosphere acts as a protective barrier stopping dangerous cosmic radiation and UV rays from reaching us. It also slows down meteors before they hit the Earth’s surface. Scientists have recently grasped how crucial this shield is. However, the Quran talked about this protective layer more than 1400 years ago:
“And we created a protective ceiling in the sky, but they are turning away based on its indications.” (Anbiya Surah 21:32)
This verse sheds light on the divine wisdom that led to the Earth’s atmosphere being created. The ozone layer has the job of filtering out harmful ultraviolet rays, while the magnetosphere turns away solar winds that might strip the planet’s atmosphere. Also, the atmosphere burns up tiny meteors before they hit the ground. The Quran’s exact mention of this role points to its divine source pushing people to think about Allah’s flawless creation.
5. The Deep Seas and Internal Waves
The Quran explained this phenomenon centuries ago, and scientists found in the 20th century that deep the seas have internal waves that serve as a boundary between the water layers:
“Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds, there are visible signs over one another, there are unclear signs–Clouds. (There are) darknesses and the deep one above one a, the other: Whereat the hand cannot be seen when a person stretches out it. And whom Allah has not granted light, for him is no light.” (Surah An-Nur 24:40)
This line depicts the deep, dark ocean and the fact that it consists of a few waves, which nobody had ever seen.
6. Mountains as Pegs: A Geological Reality
Contemporary geology has established that mountains do have deep roots under the surface of the Earth, similar to pegs or stakes. The Quran says:
“Have We not made the earth as a bed, and the mountains as pegs?” (Surah An-Naba 78:6-7)
Dr. Frank Press was a renowned American geophysicist and past president of the US National Academy of Sciences. He was also Science Advisor to US President Jimmy Carter. In his book Earth (in several editions), he describes how indeed mountains do have deep roots under the earth surface and help stabilize the crust.
7. The Quran is a Book of Guidance, Not Science
In spite of these amazing scientific observations, it is important to note that the Quran is not a science book but a guidebook. Allah is referring to these signs so that people may understand the reality of Islam. These references to science are not meant to substitute scientific inquiry but to enhance faith.
The renowned Islamic scholar Imam Al-Ghazali stressed in his famus book “Ihya Ulum al-Din”:
“The Quran is no book of medicine or physics, but it teaches things that make man perceive the grandiosity of Allah’s creation.”
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen also asserted in his “Tafseer Surah Al-Fatihah”:
“We must not say that the Quran is a book of science, but rather that it holds signs that attest to its divinity.”
The Quran employs these facts of science as Ayaat (signs) to motivate human beings to ponder the divine wisdom of Allah. It serves as a reminder that science and religion are not contradictory, but science is a means to an end that allows us to admire the divine wisdom in creation.
Conclusion: The Quran is a Miraculous Book of Guidance
The Quran has many scientific statements that match recent findings. Yet, its main goal isn’t to teach science but to lead people to worship the One True God. The scientific facts in the Quran act as Ayaat (signs) to persuade doubters that the Quran is Allah’s word.
Allah says in the Quran:
“We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth.” (Surah Fussilat 41:53)
So, while science keeps changing, the Quran stays the same offering guidance, wisdom, and inspiration to every generation. We should think about its message and see it as the ultimate source of truth and insight.
