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SCIENTIFIC FACTS IN QURAN

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 Scientific facts in the Quran

Zin Eddine Dadach

Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Higher Colleges of Technology,
Abu Dhabi, UAE

[email protected]

Abstract
Despite being revealed in a time and place where scholarship was of little concern, the Quran
contains a number of scientific facts. These facts were not known to the people of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH)'s era. Indeed, a number of them have only been discovered in the past 100
years. Many people present the Quran's advanced scientific knowledge as undeniable proof of
Muhammad's prophethood. The main goal of this paper is to present thirteen Quranic verses
containing scientific and compare them with their new corresponding scientific discoveries.

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Introduction
“It is He Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon.
Each of them is floating in its orbit.” (Quran; 21:33)

It seems like Allah (SWT) created the universe as a global school for humanity in order to
contemplate it to perceive His signs and thank Him for all His Favors. Indeed, considering His
beautiful Name “The Originator”, Allah (SWT) created the universe as a dynamic and precisely
organized system where all the components move in a highly planned way. For example, earth,
which is the third planet from the sun, continuously rotates over twenty-four hours. According to
this rotation, we have days and nights on earth, we have daylight for the part of earth that is facing
the sun and it is dark for the other part of earth. We usually know the time of day by the position
of the sun in the sky. Most people take roads and highways at sunrise for their daily social and
professional activities and return home at sunset for family time and rest. While rotating, the earth
also orbits the sun in three hundred and sixty-five days. The resulting change of nature over the
four seasons of the year, Allah (SWT) teaches us several lessons and reminds us of His Blessings.
In this perspective, the transformation of the weather during the four seasons shows how Allah
(SWT) has coordinated the rotations of earth, the moon and the sun in order to make our life change
through variations of feelings to avoid boredom. Finally, as mentioned in the two Quranic verses
“Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a lunar year) so it was ordained by
Allah on the day when He created the heavens and the earth” (Quran; 9:36)1 and “It is He Who
made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out for in stages that you might
know the number of years and the reckoning.”(Quran; 10:5)1, there are twelve months in one lunar
year and we can count days, weeks, months and years with the size of the crescent and the moon.

Quran: The Guiding Light

“Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger
from among themselves, reciting to them His verses (the Quran) and purifying them and
instructing them the Book (Quran) and wisdom (Sunnah), while before that they had been in
manifest error.” (Quran; 3:164)1.
The revelation of Quran to prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the seventh century was quite an avant-
garde for the largely uneducated Arabian society. Since the Noble Quran is the book of Allah
(SWT), it needed to be fully understood to be properly used for their daily life and actions.
Moreover, reading and reciting its words was also the purpose of accessing the full blessings from
Allah (SWT). Thus, education in Islam obviously derived its origins from an interdependent
relationship with religious instruction. In this perspective, Islam has placed a high premium on
education and has enjoyed a long and rich intellectual tradition. In fact, Islamic education is
uniquely different from other types of educational theory and practice largely because of the all-
encompassing influence of the Noble Quran. The powerful impetus given by The Holy Quran to
the study of nature and surrounding realities and the reflection and reasoning, for discovering the
signs of Allah (SWT), transformed the early Muslims into ardent students and researchers.
The importance of seeking knowledge is repeatedly emphasized in the Noble Quran with frequent
injunctions, such as "God will exalt those of you who believe and those who have knowledge to
high degrees" (Quran58:11), "O my Lord! Increase me in knowledge" (Quran 20:114), and "As
God has taught him, so let him write" (Quran 2:282). Such Quranic verses provide a forceful
stimulus for the Islamic community to strive for education and learning. The most important is that
the conception of knowledge (Al-Ilm) in Islam is the Guiding Light (Huda) separating right from
wrong (Al furqan). Therefore, in the same way, the sun brings light to our eyes to see the world
around us, Al-Ilm is the source of guidance to see the Truth.

Al Tawheed
“Say (O Muhammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor
has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone." (Quran 112).
Allah (SWT) is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and
nothing is comparable to Him. When The Prophet (PBUH) was asked by his companions about
Allah (SWT); the answer came directly from HIM in the form of this short chapter of the Noble
Quran, which is considered the essence of the unity or the motto of Al Tawheed. In order to help
us adopt Al-Tawheed and obey Him during all our social and professional activities, Allah (SWT)
has revealed His Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names repeatedly in the Noble Quran and in the sayings
of prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

“We will show them Our signs in the universe and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest
to them that this (the Quran) is the truth.” (Quran; 41:53).
Based on this Quranic verse, there is a complete harmony between the signs of Allah (SWT) in the
universe, scientifically described by natural laws and His words in the Noble Quran. Indeed, the
universe is like a silent Quran with so many marks of the Beautiful Names of Allah (SWT). In this
perspective, Allah (SWT) created us with five senses in order to experience the world around us.
Those who understand and live with the idea of Al Tawheed, have strong faith that Allah (SWT)
alone controls everything in the universe behind the visible material world. Therefore, Allah
(SWT) exhorts Muslims to observe the universe in order to perceive some of His signs. For that
reason, many verses of the Noble Quran invite Muslims to study nature and seek knowledge, and
this has been interpreted to mean encouragement for scientific inquiry. The importance of seeking
knowledge is repeatedly emphasized in the Noble Quran with frequent injunctions, such as "God
will exalt those of you who believe and those who have knowledge to high degrees" (Quran58:11),
"O my Lord! Increase me in knowledge" (Quran 20:114), and "As God has taught him, so let him
write" (Quran 2:282). Such Quranic verses provide a forceful stimulus for the Islamic community
to strive for education and knowledge. Moreover, I consider this Quranic verse “And of
knowledge, you mankind have been given only a little.” (Quran 17:85) as an inspiration for the
acquisition of new knowledge.

Scientific Facts In The Quran

According to Mr. Shamsher Ali, there are around 750 verses in the Noble Quran dealing with
natural phenomena3. For some Muslim writers, the study of science stems from Al-Tawheed4,
which means that there is a complete harmony between the signs of Allah (SWT) in nature,
scientifically proven and His words in the Noble Quran. Indeed, the Quran, which was revealed
fourteen centuries ago, mentioned scientific facts only recently discovered. These are just some of
the many scientific facts found in the Quran :

1. WATER
“He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death”
(Quran; 30:24)1
In Surah Al-Anbya it was revealed “We made every living thing from water, will they not
believe?” (Quran, 21:30) and it was only after the discovery of the microscope that it was
concluded that all living things consist mostly of water. While in the deserts of Arabia the last
thing a man could guess is that life came from water. Because of the existence of water, the earth
is unique among the other known celestial bodies. Indeed water covers three-fourths of its surface
and constitutes 60-70 % of the living world. At a micro level, the human body consists of more
than 70% water5. The most amazing aspect about the divine science is that Allah (SWT) created
water with some properties that allow it to regenerate and to be redistributed through evaporation
and condensation in order to be endlessly renewable. The different stages of the water cycle (figure
1) are shown in this paper because they are the demonstration that water is an infinitely renewable
source of life.
Figure 1. The Water Cycle6.

2. UNIVERSE : THE BIG BAN THEORY

"The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing
except that it exalts (Allah) by His praise, but you do not understand their (way of) exalting.
Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving." (Qur'an 17: 44)1

In Surah Al-Anbya, Allah (SWT) also states "Have those who disbelieved not considered that the
heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them" (Quran, 21:30). In 1929,
American Astronomer, Edwin Hubble proposed the Hubble's Law according to which all entities
in space are moving away from the Earth at speeds proportional to their distance i.e. the greater
the distance from earth, the faster they are moving. Soon after this, he discovered that galaxies are
moving away from each other as well which means that the universe is expanding over all. This
laid the basis for the Big Bang theory which states that around 12-15 billion years ago the universe
came into existence from one single extremely hot and dense point, due to an explosion of this
point the universe came into being. The universe, since then, has been expanding from this single
point. In 1965, radio astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson won the Noble Prize for the
discovery that confirmed the Big Bang theory7.

3. UNIVERSE : THE BIG CRUNCHTHEORY

 “They have not shown Allah His proper reverence—when on the Day of Judgment the ˹whole˺
earth will be in His Grip, and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified and
Exalted is He above what they associate ˹with Him˺!” ( Quran , 39:67)1
Again, in Surah Al-Anbya, Allah (SWT) says "The Day when We will fold the heaven like the
folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That
is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it." (Quran, 21:104). This fits in with the theory
of Big Crunch which talks about how the universe will be pulled back into the black holes and
again form a tiny mass8. Indeed, the Big Crunch is one of the scenarios predicted by scientists in
which the Universe may end. Just like many others, it is based on Einstein’s Theory of General
Relativity. That is, if the Big Bang describes how the Universe most possibly began, the Big
Crunch describes how it will end as a consequence of that beginning9.

4. EMBRYOLOGY
“We have created you, so why do you not believe?” (Quran, 56:57)1
In Surah Al-Mu'minun, Allah (SWT) says “We created man from an extract of clay. Then We
made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah
(leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed
substance)…” (Quran 23:12-14). Science has only proved this with the help of the latest
technology. It is Professor Emeritus Keith L. Moore who is one of the world’s most well known
scientists in the fields of anatomy and embryology who said that " It is clear to me that these
statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was
not discovered until many centuries later10.

5. THE SKY’S PROTECTION

“He raised the heavens and set up everything in balance,” (Quran, 55:7)1
In Surah Al-Anbya, Allah (SWT) says "And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from
its signs, are turning away." (Quran 21:32). It is a scientific fact that the sky, with all of its gasses,
protects the earth and life that is present on it from the harmful rays of the sun. If there was no
protective layer, life on earth would cease to exist as the temperature on earth would be freezing
at -270.15°C, the same as the temperature in space11.

6. IRON WITHIN METEORITES

“Bring me ingots of iron." Then after he had filled up the space between the two mountain-sides,
he said: "(Light a fire) and ply bellows." When he had made it (red like) fire, he said: "Bring me
molten copper which I may pour on it.” (Quran; 18:96)1

In Surah Al-Hadid it is written that “We sent down Iron with its great inherent strength and its
many benefits for humankind.” (Quran 57:25). According to M. E. Walrath, Iron is not natural to
earth. Scientists state that billions of years ago, the earth was struck by meteorites. It was within
these meteorites that Iron was present and due to explosion on earth, we now have iron available
to us12.
7. THE MEETING OF SEAS

“He is the one who has set free the two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other
salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition”

(Quran, 25:53)1

In Surah Ar-Rahman, it states "He released the two seas, meeting [side by side], Between them is
a barrier [so] neither of them transgresses." (Quran, 55:19-20). Science has discovered that in
places where two different seas meet, there is a barrier that divides them which helps both the seas
maintain their own temperature, salinity as well as density8. Moreover, Modern science has also
discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, the situation is somewhat
different from what is 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.”13 This partition (zone of separation) has a different
salinity from the fresh water and from the salt water14.

8. SUN MOVING IN ORBIT

“Among His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate
yourselves to the sun, or to the moon. And prostrate yourselves to Allah who has created them, if
it is Him whom you worship.” (Quran, 41:37)1.

In past scientists believed that the Earth stood still in the center of the universe and Sun, stars and
everything else revolved around it. Then we came to know that planets not only revolve around
the Sun but also rotate around their own axis. But Quran almost around 1400 years ago told us that
the Sun is also not stationary and also tells about the movement of planets, Earth and all celestial
bodies in space and also around their own axis. For example, In Surah Al-Anbya, it states "And it
is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all [heavenly bodies] in an orbit
are swimming." (Quran, 21:33). Although it was only a widespread belief in the 20th Century
amongst the astronomers, today it is a well-established fact that the Sun, the Moon and all the other
bodies in the Universe are moving in an orbit and constantly moving, not stationary15.

9. MOUNTAINS AS STAKES
“If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming
apart from fear of Allah. And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give
thought” (Quran, 59:21)1.

About one-quarter of the earth’s land surface are covered with mountains and it has become 12
percent of total human population habitat. Mountains provide numerous benefits to human and
provide indispensable supplies of natural resources as well for human. The most important is that
in Surah An-Naba, Allah (SWT) states "Have We not made the earth a resting place? And the
mountains as stakes?" (Quran, 78:6-7). In this perspective, in a book by geophysicist Frank Press
called 'Earth' (1986), he explains how the mountains are like stakes and are buried deep within the
earth's surface16. For example, Mt. Everest which has the height of approximately 9 km above sea
level has a root deeper than 125 km17.

10. EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE

“It is Allah Who has raised the heavens without any supports that you could see,2 and then He
established Himself on the Throne3 (of Dominion). And He it is Who has made the sun and the
moon subservient4 (to a law), each running its course till an appointed term.5 He governs the
entire order of the universe and clearly explains6 the signs that you may be firmly convinced
about meeting your Lord” (Quran, 13:2)1

In this Quranic verse, Allah (SWT) tells us about His power that created this universe. Allah
mentions His perfect ability and infinite authority, since it is He Who has raised the heavens
without pillars by His permission and order. He, by His leave, order and power, has elevated the
heavens high above the earth, distant and far away from reach. The heaven nearest to the present
world (first heaven) encompasses the earth from all directions, and is also high above it from every
direction. Each of the heavens encompasses the one below it and the distance between each of the
seven heavens is enormous. This shows the enormous size of the universe that is visible to us. In
Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Allah (SWT) says "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and
indeed, We are [its] expander." (Quran, 51:47). According to the prominent physicist Stephen
Hawking in his book 'A brief History of Time' “The discovery that the universe is expanding was
one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century”18.

11. PAIN RECEPTORS

For a long time it was thought that the sense of feeling and pain was dependent on the brain.
However, it has been discovered that there are pain receptors present in the skin. Without these
pain receptors, a person would not be able to feel pain19. For example, when a doctor examines a
patient suffering from burn injuries, he verifies the degree of burns by a pinprick. If the patient
feels pain, the doctor is happy, because it indicates that the burns are superficial and the pain
receptors are intact. On the other hand, if the patient does not feel any pain, it indicates that it is a
deep burn and the pain receptors have been destroyed. In Surah An-Nisa, it is stated that "We shall
send those who reject our revelations to the (hell) fire. When their skins have been burned away,
We shall replace them with new ones so that they may continue to feel the pain: God is almighty,
all-wise.” (Quran, 4:56).

12. INTERNAL WAVES IN OCEANS

“Whereby Allah guides whomever closely follows His all-blessed Satisfaction in the ways of
peace; and He brings them out of the darkness (es) into the light by His permission, and He
guides them to a straight Path” ( Quran, 5:16)1.

In Surah An-Nur, Allah (SWT) has revealed "Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable
sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds - darknesses, some
of them upon others. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. And he to whom
Allah has not granted light - for him there is no light." (Quran, 24:40). This verse mentions the
darkness found in deep seas and oceans, where if a man stretches out his hand, he cannot see it.
The darkness in deep seas and oceans is found around a depth of 200 meters and below. At this
depth, there is almost no light. Below a depth of 1000 meters there is no light at all20. Human
beings are not able to dive more than forty meters without the aid of submarines or special
equipment. Human beings cannot survive unaided in the deep dark part of the oceans, such as at
a depth of 200 meters. Moreover, the internal waves cover the deep waters of seas and oceans
because the deep waters have a higher density than the waters above them. Internal waves act like
surface waves. They can also break, just like surface waves. Internal waves cannot be seen by the
human eye, but they can be detected by studying temperature or salinity changes at a given
location21. Oceanographers have stated that unlike the belief that waves only occur on the surface,
there are waves that take place internally in the oceans, below the surface of water. Invisible to the
human eye, these can only be detected through special equipment22.

13. FRONTAL LOBE

“(O Prophet), recite the Book that has been revealed to you and establish Prayer.77 Surely
Prayer forbids indecency and evil.78 And Allah's remembrance is of even greater merit.79 Allah
knows all that you do” ( Quran, 29:45)1.
Based on this Quranic verse, it is Allah (SWT)’s wisdom that He Commanded the frontal lobe to
be placed on the ground in prostration so that it will learn how to be honest and upright. The
human brain consists of four main lobes: (1) the frontal lobe, (2) the occipital lobe, (3) the temporal
lobe, and (4) the parietal lobe. Each lobe has its own special function, while at the same time
working together and complementing one another. The frontal lobe in humans is distinctive from
that of animals since it includes centers that are responsible for speaking and behavior. In Surah
Al-Alaq, in the story of a man named Abu Jahl who was a cruel oppressive tribal leader, in the
times of the Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Allah revealed a
verse to warn him. Therein Allah (SWT) says "No indeed! if he does not stop, We will seize him
by the forehead, his lying, sinful forehead.” , (Quran, 96:15-16). According to a book titled
'Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology’ it is clearly stated that the forehead or frontal area of the
brain is responsible for motivation and the foresight to plan and initiate movements. All this takes
place in the prefrontal area of the brain. The part of the brain that is responsible for movement and
planning is said to be seized if he does not stop. Other studies have proved that it is this prefrontal
region that is responsible for the function of lying23. A study at the University of Pennsylvania in
which volunteers were questioned during a computerized interrogation, it was stated that the
volunteers that were lying had an increased activity in their prefrontal and premotor cortices24.

CONCLUSION
“Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day,
there are signs for men of understanding” (Quran, 3 :190)1.

There is a permanent desire in every human being to seek understanding and knowledge. The
fundamental motivation of scientific knowledge is the unborn curiosity about the nature of the
world, the discovery of truth and the creation of order. When this curiosity combines with vision,
the scientists begin to see more and discover more about the surrounding reality. The search for
truth is basic purpose of science in islam. The most important is that the conception of knowledge
(Al-Ilm) in Islam is the Guiding Light (Huda) separating right from wrong (Al furqan). Therefore,
in the same way, the sun brings light to our eyes to see the world around us, Al-Ilm is the source
of guidance to see the Truth. As Muslims, in order to know Allah (SWT) Who created all living
creatures and the universe and to comprehend His power, a person should consider everything our
Lord has created and try to appreciate the manifestations of His boundless knowledge and will.
The Quran contains so many scientific facts and only thirteen of them were presented in this paper.
More such facts that are already mentioned in the Quran and will be proven in the future by
mankind as Allah (SWT) says in the Quran in Surah Ar-Rahman, "So which of the favors of your
Lord would you deny?" (Quran, 55:13)1.

References
1. Interpretation of the meanings of the Noble Quran by Dr. Muhammad Taqui-ud-Din Al Hilali
and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, DARUSSALAM (1996).
2. Joachim Funke (2017), How Much Knowledge Is Necessary for Action? In Knowledge and
Action pp 99-111 , Springer.
3. Ali, Shamsher. "Science and the Qur'an".In Oliver Leaman. The Qurʼan: An Encyclopedia
(PDF). p. 572. Retrieved13 May 2018.
4. Muzaffar Iqbal (2007). Science & Islam.Greenwood Press.\
5. Sadullah Khan (2019), Stewardship of WATER, the Commodity of Life in IslamiCity
https://www.islamicity.org/7781/stewardship-of-water-the-commodity-of-
life/?gclid=CjwKCAjwibzsBRAMEiwA1pHZrnRheLGKY7ceb_ybqcN2kX5zAthv23WMYnT6V6NSsX
G4FHzR-VyTARoCLDAQAvD_BwE
6. Water cycle process on earth Free Vector IN FREEPIK . https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/water-
cycle-process-earth_5601885.htm
7. Misha Ketchell, The CMB: how an accidental discovery became the key to understanding the
universe, The conversation, July 24, 2015. https://theconversation.com/the-cmb-how-an-
accidental-discovery-became-the-key-to-understanding-the-universe-45126
8. Big crunch in Wikipedia.
9. JOHN CARL VILLANUEVA, 2009, Universe Today,
https://www.universetoday.com/37018/big-crunch/
10. Islamic Awareness, This is the Truth by Sheikh Abdul-Majeed A. al-Zindani,
https://www.islamic-awareness.org/quran/science/scientists.html
11. Angela Libal (2018), The Temperatures of Outer Space Around the Earth in Sciencing
https://sciencing.com/astronomical-instrument-measures-brightness-stars-16357.html

12. M E Walrath, History of the Earth's Formation, ISBN-13 : 978-0530178776

13. Oceanography, Gross, p. 242. Also see Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301.
Back from footnote (3)

14. Oceanography, Gross, p. 244, and Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301. Back
from footnote (4)

15. Ethan Siegel, Our Motion Through Space Isn't A Vortex, But Something Far More Interesting,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2018/08/30/our-motion-through-space-isnt-a-
vortex-but-something-far-more-interesting/#170d8af17ec2
16. Frank Press , Earth, ISBN-13: 978-071671743.
17. The Function of Mountains, Questions on Islam.
https://questionsonislam.com/article/function-mountains
18. Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of Time, ISBN-13 : 978-0553380163
 19. Edward A. Shipton, Skin Matters: Identifying Pain Mechanisms and Predicting Treatment
Outcomes, Neurol Res Int. 2013; 2013: 329364.
20. Oceans, Elder and Pernetta, p. 27
21. Oceanography, Gross, p. 205.
22. Internal wave in Wikipedia
23. Kenneth Saladin and Robin McFarland, Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology, ISBN13:
9780072965544.
24. University Of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Human Brain Operates Differently In Deception
And Honesty, University Of Pennsylvania Researchers Report, ScienceDaily 2001,
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/11/011112073302.htm

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