AYAT IN THE EXPANSE AND WORKING OF THE UNIVERSE

A

إِنَّ فِي خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱلۡفُلۡكِ ٱلَّتِي تَجۡرِي فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٖ فَأَحۡيَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٖ وَتَصۡرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَٰحِ وَٱلسَّحَابِ ٱلۡمُسَخَّرِ بَيۡنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَ ١٦٤ [البقرة:164-164]

Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, and the ships which sail through the sea with that which is of use to mankind, and the water (rain) which Allah sends down from the sky and makes the earth alive therewith after its death, and the moving (living) creatures of all kinds that he has scattered therein, and in the veering of winds and clouds which are held between the sky and the earth, are indeed Ayat for people of understanding.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 164

• If a man were to observe the constant operation of this universe, reflect on it in a manner befitting a rational being, and think about it without either stubbornness or bias, he would find sufficient signs to convince him that this gigantic system is absolutely subservient to the will of the Omnipotent and Wise Being, Who alone wields all power and authority. Moreover, this system seems to be such as to rule out all possibility of any interference from others whether independent of the Creator of the universe or in partnership with him.
• ‘…alternation of day and night’ - The ‘alternation’ refers to the feature of night and day wherein at times one of them becomes longer than the other, at others shorter and at other times equal; and the same is repeated again and again, and all this occurs by the decision of the Almighty, Most Wise.

The differentiation between daytime and night in length, brightness and darkness, warmth and coldness are important factors for life. For instance, in flowering plants neither fruits nor seeds will grow if flowers do not have a chemical biological substance called “flowering hormone" which leads to the flowering process. This substance is formed only by the alternation of light and dark and their intensity and length; in fact, Allah has created in the kingdom of plants those which need daily darkness until they flower, thus they are called “long night plants”; on the contrary, there are others which need light – “long daytime plants”. It is now established that long night plants can’t be moved to an environment where daytime is longer than night (the plant will not have flowers, fruits or seeds); experimentally it is seen that this happens if night plants are exposed to artificial light by using big mirrors to change dark into light in some parts of the earth; and as a result, the biological process of the plant gets disturbed.

There are some creatures, other than plants, that are also affected by light and dark (like some germs and sea plants). 

إِنَّ فِي خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ ١٩٠ [آل عمران:190-190]

Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.

Surah 3 Al-Imran Verse 190

• The Ayah refers to the sky in its height and spaciousness, the earth in its expanse and density, the tremendous features they have of rotating planets, seas, mountains, deserts, trees, plants, fruits, animals, metals and various beneficial colors, scents, tastes and elements.

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا طَٰٓئِرٖ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيۡهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمۡثَالُكُمۚ مَّا فَرَّطۡنَا فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مِن شَيۡءٖۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يُحۡشَرُونَ ٣٨ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِ‍َٔايَٰتِنَا صُمّٞ وَبُكۡمٞ فِي ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِۗ مَن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يُضۡلِلۡهُ وَمَن يَشَأۡ يَجۡعَلۡهُ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ ٣٩ [الأنعام:38-39]

There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then to their Lord they (all) shall be gathered. Those who reject Our Ayat are deaf and dumb in the darkness. Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on a Straight Path whom He wills.

Surah 6 Al-Anam Verses 38-39

• If the disbelievers are concerned with miraculous signs in order to determine whether or not the message of the Prophet (pbuh) is indeed true, let them take an example in any species of animal or bird they like. They can reflect upon the superbness of its organic structure. They will notice how its instinctive urges are in complete conformity with its natural requirements. They will also observe how wonderfully adequate are the arrangements for providing it with nourishment; how marvelously well-determined are the limits within which it lives; how tremendously efficient is the system under which each living creature is protected, provided for, looked after and directed towards self-fulfillment; how strictly each one is fitted into the framework of the discipline devised for it, and how very smooth is the operation of the whole system of birth, procreation and death.
• Allah’s act of misguiding a man consists in not enabling one who cherishes his ignorance to observe the signs of Allah. There are many who study zoology, botany, biology, geology, astronomy, physiology, anatomy and other branches of natural science. Others study history, archaeology and sociology. During the course of such studies, they come across many signs of Allah, which if, they cared to look at them in the correct perspective, might fill their hearts with faith. But since they commence their study with a bias, and are actuated only by the desire to acquire earthly advantages, they fail to discover the signs which could lead them to the truth. On the contrary, each of those very signs contributes to pushing them towards atheism, materialism and naturalism.

۞إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَالِقُ ٱلۡحَبِّ وَٱلنَّوَىٰۖ يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَيَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ وَمُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَيِّۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَ ٩٥ فَالِقُ ٱلۡإِصۡبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ ٱلَّيۡلَ سَكَنٗا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ حُسۡبَانٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقۡدِيرُ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡعَلِيمِ ٩٦ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلنُّجُومَ لِتَهۡتَدُواْ بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِۗ قَدۡ فَصَّلۡنَا ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٩٧ [الأنعام:95-97]

Verily, it is Allah Who causes the seed grain and the fruit stone (like date stone) to split and sprout. He brings forth the living from the dead, and it is He Who brings forth the dead from the living. Such is Allah, then how are you deluded away from the truth? (He is the) Cleaver of daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. Such is the measuring of All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea. We have (indeed) explained in detail Our Ayat for a people who know.

Surah 6 Al-Anam Verse 95-97

• Abu Qatadah said, “The creation of these stars is for three purposes i.e. as decoration of the (nearest) heaven, as missiles to hit the devils, and as signs to guide travelers. So, if anybody tries to find a different interpretation, he is mistaken and he just wastes his efforts, and troubles himself with what is beyond his limited knowledge”

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ نَبَاتَ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مِنۡهُ خَضِرٗا نُّخۡرِجُ مِنۡهُ حَبّٗا مُّتَرَاكِبٗا وَمِنَ ٱلنَّخۡلِ مِن طَلۡعِهَا قِنۡوَانٞ دَانِيَةٞ وَجَنَّٰتٖ مِّنۡ أَعۡنَابٖ وَٱلزَّيۡتُونَ وَٱلرُّمَّانَ مُشۡتَبِهٗا وَغَيۡرَ مُتَشَٰبِهٍۗ ٱنظُرُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ ثَمَرِهِۦٓ إِذَآ أَثۡمَرَ وَيَنۡعِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكُمۡ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٩٩ [الأنعام:99-99]

It is He Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds, and out of it We bring forth green stalks, from which We bring forth thick clustered grain. And out of the date palm and its spathe come forth clusters of dates hanging low and near, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranates, each similar (in kind) yet different (in variety and taste). Look at their fruits when they begin to bear, and the ripeness thereof. Verily, in these things there are signs for a people who believe.

Surah 6 Al-Anam verse 99

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتۡ سَحَابٗا ثِقَالٗا سُقۡنَٰهُ لِبَلَدٖ مَّيِّتٖ فَأَنزَلۡنَا بِهِ ٱلۡمَآءَ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٥٧ وَٱلۡبَلَدُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ يَخۡرُجُ نَبَاتُهُۥ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِۦۖ وَٱلَّذِي خَبُثَ لَا يَخۡرُجُ إِلَّا نَكِدٗاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٖ يَشۡكُرُونَ ٥٨ [الأعراف:57-58]

And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before the mercy (rain). Till when they have carried heavy-laden clouds, We drive it to a land that is dead, then We cause water (rain) to descend thereon. Then We produce every kind of fruit therewith. Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed. The vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the permission of its Lord; and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but (a little) with difficulty. Thus do We explain variously the Ayat for a people who give thanks.

Surah 7 Al-Araf Verses 57-58

• ‘…winds…going before the mercy (rain)…’ - The verse describes the “Mesoscale” wind that comes before the raining clouds and how it drives the heavy clouds to the destination land. In meteorology Wind Systems are defined on the basis of scale, wind directions and differential heating. Three major divisions of scale are:

Synoptic winds occupy the higher boundary of what is considered "forecastable" wind. Winds at the lowest level of magnitude (micro) typically arise and fade over time periods too short and over geographic regions too narrow to predict with any long-range accuracy. These mesoscale winds frequently advance ahead of more intense thunder storms and may be sufficiently energetic to generate local weather of its own. Examples of mesoscale phenomena include thunderstorms, gap winds, downslope windstorms, land-sea breezes and squall lines. Many of the weather phenomena that most directly impact human activity occur on the mesoscale.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ ضِيَآءٗ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ نُورٗا وَقَدَّرَهُۥ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعۡلَمُواْ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلۡحِسَابَۚ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٥ إِنَّ فِي ٱخۡتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَّقُونَ ٦ [يونس:5-6]

It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out for it stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. Allah did not create this but in truth. He explains the Ayat in detail for a people who have knowledge. Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are Ayat for those people who have taqwa.

Surah 10 Yunus Verses 5-6

• Allah in His infinite wisdom has seen to it that in the multifarious phenomena of existence there should be plenty of signs which betoken the hidden realities underlying that phenomenon. However, not all men will be able to benefit from those signs. Those who benefit are:

1. Who liberate themselves from prejudices and seek knowledge with the help of the natural endowments bestowed upon them by Allah (people who have knowledge)
2. Those who are keen not to fall into error and who earnestly seek to adhere to the right way (people who have taqwa – Allah consciousness)

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي رَفَعَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ بِغَيۡرِ عَمَدٖ تَرَوۡنَهَاۖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ يَجۡرِي لِأَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗىۚ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلۡأَمۡرَ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّكُمۡ تُوقِنُونَ ٢ [الرّعد:2-2]

Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He rose over (Istawa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running for a term appointed. He manages and regulates all affairs; He explains the Ayat in detail that you may believe with certainty in the Meeting with your Lord.

Surah 13 Ar-Rad Verse 2

• The whole argument for Allah’s unity is based on the premise that the universe constitutes one integrated system which is subject to a colossal body of laws. These laws clearly point to the existence of an all-pervasive power, a wisdom immune from every imperfection, a knowledge free of every error. It is obvious that such a system can operate only if it is subject to the will of no more than one Being who effectively controls it. It is no less obvious that such a well-ordered system cannot operate if there is none to operate it.
• ‘…each running for a term appointed’ - According to Modern science, our Sun is moving in the general direction of the star Vega in the constellation Lyra. This apparent direction is termed the Solar Apex or Apex of the Sun's Way.  The following are other verses of the Quran which indicated more than a thousand years ago that the sun is not stationary but it is moving: 

Seest thou not that Allah merges Night into Day and He merges Day into Night; that He has subjected the sun, and the moon (to his Law), each running its course for a term appointed; and that Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do? 
(Quran 31:29)
He merges Night into Day, and He merges Day into Night, and He has subjected the sun and the moon (to his Law): each one runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah your Lord: to Him belongs all Dominion. And those whom ye invoke besides Him have not the least power. 
(Quran 35:13)
He created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): He makes the Night overlap the Day, and the Day overlap the Night: He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His law): Each one follows a course for a time appointed. Is not He the Exalted in Power - He Who forgives again and again? 
(Quran 39:5) 

And the sun runs his course for a period determined for him: that is the decree of (Him), the Exalted in Might, the All-Knowing. 
(Quran 36:38) 

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. 
(Quran 21:33)

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). 
(Quran 36:40)

By saying that the Earth was the center of the universe, the ancient Greek astronomer Ptolemy was responsible for the geo-centric idea of the universe that prevailed for hundreds of years. For that reason, at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an, nobody knew that the Earth-centered model that accounted for the formation of day and night in terms of the movement of the Sun was incorrect. On the contrary, all the stars and planets were regarded as revolving around the Earth. Hence, for a long time in the past men thought that the earth was stationary and that the sun revolved around the earth. Later Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo postulated the theory that the sun was stationary and that the earth revolved about the sun. The Quranic assertion about the movement of sun was then disputed. However, it was even later, thanks to sophisticated telescopes and the accumulation of cosmological data, that it was concluded that the sun was moving as well and the earth revolved about the sun in motion. Contrary to the assertion that the sun traced a vicious circle about the earth or that it was stationary, the Verse 36:38 stated correctly that it moved on to its destination.

This scientific truth has only been discovered by man in the last decades of the twentieth century.  Its appearance in Allah’s Book (the Quran) that was revealed to the seal of His prophets 1400 years ago, proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that the noble Quran contains the words of Allah, the Creator, and affirms the Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh). 

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي مَدَّ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ وَأَنۡهَٰرٗاۖ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ جَعَلَ فِيهَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِۖ يُغۡشِي ٱلَّيۡلَ ٱلنَّهَارَۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٣ وَفِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ قِطَعٞ مُّتَجَٰوِرَٰتٞ وَجَنَّٰتٞ مِّنۡ أَعۡنَٰبٖ وَزَرۡعٞ وَنَخِيلٞ صِنۡوَانٞ وَغَيۡرُ صِنۡوَانٖ يُسۡقَىٰ بِمَآءٖ وَٰحِدٖ وَنُفَضِّلُ بَعۡضَهَا عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ فِي ٱلۡأُكُلِۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَ ٤ [الرّعد:3-4]

And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruit He made Zawjain Ithnain (two in pairs). He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat for a people who reflect. And in the earth are neighboring tracts, and gardens of vine and green crops (fields), and date palms, growing into two or three from a single stem root, or otherwise, watered with the same water; yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat. Verily, in these things are Ayat for the people who understand.

Surah 13 Ar-Rad Verses 3-4

• ‘two in pairs’ - Although ‘Linet’, the famous Swedish botanist and scientist succeeded himself in the discovery of general and universal fertilization inside the world of plants in the mid eighteenth century, the Glorious Quran revealed this truth more than one thousand and four hundred years ago which can by itself be considered as one of its miracles, showing the magnitude of this great celestial Book. 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 Quran. 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.
• ‘neighbouring tract’ – meaning next to each other; some of them are fertile and produce what benefits people, while others are dead, salty and do not produce anything. This also covers the various colors and types of diverse areas on earth; some red, some white or yellow, or black; some are stony, or flat, or sandy, or thick or thin, all made to neighbour each other while presenting their own qualities. All this indicates the existence of the Creator Who does what He wills; there is no deity or Lord except Him.
• ‘watered with the same water’ – There are differences between plants and fruits with regard to shape, colour, taste, scent, blossoms and the shape of their leaves. There are plants that are very sweet or sour, bitter or mild, fresh; some plants have a combination of these attributes, and the taste then changes and becomes another taste, by Allah’s Will. There is also some that are yellow in colour, or red, or white, or black, or blue and the same can be said about their flowers; and all these variances and complex diversities are watered by the same water. Surely, in this there are signs for those who have sound reasoning and, surely, all this indicates the existence of the Creator Who does what He wills and Whose power made distinctions between various things and created them as He wills.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗۖ لَّكُم مِّنۡهُ شَرَابٞ وَمِنۡهُ شَجَرٞ فِيهِ تُسِيمُونَ ١٠ يُنۢبِتُ لَكُم بِهِ ٱلزَّرۡعَ وَٱلزَّيۡتُونَ وَٱلنَّخِيلَ وَٱلۡأَعۡنَٰبَ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ١١ [النحل:10-11]

He it is Who sends down water (rain) from the sky; from it you drink and from it (grows) the vegetation on which you send your cattle to pasture. With it He causes to grow for you the crops, the olives, the date palms, the grapes, and every kind of fruit. Verily, in this is indeed an evident proof and a manifest sign for a people who give thought.

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verses10-11

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ وَٱلنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَٰتُۢ بِأَمۡرِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَ ١٢ [النحل:12-12]

And He has subjected to you the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; and the stars are subjected by His Command. Surely, in this are proofs for a people who understand.

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verse 12

وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُخۡتَلِفًا أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ١٣ [النحل:13-13]

And whatsoever He has created for you on the earth of varying colours. Verily, in this is a sign for a people who remember.

Surah 16 AN-Nahl Verse 13

وَٱللَّهُ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَحۡيَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَآۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَسۡمَعُونَ ٦٥ [النحل:65-65]

And Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, then He revives the earth therewith after its death. Verily, in this is a sign for a people who listen.

Surah 16 An-Nahl verse 65

• Man witnesses an instructive spectacle every year; He observes that during the course of each year a time comes when the earth turns altogether barren, becoming bereft of any signs of life and fertility. One does not even see a blade of grass, nor plants or leaves, nor vines or flowers, nor even insects. Then suddenly the rainy season sets in. The very first shower causes life to well up from the depths of the earth. Innumerable roots that lay crushed under layer upon layer of earth are suddenly revived, causing the plants which had appeared on the surface a year ago and had them withered away, to make their appearance once again. Likewise, innumerable insects, every trace of which had been destroyed by the heat of summer, make their reappearance. Men observe this spectacle year after year – that life is followed by death and death by life. Despite all this, when the Prophet (pbuh) tells men that Allah will restore people to life after death, they are struck with surprise.

وَإِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ لَعِبۡرَةٗۖ نُّسۡقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِي بُطُونِهِۦ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ فَرۡثٖ وَدَمٖ لَّبَنًا خَالِصٗا سَآئِغٗا لِّلشَّٰرِبِينَ ٦٦ وَمِن ثَمَرَٰتِ ٱلنَّخِيلِ وَٱلۡأَعۡنَٰبِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنۡهُ سَكَرٗا وَرِزۡقًا حَسَنًاۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٧ [النحل:66-67]

And verily, in the cattle, there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretions and blood, pure milk; palatable to the drinkers. And from the fruits of date palms and grapes, you derive strong drink and a goodly provision. Verily, therein is indeed a sign for a people who have wisdom.

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verses 66-67

• ‘…from between excretions and blood’ - This refers to the most wonderful process of the formation of pure milk in the bellies of the cattle. The Quran was revealed 600 years before the Muslim scientist Ibn Nafees described the circulation of the blood and 1000 years before William Harvey brought this understanding to the western world. Allah produces the milk which is pure and a total nutriment that we drink, between excretions and blood of animals. It is also a scientifically known fact that the food that a living thing eats is digested in stomach and bowels. The excretion remains in the bowels; the blood that arises is absorbed by glands and sent to the blood vessels. The first purification is completed in this way. After that, some portion of the blood that comes to the milk glands becomes nourishment for the cells of these glands and the remaining part becomes milk at the breasts which are in the form of taps. Modern science says that for the food which is eaten by animals to become milk, the food is digested in the stomach and after that it is separated from excretion, and then from the blood, becoming milk. With the expression “min bayni farsin wa damin” (between excretions and blood) in the Quran, it is stated that after the food is purified between excretions and blood, it is transformed into milk in the breasts.

• ‘…strong drink and a goodly provision’ - Ibn Abbas said: “Strong drink is the product of these two fruits that is forbidden and the good provision is what is permitted of them”. According to another report “strong drink is its unlawful and the goodly provision is its lawful”, referring to the fruits when they are dried, like dates and raisins, or products derived from them such as molasses, vinegar and wine (of grapes, dates) which are permissible to drink before they become strong (become alcoholic).

وَأَوۡحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى ٱلنَّحۡلِ أَنِ ٱتَّخِذِي مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتٗا وَمِنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعۡرِشُونَ ٦٨ ثُمَّ كُلِي مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ فَٱسۡلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلٗاۚ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٞ مُّخۡتَلِفٌ أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥ فِيهِ شِفَآءٞ لِّلنَّاسِۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٦٩ [النحل:68-69]

And your Lord inspired the bee, saying: ‘Take your habitation in the mountains and the trees and in what they erect. Then eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy (for you)’. There comes forth from their bellies, a drink of varying colours wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for a people who think.

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verses 68-69

• ‘…follow the ways of your Lord’ means work in accordance with the methods which have been taught to thee by Allah’s wahi (instinctive inspiration) for the smooth running of hive life. It is Allah’s wahi that has taught the bees how to build their wonderful factory with separate combs to rear brood, combs to turn nectar into honey, combs to store food, in short, separate combs to fulfill every aspect of hive life. It is wahi that has taught the bees how to organize themselves into a cooperative society for collective effort to run the factory with the queen and thousands of workers to perform a variety of specific tasks. All these things have been made so smooth for them by wahi that the bees never feel the necessity of ever thinking about it. They have been running smoothly their factory with their collective effort for thousands of years with perfect accuracy.

Another aspect of the phrase is seen by some scholars of Quran as referring to the following of the directions by the bees and the inherent science involved. Let’s see what modern science tells us about how bees determine directions:

Bees usually have to fly long distances and trace large areas to find food. They collect flower dust and honey constituent within a range of 800 m from their hive. The bee that finds the flowers flies back to the hive to inform others about their place. But, how will this bee describe the place of the flowers to its friends in the hive - By dancing! The bee returning to the hive starts to make some sort of a dance. This dance is a means of expression used to tell other bees the location of the flowers. This dance repeated many times by the bee, includes all the information about the inclination, direction, distance and other details of the food source that enable other bees to reach it. This dance is actually an “8" figure constantly repeated by the bee. The bee forms the middle part of the figure “8" by shaking its tail and making zig zags. The angle between the zig zags and the line between the sun and the hive, give the exact direction of the food source. However, knowing only the direction of the food source is not enough. Worker bees should also “know” how far they have to travel to collect honey constituent. So, the bee returning from the flower source, “tells” other bees the distance of the flower pollens by certain body movements. It does this by shaking the bottom part of its body and causing air currents. For example; in order to “describe” a distance of 250 m, it shakes the bottom part of its body 5 times in half a minute. This way, the exact place of the source is made clear with the details given about distance and angle. If the journey from the hive to the food source takes a long time, then there is another problem facing the bee, who can only describe the food source according to the sun. In the bee’s journey back to the hive, the sun moves 1 degree every four minutes. Eventually, the bee will make an error of 1 degree about the direction of the food source it informs to its friends for each four minutes it spends on the way. The bee’s eye is formed of hundreds of tiny hexagonal lenses. Each lens focuses on a very narrow area just like a telescope. A bee looking towards the sun at a certain time of day can always find its location while it flies. The bee is estimated to be doing this calculation by making use of the change in the daylight given out by the sun depending on the time of the day. As a result, while flying in daylight, the bee determines the direction of the target by making corrections in the information on the direction of the food source which it is to give in the hive.

It is, thus, apparent that its path has been made easy by the Lord by His design of the bee.

• The worker bees, those who gather pollen and make the honey, are actually all females. The male bees do not make honey. This was only known recently. However, 1400 years ago the Quran refers to bees that generate the honey as females (the Arabic grammar is in the female mode):

For the word eat: ‘Kuli’ is for females; ‘Kul’ is for males. The Quran used Kuli (females).

For the word follow the ways: ‘Usluki’ is for females; ‘Usluk’ is for males. The Quran used Usluki (females).

For the word their bellies: ‘butuniha’ is for females; ‘butunihim’ is for males. The Quran used butuniha (females).

• bellies - Butuniha in Arabic means multiple stomachs of a single female. Today we know that a honey bee has an extra stomach dedicated for honey.

أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ إِلَى ٱلطَّيۡرِ مُسَخَّرَٰتٖ فِي جَوِّ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَا يُمۡسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٩ [النحل:79-79]

Do they not see the birds held (flying) in the midst of the sky? None holds them but Allah. Verily, in this are clear Ayat for a people who believe.

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verse 79

• A similar message is repeated in the Quran in the verse:

Do they not see the birds above them, spreading out their wings and folding them in? None upholds them except the Most Gracious. Verily, it is He the All-Seer of everything. (Surah 67 Al-Mulk Verse 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.

• Looking at flight from a physics point of view, there are four main forces that you have to worry about. Weight is a force produced by gravity in the downward direction, and every flyer has to produce lift in order to counteract weight. Anything moving through air also experiences drag, which slows it down, so there must be a forward-moving force, called thrust, to oppose the force of drag. These two pairs of forces – weight and lift, drag and thrust – have to be roughly balanced in order for a bird to fly.

Let us look at this LIFT and how is it caused:

Wings

The shape of a bird’s wing is important for producing lift. The increased speed over a curved, larger wing area creates a longer path of air. This means the air is moving more quickly over the top surface of the wing, reducing air pressure on the top of the wing and creating lift. Also, the angle of the wing (tilted) deflects air downwards, causing a reaction force in the opposite direction and creating lift.

Gliding

When a bird is gliding, it doesn’t have to do any work. The wings are held out to the side of the body and do not flap. As the wings move through the air, they are held at a slight angle, which deflects the air downwards and causes a reaction in the opposite direction, which is lift. But there is also drag (air resistance) on the bird’s body, so every now and then, the bird has to tilt forward and go into a slight dive so that it can maintain forward speed.

Flapping

Birds’ wings flap with an up-and-down motion. This propels them forward. The entire wing span has to be at the right angle of attack, which means the wings have to twist (and do so automatically) with each downward stroke to keep aligned with the direction of travel. A bird’s wing produces lift and thrust during the downstroke. The air is deflected downwards and also to the rear. The bird reduces its angle of attack and partially folds its wings on the upward stroke so that it passes through the air with the least possible resistance. The inner part of the wing has very little movement and can provide lift in a similar way to gliding.

However, Birds have many physical features, besides wings, that work together to enable them to fly. They need lightweight, streamlined, rigid structures for flight. Let us see how the birds are designed:

The respiratory system of birds is complex. When they inhale the air then its 25% directly goes to their lungs via windpipe and the remaining 75% goes into the air-sock present in the body of the birds from where the air continues to transfer to lungs and empty parts of the bones. When the birds exhale the air from their lungs the air immediately enters in to the lungs from the specific sock. In this manner the lungs of the birds remain ever filled with air. There is also a nucleus in the red blood cells of the birds.

The nervous system of the birds is also well interconnected. Thus, during the flight their brain determines the direction. In most of the birds the sense of smelling is weak but their eyesight is very sharp. Birds can see in ultraviolet light. Their eyes’ lenses are flexible hence they can see very far. Birds do not blink their eyes as there is a third eye-lid in their eyes which moves horizontally. Both of their eyes of head have vast vision.

Feathers of birds control their body temperature by means of insulation and their feathers are fixed in their skin on epidermal surface of their body and they control the flight of the birds. Birds fly according to the air pressure and earth magnetism. For flight the birds must be of lighter weight and for this reason in the body of the birds the bones are hollow. The shape of the body of the birds is most appropriate for their flying. Their head is light so that it may not bend downward.

Birds need much energy to make a flight hence their hearts are strong and energetic. For consuming less energy, they spread their wings keeping due regard of the air pressure and direction. Their muscles are very strong and their body temperature is also higher than normal and due to it their digestion is fast. It is as such so that they may get instant energy during their flight.

Birds have communication by means of hearing and seeing. These communications are mostly among the same flock. Bird also makes use of their chirping the means of their mutual communication. In this connection they make special kinds of voices which serve the purpose of delivering a message to other birds. Birds can hear a voice of less frequency present in the space. Thus, the birds assess the typhoon or thunder-blast from a distance of many hundred kilometres and avoid the places of danger.

Modern research has shown that there is a magnetic system in the birds like the compass which works keeping regard of magnetic field of the earth and due to it the birds determine their direction. 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.

Is it not then correct to say that none upholds the birds in the sky but Allah?

وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ءَايَتَيۡنِۖ فَمَحَوۡنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَجَعَلۡنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلنَّهَارِ مُبۡصِرَةٗ لِّتَبۡتَغُواْ فَضۡلٗا مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَلِتَعۡلَمُواْ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلۡحِسَابَۚ وَكُلَّ شَيۡءٖ فَصَّلۡنَٰهُ تَفۡصِيلٗا ١٢ [الإسراء:12-12]

And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayat. Then We have obliterated the sign of the night (with darkness) while We have made the sign of the day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything with full explanation.

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verse 12

ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مَهۡدٗا وَسَلَكَ لَكُمۡ فِيهَا سُبُلٗا وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزۡوَٰجٗا مِّن نَّبَاتٖ شَتَّىٰ ٥٣ كُلُواْ وَٱرۡعَوۡاْ أَنۡعَٰمَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلنُّهَىٰ ٥٤ ۞مِنۡهَا خَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمۡ وَمِنۡهَا نُخۡرِجُكُمۡ تَارَةً أُخۡرَىٰ ٥٥ [طه:53-55]

Who has made earth for you like a bed (spread out); and has opened roads (ways and paths) for you therein, and has sent down water (rain) from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds of vegetation. Eat and pasture your cattle (therein); verily, in this are Ayat for men of understanding. Thereof (the earth) We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.

Surah 20 Ta-Ha Verses 53-55

• ‘earth…like a bed (spread out)’ – Many critics of the Quran deem this verse to imply that it says that earth is flat. This is, however, not the correct understanding of the verse. According to the prevailing theory for planet formation, the planets were formed as a result of a supernova  explosion, during which, parts of the subsequent nebula (smoke cloud) collapsed into a thin disk of gas and dust where a protostar formed at the core, surrounded by rotating protoplanetary disks that  continued to accumulate material into the newly formed planets . The accumulation of material meant that kinetic energy (motion) was transformed into potential energy (heat), thus perfectly rounded molten planets were born; such as earth.

Science has two theories on how water existed on earth, the first states that the water was in a gaseous state and when atmosphere cooled, it came down as rain, while the second theory states that planet earth was bombarded by comets rich in water

The landmass expanded above the water surface, and was later split into “neighboring plots” that drifted and collided with each other causing the creation of firmly-set mountain chains at the sides of the plots, then again they drifted apart and at subsequent stages became Pangaea (Mother continent) that was again split into the continents that we now know.

As such, the word “spread”, as well as other similarly used words in other verses of the Quran like “laid down”, “expanded”, “cradle” and “mattress” do not refer to the shape of the earth, but rather to the way the landmass rose above the water surface as Allah, the All Mighty, made it a cradle for land life including us humans.

أَوَ لَمۡ يَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَنَّ أَنَّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ كَانَتَا رَتۡقٗا فَفَتَقۡنَٰهُمَاۖ وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡمَآءِ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ حَيٍّۚ أَفَلَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٣٠ وَجَعَلۡنَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ رَوَٰسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِهِمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجٗا سُبُلٗا لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَهۡتَدُونَ ٣١ وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ سَقۡفٗا مَّحۡفُوظٗاۖ وَهُمۡ عَنۡ ءَايَٰتِهَا مُعۡرِضُونَ ٣٢ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ فِي فَلَكٖ يَسۡبَحُونَ ٣٣ [ الأنبياء:30-33]

Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? And We have placed on earth firm mountains, lest it should shake with them, and We placed therein broad highways for them to pass through, that they may be guided. And We have made the heaven a roof, safe and well guarded. Yet they turn away from its signs. And it is He Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating.

Surah 21 Al-Anbiya Verses 30-33

• ‘We parted them’ - The Big Bang theory states that around 12-15 billion years ago the universe came into existence from one single extremely hot and dense point, and that something triggered the explosion of this point that brought about the beginning of the universe.  The universe, since then, has been expanding from this single point. Later, in 1965, radio astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson made a Noble Prize-winning discovery that confirmed the Big Bang theory.  Prior to their discovery, the theory implied that if the single point from which the universe came into existence was initially extremely hot, then remnants of this heat should be found.  This remnant heat is exactly what Penzias and Wilson found.  In 1965, Penzias and Wilson discovered a 2.725-degree Kelvin Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB) that spreads through the universe.  Thus, it was understood that the radiation found was a remnant of the initial stages of the Big Bang.  Presently, the Big Bang theory is accepted by the vast majority of scientists and astronomers.

Muslim scholars who have explained the above verse mention that the heavens and earth were once one, and then Allah caused them to separate and form into the seven heavens and Earth.  Yet, due to the limitations of science and technology at the time of the revelation of the Quran (and for centuries to follow), no scholar was able to give much detail about how exactly the heavens and earth were created.  What the scholars could explain was the precise meaning of each word in Arabic in the verse, as well as the overall meaning of the verse.

In the verse, the Arabic words ratq and fataq are used.  The word ratq can be translated into “entity” “sewn to” “joined together” or “closed up”.  The meaning of these translations all circulate around something that is mixed and that has a separate and distinct existence.  The verb fataq is translated into “We unstitched” “We clove them asunder” “We separated” or “We have opened them”.  These meanings imply that something comes into being by an action of splitting or tearing apart.  The sprouting of a seed from the soil is a good example of a similar illustration of the meaning of the verb fataq.

With the introduction of the Big Bang theory, it soon became clear to Muslim scholars that the details mentioned with regards to the theory go identically hand in hand with the description of the creation of the universe in verse 30 of chapter 21 of the Quran.  The theory states that all the matter in the universe came into existence from one single extremely hot and dense point; that exploded and brought about the beginning of the universe, matches what is mentioned in the verse that the heaven and Earth (thus the universe) where once joined together, and then split apart.  The only possible explanation for this is that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had truly received divine revelation from God, The Creator and Originator of the universe.

• ‘…from water every living thing’ - A similar message is repeated in the Quran in the verses:

And Allah has created every moving (living) creature from water... (Quran, 24:45)

And it is He who has created man from water... (Quran, 25:54)

Water is the most common substance on Earth, covering more than 70% of the planet’s surface. All living things consist mostly of water; for example, the human body is about two-thirds water. Scientists tell us that all forms of life known to humanity today require three basic conditions: Temperature, the existence of water, and the existence of an atmosphere.

All metabolisms require water to survive, so animals that exist in arid regions have body mechanisms that protect against water loss and make maximum use of water (camels for example). Dehydration in humans results from lack of food, drink, and from sweating, in addition to other factors. This loss eventually affects the proper functioning of the heart, central nervous system, and organs containing smooth muscle. Finally, intercellular water is lost, which upsets vital chemical processes in the cells. If water is not restored to the body, death will usually occur within a few days.

The blood of all living creatures is composed of 55 percent plasma, which in turn is composed of more than 90 percent water. We could go on and on. Again, we find ourselves asking the question: How did Muhammad (pbuh) know that all living creatures are created from water centuries before mankind discovered this fact through scientific experimentation? Did he randomly select an element from the countless billions of possible choices? Why did he not claim that mankind was created from air, or from wood, or from light or from sand? Why water? The answer is known!

• ‘…lest it should shake…’ – scientist Dr Z.R. El-Naggar in his book ‘The Geological Concept of Mountains in the Quran’ has made a detailed observation about how mountains act as a means of fixation for the earth’s crust (lest it should shake). He writes:

“The lithosphere (which is approximately 70 km thick under oceans and 100 km thick under continents) is broken up into about 12, large, rigid plates by rift systems. These plates float on the plastic asthenosphere and move freely away from or towards each other, and past one another. At one boundary of each plate, molten rock rises to form strips of new ocean floor, and at the opposite boundary, the plate slides underneath the adjacent plate to be consumed in the underlying mantle at exactly the same rate of sea-floor spreading. An ideal rectangular plate would thus have one edge growing at a mid-oceanic rift, the opposite edge being consumed into the asthenosphere of the overriding plate and the other two edges sliding past the edges of adjoining plates along transform faults. In this way, the lithospheric plates are constantly shifting around the earth, despite their rigidity, and as they are carrying continents with them, such continents are also constantly drifting away or towards each other. As a plate is forced under another plate and melts, more viscous magmas are intruded, while lighter and more fluid ones are extruded to form island-arcs that eventually grow into continents, and plastered to the margins of nearby continents or squeezed between two colliding continents. Traces of what might have been former island-arcs have been detected along the margins and in the interiors of many of today's continents. The divergence as well as convergence of lithospheric plates are not confined to ocean basins but are also felt along the margins, as well as within and in between continents.

Continental orogenic belts are the result of plate boundary interaction and such interaction reaches its climax when two continents come into collision. This results in considerable crumpling of the margins of the two continents and the cessation of all forms of activity at that junction. The two lithospheric plates become welded together, with considerable crustal shortening in the form of giant thrusts and infrastructural nappes, as well as considerable crustal thickening in the form of deep roots that extend downwardly for several times the elevation of the mountainous chain. Consequently, these colossal chains with their very deep roots stabilize the Earth's lithosphere as plate motions are almost completely halted at their place. Again, the notion of a plastic asthenosphere makes it possible to understand why the continents are elevated above the oceanic basins, and why the crust beneath them is much thicker than it is beneath the oceans. This implies that in as much as mountains have very deep roots, all elevated regions such as plateaus and continents must have corresponding roots extending for an exceptional distance downward in the asthenosphere. In other words, the entire lithosphere is floating above the plastic or semi-plastic asthenosphere, and its elevated structures are only held steadily by their downwardly plunging roots”.

• …heaven a roof, safe and well guarded’ - In the verse above, the Quran states that the whole sky is a well-guarded roof. The term roof is also translated by several commentators as canopy. What does well-guarded roof/canopy mean? Let us hear what scientists say about it:

The atmosphere is an ocean of gas surrounding the world, consisting of invisible gases, nearly 10 thousand km thick and harder than stone. Now, let us list the protective properties of the atmosphere:  

1- It protects the world from meteors and meteorites

Millions of meteors, some small and some big, fall on the earth from space every day. Despite its transparent structure, our atmosphere encounters this meteor bombardment like a steel barrier. If the atmosphere did not have this property, there would be no life in the world. The earth would be full of holes. When astronauts went to the moon, the satellite of the earth, they saw that the meteors that had come down like shower had hit the moon and the bigger ones had formed deep holes on the surface of the moon. When the meteors hit the molecules in the atmosphere very fast, they acquire very high temperatures, evaporate, and are transformed into dust and disappear.  

2- It protects the world from the harmful rays of the sun

The atmosphere also filters the harmful rays coming from the sun. It inhibits the ultraviolet lights that have deadly effects on living beings. If the atmosphere did not have an ozone layer, the harmful rays from the sun would not be filtered and life in the world would disappear. This protection is indicated in the verse with the phrase "well-guarded roof"; and it is stated that this is a sign and evidence for the existence of Allah.

3- It protects the world from the freezing cold of space

The average temperature in space is about –270 degrees Centigrade. Our world is protected from this freezing cold of space thanks to the atmosphere. The atmosphere prevents the energy coming from the sun from returning to space very fast thanks to these properties it has. Besides, it makes the rays of the sun disperse, enabling the places that do not see the sun and that are in the shade to be bright. The atmosphere enables the heat on the earth to be de distributed in a balanced way based on the air movements that occur in it. Thus, the air masses in the places where it becomes very hot are carried to the places where it is not hot, establishing a balance. So, excessive rise in the temperature in the places around the equator that constantly get hot is prevented; similarly, excessive fall in the temperature in the places near the poles that constantly lose heat is prevented. In short, all of the events, from being protected from the deadly cold of space to maintaining the livable heat in the world, have been possible thanks to the creation of the atmosphere perfectly with all the details by Allah. 

4- Van Allen Belts

It is not only the atmosphere that protects the world from harmful things. Along with the atmosphere, there is also a layer called "Van Allen Belts", originating from the magnetic fields of the world and serving as a protective shield against the harmful rays coming toward our planet. If there were no Van Allen Belts, it would be impossible to live in the world. The cosmic rays coming from the stars apart from the sun cannot pass through this protective shield. These plasma clouds can be 100 billion times more harmful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Along with heat and light, radiation and winds containing protons and electrons come to the world from the sun with a speed of 1.5 billion km per second. However, the winds coming from the sun cannot pass through Van Allen belts, which form magnetic rings 40 thousand miles away from the world. We keep living without being harmed by those dangers that threaten our lives.

Allah, who made the sky a protective roof, mentioned this fact in His book 1400 years ago; this verse is one of the pieces of evidence showing that the Quran is the word of Allah and that it cannot be the word of a human being. For, a scientific fact that has recently been discovered as a result of astronomic and scientific studies, cannot have been the discovery of a human being who lived 1400 years ago, when there was no technology and astronomy, and who could not read and write.

The canopy or dome as visualized by scientists

• ‘…each in orbit floating’ – While referring to the Sun and the Moon in the Quran, it is emphasized that each move in a definite orbit. There are about 200 billion galaxies in the universe, consisting of nearly 200 billion stars in each. Most of these stars have planets, and most of those planets have satellites. These entire heavenly bodies move in very precisely computed orbits. For millions of years, each has been "swimming" along in its own orbit in perfect harmony and order with all the others. Moreover, many comets also move along in the orbits determined for them. That the entire universe is full of paths and orbits such as this one, is written in the Quran as follows:

By the sky full of paths and orbits (The Quran, 51:7)

The orbits in the universe do not belong to celestial bodies only. The galaxies also travel at enormous speeds in computed, planned orbits. During these movements, none of these celestial bodies cuts across another's path, or collides with another. Surely, at the time the Quran was revealed, mankind did not possess today’s telescopes or advanced observation technologies to observe millions of kilometers of space, nor the modern knowledge of physics or astronomy. Therefore, at that time, it was not possible to determine scientifically that space is ‘full of paths and orbits’ as stated in the verse. However, this was openly declared to us in the Quran. (For details see Verse 51:7 in Part B ahead)

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزۡجِي سَحَابٗا ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيۡنَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَجۡعَلُهُۥ رُكَامٗا فَتَرَى ٱلۡوَدۡقَ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ خِلَٰلِهِۦ وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن جِبَالٖ فِيهَا مِنۢ بَرَدٖ فَيُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَصۡرِفُهُۥ عَن مَّن يَشَآءُۖ يَكَادُ سَنَا بَرۡقِهِۦ يَذۡهَبُ بِٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرِ ٤٣ يُقَلِّبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبۡرَةٗ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرِ ٤٤ وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَآبَّةٖ مِّن مَّآءٖۖ فَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَمۡشِي عَلَىٰ بَطۡنِهِۦ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَمۡشِي عَلَىٰ بَطۡنِهِۦ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَمۡشِي عَلَىٰ رِجۡلَيۡنِ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَمۡشِي عَلَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ٤٥ لَّقَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَآ ءَايَٰتٖ مُّبَيِّنَٰتٖۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ ٤٦ [ النّور:43-46]

See you not that Allah drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth from between them; and He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, and strikes therewith whom He wills, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its lightning nearly blinds the sight. Allah causes the night and the day to succeed each other. Truly, in this indeed is a lesson for those who have insight. Allah has created every moving (living) creature from water. Of them there are some that creep on their bellies, and some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things. We have indeed sent down manifest Ayat. And Allah guides whom He wills to a Straight Path.

Surah 24 An-Nur Verses 43-46

• ‘…drives the clouds gently…’ - Rain clouds are formed and shaped according to definite phases and stages. The formation stages of cumulonimbus -a type of rain cloud- are:

1st Phase: Being driven along: Clouds are carried along, that is, they are driven along, by the wind.

2nd stage: Joining: Then, small clouds (cumulus clouds) driven along by the wind join together, forming a larger cloud.

3rd Phase: Stacking: When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase. The updrafts near the centre of the cloud are stronger than those near the edges. These updrafts cause the cloud body to grow vertically, so the cloud is stacked up (Towering Stage). This vertical growth causes the cloud body to stretch into cooler regions of the atmosphere, where drops of water and hail formulate and begin to grow larger and larger (Mature Stage). When these drops of water and hail become too heavy for the updrafts to support them, they begin to fall from the cloud as rain, hail, etc (Dissipating Stage).

A cumulonimbus cloud. This picture has been taken by a satellite. It is as though an invisible hand is pushing the cumulus clouds to the place of convergence.

• ‘…its lightining…’ – why does the verse refer the lightning to the hail? Does it mean that hail is a major factor in producing lightning? Let us see what modern researches say about it - A cloud becomes electrified as hail falls through a region in the cloud of super-cooled droplets and ice crystals. As liquid droplets collide with a hailstone, they freeze on contact and release latent heat. This keeps the surface of the hailstone warmer than that of the surrounding ice crystals. When the hailstone comes in contact with an ice crystal, an important phenomenon occurs: electrons flow from the colder object toward the warmer object. Hence, the hailstone becomes negatively charged. The same effect occurs when super-cooled droplets come in contact with a hailstone and tiny splinters of positively charged ice break off. These lighter positively charged particles are then carried to the upper part of the cloud by updrafts. The hail, falls towards the bottom of the cloud, thus the lower part of the cloud becomes negatively charged. These negative charges are then discharged as lightning. We conclude from this that hail is the major factor in producing lightning.

Model for forked lighting. (a) The negative charge concentrated at the bottom of the cloud becomes large enough to overcome the air's resistance and develops a «leader» pointing towards the ground. (b) An upward flow of positive charges from the ground concentrates at elevated points. (c) The downward flow of negative charges meets the upward flow of positive charges and a strong electric current the upward flow of positive charges and a strong electric current known as return stroke carries the positive charges into the cloud.

• Meteorologists have only recently come to know these details of cloud formation, structure, and function by using advanced equipments like planes, satellites, computers, balloons, and other equipment, to study wind and its direction, to measure humidity and its variations, and to determine the levels of atmospheric pressure. Again, the information on lightning was discovered recently. Until 1600 AD, Aristotle’s ideas on meteorology were dominant in the non-Muslim countries. For example, he said that the atmosphere contains two kinds of exhalation, moist and dry. He also said that thunder is the sound of the collision of the dry exhalation with the neighboring clouds, and lightning is the inflammation and burning of the dry exhalation with a thin and faint fire. These are some of the ideas on meteorology that were dominant at the time of the revelation of the Quran fourteen centuries ago.

أَوَ لَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَمۡ أَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوۡجٖ كَرِيمٍ كَرِيمٍ ٧ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ٨ [الشعراء:7-8]

Do they not observe the earth – how much of every good kind We caused to grow therein? Verily, in this is an Ayat, yet most of them (polytheists, pagans who do not believe in Resurrection) are not believers.

Surah 26 Ash-Shuara Verses 7-8

• We see a great variety and abundance of vegetation on the earth; we also observe the various elements and factors which support its growth, and the laws of nature under which all this happens. We also observe that the vegetation is produced through an intricate interplay of various forces and also note how this vegetation is attuned to the needs of the innumerable forms of living beings. Having seen this only a fool can say that this Universe is a self-created phenomenon which is devoid of the wisdom, knowledge, power and design of an All-Wise, All-Knowing, All-Mighty and All-Powerful Creator.

أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلَّيۡلَ لِيَسۡكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَٱلنَّهَارَ مُبۡصِرًاۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٨٦ [النمل:86-86]

See they not that We have made the night for them to rest therein, and the day sight-giving? Verily, in this are Ayat for the people who believe.

Surah 27 An-Naml Verse 86

• A related term explaining this Ayat in the field of life science and biology is circadian rhythm. It is considered as an internal biological clock of 24-hour cycle in the biochemical, physiological or behavioral processes of all living entities enabling them to do perform certain actions during this time of 24 hrs. Living things start or stop production of various hormones/ chemicals in response to the turning on and off process of this rhythm. The initiation of day light (dawn) has very strong influence in this turning on and off sessions of internal biological clock. Animals including birds and insects may wake up from sleep or diapauses and prepare for various actions related to their survival.

خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٤٤ [العنكبوت:44-44]

(Allah says to His Prophet Muhammad, pbuh): ‘Allah (Alone) created the heavens and the earth with truth’. Verily, therein is surely a sign for those who believe.

Surah 29 Al-Ankabut Verse 44

• ‘with truth’ - That is, the system of the universe is based on the truth and not on falsehood. Whoever ponders over this system with an unbiased mind will realize that the earth and the heavens owe their existence to reality and fact and not to superstition and fancy. Here there is no possibility that whatever a person may conceive in his mind and whatever philosophy he may invent out of his personal whim and conjecture should fit in with the system. Here only such a thing can succeed and endure, which is in harmony with the reality and actual fact. A structure that is raised on unreal presumptions and hypotheses will ultimately collapse when it clashes with the reality. The system of the universe clearly testifies that its Creator is One God, and One God alone is its Master and Disposer. If a person works against this basic reality on the presumption that this world has no God, or that it has many gods, who devour the offerings of their devotees and in return give them a license to do whatever they please and a guarantee to live in peace and happiness, the reality will not change due to his presumptions, but, on the contrary, he himself will after some time meet with a grave disaster.

وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ يُرِيكُمُ ٱلۡبَرۡقَ خَوۡفٗا وَطَمَعٗا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَيُحۡيِۦ بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَآۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَ ٢٤ [الروم:24-24]

And among His signs is that He shows you the lightning, for fear and for hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who understand.

Surah 30 Ar-Rum Verse 24

وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَن تَقُومَ ٱلسَّمَآءُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦۚ ثُمَّ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ دَعۡوَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِذَآ أَنتُمۡ تَخۡرُجُونَ ٢٥ [الروم:25-25]

And among His signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His command. Then afterwards when He will call you by a single call, behold, you will come out from the earth (i.e. from your own graves for reckoning and recompense).

Surah 30 Ar-Rum Verse 25

وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَن يُرۡسِلَ ٱلرِّيَاحَ مُبَشِّرَٰتٖ وَلِيُذِيقَكُم مِّن رَّحۡمَتِهِۦ وَلِتَجۡرِيَ ٱلۡفُلۡكُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦ وَلِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ٤٦ [الروم:46-46]

And among His signs is that He sends the winds as glad tidings, giving you a taste of His Mercy (rain), and that the ships may sail at His command, and that you may seek of His bounty, in order that you may be thankful.

Surah 30 Ar-Rum Verse 46

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱلۡفُلۡكَ تَجۡرِي فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِنِعۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ لِيُرِيَكُم مِّنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٖ شَكُورٖ ٣١ وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُم مَّوۡجٞ كَٱلظُّلَلِ دَعَوُاْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّىٰهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡبَرِّ فَمِنۡهُم مُّقۡتَصِدٞۚ وَمَا يَجۡحَدُ بِ‍َٔايَٰتِنَآ إِلَّا كُلُّ خَتَّارٖ كَفُورٖ ٣٢ [لقمان:31-32]

See you not that the ships sail through the sea by Allah’s Grace that He may show you of His signs? Verily, in this are signs for every patient, grateful (person). And when waves cover them like shades, they invoke Allah, making their invocations for Him only. But when He brings them safe to land, there are among them those that stop in between (belief and disbelief). But none denies Our signs except every perfidious ingrate.

Surah 31 Luqman Verses 31-32

• The ships that man builds might be very solid and the extent of his navigational experience might also be immense; yet, at sea, ships are exposed to such horrendous forces of nature that man’s skill and experience alone cannot enable a voyage to be accomplished safely. It is only by dint of Allah’s Grace and Mercy that man is able to reach the shores of safety. As soon as someone is denied Allah’s gracious protection, he comes to recognize the inadequacy and insufficiency of his own tools and skills. One might be a staunch atheist or a diehard polytheist, but no sooner does one encounter a truly tempestuous storm while at sea than one comes to know that Allah indeed exists and that He alone is the only God.
• People who are steadfast and thankful to Allah are more likely to perceive the truth of monotheism. Against this, the treacherous and the ungrateful they deny the signs of Allah which they observe in their own selves and around them.

أَفَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ إِن نَّشَأۡ نَخۡسِفۡ بِهِمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ أَوۡ نُسۡقِطۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ كِسَفٗا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّكُلِّ عَبۡدٖ مُّنِيبٖ ٩ [سبإ:9-9]

See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every slave who turns to Allah in repentance.

Surah 34 Saba Verse 9

وَءَايَةٞ لَّهُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ ٱلۡمَيۡتَةُ أَحۡيَيۡنَٰهَا وَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مِنۡهَا حَبّٗا فَمِنۡهُ يَأۡكُلُونَ ٣٣ وَجَعَلۡنَا فِيهَا جَنَّٰتٖ مِّن نَّخِيلٖ وَأَعۡنَٰبٖ وَفَجَّرۡنَا فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلۡعُيُونِ ٣٤ لِيَأۡكُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦ وَمَا عَمِلَتۡهُ أَيۡدِيهِمۡۚ أَفَلَا يَشۡكُرُونَ ٣٥ [يس:33-35]

And a sign for them is the dead land, We give it life, and We bring forth from it grains, so that they eat thereof. And We have made therein gardens of date palms and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein. So that they may eat of the fruit there of – and their hands made it not. Will they not then give thanks?

Surah 36 Ya Sin Verse 33-35

• When one studies the issue of lifeless soil bringing forth vegetation, one comes to know that some major factor account for it:

1. Certain parts of the land have layers endowed with materials that provide nutrition to plants. These layers are soft, enabling the roots of plants to draw nourishment from them.
2. Water was provided to the land in a variety of ways enabling the assimilation of the nourishing materials by plants’ roots.
3. The air present in the outer atmosphere protects the earth against natural calamities, and cause rainfall. Moreover, it also contains the gases that are essential for plant life and growth.
4. A special nexus has been established between the sun and the earth ensuring that plants enjoy both a suitable temperature and climate.
5. Plants were endowed with the ability to reproduce themselves. Each plant species was granted a seed possessed of the remarkable quality of perpetuating itself along with its distinguishing characteristics.

Anyone who studies the above consummate arrangement with an open mind will be impelled to testify that such a marvelous system could not have come into being on its own. Also, it evidently signifies that it cannot be the accomplishment of a multiplicity of gods. Had they been created by several gods, they would not have displayed such immaculate harmony and co-ordination. Nor could this system continue to function flawlessly without any interruptions for millions of years.

وَءَايَةٞ لَّهُمُ ٱلَّيۡلُ نَسۡلَخُ مِنۡهُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظۡلِمُونَ ٣٧ وَٱلشَّمۡسُ تَجۡرِي لِمُسۡتَقَرّٖ لَّهَاۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقۡدِيرُ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡعَلِيمِ ٣٨ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ قَدَّرۡنَٰهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَٱلۡعُرۡجُونِ ٱلۡقَدِيمِ ٣٩ لَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ يَنۢبَغِي لَهَآ أَن تُدۡرِكَ ٱلۡقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيۡلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّهَارِۚ وَكُلّٞ فِي فَلَكٖ يَسۡبَحُونَ ٤٠ [يس:37-40]

And a sign for them is the night, We withdraw there from the day, and behold they are in darkness. And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. And the moon, We have measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it returns like the old dried curved date stalk. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit.

Surah 36 Ya Sin Verses 37-40

• ‘…for a term (appointed)’ - The astronomers started to study the movement of the sun and they discovered that the sun moves in a very complicated route and that route is not easy as earlier thought. The scientists discovered that the sun moves toward an appointed term in spite of its complicated move and when it reaches its destination, it repeats again the movement. Those scientists say the following sentence about the appointed term of the sun: The solar apex is the direction toward which the Sun and the solar system are moving. Allah Almighty told us about this scientific fact fourteen centuries ago.

There is another sign in this Ayah as the Almighty says "the sun runs" not moves or walks which is a clear sign that the sun moves in high speed. Today, our scientists say that the Sun moves at an estimated speed of about 225 km per second (140 miles per second) in a nearly circular orbit. Here we have to mention that recent scientists say that movement of the sun will not last forever but there are many evidences that the sun has a limited life.

The question is how an illiterate Prophet (Muhammad, pbuh) knew about these scientific facts at a time when people used to travel between cities in weeks and months?

• ‘…old dried curved date stalk’ - The Moon does not follow a regular orbit like the satellites of other planets. As it orbits the Earth, it sometimes moves behind it and sometimes in front. As it also moves with the Earth around the Sun, it actually follows a constant pattern resembling the letter “S” in space. This route, traced by the Moon in space, is described in the Quran as resembling an old date branch and does indeed resemble the twisted form of the date tree branch. Indeed, the word “urjoon” employed in the Quran refers to a thin and twisted date branch and is used to describe that part left after the fruit has been picked. The way that this branch is described as “old” is also most appropriate since old date branches are thinner and more twisted.

• ‘They all float each in an orbit’ - The fact is that the sun and moon rotate on their axes and are in part animated by this rotating motion. The phrase "float each in an orbit" in the verses quoted above is a translation of the Arabic verb 'yasbahoon'. This could also be translated 'they swim.' In that case, the verse would read that the sun and the moon, "Each swim in its own orbit." Those who translate the verse this way explain that the term swim refers to movement with one's own internally generated force. Furthermore, the movement of a swimmer is graceful, measured, and smooth. This is a very fitting description for the movement of the stars and planets including the sun and the moon.

After describing the scientific data concerning the rotation of the sun and the moon, Dr. Bucaille says: "These motions of the two celestial bodies are confirmed by the data of modern science, and it is inconceivable that a man living in the seventh century A.D.... could have imagined them" (The Bible, the Quran and Science, p. 163). 

It is also amazing that the Quran uses a different term for the movement of the clouds and the mountains (tamarru – meaning drifting -- see Quran 27:88). Obviously, the clouds and mountains are driven by external forces. The cloud is driven by the wind and the mountains move with the rotation of the earth. The sun and moon, however, move with their own motion, and therefore the Quran uses a peculiar term "they swim" to refer to their smooth, graceful, self-propelled movement. How did the author of the Quran know enough to make this choice of words that will reflect a modern scientific truth? The Quran is no less than a revelation from Allah.

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ لِتَسۡكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَٱلنَّهَارَ مُبۡصِرًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَذُو فَضۡلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشۡكُرُونَ ٦١ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ خَٰلِقُ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَ ٦٢ كَذَٰلِكَ يُؤۡفَكُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُواْ بِ‍َٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ يَجۡحَدُونَ ٦٣ [غافر:61-63]

Allah, it is He Who has made the night for you that you may rest therein and the day for you to see. Truly, Allah is full of bounty to mankind; yet most of mankind gives no thanks. That is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of all things, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). How then are you turning away? Thus, were turned away those who used to deny the Ayat of Allah.

Surah 40 Ghafir Verses 61-63

وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ خَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِيهِمَا مِن دَآبَّةٖۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ جَمۡعِهِمۡ إِذَا يَشَآءُ قَدِيرٞ ٢٩ [الشورى:29-29]

And among His Ayat is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and whatever moving (living) creatures He has dispersed in them both. And He is All-Potent over their assembling whenever He wills.

Surah 42 Ash-Shura Verse 29

وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِ ٱلۡجَوَارِ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ كَٱلۡأَعۡلَٰمِ ٣٢ إِن يَشَأۡ يُسۡكِنِ ٱلرِّيحَ فَيَظۡلَلۡنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَىٰ ظَهۡرِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٖ شَكُورٍ ٣٣ [الشورى:32-33]

And among His signs are the ships in the sea like mountains. If He wills He causes the wind to cease, then they would become motionless on the back (of the sea). Verily, in this are signs for everyone patient and grateful.

Surah 42 Ash-Shura Verses 32-33

• ‘ships in sea like mountains’ – this is a very striking comparison because of two reasons:

1. The concept of buoyancy in the floating ships is also applicable in the isostasy theories of mountain-building. (see figures)

2. The movement of the ship and the movement of the mountains are both due to external forces. O yes! The mountains move. See below:

The motion of mountains is caused by the movement of the Earth's crust that they are located on. The Earth's crust "floats" over the mantle layer, which is denser. It was at the beginning of the 20th century when, for the first time in history, a German scientist by the name of Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents of the Earth had been attached together when it first formed, but then drifted in different directions, and thus separated as they moved away from each other.

Geologists understood that Wegener was right only in the 1980s, 50 years after his death. As Wegener pointed out in an article published in 1915, the land masses on the Earth were joined together about 500 million years ago, and this large mass, called Pangaea, was located in the South Pole. Approximately 180 million years ago, Pangaea divided into two parts, which drifted in different directions. One of these giant continents was Gondwana, which included Africa, Australia, Antarctica and India. The second one was Laurasia, which included Europe, North America and Asia, except for India. Over the next 150 million years following this separation, Gondwana and Laurasia divided into smaller parts. These continents that emerged after the split of Pangaea have been constantly moving on the Earth's surface at a rate of several centimetres per year, and in the meantime changing the sea to land ratios of the Earth.

Discovered as a result of the geological research carried out at the beginning of the 20th century, this movement of the Earth's crust is explained by scientists as follows:

The crust and the uppermost part of the mantle, with a thickness of about 100 kms, are divided into segments called plates. There are six major plates, and several small ones. According to the theory called plate tectonics, these plates move about on Earth, carrying continents and ocean floor with them. Continental motion has been measured at from 1-5 cm per year. As the plates continue to move about, this will produce a slow change in Earth's geography. Each year, for instance, the Atlantic Ocean becomes slightly wider.

The concept has also been touched upon in Verse 21:30-33 earlier. There is an important point that needs to be stated here: Allah referred to the motion of mountains as drifting (tamarru) in a verse of the Quran (V 27:88). Today, modern scientists also use the term "continental drift" for this motion. Continental drift is something that could not have been observed at the time of the revelation of the Quran.

إِنَّ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٣ وَفِي خَلۡقِكُمۡ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِن دَآبَّةٍ ءَايَٰتٞ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُوقِنُونَ ٤ وَٱخۡتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن رِّزۡقٖ فَأَحۡيَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَا وَتَصۡرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَٰحِ ءَايَٰتٞ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَ ٥ تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتۡلُوهَا عَلَيۡكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثِۢ بَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَايَٰتِهِۦ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٦ [الجاثية:3-6]

Verily, in the heavens and the earth are signs for the believers. And in your creation, and what He scattered (through the earth) of moving (living) creatures are signs for people who have faith with certainty. And in the alternation of night and day, and the provision (rain) that Allah sends down from the sky, and revives therewith the earth after its death, and in the turning about of the winds are signs for a people who understand. These are the Ayat of Allah which We recite to you (O Muhammad, pbuh) with truth. Then in which speech after Allah and His Ayat will they believe?

Surah 45 Al-Jathiyah Verses 3-6

• ‘…turning about of the winds…’ - Wind in climatology, is defined as the movement of air relative to the surface of the Earth. Winds play a significant role in determining and controlling climate and weather. Wind occurs because of horizontal and vertical differences (gradients) in atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, the distribution of winds is closely related to that of pressure. Near the Earth’s surface, winds generally flow around regions of relatively low and high pressure—cyclones and anticyclones, respectively. They rotate counterclockwise around lows in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise around those in the Southern Hemisphere. Similarly, wind systems rotate around the centers of highs in the opposite direction.

The movement of winds is very essential part in Metrology and has direct effect on mankind’s life; this fact is mentioned in the Quran in another verse (Verse 2:164) that emphasize on studying the veering of winds, i.e. its direction, speed, and effects:

Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alteration of night and day, and the ships which sail through the sea with that which is of use to mankind, and the water (rain) which Allah sends down from the sky and makes the earth alive therewith after its death, and the moving (living) creatures of all kinds that he has scattered therein, and in the veering of winds and clouds which are held between the sky and the earth, are indeed Ayat for people of understanding. (Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 164)

The word Tasreef that is translated into Veering has the following meaning: the rules of moving winds from one direction to another and the difference of its nature, and this is the most important field in science of meteorology. Allah makes a mention to it!

ٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحۡيِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۚ قَدۡ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ١٧ [الحـديد:17-17]

Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed, We have made clear the Ayat to you; if you but understand.

Surah 57 Al-Hadid Verse 17

لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَأَنزَلۡنَا ٱلۡحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأۡسٞ شَدِيدٞ وَمَنَٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعۡلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥ وَرُسُلَهُۥ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٞ ٢٥ [الحـديد:25-25]

Indeed, We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice. And We brought forth (sent down) iron wherein is mighty power, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help Him (His religion) and His Messengers in the Unseen. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.

Surah 57 Al-Hadid Verse 25

• The word anzalna, translated as ‘sent down’ and used for iron in the verse, could be thought of having a metaphorical meaning to explain that iron has been given to benefit people. But, when we take into consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, ‘being physically sent down from the sky’, as this word usage had not been employed in the Quran except literally, like the descending of the rain or revelation, we realize that this verse implies a very significant scientific miracle. Because, modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the iron found in our world has come from giant stars in outer space. Not only the iron on earth, but also the iron in the entire Solar System, comes from outer space, since the temperature in the Sun is inadequate for the formation of iron. The sun has a surface temperature of 6,000 degrees Celsius, and a core temperature of approximately 20 million degrees. Iron can only be produced in much larger stars than the Sun, where the temperature reaches a few hundred million degrees. When the amount of iron exceeds a certain level in a star, the star can no longer accommodate it, and it eventually explodes in what is called a "nova" or a "supernova." These explosions make it possible for iron to be given off into space. One scientific source provides the following information on this subject:

‘There is also evidence for older supernova events: Enhanced levels of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments have been interpreted as indications that a supernova explosion occurred within 90 light-years of the sun about 5 million years ago. Iron-60 is a radioactive isotope of iron, formed in supernova explosions, which decays with a half life of 1.5 million years. An enhanced presence of this isotope in a geologic layer indicates the recent nucleosynthesis of elements nearby in space and their subsequent transport to the earth (perhaps as part of dust grains).’

All this shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried from Supernovas, and was sent down, as stated in the verse. It is clear that this fact could not have been known in the 7^th century, when the Quran was revealed. Nevertheless, this fact is related in the Quran, the Word of Allah, Who encompasses all things in His Infinite Knowledge.

B

ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِرَٰشٗا وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءٗ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَخۡرَجَ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ رِزۡقٗا لَّكُمۡۖ فَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ أَندَادٗا وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ ٢٢ [البقرة:22-22]

Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals to Allah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 22

• ‘…sky as a canopy’ – kindly refer Surah 21 Al-Anbiya Verse 30-33 before.

تُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَتُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِۖ وَتُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَيَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ وَتُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَيِّتَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَيِّۖ وَتَرۡزُقُ مَن تَشَآءُ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ ٢٧ [آل عمران:27-27]

You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day enter into the night, You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You gave wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit.

Surah 3 Al-Imran Verse 27

• ‘night …into the day…day…into the night’ - In early times, people believed that the earth was flat. For centuries, men were afraid to venture out too far, for fear of falling 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 other verse of the Quran regarding the alternation of day and night:

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ يَجۡرِيٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗى وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ٢٩

Seest thou not that Allah merges Night into Day and He merges Day into Night?  (Surah Luqman- 31:29)

The key word in 31:29 is yooliju. The root of the word yooliju is ‘w-l-j’. From the same root there is a word, ‘wolujun’, which means a bend, or a place of bending, of a valley. When you walk on a place of bending of a valley, you see the horizon changing steadily, in front of your eyes. According to 31:29, the night changes into the day steadily as you see horizon changing steadily in front of your eyes, when you walk upon a place of bending of a valley. So, the change of day and night according to 31:29 give the idea of earth being not flat. The following verse also alludes to the spherical shape of the earth:

خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ يُكَوِّرُ ٱلَّيۡلَ عَلَى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ ٱلنَّهَارَ عَلَى ٱلَّيۡلِۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ يَجۡرِي لِأَجَلٖ مُّسَمًّىۗ أَلَا هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡغَفَّٰرُ ٥

He created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): He makes the Night overlap the Day, and the Day overlap the Night. (Surah Az-Zumar- 39:5)

The Arabic word used here is yukawwiru (root 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:

وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَىٰهَآ ٣٠

And the earth, moreover, hath He made egg shaped.  (Surah An-Naziat 79:30)

The key word in the above verse is dahaha. In Arabic, there is a phrase, ‘iza dahaha’ which means ‘when he throws the stones over the ground to the hole’. The hole is called ‘Udhiyatun’. ‘Almadahi’ signify round stones according to the size of which a hole is dug in the ground in which the stones are thrown in a game. ‘Almadahi’ also signify a round thing made of lead by the throwing of which persons contend together. So there is a signification of roundness in the root of the word dahaha. According to some etymologists, the word for the ‘egg of an ostrich’ also has the same root as dahaha. They also take from this that the earth is of the shape of the egg of an ostrich. Latest science findings confirm that the earth is not exactly spherical but the earth is an ellipsoid, i.e. flattened by its poles, (just like the shape of an egg of an ostrich).

وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمۡ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمۡ وَلَأٓمُرَنَّهُمۡ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ ءَاذَانَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ وَلَأٓمُرَنَّهُمۡ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلۡقَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ وَلِيّٗا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ خَسِرَ خُسۡرَانٗا مُّبِينٗا ١١٩ [النساء:119-119]

‘Verily, I (Satan) will mislead them, and surely, I will arouse in them false desires; and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of the cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah’. And whoever takes Shaytan (Satan) as a Wali (protector or helper) instead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss.

Surah 4 An-Nisa Verse 119

• …slit the ears of the cattle – the Arabic term used is ‘yubattikunna’, which derives from the verb ‘buttaka’ meaning ‘to cut off or break off’. However, the early commentators believed the reference here to the superstitious Arabian custom. It was customary among the Arabs that after a camel had given birth to five or ten young ones, they used to slit her ears and let her go in the name of their deity; they considered it forbidden to put her to any work. Likewise, the male camel that had caused the birth of ten camels was consecrated to some deity. The slitting of ears symbolized this consecration (and hence the translation). However, if we take the stated meaning as ‘cut off’ the verse lends itself to other interpretations. This is also because of the term ‘yughayyirunna’ in the follow through which is derived from the verb ‘ghayyara’, meaning ‘to change, alter, and impair a thing’s original form’. With these expressions, this verse may, in one aspect, be pointing to the scientific activity of copying or cloning of organisms. This is because cloning experiments are generally conducted with cells taken from an animal's ear. To put it in another way, a replica of a living thing is produced along with the extraction of cells from tissue samples ‘cut from animals' ears’, just as described in the verse. A report by the German Federal Agricultural Research Center provides the following information:

‘The tissue collection phase is short and simple. Once an animal has been located and restrained, a tissue sample like an ear clipping can be collected within seconds. Furthermore, somatic cells can be collected from all species… For cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, camelids and llamas, a unified and identical procedure can be used by obtaining a tissue sample from the ear using notchers which are also used for setting earmarks… Clearly, for all species lymphocytes could be used, but somatic cells from ear clippings will be much easier to obtain and are therefore preferable’.

Some reports concerning organisms cloned by taking samples from ear tissue include:

• According to a report by Reuters dated 1 May, 2002, a research veterinarian at the University of Sao Paolo in Brazil, Jose Visintin, produced cloned embryos for the first time in the country by using cells taken from the ear of an adult cow.

• According to a BBC report, South Korean scientists cloned a dog called Snuppy from cells taken from a three-year-old Afghan hound. Researchers at Seoul National University extracted genetic material from the cells taken from the ear and placed it into an empty egg cell. An embryo was then obtained by stimulating the cell to divide.
• Another BBC report said that a new clone had been produced using ear cells from an adult cow in research carried out by Dr. Jean-Paul Renard et al. at the Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique in France.
• According to information of the official Human Genome Project website, in February 2002, scientists from Advanced Cell Technologies (ACT), an American biotechnology company, carried out experiments on cloning a cow embryo using the skin cell of the donor cow's ear.
• A report by Associated Press, dated 24 January, 2000, announced that Japanese scientists had cloned the clone of a bull for the first time. In the re-cloning, skin tissue samples from the first-generation cloned bull's ear were taken when it was four months old. These cells were then fused with an unfertilized egg from which the nucleus had been removed.

The way that changes the creation of living things, referred to in the Quran, is highly significant. Genetic material taken from living cells is used in cloning experiments, but fertilization takes place artificially. The reproduction mechanism created by Allah is thus impaired with these methods. We are also told at the end of the verse that these people will be disappointed when they alter what Allah has created. The verse may therefore be indicating that cloning will give rise to various problems for human beings. Researches have found that in clones unidentified diseases, developmental deficiencies and early deaths are encountered. Indeed, statements from the Genetic Science Learning Center of the University of Utah provide the following information:

‘When we hear of cloning successes, we learn about only the few attempts that worked. What we don't see are the many, many cloning experiments that failed! And even in the successful clones, problems tend to arise later, during the animal's development to adulthood’.

The expression ‘cutting off cattle's ears’, at a time when no branches of science such as genetics or embryology existed, shows that the Quran has come down from the Sight of Our Lord, Allah, Who is Unfettered by time and space. Fourteen centuries ago, it was of course impossible to know that scientists would eventually engage in cloning and that they would encounter enormous problems despite the millions of dollars they spend on their projects.

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَجَعَلَ ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ وَٱلنُّورَۖ ثُمَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِرَبِّهِمۡ يَعۡدِلُونَ ١ [ الأنعام:1-1]

All praise and thanks are Allah’s, Who (Alone) created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve hold others as equal with their Lord.

Surah 6 Al-Anam Verse 1

• ‘…originated the darkness and the light’ - Light is a basic requirement of life. Without light one cannot see his surroundings. The waves that accompany light are made up of oscillating, or vibrating, electric and magnetic fields, which are force fields that surround charged particles and influence other charged particles in their vicinity. These waves are known as electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic spectrum refers to the entire range of frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic waves. Light is traditionally referred to the range of frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to humans.

 The electromagnetic spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, x rays, and gamma rays. Visible light, which makes up only a tiny fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum, is the only electromagnetic radiation that humans can perceive with their eyes.

From the above figure it is pretty evident that the visible spectrum is only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. A tiny fraction of frequencies from 1 Hz to 10²⁶ Hz is what the human eye can perceive. Visible light spectrum has very high frequencies i.e. from 5 x 10¹⁴ to 7.5 x 10¹⁴ Hz and their wavelength is from 400 nanometers to 700 nanometers. Each different frequency or wavelength of visible light causes our eye to see a slightly different color. The longest wavelength we can see is deep red at about 700 nm. The shortest wavelength humans can detect is deep blue or violet at about 400 nm. 

Absence of light is normally termed as darkness but, in the light of the above information, to our naked eye darkness should be termed as the absence of electromagnetic waves in the visible light spectrum. So, when Quran mentions 'originating of darkness' it is accurate in the sense that those electromagnetic waves which we cannot see are also 'made' but for us they are a part of 'darkness'. It is a striking fact that such accurate information exists in a 14 centuries old book. 

Another interesting fact is that in this Ayat and in many other Ayaats Quran uses the word darkness Zulmaat as plural and the word light Noor as singular. Quran uses the word Zulmaat 23 times i.e. the plural form of darkness and it always uses the word Noor i.e. the singular form for light. The singular of Zulmaat is ‘zulmat’. Imam Raaghib says that it means the absence of light. Remember Quran also uses the terms darkness and light analogous to guidance and ignorance. Even in those cases Quran uses darkness in plural form and light (guidance) in singular form because there are many paths that are wrong but the real true path is only one which Quran terms as the Straight Path (Siratal Mustakeem). In this Ayat when Allah mentions the process of creation, He uses plural form for darkness and singular form for light pointing to the striking fact which modern science has only recently discovered. As described above visible light spectrum is only a portion of the large 'variety' of frequencies ranging from 1 Hz to 10²⁶ Hz. Visible light spectrum has ranges from 5 x 10¹⁴to 7.5 x 10¹⁴ Hz. Quran is very accurate in using the plural for darkness (frequencies other than the visible spectrum) because they have much greater range of frequencies. Hence, we can safely conclude that in Quranic terms used in this Ayat Noor is the 'visible light spectrum' and Zulmaat are X-Rays, gamma Rays, Ultraviolet rays etc. 

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ يُغۡشِي ٱلَّيۡلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ يَطۡلُبُهُۥ حَثِيثٗا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ وَٱلنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَٰتِۢ بِأَمۡرِهِۦٓۗ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلۡخَلۡقُ وَٱلۡأَمۡرُۗ تَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٥٤ [الأعراف:54-54]

Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and al that exists).

Surah 7 Al-Araf Verse 54

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ دَآئِبَيۡنِۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ٣٣ [إبراهيم:33-33]

And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you; and He has made the night and the day to be of service to you.

Surah 14 Ibrahim Verse 33

وَأَرۡسَلۡنَا ٱلرِّيَٰحَ لَوَٰقِحَ فَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰكُمُوهُ وَمَآ أَنتُمۡ لَهُۥ بِخَٰزِنِينَ ٢٢ [الحجر:22-22]

And We send the wind fertilizing (fecundating), then cause the water (rain) to descend from the sky, and We give it to you to drink, and it is not you who are the owners of its stores.

Surah 15 Al-Hijr Verse 22

• ‘fertilizing (fecundating)’ - The Arabic word used here is lawaaqih 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. In this verse, it is pointed out that the first stage in the formation of rain is wind. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the only relationship between the wind and the rain that was known was that the wind drove the clouds. However, modern meteorological findings have demonstrated the ‘fecundating’ role of the wind in the formation of rain. This fecundating function of the wind works in the following way:

On the surface of oceans and seas, countless air bubbles form because of the water’s foaming action. The moment these bubbles burst, thousands of tiny particles, with a diameter of just one hundredth of a millimeter, are thrown up into the air. These particles, known as ‘aerosols’, mix with dust carried from the land by the wind, and are carried to the upper layers of the atmosphere. These particles carried to higher altitudes by winds come into contact with water vapor up there. Water vapor condenses around these particles and turns into water droplets. These water droplets first come together and form clouds, and then fall to the Earth in the form of rain. As seen, winds ‘fecundate’ the water vapor floating in the air with the particles they carry from the sea, and eventually help the formation of rain clouds. If winds did not possess this property, water droplets in the upper atmosphere would never form, and there would be no such thing as rain. The most important point here is that this critical role of the wind in the formation of rain was stated centuries ago in the Quran, at a time when people knew very little about natural phenomena.

Another piece of information about the fecundating (fertilizing) aspect of wind is the role it plays in the fertilization of plants. Many plants on the Earth ensure their survival by spreading their pollen by means of the wind. Many open pollinated plants, pine and palm trees and similar, as well as flowering seed plants and all grasses are fertilized by the wind. The wind takes the pollen from the plants and aids fertilization by carrying the pollen to other plants of the same species. This effect of wind on plants was unknown until very recently. When it was realized, however, that plants are divided into males and females, the fertilizing effect of the wind was also understood.

وَأَلۡقَىٰ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ رَوَٰسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمۡ وَأَنۡهَٰرٗا وَسُبُلٗا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَهۡتَدُونَ ١٥ وَعَلَٰمَٰتٖۚ وَبِٱلنَّجۡمِ هُمۡ يَهۡتَدُونَ ١٦ [النحل:15-16]

And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads, that you may guide yourselves. And landmarks and by the stars, they (mankind) guide themselves.

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verses 15-16

• ‘lest it should shake’ – kindly refer Surah 21 Al-Anbiya Verses 30-33 earlier (Part A).
• ‘landmarks’ - This is a sign of Allah that He has broken the monotony of land by placing conspicuous landmarks on it to distinguish different regions from one another. These have many benefits and one of these is to help guide travelers and navigators to their destinations. One also realizes the importance and value of these landmarks, when one is traveling through a sandy desert where there are hardly any objects to guide on the way, and one is liable to lose the way any time. One feels the lack of landmarks much more in the sea voyage. It is in the deserts and the seas that people realize the true significance of stars by which they are directed aright to their destinations.

This verse contains arguments for Tauhid (Oneness of Allah), Providence and Compassion of Allah, and also a proof of Prophet hood. For the mind is instinctively turned towards this question: Can it be possible that Allah who has made so elaborate arrangements for man’s guidance to fulfill his physical needs has neglected to provide for his moral and spiritual needs? It cannot be so, for it is obvious that even the greatest loss of some physical necessity due to the adoption of a wrong way is nothing as compared with the loss of spiritual and moral values due to deviation from the right way. It would be nothing less than having doubt in Allah’s Compassion and Providence to think that He, Who had made so elaborate provision for man’s guidance on land and sea by creating mountains, rivers, stars and other objects, would have neglected to make provision for his moral and spiritual guidance. And it stands to reason that He must have provided prominent beacons of light to guide man to that right way of life which is indispensable to his true success.

وَلَبِثُواْ فِي كَهۡفِهِمۡ ثَلَٰثَ مِاْئَةٖ سِنِينَ وَٱزۡدَادُواْ تِسۡعٗا ٢٥ [الكهف:25-25]

And they (people of the Cave) stayed in their Cave three hundred years, adding nine.

Surah 18 Al-Kahf Verse 25

• A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. The only widely used purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar, whose year always consists of 12 lunar months. A feature of a purely lunar year, on the Islamic calendar model, is that the calendar ceases to be linked to the seasons, and drifts each solar year by 11 to 12 days, and comes back to the position it had in relation to the solar year approximately every 33 Islamic years. From above information, we understand that difference between Lunar and solar calendar is approximate = 11 days (i.e. Lunar year = 365-11 = 354 days), and if we calculate the difference for 300 solar years, we get the following: 11 x 300 = 3300 days, which equal to (3,300 / 354) = 9.32 years.Which means that for 300 solar years, it will be 309 lunar years, and this explains that the following verse, as if Allah is saying to us that people who slept in their cave stayed for 300 years (solar years) or we can say it’s 309 as lunar years. 

Of course, such information was not available 1400 years ago, and Arabs never knew the Georgian calendars during that time neither were able to calculate the difference between the Georgian and Lunar years.

يَوۡمَ نَطۡوِي ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلۡكُتُبِۚ كَمَا بَدَأۡنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلۡقٖ نُّعِيدُهُۥۚ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡنَآۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ ١٠٤ [الأنبياء:104-104]

And (remember) the Day when We shall roll up the heaven like a scroll rolled up for books. As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it.

Surah 21 Al-Anbiya Verse 104

• …like a scroll rolled up - Scientists assure that the universe will have an end as it had a beginning. The universe will never be expanding. Scientists say that the universe is filled with whatever we call the dark matter. Although it cannot be seen, there is solid evidence that more than 90% of the total mass in the universe is composed of Dark Matter.  ‘It is there!  It is there!  It is simply not visible’. (Lorna Simmons, Printed in Reflections). The Dark matter is non-luminous matter, that cannot be directly detected by observing any form of electromagnetic radiation (light), but whose existence is suggested because of the effects of its gravity on the rotation rate of galaxies and the presence of clusters of galaxies. The more the universe expands, the slower its velocity is. The galaxies will slow down because of the gravity of the dark matter, in the course of time the velocity of the universe components will be nil, the gravity of dark matter will prevail, so the universe will crunch under this gravity, all the cosmos entities will recede back or reverse to where it first stem from.

There are three possibilities to how the universe could end: Big Rip, Big Crunch or Big Chill. NASA recently ruled out the first scenario. This leaves the universe with only two possible endings: Big Crunch or Big Chill.  Stephen Hawking's final theory on the origin of the universe predicted that the Universe would eventually stop expanding and collapse in on itself (Big Crunch). In the Quran God promises to make the Big Crunch in the above Verse. There are already discoveries that such a folding up of space is possible. From General Relativity we know that wormholes are equivalent to folding spacetime like a book.

وَيَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَكَ بِٱلۡعَذَابِ وَلَن يُخۡلِفَ ٱللَّهُ وَعۡدَهُۥۚ وَإِنَّ يَوۡمًا عِندَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلۡفِ سَنَةٖ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ ٤٧ [الحج:47-47]

And they ask you to hasten on the torment. And Allah fails not His Promise. And verily, a day with your Lord is a thousand years of what you reckon.

Surah 22 Al-Hajj Verse 47

• ‘day’ – kindly refer Verse 32:5 and Verse 70:4 ahead.

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعُۢ بَصِيرٞ ٦١ [الحج:61-61]

That is because Allah merges the night into the day, and He merges the day into the night. And verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Seer.

Surah 22 Al-Hajj Verse 61

• Kindly refer to Verse 3:27 earlier (Part B).

وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمۡ سَبۡعَ طَرَآئِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ ٱلۡخَلۡقِ غَٰفِلِينَ ١٧ [المؤمنون:17-17]

And indeed, We have created above you seven taraiq (one over the other) and We are never unaware of the creation.

Surah 23 Al-Muminun Verse 17

• ‘taraiq’ – signifies both ‘paths’ and ‘layers’. It is interesting to note that at other places where the term seven heavens is used, the Arabic word is ‘samawat’. So, what are these seven layers above mankind?
• Indeed, today it is known that the world's atmosphere consists of different layers that lie on top of each other. Furthermore, it consists, just as is described in the Quran, of exactly seven layers.

1. Troposphere: The troposphere starts at the Earth's surface and extends 8 to 14.5 kilometers high (5 to 9 miles). This part of the atmosphere is the densest. Almost all weather is in this region.

2. Stratosphere: The stratosphere starts just above the troposphere and extends to 50 kilometers (31 miles) high. The ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters the solar ultraviolet radiation, is in this layer.

3. Ozone Layer

4. Mesosphere: The mesosphere starts just above the stratosphere and extends to 85 kilometers (53 miles) high. Meteors burn up in this layer.

5. Thermosphere: The thermosphere starts just above the mesosphere and extends to 600 kilometers (372 miles) high. Aurora and satellites occur in this layer.
6. Ionosphere: The ionosphere is an abundant layer of electrons and ionized atoms and molecules that stretches from about 48 kilometers (30 miles) above the surface to the edge of space at about 965 km (600 mi), overlapping into the mesosphere and thermosphere. This dynamic region grows and shrinks based on solar conditions and divides further into the sub-regions: D, E and F; based on what wavelength of solar radiation is absorbed. The ionosphere is a critical link in the chain of Sun-Earth interactions. This region is what makes radio communications possible.
7. Exosphere: This is the upper limit of our atmosphere. It extends from the top of the thermosphere up to 10,000 km (6,200 mi).

Interestingly, previously the layers where only six in number, when ozone layer was discovered only recently.

وَإِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ لَعِبۡرَةٗۖ نُّسۡقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِي بُطُونِهَا وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَنَٰفِعُ كَثِيرَةٞ وَمِنۡهَا تَأۡكُلُونَ ٢١ [المؤمنون:21-21]

And verily in the cattle there is indeed a lesson for you. We give you to drink (milk) of that which is in their bellies. And there are, in them, numerous (other) benefits for you, and of them you eat.

Surah 23 Al-Muminun Verse 21

• Kindly refer Verse 16:66 earlier (Part A).

أَوۡ كَظُلُمَٰتٖ فِي بَحۡرٖ لُّجِّيّٖ يَغۡشَىٰهُ مَوۡجٞ مِّن فَوۡقِهِۦ مَوۡجٞ مِّن فَوۡقِهِۦ سَحَابٞۚ ظُلُمَٰتُۢ بَعۡضُهَا فَوۡقَ بَعۡضٍ إِذَآ أَخۡرَجَ يَدَهُۥ لَمۡ يَكَدۡ يَرَىٰهَاۗ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَجۡعَلِ ٱللَّهُ لَهُۥ نُورٗا فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن نُّورٍ ٤٠ [النّور:40-40]

Or (the state of a disbeliever) is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by dark clouds, (layers of) darkness upon darkness: if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light.

Surah 24 An-Nur Verse 40

• ‘…darkness in a vast deep sea’ - The general environment in deep seas is described in the book named Oceans. 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 all. Today, we know about the general structure of the sea, the characteristics of the living things in it, its salinity, as well as the amount of water it contains, its surface area and depth. Submarines and special equipment, developed with modern technology, enable scientists to obtain this information. Human beings are not able to dive more than 40 meters down without the aid of special equipment. They cannot survive unaided in the deep, dark parts of the oceans, such as at a depth of 200 meters. For these reasons, scientists have only recently been able to discover these detailed pieces of information about seas. However, the statement of "darkness in a vast deep sea" was used in this verse 1,400 years ago. It is certainly one of the miracles of the Quran that such information was given at a time where no equipment to enable man to dive into the depths of the oceans was available.

• ‘…waves topped by waves’ - Scientists have recently discovered that there are internal waves, which ‘occur on density interfaces between layers of different densities’. These internal waves cover the deep waters of seas and oceans because deep water has a higher density than the water above it. Internal waves act like surface waves. They can 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 location.

Without research, one can only see the waves on the surface of the sea. It is impossible for one to know about the internal waves beneath the sea. Yet, here, Allah draws our attention to another type of wave that occurs in the depths of the oceans.

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَرۡسَلَ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦۚ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ طَهُورٗا ٤٨ لِّنُحۡـِۧيَ بِهِۦ بَلۡدَةٗ مَّيۡتٗا وَنُسۡقِيَهُۥ مِمَّا خَلَقۡنَآ أَنۡعَٰمٗا وَأَنَاسِيَّ كَثِيرٗا ٤٩ وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَٰهُ بَيۡنَهُمۡ لِيَذَّكَّرُواْ فَأَبَىٰٓ أَكۡثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورٗا ٥٠ [الفرقان:48-50]

And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain); and We send down pure water from the sky, That We may give life thereby to a dead land, and We give to drink thereof many of the cattle and men that We have created. And indeed, We have distributed it (rain or water) amongst them in order that they may remember the Grace of Allah, but most men accept nothing but disbelief or ingratitude.

Surah 25 Al-Furqan Verses 48-50

• ‘going before His Mercy (rain)’ – kindly refer Verse 7:57 earlier (Part A).
• ‘…pure water’ – the Arabic word used for pure is Tahora. The meaning of Tahora being pure by itself and purifying for others, can be used to clean or purify other things; and to be in such state it must be of acidic nature (Acidic liquids are found in natural and processed foods, cleaning supplies and various drinks). Modern science has found that rain water is naturally slightly acidic, with a pH of about 5.0. Natural variations and human pollutants may cause rain to be more acidic. A fact Quran refers to in this verse!
• ‘distributed it’ - The hydrological cycle plays a critical role in continuously delivering freshwater precipitation to the land while maintaining water levels, both on the Earth’s surface and in underground aquifers. Consistency in the cycle is necessary for maintaining life. Of course, each of the Earth’s regions receives a different amount of rainfall. The coastal deserts of Chile and Namibia, for instance, receive less than 5 mm of precipitation a year, while tropical rainforests experience around 2,000 mm of precipitation annually. Figure 8 shows mean annual rainfall distributed across the Earth. Notice the patterns that emerge from this map. Regions closest to the equator receive significant amounts of rainfall, while some of the driest regions of the world are located 30 degrees North and South of the equator. There are many factors that determine how much precipitation a region will receive. One important factor is the global climate pattern driven by the temperature difference between the equator and the poles. At the equator the Earth receives intense solar radiation, causing increased evaporation. This moist, warm air rises, eventually cooling and condensing to form clouds that produce abundant rainfall in equatorial regions (thus, equatorial regions are hot and wet). Once the rising air mass loses its water, causing it to cool even more, it becomes denser and thus has a higher air pressure. This dense, high-pressure air circulates north or south and sinks at 30 degrees north or south of the equator. The falling dry air heats as it descends, forming the world’s major desert regions such as the Sahara, the Atacama, and the Namib at 30 degrees north and south latitude. These air currents are called the ‘Hadley cells’ , named after George Hadley who hypothesized their existence in the 1700s.

Global Mean Annual Precipitation     

3D view of global air patterns. This depicts the major patterns of airflow on earth and how they distribute heat from the equator to the poles. The red arrows depict warm air near the surface of the earth (trade winds), and the blue arrows depict cooler air currents that are higher in altitude. The light blue tubes of air which include both red and blue arrows together are called Hadley cells.     

Like fluids, air flows into regions of lower pressure and flows out of regions of higher pressure. As air rises at the equator, the rising air leaves a slight negative pressure (vacuum effect) at the surface of the earth. For that reason, air in subtropical regions of 30°N and 30°S (high pressure areas) tends to move toward the equator and the poles (low pressure areas; see red arrows depicting NE and SE trade winds in Figure 9). This process also influences rainfall patterns. For instance, air traveling north from the subtropical high (30°N) meets cold, dense polar air moving south. The place where they collide is called the polar front. The colliding air masses rise and form clouds, resulting in much of the rainfall over North America and Europe.

It is abundantly clear that a lot of significance has been attached to this distribution of precipitation and the science behind its occurrence in Meteorology. Allah mentions that it is not a random phenomenon but it is He Who distributes it.

۞وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي مَرَجَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ هَٰذَا عَذۡبٞ فُرَاتٞ وَهَٰذَا مِلۡحٌ أُجَاجٞ وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَهُمَا بَرۡزَخٗا وَحِجۡرٗا مَّحۡجُورٗا ٥٣ [الفرقان:53-53]

And it is He Who has let free the two seas (kinds of water), this is palatable and that is salt and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them.

Surah 25 Al-Furqan Verse 53

• ‘…a barrier and a complete partition’- Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, there is a ‘pycnocline zone’ with a marked density discontinuity separating the two layers. This partition (zone of separation) has a different salinity from the fresh water and from the salt water

A satellite view of an estuary depicting the partition

This information has been discovered only recently, using advanced equipment to measure temperature, salinity, density, oxygen dissolubility etc. The human eye can’t see the division of water in estuaries into three kinds: fresh water, salt water, and the partition zone (zone of separation).

It is also worthwhile to note that when Quran speaks about separation between two seas (Verse 55:19-20; see V27:61 ahead) it uses the term barrier only but no partition – indicating the difference in the nature of the separation, which in itself is a sign of Quran being the word of Allah.

تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجٗا وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا سِرَٰجٗا وَقَمَرٗا مُّنِيرٗا ٦١ [الفرقان:61-61]

Blessed is He (Allah) Who has placed in the heaven big stars, and has placed therein a great lamp (sun), and a moon giving light.

Surah 25 Al-Furqan Verse 61

• The Arabic word for the sun in the Quran is shams. It is also referred to as siraaj which means a ‘torch’ or as wahhaaj meaning ‘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 Quran as muneer which is a body that gives noor i.e. reflected light. Again, the Quranic description matches perfectly with the true nature of the moon which does not give off light by itself and is an inactive body that reflects the light of the sun. Not once in the Quran, is the moon mentioned as siraaj, wahhaaj or diya nor the sun as noor or muneer. This implies that the Quran recognizes the difference between the nature of sunlight and moonlight.

The first claim about the nature of the moonlight is attributed to Thales (625B.C.), the Egyptian-influenced Greek mathematician and astronomer who learnt in Egypt and argued that the moon receives its light from the sun. Thales’s belief was shared by the Greek philosopher Anaxagoras (500B.C.), who also claimed that the sun and the moon were huge, spherical rocks. At a time when people believed that the sun and the moon were real Gods, Anaxagoras’s findings were deemed impious, resulting in his imprisonment and banishment. It was not until Galileo’s findings in the 1600s did these claims get scientifically proven, although they too were declared by some priests also as impious, because they contradicted Genesis which describes the moon as “a great light”.

Historically, the explanation of moonlight was discussed before the time of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), and therefore should not be referred to as ‘miracle’. However, the Quran does contain verses that distinguish between the nature of the sunlight and moonlight. But before explaining the verses, it is important to remember that Muhammad (pbuh) was an illiterate shepherd, who lived amongst people whose passion lied mainly in poetry and literature, not science. Moreover, scientists who proposed these theories were punished for their arguments. If the Quran was man-made, why did it propose a discredited argument? In addition, Anaxagoras did have errors in his argument as he claimed that the sun is a rock! While in modern astronomy we all know that stars are just forms of huge gaseous balls. Why, if Quran was copied, did it choose to reveal the correct scientific facts and avoid the errors?

أَمَّن جَعَلَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ قَرَارٗا وَجَعَلَ خِلَٰلَهَآ أَنۡهَٰرٗا وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَٰسِيَ وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ حَاجِزًاۗ أَءِلَٰهٞ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٦١ [النمل:61-61]

Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas? Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not!

Surah 27 An-Naml Verse 61

• ‘a barrier between the two seas’ – a similar mention is made in another Ayah of Quran, as in:

He has let loose the two seas meeting together. Between them is a barrier which none of them can transgress. Surah 55 Ar-Rahman Verses 19-20

Oceanographers, in the wake of the scientific progress in this age, have discovered the barrier between two seas. They have found that a barrier separates two neighboring seas. The barrier moves between them, and it is called by scientists as ‘a front’. By virtue of this barrier each sea retains its own characteristics which Allah has assigned to it and which are suitable for the organisms living in that environment. Because of this barrier, the two neighboring seas mingle so slowly that the amount of water that passes from one sea to the other acquires the characteristics of the other sea while crossing the barrier which overturns the waters crossing from one sea to the other, keeping each sea with its own characteristics.

Let us take a look at the gradual progress of human knowledge about the fact of the differences between seawater masses and the existence of barriers between them:

Oceanographers discovered that there were certain differences between water samples taken from various seas in 1284 AH/1873 AD, by the British Marine Scientific Expedition of the Challenger Voyage. It was discovered that masses of sea water vary in their composition, in respect of salinity, water temperature, density and types of marine organisms. The data were obtained from 362 oceanographic stations. The report of the expedition filled 29,500 pages in 50 volumes and took 23 years to complete. One of the great achievements of scientific exploration, the expedition also showed how little man knew about the sea.

After 1933 AD another American expedition set out in the Mexican Gulf and installed hundreds of sea stations to study the characteristics of seas. It found out that a large number of stations in a certain area gave similar information about the characteristics of the water in that area, whether in respect of salinity, density, temperature, marine organisms or solubility of oxygen in water, while another group of stations in another area gave a different set of data about that area. So, oceanographers concluded that there were two distinctive seas with different characteristics, and not just limited samples as the Expedition of Challenger showed.

Man installed hundreds of marine stations to study the characteristics of various seas. Scientists have found out that the differences in these characteristics distinguished one sea from another. But why do these seas not mix and become homogeneous in spite of the effect of tide and ebb that moves sea water twice a day, and causes seas to move forward and backward turbulently, besides other factors that cause sea water to be in continuous movement and turbulence, such as surface and internal waves and sea currents?

The answer appeared for the first time in scientific books in 1361 AH/1942 AD. Extensive studies of marine characteristics revealed that there are water barriers separating neighboring seas and maintaining the distinctive properties of each sea with respect to density, salinity, marine life, temperature and solubility of oxygen in water. After 1962 AD there was known the role of sea barriers in modifying the properties of the water masses that pass from one sea to another, to prevent one sea from overwhelming the other; So salty seas retain their own properties and boundaries by virtue of these barriers.

The Mediterranean Sea water as it enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics, because of the barrier that distinguishes between them.  Temperatures are in degrees Celsius (C°). (Marine Geology, Kuenen, p. 43, with a slight enhancement.)

About a hundred years of research and study has been required to discover the fact of the existence of barriers between sea water masses and their role in making each sea retain its own properties. Hundred of researchers took part and numerous precise scientific instruments and equipment were used to achieve that. Fourteen centuries ago the Holy Quran revealed this fact.

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابٗا فَيَبۡسُطُهُۥ فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيۡفَ يَشَآءُ وَيَجۡعَلُهُۥ كِسَفٗا فَتَرَى ٱلۡوَدۡقَ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ خِلَٰلِهِۦۖ فَإِذَآ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦٓ إِذَا هُمۡ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ ٤٨ [الروم:48-48]

Allah is He Who sends the winds, so that they raise the clouds and spread them along the sky as He wills, and then break them into fragments until you see rain drops come forth from their midst! Then when He has made them fall on whom of His slaves as He wills, lo, they rejoice!

Surah 30 Ar-Rum Verse 48

• Kindly refer Verse 24:43-46 earlier (Part A).

خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ بِغَيۡرِ عَمَدٖ تَرَوۡنَهَاۖ وَأَلۡقَىٰ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ رَوَٰسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمۡ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٖۚ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوۡجٖ كَرِيمٍ ١٠ [لقمان:10-10]

He has created the heavens without any pillars that you see, and has set on the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with you. And He has scattered therein moving (living) creatures of all kinds. And We send down water (rain) from the sky, and We cause (plants) of every goodly kind to grow therein.

Surah 31 Luqman Verse 10

• ‘…heavens without any pillars’ - The fact that the Quran speaks of scientific phenomena that could not be accessible to the level of knowledge at the time of the Prophet is a miracle in itself. One of the facts that could not possibly be attained by observations and research at the time of the Prophet is given in the verse quoted above. However, this discovery is certainly not of recent date. But at the time of the descent of the Quran, there was no general consensus about this. The expression used in the verse above cannot be a statement that would have been impossible to be used in our Prophet’s era but it is obvious that it does not represent the general idea of the time. Even after the time of the Quran’s descent there were still people who believed that the mountains located at the two sides of the earth were supporting the sky above us.

For instance, in the New American Bible, a picture is drawn to show how the authors of the Bible imagined the world. In that picture, the sky resembles an overturned bowl and is supported by columns (The New American Bible, St Joseph’s Medium Size Edition, and pp. 4-5). Ibn Abbas (d. 687 AD), Mujahid (d. 718 AD) and Ikrima (d. 733 AD) believed in the existence of pillars (mountains) supporting the sky, too. These persons asserted that the Quran’s verses referred only to what was visible and that in the portion of space invisible to the eye the pillars held up the sky. This had also been the contention of the Babylonians who believed that the sky was supported by the mountains at its extremities. At the time of the Prophet, mankind did not know that the earth was spherical and that traveling in opposing directions led two people to the same spot. Therefore, the said subject of debate could not scientifically be accounted for at the time of the Prophet. Moreover, such a bold statement would have had undesirable effects on the Prophet’s credibility, and objections would not tarry to arrive.

To appreciate better the value of these statements in the Quran, our imagination must go back to the time of the Prophet and try to guess at the mentality of the people. The Quran was revealed at a time when the airplane and the automobile did not exist, when the actual shape of the earth was unknown, when there was no such thing as a world map and when the majority of Arabs were illiterate. This is to remind the persons who claim that the authorship of the Quran should be attributed to the Prophet or to other writers at the time of the Prophet. So, if one considers that the statements of the Quran had been revealed in such a situation, the miraculous character of the explanations may gain a different dimension.

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ يَجۡرِيٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗى وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ٢٩ [لقمان:29-29]

See you not that Allah merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon each running its course for a term appointed; and that Allah is Well Acquainted with what you do.

Surah 31 Luqman Verse 29

يُدَبِّرُ ٱلۡأَمۡرَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ثُمَّ يَعۡرُجُ إِلَيۡهِ فِي يَوۡمٖ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُۥٓ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٖ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ ٥ [السجدة:5-5]

He (Allah) manages and regulates (every) affair from the heavens to the earth; then it (affair) will go up to Him, in one Day, the space whereof is a thousand years of your reckoning.

Surah 32 As-Sajdah Verse 5

• Einstein discovered this idea in 1921, but before this discovery by about 1330 years, Allah, in His Holy book (The Holy Quran), mentioned the idea of relativity in clear terms. It was not understood until Allah revealed the same idea to one of his creatures in a mathematical form. Notice that the verse offers four phrases and words that constitute the heart of the special theory of relativity, and they are: “go up,” “a day,” “a thousand years,” and “according as you reckon.” The verse indicates that Allah’s ordinance is moving upwards, and that it’s not static. Then it tells us that one day equals our understanding of 1000 years. When these orders leave earth upwards, they experience one day of travel themselves but 1000 years would have passed by us before the orders reach their destination. That is to say, if you were traveling in a spaceship alongside these orders and looked at your watch when you reached the target you would have experienced one day of travel, but look out the spaceship’s window, and you’d see generations and generations had passed on earth.

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَا تَأۡتِينَا ٱلسَّاعَةُۖ قُلۡ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأۡتِيَنَّكُمۡ عَٰلِمِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِۖ لَا يَعۡزُبُ عَنۡهُ مِثۡقَالُ ذَرَّةٖ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَلَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَآ أَصۡغَرُ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكۡبَرُ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مُّبِينٖ ٣ [سبإ:3-3]

Those who disbelieve say: ‘The Hour will not come to us’ Say: ‘Yes, by My Lord, the All-Knower of the Unseen, it will come to you; not even the weight of an atom or less than that or greater escapes His Knowledge in the heavens or in the earth but it is in a Clear Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz).

Surah 34 Saba Verse 3

• …or less than that or greater – Another Verse of the Quran implying the same fact is as follows:

…And nothing is hidden from your Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in the heaven. Not what is less than that or what is greater than that but is (written) in a Clear Record. (Surah 10 Yunus Verse 61)

Many centuries before the onset of Muhammad’s prophethood, there was a well-known theory of atomism advanced by the Greek philosopher Democritus. He and the people, who came after him assumed that matter consists of tiny, indestructible, indivisible particles called atoms. The Arabs too, used to deal in the same concept; in fact, the Arabic word dharrah commonly referred to the smallest particle known to man. Now, modern science has discovered that this smallest unit of matters (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 Quran as stated in the verses above. Undoubtedly fourteen centuries ago that statement would have looked unusual, even to an Arab. For him, the dharrah was the smallest thing there was.

An atom of an element is the simplest particle that displays the properties of the element. A somewhat modern theory was put forward by an English schoolteacher, John Dalton in 1808. This Dalton theory described how atoms interacted to form compounds, but never even considered the possibility of subatomic particles. J. J. Thomson discovered the first of the subatomic particles, the negatively-charged electron, in 1899. The modern view of the atom proposes that there are 3 subatomic particles.

Today scientists have identified many other particles within atoms, but the three simple subatomic particles—the electron, the proton, and the neutron—are still used to explain many properties of atoms. More than 200 subatomic particles have been discovered so far; however, most are not fundamental, but are composed of other, simpler particles. For example, Rutherford showed that the atom was composed of a nucleus and orbiting electrons. Later physicists showed that the nucleus was composed of neutrons and protons. More recent work has shown that protons and neutrons are composed of quarks. Some of subatomic particles are: electron, positron, electron anti-neutrino, negative muon, muon, muon neutrino, muon anti-neutrino, negative tau, positive tau, tau neutrino, tau anti-neutrino.

وَٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَرۡسَلَ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابٗا فَسُقۡنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ بَلَدٖ مَّيِّتٖ فَأَحۡيَيۡنَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلنُّشُورُ ٩ [فاطر:9-9]

And it is Allah Who sends the winds, so that they raise up the clouds, and We drive them to a dead land, and revive therewith the earth after its death. As such (will be) the Resurrection!

Surah 35 Fatir Verse 9

• Kindly refer Verse 24:43-46 earlier (Part A).

وَمَا يَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡبَحۡرَانِ هَٰذَا عَذۡبٞ فُرَاتٞ سَآئِغٞ شَرَابُهُۥ وَهَٰذَا مِلۡحٌ أُجَاجٞۖ وَمِن كُلّٖ تَأۡكُلُونَ لَحۡمٗا طَرِيّٗا وَتَسۡتَخۡرِجُونَ حِلۡيَةٗ تَلۡبَسُونَهَاۖ وَتَرَى ٱلۡفُلۡكَ فِيهِ مَوَاخِرَ لِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ١٢ [فاطر:12-12]

And the two seas (kinds of water) are not alike, this is palatable, sweet and pleasant to drink, and that is salty and bitter. And from both you eat fresh tender meat (fish), and derive the ornaments that you wear. And you see the ships cleaving (the sea water as they sail through it), that you may seek of His bounty, and that you may give thanks.

Surah 35 Fatir Verse 12

• ‘And from both you… derive the ornaments that you wear’ - For centuries, the saline seas and oceans were the main sources of pearls and other precious stones. Relatively recently, however, it was discovered that some freshwater rivers, as well, contain a variety of precious stones. These include pearls in some rivers in the British Isles, Czechoslovakia and Japan, as well as several other stones like diamonds, sapphire and zircon in different rivers and river sediments. This confirms the information given by the verse.

يُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ يَجۡرِي لِأَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗىۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ لَهُ ٱلۡمُلۡكُۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَا يَمۡلِكُونَ مِن قِطۡمِيرٍ ١٣ [فاطر:13-13]

He (Allah) merges the night into the day, and He merges the day into the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each run its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him own not even a Qitmir (the thin membrane over the date stone).

Surah 35 Fatir Verse 13

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ ثَمَرَٰتٖ مُّخۡتَلِفًا أَلۡوَٰنُهَاۚ وَمِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ جُدَدُۢ بِيضٞ وَحُمۡرٞ مُّخۡتَلِفٌ أَلۡوَٰنُهَا وَغَرَابِيبُ سُودٞ ٢٧ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱلدَّوَآبِّ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ مُخۡتَلِفٌ أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥ كَذَٰلِكَۗ إِنَّمَا يَخۡشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِ ٱلۡعُلَمَٰٓؤُاْۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ ٢٨ [فاطر:27-28]

See you not that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky and We produce therewith fruits of various colours, and among the mountains are streaks white and red, of varying colours and (others) very black. And likewise, men and Ad-Dawabb (moving living creatures) and cattle are of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, Oft-Forgiving.

Surah 35 Fatir Verses 27-28

• ‘…streaks white and red…and very black’ - Commenting on this verse, Dr. Zaghloul El-Naggar said: “These are the basics for the classification of all primary (igneous) rocks into acidic and highly acidic rocks (with white and red colors), intermediate rocks (with various shades of color) and basic to ultrabasic rocks (with black colors intense in hue). These facts are new to the acquired human knowledge as they have only started to unfold before the human intellect since the mid-nineteenth century”.

In an interesting discovery, at the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park in Gansu, China, tourists flock to see China’s own version of the Grand Canyon: A mountain range of densely packed layers of minerals and rock that are dramatically striated into a layer cake of magenta, maroon, and lemon-colored stone. Scientists recently discovered striped and coloured mountains.

These coloured mountains are found in an area west of China, it appears though as paths, coloured in red, black and white. The foretelling of the Glorious Quran (which was revealed more than 14 centuries ago as the last form of divine guidance to man) with explicit pointers to these facts is only one of numerous testimonies for the divine purity of this eternal book and for the authentic Prophethood of the Noble Messenger who received it through divine revelation.

سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡأَزۡوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمِنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٣٦ [يس:36-36]

Glorified is He Who has created all the pairs of that which the earth produces, as well as of their own (human) kind, and of that which they know not.

Surah 36 Ya-Sin Verse 36

• The word azwaj in the verse is the plural form of zawj and means pairs, partners. That is why husband & wife are defined as zawj-zawja. As it is seen, this word defines the opposites among similar things and being partners. Three examples are given about the creation in pairs mentioned in the verse:

1st Example: Pairs that grow from soil. The first thing that comes to mind in this category is femininity and masculinity in plants.

2nd Example: Pairs that are created from their own selves. The first thing that comes to mind in this category is the creation of humans as males and females.

3rd Example: Pairs that are created from things that we do not know.

The people who lived during the revelation of the Quran were not aware of the most of the creation in pairs in the universe. While femininity and masculinity is the equivalence of the concept of pair, the expression of the verse ‘and of that which they know not’ has a wider meaning. Let us see one of the meanings that the verse indicates.

As researches conducted on the structure of the atom has developed, it has become clear that the existent particles are not limited only to protons, neutrons and electrons and the atom has a more complex, delicate and perfect nature than we think. Creation in pairs is also valid for the smallest particles of atom. A proton has its pair; anti-proton, an electron is coupled with a positron, and a neutron possesses an anti-neutron. The creation of matter in pairs is one of the most important discoveries of physics. Paul Dirac, a British scientist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1933 for his discovery in this field. The discovery of Dirac is known as ‘Parity’ and thanks to this discovery, it has been presented that the matter has a pair called anti-matter. Anti-matter bears the opposite characteristics of the matter. For example, contrary to matter, anti-matter electrons are positive and protons are negative. This fact is expressed in a scientific source as follows: every particle has its antiparticle of opposite charge. The uncertainty relation tells us that the existence and non-existence of pairs forms simultaneously everywhere and at all times.

As we see, the expression of the Quran, of that which they know not, is so full of wisdom and so mysterious. Let us see how many pairs of which we have no knowledge will be discovered and science will prostrate before the Quran!

• ‘…pairs of that which the earth produces’ - The Holy Quran tells us in several verses, apart from the present, that Allah has created plants in pairs (male and female) in order for plant reproductive activities to happen leading to giving us the fruits we enjoy on this Planet.

… and (Allah) has sent down water from the sky. With it, We have produced diverse pairs of plants (Taha - 20: 53).

and of all fruits, He made in them pairs, two each (a male and a female). (Ar-Rad – 13:3)
We send down water from the sky, (in order that) We cause goodly pairs to grow out of it (of earth) (Luqman, 31: 10).

• Kindly also refer to Verse 13:3-4 earlier (Part A)

إِنَّ إِلَٰهَكُمۡ لَوَٰحِدٞ ٤ رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا وَرَبُّ ٱلۡمَشَٰرِقِ ٥ [الصّافّات:4-5]

Verily, your ilah (God) is One (i.e. Allah). The Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and all that is between them, and the Lord of every point of the sun’s risings.

Surah 37 As-Saffat Verses 4-5

• ‘…every point of sun’s risings’ - Over the course of a year, the path of the Sun appears to move on the celestial sphere against the background of the fixed stars. Actually, it’s the Earth orbiting around the Sun rather than the Sun changing position, but the Sun appears to make a curving path that passes through 12 constellations (collectively called the zodiac). The path it seems to follow is called the ecliptic. From March to September, the Sun’s path appears to be north of the celestial equator. From September to March, it appears to be south of the celestial equator. The Sun crosses the celestial equator at spring and autumn.

Because the position of the Sun in relation to the celestial equator changes over the year, so do its rising and setting points on the horizon. At the spring and autumn equinoxes, the Sun rises due east and sets due west. At summer solstice – when the tilt of the Earth (23.5°) is most inclined towards the Sun – the Sun in the southern hemisphere rises at ESE and sets at WSW. In the northern hemisphere, it rises at ENE and sets at WNW. This occurs between December 20–23 in the southern hemisphere and June 20–21 in the northern hemisphere. This is when the Sun is at its highest position in the sky. At winter solstice, the Sun appears to have moved to the opposite side of the celestial equator, with the Earth’s tilt now away from the Sun. In the southern hemisphere, the Sun rises at ENE and sets at WNW. In the northern hemisphere, it rises at ESE and sets at WSW.

“Every point of sun’s rising” then refers to the rising points of the sun between the two extremeties.

This scientific truth has only been discovered by man in the last decades of the twentieth century.  Its appearance in Allah’s Book (the Quran) that was revealed to the seal of His prophets 1400 years ago, proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that the noble Quran contains the words of Allah, the Creator, and affirms the Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh). 

خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ يُكَوِّرُ ٱلَّيۡلَ عَلَى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ ٱلنَّهَارَ عَلَى ٱلَّيۡلِۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ يَجۡرِي لِأَجَلٖ مُّسَمًّىۗ أَلَا هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡغَفَّٰرُ ٥ [الزمر:5-5]

He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He makes the night to go in the day and makes the day to go in the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each running for an appointed term. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving.

Surah 39 Az-Zumar Verse 5

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَسَلَكَهُۥ يَنَٰبِيعَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ثُمَّ يُخۡرِجُ بِهِۦ زَرۡعٗا مُّخۡتَلِفًا أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصۡفَرّٗا ثُمَّ يَجۡعَلُهُۥ حُطَٰمًاۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكۡرَىٰ لِأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ ٢١ [الزمر:21-21]

See you not that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, as water springs, and afterwards thereby produces crops of different colours, and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow; then He makes them dry and broken pieces. Verily, in this is a Reminder for men of understanding.

Surah 39 Az-Zumar Verse 21

• …causes it to penetrate the earth - In 1580, Bernard Palissy was the first person 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 still prevalent. According to this theory, water was condensed in cool mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. Today, we have come to know that the rainwater that seeps into the cracks of the ground is responsible for this. This is described by the Quran in the above verse. A similar Ayah in the Quran says:

And We sent down from the sky water (rain) in (due) measure, and We gave it lodging in the earth, and verily, We are able to take it away. (Al-Quran 23:18)

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

أَفَمَن شَرَحَ ٱللَّهُ صَدۡرَهُۥ لِلۡإِسۡلَٰمِ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ نُورٖ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦۚ فَوَيۡلٞ لِّلۡقَٰسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٍ ٢٢ [الزمر:22-22]

Is he whose breast Allah has opened to Islam, so that he is in light from his Lord (as he who is a non-muslim)? So, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allah! They are in plain error!

Surah 39 Az-Zumar Verse 22

• ‘…breast Allah has opened to Islam’ - Science has recently proven that the human heart is as sentient as the human brain, if not more, as it has its own form of intelligence. Not only this, but it has been proven experimentally that the human heart does influence the brain's thinking capacity, and hence it’s physical capability of accepting, comprehending and storing knowledge. It has also been proven that the human heart communicates with both the brain and the rest of the human body neurologically (through the nervous system), biophysically (through pulse waves), biochemically (through certain hormones), and electromagnetically (through energetic waves). The human heart's electromagnetic field is the most powerful rhythmic field produced by the human body. It envelopes every cell in that body, and extends out in all directions into the space surrounding it, as an important carrier of information. The recently discovered human heart–brain synchronization (or the so-called Cardiac Coherence) has become an established fact, proving that the human heart's activity influences that of the brain, and that the heart has its own form of intelligence. Cardiac intelligence can process information about its body as well as its surroundings. This takes place through an "info- energetic code" in the form of a profuse network of blood vessels and cells that serve as energy information gathering and distributing system, much like a complex telephone network, recently termed "the heart code" by Paul Pearsall.  It has been very recently discovered that heart transplant patients who receive a heart from another person's body, also receive some of his or her personal memoirs, talents, likes and dislikes. Heart recipients have reported inheriting many things from the donor's knowledge and experiences to his or her food cravings (Paul Pearsall, 2002- 2008).

Yasha Kresh, PhD, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Medicine, Research Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery says: "It turns out that the heart has its own 'brain' - an intrinsic nervous system. It's not clear what it does or if it's subservient to the higher brain. But it's clear that it is there, and I believe it has a mission because evolution does not allow things to remain without purpose. We think this internal nervous system helps to fine-tune and integrate the heart's diverse activity."

The electric field of the heart is sixty times stronger than the one of the brain

As much as it may be the brain which processes information, it is truly the hearts which affirms, doubts, or denies the processed information. For all matters pertaining to love, hate, joy, happiness, desires, fears, suspicions, faith, belief, etc, it is the heart rather than the brain which accepts or doubts or denies the information processed by the brain. Hence Allah says in this verse - open the breasts (indicating heart) - towards guidance (Islam).

Allah mentions the word "heart" at least 110 times in Quran. When mentioned, "heart" implies heart's thinking power. One such verse states:

Who are more evil than those who are reminded of their Lord's proofs, then disregard them, without realizing what they are doing. Consequently, we place shields on their hearts to prevent them from understanding it (the Quran), and deafness in their ears. Thus, no matter what you do to guide them, they can never ever be guided. (Verse 18:57)

The Quran emphasises the importance of using our hearts (V39:23; V57:16). One such verse states:

Is it not time for those who believed to open up their hearts for God's message, and the truth that is revealed herein? They should not be like the followers of previous scriptures whose hearts became hardened with time and, consequently, many of them turned wicked. (Verse 57:16)

In numerous verses Allah gives the traits of the heart which characterize the perspective of believers (Verses 4:65; 7:43; 8:2, 8:10, 8:11; 10:57; 13:28; 15:47; 22:32, 22:35, 22:54,

22:60; 26:89; 39:22; 48:4; 49:3; 58:22; 59:9-10). One such verse states:

The true believers are those whose hearts tremble when God is mentioned, and when His revelations are recited to them, their faith is strengthened, and they trust in their Lord. (Verse 8:2)

God also gives the characteristics of the heart which control disbelievers (Verses 2:7, 2:74,2:93, 2:283; 3:7, 3:118, 3:151, 3:156; 5:41; 7:100; 8:12, 8:42; 9:8, 9:64, 9:77, 9:127; 16:22; 23:63; 33:26; 3:63; 33:26; 40:18; 47:29; 59:2, 59:14; 61:5). One such verse states:

Despite this, your hearts are hardened like rocks, or even harder. For there are rocks from which rivers gush out. Others crack and release gentle streams, and other rocks cringe out of reverence for God. God is never unaware of anything you do. (Verse 2:74)

Research shows that thinking with the “brain in the heart” can make us healthier and smarter. The brain in our head is dutifully obeying messages that are being sent from another brain, “the brain in the heart”. The heart is not just a throbbing mass of muscle; it's actually quite a sensitive instrument that is processing critical information. With every beat of the heart, intricate messages are being sent to the brain and other bodily systems. In fact, these messages are being received by every cell in our body! Angel Gabriel, first and entirely, brought down Quran to Muhammad's heart as understood from this:

Say, “Anyone who opposes Gabriel should know that he has brought down this (Quran) into your heart, in accordance with God's will, confirming previous scriptures, and providing guidance and good news for the believers”. (Verse 2:97)

Our ability to hear and act on the information being sent from the heart, can make the difference in whether we experience life as a series of stressful events or one that's rich in quality. The heart provides information that can help us eliminate the mental and emotional drain caused by confusion, stress, overwhelm anxiety and frustration. Hence, the guiding of our heart is so critical (Verses 3:8; 6:125; 64:11). One such verse states:

Nothing happens to you except in accordance with God's will. Anyone who believes in God, He will guide his heart. God is fully aware of all things. (Verse 64:11)

There are many benefits that come from learning to utilize the heart's intelligence. They range from mental and emotional boosters like more clarity, productivity and creativity, to increased feelings of happiness. We learn from Quran;

If God renders one’s heart content with submission, he will be following a light from his Lord. Therefore, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against God's message; they have gone far astray. (Verse 39:22)

In another verse God states:

Some of them listen to you, but we place veils on their hearts to prevent them from understanding, and deafness in their ears. Thus, no matter what kind of proof they see, they cannot believe. Thus, when they come to argue with you, the disbelievers say, “These are tales from the past”. (Verse 6:25)

The studies on neurological interactions demonstrate that the signal the heart sends to the brain during positive emotions can alter brain activity in several ways. The heart is the most powerful generator of electromagnetic energy in the human body, producing the largest rhythmic electromagnetic field of any of the body's organs. The heart's electric field is about 60 times greater in amplitude than the electrical activity generated by the brain. The magnetic field produced by the heart is more than 5000 times greater in strength than the field generated by the brain, and can be detected a number of feet away from the body, in all directions. Is there a possibility that the electromagnetic field generated by the heart may transmit information that can be received by others? We need to reflect why Allah mentions about heart so many times in Quran compared to the brain! Electromagnetic signals generated by the heart have the capacity to affect others around us. Study indicates that one person's heart signal can affect another's brainwaves, and that heart-brain synchronization can occur between two people when they interact.

• These scientific observations by man have come in the last decades of the twentieth century.  Its reference in Allah’s Book (the Quran) in such a detailed fashion that was revealed to the seal of His prophets 1400 years ago, proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that the noble Quran contains the words of Allah, the Creator, and affirms the Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh). 

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ قَرَارٗا وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءٗ وَصَوَّرَكُمۡ فَأَحۡسَنَ صُوَرَكُمۡ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡۖ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٦٤ [غافر:64-64]

Allah, it is He Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place and the sky as a canopy, and has given you shape and made your shapes good (looking) and has provided you with good things. That is Allah, your Lord, so Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

Surah 40 Ghafir Verse 64

• …sky as a canopy - Kindly refer Surah 21 Al-Anbiya Verses 30-33 earlier (Part A).

۞قُلۡ أَئِنَّكُمۡ لَتَكۡفُرُونَ بِٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي يَوۡمَيۡنِ وَتَجۡعَلُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٩ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ مِن فَوۡقِهَا وَبَٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقۡوَٰتَهَا فِيٓ أَرۡبَعَةِ أَيَّامٖ سَوَآءٗ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ١٠ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٞ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلۡأَرۡضِ ٱئۡتِيَا طَوۡعًا أَوۡ كَرۡهٗا قَالَتَآ أَتَيۡنَا طَآئِعِينَ ١١ فَقَضَىٰهُنَّ سَبۡعَ سَمَٰوَاتٖ فِي يَوۡمَيۡنِ وَأَوۡحَىٰ فِي كُلِّ سَمَآءٍ أَمۡرَهَاۚ وَزَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَحِفۡظٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقۡدِيرُ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡعَلِيمِ ١٢ [فصّلت:9-12]

Say (O Muhammad, pbuh): ‘Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two days? And you set up rivals (in worship) with Him? That is the Lord of the Alamin’. He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four days equal for all those who ask (about its creation). He then rose over (Istawa) towards heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: ‘Come both of you willingly or unwillingly’. They both said: ‘We come willingly’. Then He completed and finished their (as) seven heavens in two days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard. Such is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.

Surah 41 Fussilat Verses 9-12

• ‘…when it was smoke’ - The science of modern cosmology, observational and theoretical, clearly indicates that, at one point in time, the whole universe was nothing but a cloud of 'smoke' (i.e. an opaque highly dense and hot gaseous composition). This is one of the undisputed principles of standard modern cosmology. This view has been confirmed by the later discovery of the background microwave radiation. The eventual formation of galaxies resulted as a condensation, under gravitational pull, of hot gases, which was mainly Hydrogen, but may also have contained Helium and a few other light elements as well. Over the ages, and with the formation of galaxies, the gas has gradually condensed into individual stars. Scientists now can observe new stars forming out of the remnants of that 'smoke' (see figures). The illuminating stars we see at night were, just as was the whole universe, in that 'smoke' material.

A new star forming out of a cloud of gas and dust (The Orion Nebula), which is one of the remnants of the 'smoke' that was the origin of the whole universe.

The Lagoon nebula is a cloud of gas and dust, about 60 light years in diameter. It is excited by the ultraviolet radiation of the hot stars that have recently formed within its bulk.

Dr. Alfred Kroner is one of the world's renowned geologists. He is Professor of Geology and the Chairman of the Department of Geology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. He said: "Thinking where Muhammad came from . . . I think it is almost impossible that he could have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only found out within the last few years, with very complicated and advanced technological methods, that this is the case". He also said: "Somebody who did not know something about nuclear physics fourteen hundred years ago could not, I think, be in a position to find out from his own mind, for instance, that the earth and the heavens had the same origin".

وَٱلَّذِي نَزَّلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءَۢ بِقَدَرٖ فَأَنشَرۡنَا بِهِۦ بَلۡدَةٗ مَّيۡتٗاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ تُخۡرَجُونَ ١١ [الزخرف:11-11]

And Who sends down water (rain) from the sky in due measure, then We revive the dead land therewith, and even so you will be brought forth (from the graves).

Surah 43 Az-Zukhruf Verse 11

• ‘…due measure’ - This measured quantity of rain has been discovered by modern research. It is estimated that in one second, approximately 16 million tons of water evaporates from the Earth. This figure amounts to 513 trillion tons of water in one year. This number is equal to the amount of rain that falls on the Earth in a year. This means that water continuously circulates in a balanced cycle, in a “measure”. Life on Earth depends on this water cycle. Even if people used all the available technology in the world, they would not be able to reproduce this cycle artificially. Even a minor deviation in this equilibrium would very soon give rise to a major ecological imbalance that would bring about the end of life on Earth. Yet, this never happens, and rain keeps falling every year in exactly the same quantity just as revealed in the Quran.

The due measure of rain does not merely apply to its quantity, but also to the speed of the falling rain drops. The speed of rain drops, regardless of their size, does not exceed a certain limit. Philipp Lenard, a Nobel-prize winning German physicist, determined that the speed at which raindrops fall increases with drop diameter, up to a size of 4.5 mm (0.18 inch). For larger drops, however, the speed of descent does not increase beyond 8 meters per second (26 ft/sec). This is attributed to the shape of the falling drops, which increases their air resistance and prevents them from exceeding a certain speed.

On the earth, water is recycled according to a certain "measure".

Life on earth is dependent on this water cycle.

As can be seen, attention is drawn in the Quran to a delicate adjustment in rain which could not have been known 1400 years ago.

مَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗىۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ عَمَّآ أُنذِرُواْ مُعۡرِضُونَ ٣ [الأحقاف:3-3]

We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with truth, and for an appointed term. But those who disbelieve turn away from that whereof they are warned.

Surah 46 Al-Ahqaf Verse 3

أَفَلَمۡ يَنظُرُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَوۡقَهُمۡ كَيۡفَ بَنَيۡنَٰهَا وَزَيَّنَّٰهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِن فُرُوجٖ ٦ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ مَدَدۡنَٰهَا وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوۡجِۢ بَهِيجٖ ٧ تَبۡصِرَةٗ وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِكُلِّ عَبۡدٖ مُّنِيبٖ ٨ [ق:6-8]

Have they not looked at the heaven above them, how We have made it and adorned it, and there are no rifts in it? And the earth; We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and have produced therein every kind of lovely growth (plants). An insight and a reminder for every slave who turns to Allah in repentance.

Surah 50 Qaf Verses 6-8

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡحُبُكِ ٧ [الذاريات:7-7]

By the heaven full of paths.

Surah 51 Adh-Dhariyat Verse 7

• The Arabic word alhubuki, translated as ‘full of paths’ in this verse comes from the verb ‘hubeke’, meaning ‘to weave closely, to knit, to bind together’. The use of this word in the verse is particularly wise and represents the current state of scientific knowledge. The orbits and paths in the universe are so dense and inter-twined that they constitute intersecting paths, just like the threads in a piece of fabric. The Solar System we live in is made up of the Sun, the planets and their satellites – along with heavenly objects such as meteors and comets, which are in constant motion. The Solar System moves through the galaxy known as the Milky Way, which contains 400 billion known stars. It is estimated that there are billions of galaxies. Miraculously, celestial bodies and systems revolve at speeds of thousands of kilometers an hour. They move through space without colliding with one another when logically, one would think they would collide with each other constantly. The science of astronomy was developed with the aim of mapping the positions and courses of stars. Meanwhile, the study of astro-mechanics was developed in order to determine the manner in which these complex motions actually work. Astronomers used to assume that orbits were perfectly spherical. The fact is, however, that heavenly bodies are known to follow mathematical shapes, such as spherical, elliptical, parabolic or hyperbolic orbits. Dr. Carlo Rovelli of the University of Pittsburgh says, "Our space in which we live is just this enormously complicated spin network."

Allah describes the universe as being woven paths and orbits in this verse – and this demonstrates that modern science agrees with the Quran. This perfect harmony between the Quran and present-day scientific developments clearly reveals that the Quran is the word of our Lord, the Creator of all. He knows best about all things.

وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيۡنَٰهَا بِأَيۡيْدٖ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ ٤٧ [الذاريات:47-47]

With power did We construct the heaven. Verily, We are able to extend the vastness of space (thereof).

Surah 51 Adh-Dhariyat Verse 47

• For thousands of years, astronomers wrestled with basic questions concerning the universe.  Until the early 1920’s, it was believed that the universe had always been in existence; also, that the size of the universe was fixed and not changing.  However, in 1912, the American astronomer, Vesto Slipher, made a discovery that would soon change astronomers’ beliefs about the universe.  Slipher noticed that the galaxies were moving away from earth at huge velocities.  These observations provided the first evidence supporting the expanding-universe theory. In 1916, Albert Einstein formulated his General Theory of Relativity that indicated that the universe must be either expanding or contracting. Confirmation of the expanding-universe theory finally came in 1929 in the hands of the well-known American astronomer Edwin Hubble. By observing redshifts in the light wavelengths emitted by galaxies, Hubble found that galaxies were not fixed in their position; instead, they were actually moving away from us with speeds proportional to their distance from earth (Hubble's Law).  The only explanation for this observation was that the universe had to be expanding.  Hubble’s discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy.  In 1929, he published the velocity-time relation which is the basis of modern cosmology.  In the years to come, with further observations, the expanding-universe theory was accepted by scientists and astronomers alike.

Yet, astonishingly well before telescopes were even invented and well before Hubble published his Law, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to recite a verse of the Quran to his companions that ultimately stated that the universe is expanding (the present verse). At the time of the revelation of the Quran, the word ‘space’ was not known, and people used the word ‘heaven’ to refer to what lies above the Earth.  In the above verse, the word ‘heaven’ is referring to space and the known universe.  The verse points out that space, and thus the universe, happens to be expanding, just as Hubble’s Law states. That the Quran mentioned such a fact centuries before the invention of the first telescope, at a time when there was primitive knowledge in science, is considered remarkable.  This is more so considering that, like many people in his time, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) happened to be illiterate and simply could not have been aware of such facts by himself.  

Soon after Hubble published his theory, he went on to discover that not only were galaxies moving away from the Earth, but were also moving away from one another. This meant that the universe happened to be expanding in every direction, in the same way a balloon expands when filled with air.  Hubble’s new findings placed the foundations for the Big Bang theory.

وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَرَشۡنَٰهَا فَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡمَٰهِدُونَ ٤٨ وَمِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٩ فَفِرُّوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ ٥٠ [الذاريات:48-50]

And We have spread out the earth; and how excellent Spreader (thereof) are We! And of everything We have created pairs, that you may remember (the Grace of Allah). So, flee to Allah (from His torment to His mercy). Verily, I (Muhammad, pbuh) am a plain warner to you from Him.

Surah 51 Adh-Dhariyat Verse 48-50

• ‘…everything We have created pairs’ - The ayah is an assertion of the rule of parity in the creation of all beings, whether animate or inanimate.  In other words, Allah has created everything in true pairs and this parity is manifested across the board in all created beings and things and at all levels: from elements composing matter to human beings and beyond to the units composing the universe. This parity in creation, which attests to the Oneness of the Creator, demonstrates itself in the following stages: 

1. Parity In all living organisms: humans, animals and plants;
2. Parity In reproductive cells (gametes): ovum and sperm;
3. Parity In the male sperm that contains either a male or female sex chromosome;
4. Parity In chromosomes that are present inside the nucleus of a living cell;
5. Parity In genes that carry heredity information and which are located on every chromosome from these ones.
6. Parity In nucleic acid structure;
7. How the four nitrogenous bases that build the (“steps”) of the DNA connect together in a parity.
8. Parity In how the deoxyribose molecule (organic) is linked with the phosphate molecule (non-organic) to form the (“sides”) of a DNA molecule;
9. Parity in the building of amino acids in both its forms: right-handed isomers and left-handed isomers; 
10. Parity In proteins and anti–proteins.
11. Parity In the molecule by its two parts positive (cations) and negative (anions);          
12. Parity In the atom and its nucleus which has a positive charge and its electrons which have a negative charge;
13. Parity In particles and antiparticle –it means in existence and non- existence
14. Parity In the primary units of the matter and its opposing elements - it means in existence and non- existence.
15. Parity In matter and antimatter it means in existence and non- existence.
16. Parity In positive and negative energy charges;
17. Parity In matter and energy, which are two sides of the same coin and two forms of the same essence that signifies the Oneness of the Great Creator.

This scientific truth has only been discovered by man in the last decades of the twentieth century.  Its appearance in Allah’s Book (the Quran) that was revealed to the seal of His prophets 1400 years ago, proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that the noble Quran contains the words of Allah, the Creator, and affirms the Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh). 

ٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُ بِحُسۡبَانٖ ٥ [الـرحـمـن:5-5]

The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each.

Surah 55 Ar-Rahman Verse 5

• ‘…calculated’ - The earth, having been formed, was ordained to very precise specifications, those necessary for the development and support of life on earth. In reference to the sun and the moon, let’s see what science tells us:

If the sun were closer to the earth (present distance being 93 million miles) the temperature on earth would rise sharply causing the evaporation of oceans and rivers and the extermination of all life. If the sun were much further away the earth would freeze to death.

If the moon were closer to the earth, the tides would rise causing gigantic waves that would destroy life on islands and coastal areas. If the moon were further away from the earth the tides would come to a standstill leading to the stagnation of seas, the result of which would be grave damage to marine life. These very precise measurements of such variables as distance, mass, speed…etc. are referred to in the above verse.

In fact, the calculation in design does not merely happen w.r.t. sun and moon, but is an important principle visible across universe. The ultimate accuracy in the universe is well-described by Hugh Ross, PhD:

1. Gravitational coupling constant. If larger: No stars less than 1.4 solar masses, hence short stellar lifespans. If smaller: No stars more than 0.8 solar masses, hence no heavy element production

2. Strong nuclear force coupling constant. If larger: No hydrogen; nuclei essential for life is unstable. If smaller: No elements other than hydrogen.

3. Weak nuclear force coupling constant. If larger: All hydrogen is converted to helium in the big bang, hence too much heavy elements. If smaller: No helium produced from big bang, hence not enough heavy elements.

4. Electromagnetic coupling constant. If larger: No chemical bonding; elements more massive than boron are unstable to fission. If smaller: No chemical bonding.

5. Ratio of protons to electrons formation. If larger: electromagnetism dominates gravity preventing galaxy, star, and planet formation. If smaller: Electromagnetism dominates gravity preventing galaxy, star, and planet formation.

6. Ratio of electron to proton mass. If larger: No chemical bonding. If smaller: No chemical bonding.

7. Expansion rate of the universe. If larger: No galaxy formation. If smaller: Universe collapses prior to star formation.

8. Entropy level of universe. If larger: No star condensation within the proto-galaxies. If smaller: No proto-galaxy formation

9. Mass density of the universe. If larger: Too much deuterium from big bang, hence stars burn too rapidly. If smaller: No helium from big bang, hence not enough heavy elements

10. Age of the universe. If older: No solar-type stars in a stable burning phase in the right part of the galaxy. If younger: Solar-type stars in a stable burning phase would not yet have formed.

11. Initial uniformity of radiation. If smoother: Stars, star clusters, and galaxies would not have formed. If coarser: Universe by now would be mostly black holes and empty space.

12. Average distance between stars. If larger: Heavy element density too thin for rocky planet production. If smaller: Planetary orbits become destabilized.

13. Solar luminosity. If increases too soon: Runaway green house effect. If increases too late: Frozen oceans.

14. Fine structure constant. If larger: No stars more than 0.7 solar masses. If smaller: No stars less then 1.8 solar masses.

15. Decay rate of the proton. If greater: Life would be exterminated by the release of radiation. If smaller: Insufficient matter in the universe for life.

16. C¹² to O¹⁶ energy level ratio. If larger: Insufficient oxygen. If smaller: Insufficient carbon.

17. Decay rate of Be⁸. If slower: Heavy element fusion would generate catastrophic explosions in all the stars. If faster: No element production beyond beryllium and, hence, no life chemistry possible.

18. Mass difference between the neutron and the proton. If greater: Protons would decay before stable nuclei could form. If smaller: Protons would decay before stable nuclei could form.

19. Initial excess of nucleons over anti-nucleons. If greater: Too much radiation for planets to form. If smaller: Not enough matter for galaxies or stars to form.

20. Galaxy type. If too elliptical: Star formation ceases before sufficient heavy element buildup for life chemistry. If too irregular: Radiation exposure on occasion is too severe and/or heavy elements for life chemistry are not available.

21. Parent star distance from center of galaxy. If farther: Quantity of heavy elements would be insufficient to make rocky planets. If closer: Stellar density and radiation would be too great.

22. Number of stars in the planetary system. If more than one: Tidal interactions would disrupt planetary orbits. If less than one: Heat produced would be insufficient for life.

23. Parent star birth date. If more recent: Star would not yet have reached stable burning phase. If less recent: Stellar system would not yet contain enough heavy elements.

24. Parent star mass. If greater: Luminosity would change too fast; star would burn too rapidly. If less: Range of distances appropriate for life would be too narrow; tidal forces would disrupt the rotational period for a planet of the right distance; UV radiation would be inadequate for plants to make sugars and oxygen.

25. Parent star age. If older: Luminosity of star would change too quickly. If younger: Luminosity of star would change too quickly.

26. Parent star color. If redder: Photosynthetic response would be insufficient. If bluer: Photosynthetic response would be insufficient.

27. Supernovae eruptions. If too close: Life on the planet would be exterminated. If too far: Not enough heavy element ashes for the formation of rocky planets. If too infrequent: Not enough heavy element ashes for the formation of rocky planets. If too frequent: Life on the planet would be exterminated.

28. White/dwarf binaries. If too few: Insufficient fluorine produced for life chemistry to proceed. If too many: Disruption of planetary orbits from stellar density; life on the planet would be exterminated.

29. Surface gravity (escape velocity). If stronger: Atmosphere would retain too much ammonia and methane. If weaker: Planet's atmosphere would lose too much water.

30. Distance from parent star. If farther: Planet would be too cool for a stable water cycle. If closer: Planet would be too warm for a stable water cycle.

31. Inclination of orbit. If too great: Temperature differences on the planet would be too extreme.

32. Orbital eccentricity. If too great: Seasonal temperature differences would be too extreme.

33. Axial tilt. If greater: Surface temperature differences would be too great. If less: Surface temperature differences would be too great.

34. Rotation period. If longer: Diurnal temperature differences would be too great. If shorter: Atmospheric wind velocities would be too great.

35. Gravitational interaction with a moon. If greater: Tidal effects on the oceans, atmosphere, and rotational period would be too severe. If less: Orbital obliquity changes would cause climatic instabilities.

36. Magnetic field. If stronger: Electromagnetic storms would be too severe. If weaker: Inadequate protection from hard steller radiation.

37. Thickness of crust. If thicker: Too much oxygen would be transferred from the atmosphere to the crust. If thinner: Volcanic and tectonic activity would be too great.

38. Albedo (ratio of reflected light to total amount falling on surface). If greater: Runaway ice age would develop. If less: Runaway green house effect would develop.

39. Oxygen to nitrogen ratio in atmosphere. If larger: Advanced life functions would proceed too quickly. If smaller: Advanced life functions would proceed too slowly.

40. Carbon dioxide level in atmosphere. If greater: Runaway greenhouse effect would develop. If less: Plants would not be able to maintain efficient photosynthesis.

4.1 Water vapor level in atmosphere. If greater: Runaway greenhouse effect would develop. If less: Rainfall would be too meager for advanced life on the land.

42. Ozone level in atmosphere. If greater: Surface temperatures would be too low. If less Surface temperatures would be too high; there would be too much uv radiation at the surface.

43. Atmospheric electric discharge rate. If greater: Too much fire destruction would occur. If less: Too little nitrogen would be fixed in the atmosphere.

44. Oxygen quantity in atmosphere. If greater: Plants and hydrocarbons would burn up too easily. If less: Advanced animals would have too little to breathe.

45. Oceans to continents ratio. If greater: Diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited. If smaller: diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited.

46. Soil mineralization. If too nutrient poor: diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited. If too nutrient rich: Diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited.

47. Seismic activity. If greater: Too many life-forms would be destroyed. If less: Nutrients on ocean floors (from river runoff) would not be recycled to the continents through tectonic uplift.

It would be unwise to assume that so many factors could have come to play as required for sustaining the universe and creating suitable conditions for life on earth without calculations and design by a Super Wise Being, Allah.

رَبُّ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقَيۡنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلۡمَغۡرِبَيۡنِ ١٧ [الـرحـمـن:17-17]

(He is) the Lord of the two easts and the Lord of the two wests.

Surah 55 Ar-Rahman Verse 17

• The science of geography tells us that the sun rises from the east, but the point of sunrise keeps shifting throughout the year. Only on two days of the year known as ‘equinox’, does the sun rise exactly from due east. On the remaining days, it rises either from a little north or a little south of due east. During summer solstice the sun rises from one extreme of the east and during winter solstice it rises from the other extreme. Similarly, the sun sets in one extreme of the west in summer solstice. It sets in the other extreme of the west in winter solstice. This phenomenon can be easily seen in Bombay or any other city, by people living in certain areas, or in tall skyscraper buildings, from where the rising or setting of sun can be seen. They are able to notice that during the summer solstice the sun rises from one extreme of east and during winter solstice it rises from the other extreme of east. In short, throughout the year, the sun keeps rising from different points of the east and sets on different points of the west. Thus, when the Quran refers to Allah as the Lord of two easts and two wests, it means that Allah is the Lord of both the extremes of east and both the extremes of west.

مَرَجَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ يَلۡتَقِيَانِ ١٩ بَيۡنَهُمَا بَرۡزَخٞ لَّا يَبۡغِيَانِ ٢٠ [الـرحـمـن:19-20]

He has let loose the two seas meeting together. Between them is a barrier which none of them can transgress.

Surah 55 Ar-Rahman Verses 19-20

• Kindly refer Verse 27:61 earlier (Part B).

يُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِۚ وَهُوَ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ٦ [الحـديد:6-6]

He merges night into day and merges day into night and He has full knowledge of whatsoever is in the breasts.

Surah 57 Al-Hadid Verse 6

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبۡعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٖ وَمِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِثۡلَهُنَّۖ يَتَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ بَيۡنَهُنَّ لِتَعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدۡ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عِلۡمَۢا ١٢ [الـطلاق:12-12]

It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heaven and earth) that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds all things in (His) knowledge.

Surah 65 At-Talaq Verse 12

• ‘…of the earth the like thereof’ - Probing the depths of the Earth and taking pains to uncover the secrets of its internal structure and composition, scientists came to realize that the old myths about the Earth are scientifically baseless. Scientists in the twentieth century decided that the Earth consists of only three layers. Having discovered the sphericity of the Earth, they suggested that this sphere comprises three parts; the core, the crust which is very thin compared to the total volume of the Earth and a third layer in between the two called The Mantle. 

However, the three-layer theory didn’t hold true for long, owing to recent discoveries in Geology. Measurements and recent tests showed that the pressure of the material of the Earth’s core is immense and reaches three million times the pressure at the surface. Under such pressure the material transforms into the solid state, which means that the core of the Earth is solid and is enclosed by a liquid layer of extremely high temperature. This also means that the core of the Earth consists of 2 layers not just one; a solid inner core and a liquid upper core.

Measurement devices developed and scientists were able to observe a clear distinction between the different parts of the Earth’s interior. A layer of hot rocks underneath the crust was discovered, that is the Upper most solid mantle. Underneath the Upper most solid mantle are three layers distinct in density, pressure and temperature.

Having discovered these layers, scientists found themselves dividing the Earth into seven layers and no more. The Cut-away view below shows these layers drawn to scale according to the recent findings of scientists. The fact that the Earth comprises seven layers is established. It is taught at universities and observed through seismographs and through studying the magnetic field of the Earth.

The figure demonstrates the seven layers of the Earth. We note the thin crust then the four layers of the Mantle (uppermost solid mantle, asthenoshpere, upper mantle, lower mantle) increasing gradually in thickness. Next is the liquid outer core then the solid inner core. They all add up to seven layers.

أَوَ لَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ إِلَى ٱلطَّيۡرِ فَوۡقَهُمۡ صَٰٓفَّٰتٖ وَيَقۡبِضۡنَۚ مَا يُمۡسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُۚ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءِۢ بَصِيرٌ ١٩ [الـملك:19-19]

Do they not see the birds above them, spreading out their wings and folding them in? None upholds them except the Most Gracious (Allah). Verily, He is the All-Seer of everything.

Surah 67 Al-Mulk Verse 19

سَأَلَ سَآئِلُۢ بِعَذَابٖ وَاقِعٖ ١ لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ لَيۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٞ ٢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِي ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ٣ تَعۡرُجُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيۡهِ فِي يَوۡمٖ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُۥ خَمۡسِينَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٖ ٤ فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرٗا جَمِيلًا ٥ إِنَّهُمۡ يَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِيدٗا ٦ وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبٗا ٧ [الـمعارج:1-7]

A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall upon the disbelievers, which none can avert, From Allah, the Lord of the ways of ascent. The angels and the Ruh (Jibrail/Gabriel) ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years. So be patient (O Muhammad, pbuh) with a good patience. Verily, they see it (the torment) afar off. But We see it (quite) near.

Surah 70 Al-Maarij Verses 1-7

• …the ways of ascent - General Theory of Relativity explained a mechanism to contract huge distances into few meters. Albert Einstein called this mechanism 'bridges' in space-time. Today scientists call them wormholes. A wormhole acts as a shortcut connecting two distant regions in the universe.

Allah gave this method of transportation to his angels throughout the universe. The Quran calls them 'Ma'arej' and describes how angels use them for long distance travel. Any object passing through this wormhole will experience time dilation (say, for example, one day inside wormhole vs. 50,000 years on Earth. And Allah knows best.)

فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ ٤٠ عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ ٤١ [الـمعارج:40-41]

So, I swear by the Lord of the points of sunrise and sunset in the east and the west that surely, We are Able to replace them by others better than them; and We are not to be outrun.

Surah 70 Al-Maarij Verse 40-41

أَلَمۡ تَرَوۡاْ كَيۡفَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ سَبۡعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٖ طِبَاقٗا ١٥ وَجَعَلَ ٱلۡقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورٗا وَجَعَلَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ سِرَاجٗا ١٦ [نوح:15-16]

See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another? And has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp.

Surah 71 Nuh Verses 15-16

أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مِهَٰدٗا ٦ وَٱلۡجِبَالَ أَوۡتَادٗا ٧ [الـنبإ:6-7]

Have We not made earth as a bed, And the mountain as pegs?

Surah 78 An-Naba Verses 6-7

• ‘…mountain as pegs’ - The simile of pegs seems to be miraculous in the light of geological findings of the last century. The mountains we observe on the surface of the earth rest on immense strata that may be ten to fifteen times as deep as the portion remaining on the surface of the earth. For instance, the highest mountain on earth, whose peak attains an altitude of 9 km from the ground, possesses a substratum that goes about 125 km into the depths of the earth. For a peg to be able to fulfill its function, the length of the portion stuck in the earth is important. The same holds true for the mountain. Actually, the crust of the earth floats on a liquid. This outermost layer of the earth extends 5 km from the surface. The depths of the mountain strata go as far down as 35 km. Thus, the mountains are sort of pegs driven into the earth. Just like the pegs used to stabilize a tent on the ground, so these pegs stabilize the crust of the earth. Mountains are the outcome of collisions between strata of the earth’s crust; the result of a given stratum going under another. The following figures shall illustrate the point.

How the mountains are peg-like in shape, due to their deep roots.

Schematic section.  The mountains, like pegs, have deep roots embedded in the ground.

(Anatomy of the Earth, Cailleux)

This scientific truth has only been discovered by man in the last decades of the twentieth century.  Its appearance in Allah’s Book (the Quran) that was revealed to the seal of His prophets 1400 years ago, proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that the noble Quran contains the words of Allah, the Creator, and affirms the Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh). 

وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَىٰهَآ ٣٠ أَخۡرَجَ مِنۡهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرۡعَىٰهَا ٣١ [الـنازعات:30-31]

And after that He spread the earth; And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.

Surah 79 An-Naziat Verse 30-31

• If we trace the early stages of the development of the earth, we find that the contracting nebula caused the earth to be very hot in the initial stages. As it slowly began to cool the heavier elements like iron fell to the center whilst the lighter compounds like granite and oxides surfaced at the top. The cooling continued and a thin crust formed. The layer immediately beneath the crust eventually started to solidify giving rises and depressions above it leading to the formation of mountains and valleys. When the surface cooled further, to below 100 degrees centigrade, liquid water (which before then was still trapped inside the earth) began to form and fill the depressions that are now the oceans and seas. The knowledge that all the water was once trapped inside the earth and then was drawn out is mentioned in the Quran in the above verse. Infact, even today researches have begun to indicate trapped water inside earth.

A University of Alberta diamond scientist has found the first terrestrial sample of a water-rich gem that yields new evidence about the existence of large volumes of water deep within Earth. Later, an international team of scientists led by Graham Pearson, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Arctic Resources, has discovered the first-ever sample of a mineral Ringwoodite. Analysis of the mineral shows it contains a significant amount of water - 1.5 per cent of its weight - a finding that confirms scientific theories about vast volumes of water trapped 410 to 660 kilometres beneath Earth's surface, between the upper and lower mantle. ‘This sample really provides extremely strong confirmation that there are local wet spots deep in the Earth in this area’, said Pearson, a professor in the Faculty of Science, whose findings were published March 13 in Nature. ‘That particular zone in the Earth, the transition zone, might have as much water as all the world's oceans put together’. Pearson's sample was found in 2008 in the Juina area of Mato Grosso, Brazil, where artisan miners unearthed the host diamond from shallow river gravels. The diamond had been brought to the Earth's surface by a volcanic rock known as kimberlite -- the most deeply derived of all volcanic rocks.

Pearson said the discovery was almost accidental in that his team had been looking for another mineral when they purchased a three-millimetre-wide, dirty-looking, commercially worthless brown diamond. The ringwoodite itself is invisible to the naked eye, buried beneath the surface, so it was fortunate that it was found by Pearson's graduate student, John McNeill, in 2009. “It's so small, this inclusion, it's extremely difficult to find, never mind work on”, Pearson said, “so it was a bit of a piece of luck, this discovery, as are many scientific discoveries”. The sample underwent years of analysis using Raman and infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction before it was officially confirmed as ringwoodite. The critical water measurements were performed at Pearson's Arctic Resources Geochemistry Laboratory. The laboratory forms part of the world-renowned Canadian Centre for Isotopic Microanalysis, also home to the world's largest academic diamond research group. For Pearson, one of the world's leading authorities in the study of deep Earth diamond host rocks, the discovery ranks among the most significant of his career, confirming about 50 years of theoretical and experimental work by geophysicists, seismologists and other scientists trying to understand the makeup of the Earth's interior. Scientists have been deeply divided about the composition of the transition zone and whether it is full of water or desert-dry. Knowing water exists beneath the crust has implications for the study of volcanism and plate tectonics, affecting how rock melts, cools and shifts below the crust.

‘One of the reasons the Earth is such a dynamic planet is the presence of some water in its interior’, said Graham Pearson, ‘Water changes everything about the way a planet works’.

وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدۡعِ ١٢ [الـطارق:12-12]

And by the earth which has its own Sad’a.

Surah 86 At-Tariq Verse 12

• The Arabic term Sad'a mentioned in the verse means Split or Fault. Sad’a, in Arabic terms is defined as ‘a crack in solid material that does not cause separation’. The nearest term in English is fissure , ‘A long, narrow crack or opening in the face of a rock. Fissures are often filled with minerals of a different type from those in the surrounding rock’. This Quranic verse comes in the context of an oath, while Allah (all glory is to Him) is definitely above giving such a pledge. Consequently, this is understood as an emphasis for the special significance of the matter by which the oath is given.

Early commentators on the Quran saw this significance in the fracturing of the soil by the sprouting plants, which is very true. Once you place a seed in the soil and water it properly, it starts to germinate and a green shoot starts to penetrate the soil and grow into a fully developed plant, bearing beautiful flowers, delicious fruits and / or magnificent wood.

However, Earth Scientists have recently discovered that the Earth’s outer rocky sphere (Lithosphere; which is about 65- 70 km thick under the oceans and 120-150 km thick under continents) is broken up by a network of deep faults (or rift systems) into 12 main rigid plates, added to a number of small ones (micro plates or platelets). These plates float on a semi-molten plastic layer known as the asthenosphere (the sphere of weakness) and move freely away from or towards each other, and past one another. At one boundary of each plate (or micro plate) molten rock (magma) rises to form strips of new ocean floor, and at the opposite boundary, the plate collides with the adjacent plate and moves to sink underneath it, to be gradually consumed in the underlying uppermost mantle layer (the asthenosphere) at exactly the same rate of sea-floor spreading at the opposite side.

Fault planes traversing the outer rocky sphere of the Earth for tens of thousands of kilometers across the globe, running in all directions for a depth of 65-150 km are among the most salient features of our planet. These came to human notice only after the Second World War and were only understood within the framework of the concept of plate tectonics which was finally formulated in the late sixties and the early seventies of this century. These lithospheric faults are a globe - encircling system of prominent fracture zones (65-150 km deep and tens of thousand km long) along which lithospheric plates are displaced with respect to one another divergently, convergently or sliding past each other. They are also passageways through which the trapped heat below the lithosphere is steadily released, and different magmas are steadily outpouring. Molten magmas in hot spots, deep in the mantle, being less dense, tend to rise in the form of hot plumes that create convection currents which simulate conveyor belts that carry lithospheric plates and move with them across the globe.

The earth crust is broken up by a network of deep faults into plates

Some commentators of the Quran, however, believe that in Surah At-Tariq, the words of the Quran are decisive by stating that the earth has a single fissure or crack. Taking the verse to be as such and to be convincing, this fissure has to be long enough in such a way that if we look at the entire planet earth from a distance, we will be able to clearly see such fissure or crack – a clear marker.

Scientists believe that about 500 million years ago the early continents were dispersed across the surface of the Earth, in positions much different than the ones occupied by the continents of today. Convection currents then operating in the mantle ended up by pushing all the early continents together around 200 million years ago, into a single super continent (Pangea) above a single super ocean (Panthalassa). The huge landmass of Pangea acted as a hot lid, impeding heat flow from inside the Earth. The trapped beat produced a welt right in the middle of the mother continent. The welt cracked, and the crack propagated along the axis of the welt both northward (separating North America from North Africa about 180 million years ago and from Europe about 150 million years ago) and southward (separating South America from Africa bout 110 million years ago). The last cut was the separation of Greenland from Norway (about 65 million years ago), when Iceland began forming. When this break-up of Pangea began, a westward waterway from the mother ocean (Panthalassa) in the form of a broad gulf (called Tethys) encroached gradually over Pangea, breaking it into a northern continent (Laurasia) and a southern one (Gondwana). Further fragmentation produced the present continental masses which are currently undergoing more breaking up.

Scientists believe that the original welt is now the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, whose axis is still an active site of basaltic outpourings similar to many other fracture zones along which current sea-floor spreading is taking place. More than 64,000 km of mid-ocean rift valleys have been pouring out fresh basaltic material on both sides of such ruptures in the Earth’s crust, since the very early days of their formation.

It was not until the 1950s that the Atlantic ocean floor was mapped using sonar, which revealed what is now known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a 16,000 Kilometer long fissure in the middle of the Atlantic ocean 7,700 meters deep.

Thus, whichever way we interpret the Verse it tends to be supported by scientific facts and that is the beauty of the Quran

أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡإِبِلِ كَيۡفَ خُلِقَتۡ ١٧ وَإِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيۡفَ رُفِعَتۡ ١٨ وَإِلَى ٱلۡجِبَالِ كَيۡفَ نُصِبَتۡ ١٩ وَإِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَيۡفَ سُطِحَتۡ ٢٠ فَذَكِّرۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٞ ٢١ [الغاشـيـة:17-21]

Do they not look at the camels, how they are created? And at the heavens, how it is raised? And at the mountains, how they are rooted? And at the earth, how it is outspread? So remind them (O Muhammad, pbuh) – you are only one who reminds.

Surah 88 Al-Ghashiyah Verses 17-21

• ‘…camel’ - If the size of the camel is smaller, it would not be proper to the sands of the desert, the sand dunes, and the long distances that it should cover deep in the desert. It can bear the thirst because of its size, it drinks every ten days, and in ordinary circumstances, it drinks one time at four days, because Allah provided it with water "stores" in its body. Its lips are elastic but hard, they can deal with (devour) the thorn that can penetrate the sole of the shoe. The camel gathers food without losing any of the mouth’s moisture, and that is because water is rare in the desert. The camel’s stomach is divided into four chambers, and it is considered as a ruminant animal, as it digests the food it has eaten earlier, when it doesn’t find food for a long time. Allah created a food store on its hump, which helps it to remain ten days without food, and sometimes one month. The camel does not sweat, in order not to lose water from its body, so, instead of sweating (like the case in mankind), it keeps its body in steady temperature by reflecting the heat from its hair. It is provided with tiny and interlaced lashes that enable it to see in the dust without penetrating its eyes. Now the question is do we look at the signs of Allah?

وَٱلشَّمۡسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا ١ وَٱلۡقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا ٢ [الـشـمـس:1-2]

By the sun and its brightness. By the moon as it follows it.

Surah 91 Ash-Shams Verses 1-2

• When looking to the vertical projection of Moon orbit around the Earth while it’s circling the Sun, it will show that Moon is circling the Sun too in very perfect SINE wave, as shown in the following image:

Some used this verse to show that there is a scientific error in Quran, because apparently the Moon is following Earth and circling it not the Sun, but the meaning of this verse is more accurate and more advance, and as it’s shown in the above image, all planets in the Solar system are following the Sun.

COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS SCHOLARS

‘A totally objective examination of it [the Qur'an] in the light of the modern knowledge, leads us to recognize the agreement between the two, as has been already noted on repeated occasions. It makes us deem it quite unthinkable for a man of [Prophet] Muhammad's [pbuh] time to have been the author of such statements on account of the state of knowledge in his day. Such considerations are part of what gives the Qur'anic Revelation its unique place, and forces the impartial scientist to admit his inability to provide an explanation which calls solely upon materialistic reasoning’.

(Dr. Maurice Bucaille, former chief of the Surgical Clinic, University of Paris)

‘We must not be surprised to find the Qur'an the fountainhead of the sciences. Every subject connected with heaven or earth, human life, commerce and various trades are occasionally touched upon, and this gave rise to the production of numerous monographs forming commentaries on parts of the holy book. In this way the Qur'an was responsible for great discussions, and to it was indirectly due to the marvellous development of all branches of science in the Muslim world… This again not only affected the Arabs but also induced Jewish philosophers to treat metaphysical and religious questions after Arab methods. Finally, the way in which Christian scholasticism was fertilised by Arabian theosophy need not be further discussed. Spiritual activity once aroused within Islamic bounds was not confined to theological speculations alone. Acquaintance with the philosophical, mathematical, astronomical and medical writings of the Greeks led to the pursuance of these studies. In the descriptive revelations [Prophet] Muhammad [pbuh] repeatedly calls attention to the movement of the heavenly bodies, as parts of the miracles of Allah forced into the service of man and therefore not to be worshipped. How successfully Moslem people of all races pursued the study of astronomy is shown by the fact that for centuries they were its principal supporters. Even now many Arabic names of stars and technical terms are in use. Medieval astronomers in Europe were pupils of the Arabs. In the same manner the Qur'an gave an impetus to medical studies and recommended the contemplation and study of Nature in general’.

(From Prof. Hartwig Hirschfeld's book, New Researches into the Composition and Exegesis of the Qur'an)

‘I think it is almost impossible that he [Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)] could have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only found out within the last few years with very complicated and advanced technological methods that this is the case… Somebody who did not know something about nuclear physics 1400 years ago could not, I think, be in a position to find out from his own mind for instance that the earth and the heavens had the same origin, or many others of the questions that we have discussed here’.

(Alfred Kroner, Professor of the Department of Geosciences, University of Mainz, Germany. One of the world's most famous geologists)

‘If you combine all these and you combine all these statements that are being made in the Qur'an in terms that relate to the earth and the formation of the earth and science in general, you can basically say that statements made there in many ways are true, they can now be confirmed by scientific methods... And that many of the statements made in there at that time could not be proven, but that modern scientific methods are now in a position to prove what [Prophet] Muhammad [pbuh] said 1400 years ago’.

(Alfred Kroner, Professor of the Department of Geosciences, University of Mainz, Germany)

‘I say, I am very much impressed by finding true astronomical facts in Qur'an, and for us modern astronomers have been studying very small piece of the universe. We have concentrated our efforts for understanding of very small part. Because by using telescopes, we can see only very few parts of the sky without thinking about the whole universe. So by reading Qur'an and by answering to the questions, I think I can find my future way for investigation of the universe’.

(Professor Yushidi Kusan, Director of the Tokyo Observatory, Tokyo, Japan)

‘Certainly, I would like to leave it at that, that what we have seen is remarkable, it may or may not admit of scientific explanation, there may well have to be something beyond what we understand as ordinary human experience to account for the writings that we have seen’.

(Professor Armstrong, Professor of Astronomy serving with NASA)

‘It is difficult to imagine that this type of knowledge was existing at that time, around 1400 years back. May be some of the things they have simple idea about, but to describe those things in great detail is very difficult. So, this is definitely not simple human knowledge. A normal human being cannot explain this phenomenon in that much detail. So, I thought the information must have come from a supernatural source’.

(Prof. Dorja Rao, Professor of Marine Geology at King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)

‘It [the Qur'an] discusses the past, the recent period, and the future. I do not know the cultural level of the people in the period of [Prophet] Muhammad [pbuh] and I do not know their scientific level. If it is as we know about the low scientific level in this ancient period, and the absence of technology, then there is no doubt that what we are reading nowadays in the Qur'an is a light from God. He inspired it in [Prophet] Muhammad [pbuh]. I had made research into the early history of civilization in the Middle East in order to know if there was such perfect information as this. If there was no other information like the Qur'anic information in that ancient period, this strengthens the faith that God sent [Prophet] Muhammad [Prophet]; He sent to him a little amount from His large science, which we have discovered only in recent time. We are hoping for continuous dialogue in the subject of science with the Qur'an in the field of geology’.

(Prof. Palmar, one of the major scientists in geology in the USA)

‘I believe that this [the Qur'an's information] is very very strange, it is nearly impossible, I believe truly that if what you are saying is right, thus, this book [the Qur'an] is very valuable to be noticed, I agree with you’.

(Professor Syawda, a Japanese scientist famous in Japan and internationally in the field of oceanic geology, after a discussion about the function of mountains for the fixing of the earth)

‘The essential and definite element of my conversion to Islam was the Qur'an. I began to study it before my conversion with the critical spirit of a Western intellectual... There are certain verses of this book, the Qur'an, revealed more than thirteen centuries ago, which teach exactly the same notions as the most modern scientific researches do. This definitely converted me’.

(Ali Selman Benoist, France, Doctor of Medicine)