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A Comprehensive Exploration of the Scientific Miracles in the Holy Qur'an
By: Mahdi La'li
Tehran, Iran
Big Bang Theory
The world we live in is a marvelous collection of wonders, which amazes any enlightened beholder. It makes him admire its majesty by its dazzling greatness and precise reckoning.
How did this wonderful universe with such great dimensions come to be in the existence? When did it happen? Is it going to die one day? Currently, the Big Bang model of the origin of the universe is the cosmological paradigm most widely accepted by astronomers. This theory contends that about 15 billion years ago the universe began with the explosive expansion of a single, extremely dense matter, the primordial mass. Astronomers arrived at this conclusion only after the development of radio telescopes in 1937 and the necessary observational precision was achieved.
The Holy Quran was written over 14 centuries ago, as it was revealed to the Prophet of Islam, Muhammed (PBUH). One of the glorious mysteries of the Quran is that it explains many of the mysteries of our universe, long before modern scientists could reveal these same secrets. What does Quran say about the origin of our universe? Wonderfully enough, the following verse indicates that the universe was first a unit piece then the heavens and the earth originated from it:
-Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them... will they not then believe? 1
Chapter21: verse30
In the following passage, we will offer you the Quranic overview regarding the origin of the universe, which is quite basically in accordance with the new scientific discoveries. To achieve a better contemplation of the corresponding Quranic viewpoint, we should first glance over the pertinent scientific theories.
Scientific Viewpoint
How do modern scientists explain the formation of the universe? Dr. Maurice Bucaille explains it in his book 'The Bible, the Quran and Science':
"The basic process in the formation of the universe … Lay in the condensing of material in the primary nebula followed by its division into fragments that originally constituted galactic masses. The latter in their turn split up into stars that provided the sub-product of the process, i.e. the planets".
Astronomers postulate that about 15000 million years ago, all the material in the universe was sent flying outwards in all directions. They can not explain how or why this happened, but they compare it with a massive explosion and have labeled this ‘The Big Bang Theory’2. The big bang model is currently, the only widely accepted explanation for the origin of the universe.
The best evidence for the Big Bang Theory is the existence of cosmic microwave background radiation. This is very faint microwave radiation, which has a long wavelength and which fits with the earlier discovery by American astronomer Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) that the universe is expanding.
This cosmic microwave radiation also confirms the prediction by Ukraine-born American physicist George Gamov (1904-1968) who proposed the theory that if there was a beginning of the universe, then the radiation now reaching us from it, would be coming from the furthest parts of the universe, which have been rushing away from us at great speed. His theory suggested that such radiation would have been subjected to the most extreme red shift. He defined a red shift as a measure of the degree to which light from a receding object moves toward the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum and would therefore be expected to contain only long wavelengths.
Distant Galaxies
Further evidence for the Big Bang Theory is provided by the study of distant galaxies. Some of these galaxies are 13 billion light years away, which means that the light we see from them will have taken 13 billion years to reach us. These Galaxies appear to us, as they would have appeared around two billion years after the Big Bang. The fact that they seem more tightly packed than closer galaxies would indicate that the universe is increasing in volume as it gets older and was once much smaller and denser. In other words, if the light from more proximate galaxies reaches us at a faster rate, and they appear to be less condensed, therefore, the “older picture” of distant galaxies gives us the picture of how things were. Comparing the nature of the distant galaxies to those who we are seeing in the present time we can see the galaxies are expanding from their original formation.
Particle Accelerators and Detectors
Scientists attempt to re-create the conditions that existed immediately after the Big Bang in the hope of uncovering the origins of the universe. They do this by sending two beams of subatomic particles in opposite directions around an instrument called a particle accelerator (a device used for detecting subatomic particles), causing the beams to collide as they approach the speed of light.
The energy of the collision creates new particles. These particles leave trails in a bubble chamber (a device where subatomic particles travel through liquid hydrogen, causing it to boil and leave trails of bubbles) enabling scientists to identify them. The results of these experiments reveal much about the early universe, because the energy of the colliding particles is similar to the energy of particles in the first moments after the Big Bang.
At the Conseil European pour la Recherché Nucleaire (CERN) near Geneva in Switzerland, there is a cyclotron (a circular particle accelerator) in a huge underground tunnel. The circumference of the outer edge of the tunnel measures about 27 km (17 miles) 3. It is here that further investigations are revealing new facts regarding the creation of the universe.
Whatever happened in the initial moment of the Big Bang remains a mystery, but it is likely after a tiny interval, the universe was still smaller than the nucleus of an atom, called the primeval atom4. Almost immediately, the strong nuclear force and the electromagnetic force separated, providing the energy needed for the universe to start inflating. The Big Bang itself was extremely hot and energetic and in the first few seconds after the explosion, all that existed in the universe was radiation and various subatomic particles. Before even a millisecond had past, the universe had grown to about 3 times the size of the sun. Continued inflation caused the universe to double in size every fraction of a second.
The radiation left over after this vast explosion is still detectable from earth as faint microwaves emanating from all directions of the sky. This is the cosmic microwave background radiation first reveled by Hubble and Gamov discussed earlier.
Quranic Viewpoint
Does the Quran say anything about this condensing and separation of the primary material to result in the formation of our universe? Let's have a look. Our creator, Allah, says in his final book:
-Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together, then we clove them asunder. Chapter21: verse30
This could also be translated as follows:
-Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were fused together, then we separated them …
Dr. Bucaille considers this proof of "the reference to a separation process of a primary single mass whose elements were initially fused together".
Thus, the Quran gives an accurate account of the formation of the universe to call upon humankind to recognize the power of their creator. This raises an interesting question: How could a man living in the seventh century independently create these ideas which could not be confirmed until modern times? And how could he, in so doing, avoid the mythical and fanciful ideas prevalent in human history of the period prior to scientific discovery and investigation into these concepts?
Dr. Bucaille mentions some of these myths for contrast: "When, as in Japan, the image of the egg plus an expression of chaos is attached to the above with the idea of a seed inside an egg (as for all eggs), the imaginative addition makes the concept lose all semblance of seriousness. In other countries, the idea of a plant is associated with it; the plant grows and in so doing, raises up the sky and separates the heavens from the earth. Here again, the imaginative quality of the added detail lends the myth its very distinctive character".
In contrast to those and other similar myths of pre-scientific thought, the Quranic statements are "free from any of the whimsical details accompanying such beliefs; on the contrary, they are distinguished by the sober quality of the words in which they are made, and their agreement with scientific data". (Bucaille, 1987) So what would account for this miraculous attention to true scientific findings before there was evidence and the capacity to even investigate such areas of science? There can be only one rational explanation to any enlightened mind and that is the Quran is unique in that5. It must be that the Quran is not the product of any human or humans, but a revelation from Allah.
The Quran says:
-The revelation of the scripture whereof there is no doubt is from the Lord of the Worlds. Chapter32: verse2
Professor Alfred Kroner is one of the world's most famous geologists. He is a Professor of Geology and the Chairman of the Department of Geology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenburg University in Mainz, Germany. Professor Alfred Kroner states that: “many of the statements made at the time could not be proven, but that modern scientific methods are now in a position to prove what Muhammed said 1400 years ago”.
Sheik Abdul Majid Zendani, a Professor of Islamic Studies in King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia says:
“We met him (Dr. Kroner) and presented several Quranic verses and Ahadeeth (narrations) of the Prophet Muhammed. He studied and commented on them. Then we had a discussion with him”.
Professor Kroner said: Thinking about many of these questions and thinking where Muhammed came from, he was after all a Bedouin (a desert nomad). 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.
Professor Kroner chose an example from the Quran, which proved to him why the Quran could not have come from Muhammed. The example, which Professor Kroner chose, is a description in the Quran of the fact that this universe had its beginnings in one single entity. Allah, may He be Exalted and Glorified said:
-Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together [ratqan], before we clove them asunder?
The meaning of “ratqan” in this verse, as Ibn Abbas, Mujaahid, and others said, is that the heavens and the earth were stuck together or blended together, and that they were later separated from each other. Professor Kroner used this as an example to prove that no human being during the time of Prophet Muhammed could have known this.
Professor Kroner: “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”.
Professor Kroner becomes evasive if embarrassed. But whenever he is faced with the truth, he is courageous enough to state his opinion frankly and thus he replied: “This could have been known to him only through revelation from above”. Finally, after our discussions with him, he made the following comments:
“If you combine all these and you combine all those statements that are being made in the Quran 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 in a way you can say that the Quran is a simple science text book for the simple man, 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 Muhammed said 1400 years ago” 6
Most assuredly it can be shown that in the time of revelation of this verse, no one was cognizant of the origin of the universe and how it began; but today, it is apprehended that the scientific purport of this verse adapts with all new discoveries and findings about the origin of the universe.
References
1. Holy Quran translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, Fifth Edition 1969.
2. Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe, by Dorling Kindersley Publishers Limited, London, 1990.
3. ibid.
4. Exploration of the Universe, by George Abell, Hot, Rinehart and Winston Inc., USA, 1969.
5. The Bible, The Quran and Science (Le Bible, le Coran et la Science)," The Holy Scriptures Examined in the Light of Modern Knowledge, by Dr. Maurice Bucaille, French Physician, Seghers, Paris, 1987, English version published by North American Trust Publication, 1978.
6. Holy Quran on the Big Bang Theory, http://www.islam-guide.com/.
Expanding Universe
As previously discussed, the universe has been expanding since its creation. Hubble, an astronomer made this great discovery, in the early part of this century. In 1925, Edwin Hubble (after whom the Hubble Space telescope is named) provided the observational evidence for the expansion of the universe. Stephen Hawking (author of 'A Brief History of Time') states: "The universe is not static, as had previously been thought, it is expanding".
The galaxies other than our "Milky Way" are moving away from us at tremendous speeds. This can be ascertained, by analyzing the light given off by the galaxies, by an instrument called the spectroscope. The more distant a galaxy is, the greater is its speed of recession. This motion of the galaxies is due to the expansion of the universe. As previously discussed, the universe began about fifteen to twenty billion years ago with a tremendous explosion called "The Big Bang" and has been expanding ever since. The universe is not just a sphere of galaxies rushing away from each other into unending emptiness of space. It can be compared to a balloon with many dots on it, each representing a galaxy. However, the surface of this balloon, which is two dimensional, represents all three dimensions of our space, and is expanding into a higher dimension, that is beyond our imagination 1.
What did the Quran reveal 1400 years ago concerning this issue? Let us have a look. Astonishingly enough, the expansion of the universe is clearly mentioned in the verse 47 of chapter51:
-[And] We have built the heaven with might, and We it is who make the vast extent (thereof) 2. Chapter51: verse47
To understand how the universe is expanding, some knowledge of cosmology is essential.
Scientific Viewpoint
So far we have learned that in the late 1920's the American astronomer Edwin Hubble (1889_1953) analyzed starlight from distant galaxies. He discovered that the wavelengths of the light were longer than expected.
It was first suggested by the general theory of relativity and is backed up by physics in the examination of the galactic spectrum; the regular movement towards the red section of their spectrum may be explained by the distancing of one galaxy from another. Thus the size of the universe is probably constantly increasing and this increase will become bigger the further away the galaxies are from us. The speeds at which these celestial bodies are moving may, in the course of this perpetual expansion, go from fractions of the speed of light to speeds faster than this.
This effect called red shift indicated that these galaxies were moving away from the origin of the Big Bang at great speed. A similar effect can be observed in all directions from earth, leading astronomers to assert that the universe is getting perpetually larger, but to what end?
When astronomers look out into space far beyond our galaxy, they see many other galaxies all seem to be moving away from us and from each other and those furthest away are moving the fastest. So we seem to be in all expanding universe, but what happened to start this expansion?
As we stated before, astronomers think that about 15000 million years ago all the material in the universe was sent flying outwards in all directions. They cannot explain how or why this happened, but they compare it with a massive explosion: the big bang. At first the universe was very hot, but it cooled as it expanded and became the universe we know today. The distant galaxies are so far away that the light from them takes a long time to reach us.
The big bang model proposes that the universe started out unimaginably small, bright, hot, and dense, but has been expanding ever since (It now has a radius of about 15 billion light years). During the course of this expansion, some of the mass of the universe has condensed to form countless billions of galaxies of which there are about 10 billions in the known universe. These galaxies are grouped into clusters, which are themselves grouped into super clusters separated by vast distances in empty space. Astronomers can see faint galaxies 10000 million light years away. This means that the light from these galaxies has taken 10000 million years ago, and we do not know what these galaxies are really like today. As you look out into space, you are also looking back in time 4.
The expansion of the Universe is one of the most imposing discoveries of modern science. Today it is a firmly established concept and the only debate centers on the actual precipitating event that set our universe into being.
Quranic Viewpoint
The following verse of the Quran (sura 51, verse 47) where God is speaking may perhaps be compared with modern ideas:
-The heaven, We have built it with power. Verily, We are expanding it. Chapter51: verse47
‘Heaven’ is the translation of the word ‘sama’ and this is exactly the extraterrestrial world that is meant. 'We are expanding it' is the translation of the plural present participle “musi'una” of the verb “ausa'a” meaning “to make wider, more spacious, to extend, to expand”.
Some translators who were unable to grasp the meaning of the latter provide translations that appear to be mistaken, e.g. "we give generously" (R. Blachere). Others sense the meaning, but are afraid to commit themselves: Ramidullah in his translation of the Quran talks of the widening of the heavens and space, but he includes a question mark. Finally, there are those who arm themselves with authorized scientific opinion in their commentaries and give the meaning stated here. It refers to the expansion of the Universe in totally unambiguous terms 5.
This impressive statement in Holy Quran leads us to the scientific miracles of this supreme revelation.
References
1. Resurrection of Mankind through the Reversal of Time, by Dr. Muhammed Humayoun Khan, Illinois, USA.
2. Holy Quran translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, Fifth Edition, 1969.
3. Exploration of the Universe, by George Abell, Hot, Rinehart and Winston Inc., USA, 1969.
4. Space, Stars, Planets and Spacecraft, by Dorling Kindersley Publishers Limited, London, 1990.
5. The Bible, The Quran and Science (Le Bible, le Coran et la Science)," The Holy Scriptures Examined in the Light of Modern Knowledge, by Dr. Maurice Bucaille, French Physician, Seghers, Paris, 1987, English version published by North American Trust Publication, 1978.
Universal Gravitation
Today scientists describe gravitational forces that hold the celestial bodies apart from each other and prevent them from colliding with each other. However, this is what the Quran explicitly stated through these verses fourteen hundred years ago:
-Allah, it is who raised up the heavens without visible supports, then mounted the throne, and compelled the sun and the moon to be of service, each runneth unto an appointed term; He ordereth the course, He detaileth the revelations, that haply ye may be certain of the meeting with your lord. Chapter13: verse2
-He hath created the heavens without supports that you can see 1. Chapter31: verse10
In the verses mentioned above, the statements “without visible support” and “without support that you can see” should indeed attract our attention to this subject. In the following passage, we will clarify the scientific purport of these verses, which indicates the miraculous aspect of Holy Quran.
Having read the verses above and compared them with the new scientific discoveries, it really strikes a nerve in us. How did this knowledge come to Muhammed, a Bedouin illiterate man living in the peninsula of Arabia in the seventh century? How was this conveyed to the first readers of the Quran? God tells us in the Quran that He is the One Who raised the sky (Chapter55: verse7) and that he holds it back from falling on the earth (Chapter22: verse65). How exactly does God do this?
Scientific Viewpoint
Our universe is governed by four forces or interactions; gravity, the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force, and the weak interaction. These interactions are brought about by a group of particles called gauge bosons, which are exchanged between the particles that make up matter. Physicists are attempting to show how the four forces may, in fact, be derived from a single fundamental force.
A gauge boson is a general term for the four types of particle that transmit force. The gauge bosons that are thought to transmit each force are gluons (strong nuclear force); weakons (weak nuclear force); gravitons (gravitational force); and photons (electromagnetic force).
Gravity
The law of universal Gravitation states that every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force directly proportional to the products of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Gravity is the force that both holds galaxies together and causes a pin to drop. The larger the masses of two objects and the closer they are together, the stronger the gravitational pull between them will be.
Many scientists think that gravity is carried by particles called gravitons, but these have yet to be found in any experiment. (See “Gravity of Earth”).
Electromagnetic Force
The electromagnetic force acts between all particles that have an electric charge, such as electrons.
Electromagnetic forces between the atoms and molecules of a solid object give the object its rigidity. The force is also responsible for the behavior of magnets and for producing light. The electromagnetic force is carried by particles called photons, which are also the particles from which light is made.
The Strong Nuclear Force
The strong nuclear force exists within the nuclear (core) of an atom. It holds together the atoms neutrons and the positive charged protons. Protons are constantly trying to push away from each other and would fly apart were it not for the strong force). The strong nuclear force, which holds them together, is carried by particles called gluons.
The Weak Interaction
The weak interaction causes a type of radioactive decay (break up of the nucleus of an atom) called beta decay. Radioactive atoms are unstable because their nuclei contain too many neutrons. In the case of beta decay, a neutron changes into protons, giving off an electron (In this case called a beta particle). The weak interaction is carried by W and Z particles 2.
Quranic Viewpoint
Around fourteen hundred years ago, Holy Quran has explicitly announced the existence of invisible supports, which raise up the heavens.
In that time, no one was cognizant of these supports, but now we know a lot about them. It is obvious that these invisible supports refer to the gravitational and other invisible forces in the universe. These miraculous verses confirm that Holy Quran is a revelation from the wise, the almighty God!
Dr. Bucaille, the famous author of the book ‘The Bible, the Quran and Science’ comments in his book: “In the New American Bible, a picture is drawn to show how the authors of the Bible imagined the world to look like. In that picture, the sky "resembles an overturned bowl and supported by columns". (The New American Bible, St. Joseph's Medium Size Edition, pp. 4-5). The earth in that picture is flat, and supported by pillars. After describing the picture at length, the editors of that Bible conclude by calling that idea of the world a "pre-scientific concept of the universe."
At the time when the Quran was being revealed, anyone could have easily believed this description, which was previously presented in the Bible. It is only in modern times that people would know better. How did the author of the Quran avoid this mistake?
God says in the Quran that He created the heavens "without any pillars that you can see". Again, the Quran says: "God is the One Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see". Dr. Maurice Bucaille comments: "These two verses refute the belief that the vault of the heavens was held up by pillars, the only things preventing the former from crushing the earth".
To be able to avoid that pre-scientific error, the author of the Quran must have been either a modern scientist, or God Himself3. We might feel compelled to admit the divinity of the Quran.
References
1. Holy Quran translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, Fifth Edition 1969.
2. Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe, by Dorling Kindersley Publishers Limited, London, 1990.
3. The Bible, The Quran and Science (Le Bible, le Coran et la Science)," The Holy Scriptures Examined in the Light of Modern Knowledge, by Dr. Maurice Bucaille, French Physician, Seghers, Paris, 1987, English version published by North American Trust Publication, 1978.
Gravity of Earth
Undoubtedly, everyone before Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) had felt the existence of a mysterious force inside the earth, which draws everything to itself. Apparently, no one had a clue before him about the generality of this law throughout the universe, among the heavens, planets, stars, giant galaxies and even between two small particles.
Absolutely, Newton in the 17th century was the first man who perceived this great law, by being inspired of dropping an apple. The discovery of this law was so important that some scientists have named the 17th century as "the century of Newton". He proved that every two bodies attract each other in direct ratio of masses and reversed ratio of squared distances" 1.
Does the Quran have anything to say about the existence of this phenomenon, i.e. the tendency of earth to draw everything to itself as the law of gravity? To find the answer, we should consider the following verse:
-Have We not made the earth to draw together to itself 2? Chapter77: verse25
We suppose that this astounding Quranic description of this phenomenon is so vivid for readers that there is seemingly no need for any particular scientific explanation. However, to obtain a background on the concept of gravity and its relation with the mentioned glorious verse, we offer you an overview of what Newton presented as the “laws of Mechanics”, which have been dominant till the present time, as the “principles of Mechanics”.
Scientific Viewpoint
Gravitation is the mutual attraction of all masses in the universe. While its effect decreases in proportion to distance squared, it nonetheless applies, to some extent, regardless of the sizes of the masses or their distance apart.
The concepts associated with planetary motions developed by Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) describe the positions and motions of objects in our solar system. Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) later explained why Kepler's laws worked, by showing they depend on gravitation. Albert Einstein (1879-1955) posed an explanation of how gravitation works in his general theory of relativity.
In our solar system, planetary motions are orbits gravitationally bound to a star. Since orbits are ellipses, a review of ellipses follows 3.
Newton's Principles of Mechanics
Classical mechanics is governed by three basic principles, which were first formulated in the 17th and 18th centuries by Isaac Newton. He realized that the force that makes apples fall to the ground is the same force that makes the planets "fall" around the sun. Newton challenged to address the question of why planets move as they do. He established that a force of attraction toward the sun becomes weaker in proportion to the square of the distance from the sun.
The first law describes a fundamental property of matter, called inertia, as follows: Every body remains in a state of rest or in a state of uniform motion (constant speed in a straight line) unless it is compelled by impressed forces to change that state.
Under this law a moving body is at rest, as far as its own inertia is concerned, as long as its motion continues at the same speed and in the same direction. Therefore, particles (or even worlds) of matter will keep flying through empty space forever, without being driven by any force, until something compels them to change their motion.
Newton's second law describes the manner in which a force compels a change of motion, at a rate of change called acceleration stated as follows: Change of motion is proportional to the impressed force and takes place in the direction of the straight line in which that force is impressed.
This law is often stated in a different manner: the net force acting on a body is equal to the product of the body's mass times the resulting acceleration. It can be stated much more simply as a formula, using letters for force, mass, and acceleration: F=ma. The wording of the law, however, makes clear how an impressed force acts. It simply compels a change in the body's motion-its speed or direction-toward the direction in which the force is acting.
Newton's third law is stated as follows: “Action and reaction are equal and opposite”. This law is often expressed as "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." The law states a fact that can upset many calculations unless taken into account.
It explains, for example, the saying that a man cannot literally lift himself by his own bootstraps. As he pulls up on his bootstraps, the bootstraps pull down on him. Action and reaction are equal and opposite. A striking modern example of action and reaction is jet propulsion 4.
Quranic Viewpoint
The word “Kefatan” in the verse is derived from the word “Kafata” which in Arabic means: “(It) drew something to itself”5, or “it held it back”6. As an adjective, “kefatan” describes the earth as having the feature of drawing everything toward itself. In the meantime, this word somehow implies the concept of the mutual attraction between the two things. This is why Shakir, the famous translator of the Quran, uses the word “together” in the translation to comment this concept.
All these implications about this phenomenon are all explicitly in accordance with scientific facts. However, 1000 years before Newton this verse had been revealed in the Quran:
-Have We not made the earth to draw together to itself? Chapter77: verse25
This verse is indeed a wonderful miracle, which proves the divinity of Holy Quran as a revelation from God Almighty.
References
1. The Quran and the Last Prophet (in Persian language), by ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, Dar AL-Kotob Al-Islamiah, Qom, the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1996.
2. Holy Quran translated by M.H. Shakir, Ansarian publication, Qom, the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1993.
3. http://www.ipl.nasa.com/.
4. Contributed by Verne C. Cutler, Professor of Engineering Mechanics, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
5. Monjid Al-Tollab (An Arabic-Arabic Encyclopedia), by Fu’aad Afraum Al-Bostaani.
6. A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, (Arabic-English) by Hans Wehr, McDonald and Evans Ltd., London.
Universality of Pairing
Before the dawn of the modern era, humans conceived that only animal life was divided into two genders, male and female. Then the discovery was made that this phenomenon was present in plants and vegetation too. We have found this reality existing in every creation, animate as well as inanimate, though in different forms.
In electricity, these two genders can be classified as positive and negative. North and South Pole describe it in magnetism, electron and proton in atoms, matter and antimatter etc. Even bacteria could be positive or negative, while the truth is that this creation is made of pairs 1.
However, the Quran speaks of the universality of pairing in everything. The following glorious verses should indeed attract our attention in this regard:
-And all things We have created by pairs, that haply ye may reflect! Chapter51: verse49
-Glory be to Him, who created all the pairs of what the earth produces, and of themselves, and of what they know not 2. Chapter36: verse36
Given a great amount of thought about the import of these verses may lead us to the reality that how strongly a man 1400 years ago, ascribed the generality of pairing to all the existing things in the universe. To comprehend the magnificence of these miraculous verses, we offer you what scientists have to say about the pairing of all things as a general governing law in the universe.
Scientific Viewpoint
The most familiar of the elementary particles are proton, neutron and proton, which as we have seen, are the constituent particles of ordinary atoms. However, each of these can exist as a separate entity, as in cosmic rays, in the solar wind, in laboratory particle accelerators, or, for that matter, in the ionized gases that make up the bulk of stars.
We have learned in the 20th century, however, that these are by no means all the particles that exist.
First, for each kind of particles, there is a corresponding antiparticle. If the particle carries a charge, its anti has the opposite charge. The anti electron is the positron, of the same mass as the electron, but positively charged. The antineutron, like the neutron has no charge, but interacts with other matter opposite to the way the neutron does. The antiproton has a negative charge.
Some particles- among them the photon and graviton- are their own antiparticles. For them the particles and antiparticles are identical. Whole atoms could exist of positrons, antiprotons, and antineutrons.
These particles constitute what is called antimatter. Such atoms do not exist around here, because when a particle comes in contact with its antiparticle, the two annihilate, turning into energy. Antimatter in our world of ordinary matter, therefore, is highly unstable (in large doses, it would be mighty dangerous  , but individual antiparticles are found in cosmic rays and can be formed in the laboratory 3.
Quranic Viewpoint
The Quran describes the phenomenon in the most astounding manner:
-Glory be to Him, who created all the pairs of what the earth produces, and of themselves, and of what they know not. Chapter36: verse36
The Quranic statement: "...And of what they know not” is as true today as it was when Holy Quran was revealed. Though, we have discovered that every created thing exists in pair, we have yet to discover many things that exist.
As you notice the verses above, it is astonishingly stated that all things have been created in pairs; namely, all the particles in the world exist with their own corresponding antiparticles, as we noticed above.
At this point, it is essential to emphasize that these amazing statements prove the authenticity of Holy Quran as a revelation from Allah, the Glorified, since an illiterate man had not logically been able to make such an exact clarification in regard with the physics of the universe. Holy Quran would be no less than an everlasting miracle in the sight of those who possess right minds. Allah, the Almighty says in the Quran:
-[And] Such similitude coin We for mankind that haply they may reflect. Chapter59: verse21
References
1. The Bible, The Quran and Science (Le Bible, le Coran et la Science)," The Holy Scriptures Examined in the Light of Modern Knowledge, by Dr. Maurice Bucaille, French Physician, Seghers, Paris, 1987, English version published by North American Trust Publication, 1978.
2. Holy Quran translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, Fifth Edition, 1969.
3. Exploration of the Universe, by Abell, Morrison, Wolff, Saunders College publishing, USA, 1987.
Protective Properties of Atmosphere
The Quran depicts the sky as a roof, which is withheld. Interestingly enough, this is the best description about the atmosphere and its protective properties from the viewpoint of science. In the following verse, two words should command our full attention; “roof and withheld”:
-And We have made the sky a roof withheld, yet they turn away from its portents 1. Chapter21: verse32
What is the general function of roof? It is obvious that the roof is used in order to cover the top of a building, vehicle etc, to protect us against the sun’s severe light and heat, cold weather, wind, rain, hail, thunderstorm, lightening and withhold any thing harmful to our lives.
The Earth is constantly bombarded by meteoroids that disintegrate upon the atmosphere and by lethal rays emitted by the sun. This UV radiation is absorbed by the Ozone layer forming the outer fringe of our atmosphere. Thus, our atmosphere along with its Ozone layer is a protective covering for us. Life possibly could have not existed without it.
How could this precise simile have been presented by a Bedouin illiterate man in the seventh century? The logical answer is that this is no less than a miraculous revelation from Allah to remind us of His portents.
How meticulously, does our Lord sustain and protect us against this atmospheric destruction. Now, the scientific proof for the above description:
Scientific Viewpoint
Our planet's rapid spin and molten nickel-iron core give rise to an extensive magnetic field, which along with the atmosphere shielded us from really all of the harmful radiation coming from the sun and other stars. Earth atmosphere protects us from meteors as well; most of which burn up before they can strike the surface 2.
Ozone Layer
One of the important layers of atmosphere, which anyone may have heard about, is ozone. Ozone (abbreviated O3) is a heavy form of oxygen, having three atoms per molecule instead of the usual two. It has the property of being a good absorber of ultraviolet light. In absorbing the sun's short wave_ length ultraviolet light, the ozone is heated up and warms the parts of the atmosphere where it is present. Incidentally, the protective ozone layer helps to prevent some of the sun's dangerous ultraviolet radiation from penetrating to the earth surface 3.
Formation of the Ozone Layer
One billion years ago, early aquatic organisms called blue-green algae began using energy from the Sun to split molecules of H2O and CO2 and recombine them into organic compounds and molecular oxygen (O2). This solar energy conversion process is known as photosynthesis. Some of the photosynthetically created oxygen combined with organic carbon to recreate CO2 molecules. The remaining oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere, touching off a massive ecological disaster with respect to early existing anaerobic organisms. As oxygen in the atmosphere increased, CO2 decreased.
High in the atmosphere, some oxygen (O2) molecules absorbed energy from the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays and split to form single oxygen atoms. These atoms combined (27k JPEG) with remaining oxygen (O2) to form ozone (O3) molecules, which are very effective at absorbing UV rays. The thin layer of ozone that surrounds Earth acts as a shield, protecting the planet from irradiation by UV light. This thin layer of air also blocks out harmful rays from the sun and dust particles from space.
The amount of ozone required to shield Earth from biologically lethal UV radiation, wavelengths from 200 to 300 nanometers (nm) is believed to have been in existence 600 million years ago. At this time, the oxygen level was approximately 10% of its present atmospheric concentration. Prior to this period, life was restricted to the ocean. The presence of ozone enabled organisms to develop and live on the land. Ozone played a significant role in the evolution of life on Earth, and allows life, as we presently know it to exist 4.
Quranic Viewpoint
-And We have made the sky a roof withheld, yet they turn away from its portents. Chapter21: verse32
These are the facts about our planet's atmosphere, which we have discovered in the few past decades. As you may notice the preceding verse, the Quran interestingly describes the sky (atmosphere) as a roof, which withholds and protects us from any kind of previously mentioned dangers. Needless to say, this would be considered as a miracle when being known that it is revealed about fourteen hundreds years ago, when no one knew any of these facts about the atmosphere and its precious protective properties.
Could life have existed without this withheld roof? Is it casually happened to be in the way it is now? Or it is originated from a merciful designer! The right-minded observer conceives the existence of a wonderful designation.
We have to feel compelled to bear witness that it is a great gift from God Almighty, the unique creator of the universe, who ordains us in the Quran not to be ignorant about his portents; the portents, which leads us to the righteousness of God. The signs, which help us to apprehend the authenticity of the Quran and that, it is the everlasting miracle from God, Almighty.
References
1. Holy Quran translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, Fifth Edition 1969.
2. From “Information Summaries”, National Aerospace and Space Administration (NASA), June 1991.
3. Exploration of the Universe by Saunders Publication.
4. Goddard DAAC, NASA official: Steve Kempler, GDAAC Manager, June28th, 2000.
Drop of Atmospheric Pressure
It has been proven by aeronautics that when man is exposed to high altitude, space; he suffers from some physiological symptoms that would vary between feeling tightness in his chest and getting into a critical stage if he continues being exposed to high altitude and low atmospheric pressure. Is there any relationship between the following verse and recent scientific discoveries?
-Those whom God (in His plan) willeth to guide, He openeth their breast to Islam; [and] those whom He willeth to leave straying, He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies. Thus doth God (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe 1. Chapter6: verse125
The Holy Quran stated, “[and] those whom He willeth to leave straying, He maketh their breast close and constricted” mentions that tightness would occur in the chest when going up in the sky, which has now been proven by modern science.
Ascending to higher altitudes causes the symptoms of Hypoxia and Desparism. This leads to tightness of the chest because of the expansion of gases in the body cavities and their pressure on the lungs. In addition to this, the evolving of the dissolved gases (in the body) in the form of bubbles at high altitude causes severe chest pains.
So the words of Allah “He makes his breast closed” present a brief and precise explanation to the physiological changes occurring in man at these high altitudes.
This scientific fact mentioned in the Quran, was not discovered except after years of research. As for the word "constricted" it refers to what happens to man when he continues to rise in high altitude until he gets to the Critical Height which is 25,000 feet and higher when man loses consciousness due to failure of the nervous system. The pressure and density of the atmosphere decrease with height. At very high altitudes the heavier gases fail to rise until around 50 miles, hydrogen and helium are predominant.
Scientific Viewpoint
The pressure of the amount of oxygen needed to sustain life decreases rapidly with height until around 18000 ft the danger limit for the human pilot is reached and thereafter oxygen must be fed mechanically. Around 100000ft, there is no longer enough oxygen to support combustion in the most advanced turbojet engines now in service. Also mountain climbers ought to take extra oxygen with them while ascending to higher altitudes because of the shortage of oxygen there.
At higher and higher altitudes the air thins out more and more until it disappears into the extremely sparse gases of the magnetosphere at an altitude of several hundred kilometers 2.
Scientific facts concerning the state of man in high altitude
• The physiologically tolerated area for survival of human beings is from sea level up to 10,000 feet above sea level. The oxygen in this layer is physiologically sufficient for survival.
• The physiologically insufficient area is between 10,000 -50,000 feet. In this area there is a deficiency in oxygen, in addition to low atmospheric pressure. This would result in clear physiological symptoms on the human body, and so symptoms of Hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) and Desparism (low atmospheric pressure) take place.
• Near space area (of the earth): from 50,000 feet. From the physiological point of view man can't live in altitudes higher 50,000 feet even if he breathes 100% oxygen. He should then wear a space suit to tolerate the decrease in atmospheric pressure and oxygen deficiency.
Symptoms of the stages of Hypoxia
Hypoxia is divided into four stages depending on the atmospheric pressure, altitude and blood oxygen concentration.
• From sea level to 10,000 feet no symptoms of Hypoxia appear.
• From 10,000-16,000 feet physiological compensatory systems of the human body prevent symptoms of Hypoxia from appearing except if the period of exposure is too long. Then breathing becomes faster and deeper, pulse and blood pressure also increase.
• From 16,000-25,000 feet, physiological systems do not function and cannot provide tissues with sufficient oxygen, and the previously mentioned symptoms appear. At this stage we find a clear explanation of the tightness of the chest one feels at this altitude.
• The Critical Stage is from 25,000 feet and higher. At this stage man completely loses consciousness due to the failure of the nervous system. Changes that occur in the chest reach their maxima at this altitude and then there will be complete physiological failure of heart functions and respiration.
Drop in Atmospheric Pressure
When man is exposed to low atmospheric pressure at high altitude (as what happens to air passengers when the pressure adjustment system fails inside the airplane), several symptoms occur as a result of the expansion of gases and their increase in the human body. Gases confined in the body cavities such as the stomach, when expanding press on the lungs, which cause breathing difficulty, disturbances, and tightness of the chest. The same thing would happen in the colon, lungs, teeth, middle ear and sinuses and all this causes severe pain in the body. In addition to this, all gases dissolved in the body cells e.g. nitrogen, would cause suffocation leading to severe chest pain 3.
That is why the astronauts wear spacesuits while they get out of shuttles or space stations. The air pressure inside the spacesuits equals to what is on the ground. So the breathing would be easy. The other reason for wearing the spacesuits in the vacuum environment is to prevent the burst of the body. Since the inner pressure of our bodies is exactly the same as the air pressure out, we do not feel any force on our skins. But the fact of reality is that a terrible weight of 1.03 kg exerts over each square centimeter of our bodies, which is reacted by the inner pressure. Without this pressure, the gases in our blood would bubble out and we would die 4.
Quranic Viewpoint
Therefore, we can conclude that the statement "He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky" refers to this physical fact that air pressure decreases in high altitudes and makes the breathing hard. This is a scientific matter that we know it now, but 1400 years ago, no one was cognizant of this reality, especially, in the warm desert peninsula of Arabia! This knowledge of Quran could have not had a human source and is absolutely a scientific proof for the divinity of this Holy Revelation.
References
1. Holy Quran translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Dar Al Arabia Publication, Beirut, Lebanon, 1968.
2. The Anatomy of the Aeroplane, by Darrol Stinton, BSP Professional Books, UK, 1987.
3. By: Dr. Salah El Maghribi.
4. Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe, by Dorling Kindersley Publishers Limited, London, 1990.
The Sensory Characteristic of Skin
By paying a considerable amount of attention to the following verse, one can apprehend the existence of a wonderful scientific fact, deliberately implied by some simple but pithy words:
-Lo! Those who disbelieve Our revelations, We shall expose them to the fire. As often as their skins are consumed, We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. Lo! Allah is ever Mighty, Wise 1.
Chapter4: verse56
To provide a better understanding, we present a brief summary regarding the skin and its relationship to the nerves and the sense of touch. Then, we will analyze the corresponding Quranic viewpoint in this regard.
Scientific Viewpoint
What is Skin?
The skin is composed of several tissue layers. Located under the dermis is the layer of very loose connective tissue that joins the skin to the body. This layer, not technically part of the skin, houses many fat cells. The skin's inner layer or dermis consists of connective tissue surrounding several types of specialized structures, including hair follicles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, capillary blood vessels, and nerves.
The skin's outer layer or epidermis, which is composed of stratified squamous cells, active cell division constantly occurs. The new cells push from deep within the layer toward the outside. The new cells continually replenish the epidermis's outermost layer, the stratum corneum, which consists of hardened, dead cells that are continually being sloughed off the body.
The skin's major tasks are to form a protective layer over the body to prevent injury and disease, keep moisture in the body (water retention), convert vitamin D to regulate body temperature and excrete wastes. The outer layer of skin is the epidermis. The inner layer is called the dermis. It contains hair follicles, nails, nerves (the body's sense of touch), sweat and oil glands and blood vessels.
Skin is the body's largest organ. An average square inch of skin contains 2,800 openings for sweat and oil glands, 72 feet of nerves, hundreds of pain and sense receptors and 15 feet of blood vessels. And skin is the body's most important barrier to infection. The new 3M(TM) Skin Health(SM) Program is designed for doctors and nurses to help their patients maintain healthy skin 2.
Quranic Viewpoint
Having considered the above scientific explanation, we can easily arrive at a conclusion that to experience pain (or any other sensations), it is necessary to have skin.
In a comparative analysis, we deduce many of the described functions of the skin from the mentioned corresponding verse in the Quran. The word “Leyazuqu” meaning, “In order to make them taste” implicitly clarifies the necessity of existence of skin in order to feel the sensation. This is because after consumption (burning) of the unbelievers’ skin in the fire, Allah replaces a new skin for them to taste (or to sense) the torment again and this happens repetitively to provide an eternal punishment for the unbelievers. Namely, since sensing the pain is at the skin, the doomed unbelievers will get fresh skin for their burnt out skin to taste it again.
Miracle in the Holy Quran3
A scientist became Muslim after reading about these facts in the Holy Quran. This man declared the Islamic creed (Shahaadah) and became Muslim during the Eighth Saudi Medical Conference, which was convened in Riyadh. He is Professor Tejatat Tejasen, Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. He was previously the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the same university.
Sheik Abdul Majid Zendani, a Professor of Islamic Studies in King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia says: “We presented to Professor Tejasen some Quranic verses and Prophetic Ahadeeth (narrations), which deal with his specialization in the field of anatomy.
Professor Tejasen, at first supposed that very accurate descriptions of embryonic developmental stages exist in their Buddhist books. We told him that we were very anxious and interested to see those descriptions and learn about these books. A year later, Professor Tejasen came to King Abdul Aziz University as an outside examiner. He was reminded of the statement that he made one year before. He apologized and said that he in fact had made that statement without researching the matter fully. Actually, when he checked the Buddhist resources he found that they contained nothing of relevance to the subject.
Upon this, he was presented a lecture written by Professor Keith Moore about the compatibility of modern embryology with what is contained in the Quran and the Sunnah. After reviewing it Professor Tejasen was asked if he knew of Professor Keith Moore’s reputation and accomplishments. He knew Professor Moore as one of the most world-renowned scientists in the field of embryology.
Professor Tejasen’s astonishment was observable after reviewing the article according to sources. He was presented with several questions in his own field of specialization, dermatology. One of the questions pertained to modern discoveries in dermatology about the sensory characteristics of the skin. Dr. Tejasen responded: Yes if the burn is deep.
Dr. Tejasen was told: “You will be interested to know that in this book, the Holy Book - the Quran was revealed 1400 years ago. This quote, which pertains to the moment of punishment of the unbelievers by the fire of Hell and it states that when their skin is destroyed, Allah makes another skin for them so that they perceive the punishment by a fire, indicating knowledge about the nerve endings in the skin, and the verse is as follows”:
-Those who reject our signs, We shall soon cast into the fire. As often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the chastisement. Truly Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.
Professor Tejasen was then asked: “Do you agree that this is a reference to the importance of the nerve endings in the skin in sensation, 1400 years ago?” Dr. Tejasen responded: “Yes I agree”.
Further explanation of this expert from the Quran reveals that this knowledge about sensation was supported by modern evidence. It states in the Quran that if somebody does sins, then he will be punished by burning his skin and then Allah puts a new skin on him, covers him, to make him know that the taste is painful again. It means that they knew it many years ago that the receptor of pain sensation must be on the skin, so they put a new skin on.
The skin is the center of sensitivity to burns. Thus, if the skin is completely burnt by fire, it looses its sensitivity. It is for this reason that Allah will punish the unbelievers on the Day of Judgment by returning to them their skins time after time, as He, the Exalted and Glorified, said in the Quran:
-Those who reject our signs, We shall soon cast into the fire. As often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the chastisement. Truly Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.
Professor Tejasen was presented with yet another question: ‘Is it possible that these verses came to the Prophet Muhammed, (Peace Be Upon Him), from a human source?’
Professor Tejasen conceded that they could have never come from any human source 14 hundred years ago. He remained unable to identify the source of that knowledge and from where could Muhammed have possibly received it.
It was told to him that this is ‘From Allah, the Most Glorified and Most Exalted.’ Then he asked: ‘But who is Allah?’
He was replied: “He is the Creator of all that is in existence.’ If you find wisdom then it is because it comes only from the one Who is Most Wise. If you find knowledge in the making of this universe, it is because the universe is the creation of the One Who has all the knowledge. If you find perfection in the composition of these creations, then it is proof to you that it is the creation of the One Who Knows Best; and if you find mercy, then this bears witness to the fact that it is the creation of the One Who is Most Merciful. In the same way, if you perceive creation as belonging to one unified order and tied together firmly, then this is proof that it is the creation of the Only Creator, May He be Glorified and Exalted.
Professor Tejasen agreed with what we said to him. He returned to his country where he delivered several lectures about his new knowledge and discoveries. We were informed that five of his students converted to Islam because of these lectures. Then at the Eighth Saudi Medical Conference held in Riyadh, Professor Tejasen attended a series of lectures on Medical signs in the Quran and Sunnah.
Professor Tejasen spent four days with several scholars, Muslims, and non-Muslims, talking about this phenomenon in the Quran and the Sunnah. At the end of those sessions, Professor Tejasen stood up and said, “In the last three years I became interested in the Quran, which Shaykh Abdul-Majeed Az-Zindani gave me. Last year, I got Professor Keith Moore’s latest script from the shaykh. He asked me to translate it into the Thai language and to give a few lectures to the Muslims in Thailand. I have fulfilled his request. You can see that in the videotape that I have given to the shaykh as a gift. From my studies and from what I have learned throughout this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Quran 1400 years ago must be the truth, which can be proven by scientific means.
He continued: “Since the Prophet Muhammed could neither read nor write, Muhammed must be a messenger who relayed this truth which was revealed to him as enlightenment by the One Who is an eligible Creator. This Creator must be Allah, or God. Therefore, I think this is the time to say ‘Laa ilaaha illallah’ (that there is no god to worship except Allah), ‘Muhammed Rasool Allah’ (Muhammed is the messenger of Allah...)
He continued on: “I have not only learned from the scientific knowledge in the conference, but also the great chance of meeting many new scientists and making many new friends among the participants. The most precious thing that I have gained by coming to this conference is ‘La ilaaha illallah, Muhammed Rasool Allah’, and to have become a Muslim.”
The truth verily comes from Allah who said in the Quran:
-And those to whom knowledge has come see that the (revelation) sent down to thee from thy Lord - that is the truth, and that it guides to the path of the Exalted (in Might), worthy of all praise.
Chapter34: verse6
References
1. Holy Quran translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, Fifth Edition, 1969.
2. Caduceus MCAT Review, a product of Scientia Inc.
3. http://www.islim-guide.com/.
Geological Description of Mountains
Whatever Quran describes about mountains may seem simple at the first glance, but the matter of fact is that each one indicates a wonderful geological fact.
The earth speeds through space at 29.8 km per second (18.5 miles per second) _75 times faster than Concorde. None of this movement makes us feel dizzy. We seem to stay still while everything else seems to move around us.
What is really the reason of this phenomenon? Why do we not feel dizzy in this moving cradle? We can find the answer in the first verse:
-...and (Allah) hath cast into the earth firm hills, so that it quake not with you 1. Chapter31: verse10
True! The firm mountains prevent the earth from being shaken, so that we do not feel dizzy, although the earth is moving through space at such an incredible speed.
In this verse, the word “Rawaasia” is the plural of the noun ”Rasiah” which literally means “ Firm”, “Stable” and ”The Anchor”2. Needless to say, the function of anchor is “to fix” or “to prevent the boat from moving away” 3. Interestingly enough, according to the scientists, the mountains play an important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth 4.
This characteristic of earth is also a wonderful similitude to a cradle in the other verse. A cradle is continuously shaken by the kind-hearted mother but the baby inside, not only does not feel dizzy but also this gentle motion dedicates the child a tranquility by which he or she goes to a nice sleep:
-Have We not made the earth as a cradle 5? Chapter78: verse6
This tranquility, which we feel in the cradle of the earth, is a direct effect of the mountains. Some other points in the verses above should also attract our full attention:
a) The mountains resemble the pegs, which hold the land (Because the pegs are utilized to prevent things from being scattered).
b) There is a relationship between the mountains and water supplies, since the subject of drinkable water is mentioned immediately after the word "mountains" in the other verse, presupposes a close relation between these two subjects.
Each of these points are all assumed to be miraculous and scientific aspect of Holy Quran, leads us to the majesty of this divine book and makes us acquainted with its deep contexts.
To achieve certainty regarding the authenticity of the miraculous aspects of the preceded verses, we have provided you the following scientific passage.
Scientific Viewpoint
Mountains, the Skeleton of Earth
Mountains act actually like the steel armor, which have surrounded the earth. Since they connect to each other in beneath, they form a strong network.
If the crust of the earth were formed of only a soft and fine layer like soil and sand, would be indeed affected by the moon's gravity and would cause the tides- like what happens in the seas- so, it would always be in disturbance, worse than the earthquakes. In that case, we would not feel this tranquility that we have now in our lives.
Further more, this firm crust and steel armor can control the inner pressurized molten materials, which want to rip up the earth’s crust and get out of it. If there were not the mountains, the earth face would definitely seem differently.
According to these facts about the mountains, do they not actually act like the earth's pegs; and prevent it from being disturbed?
Mountains, the mighty claws
The atmosphere's accumulation exerts a pressure of 1 kg per centimeter. Its total weight comes to 6 million billion tons.
Now guess what would happen, if the earth spun at a speed of 30 kg/min, while the air around itself was stagnant. A great deal of heat energy would be generated by the collision of the air molecules with the earth’s surface potentially burning anything on it. Fortunately, the earth's low lands and elevations, especially the mountains have solved this great problem. They claw at the air and move it gradually within themselves, like the clock's gears. Consequently, this thick layer of air circulates along with earth, especially adjacent to the surface. This is also a kind of tranquility, dedicated to humankind by the mountains.
Mountains, the regulators of the winds
As we know, the winds blow permanently, from the poles to the equator and from equator to the poles, because of the difference of temperatures between them.
If these giant barriers of mountains did not control these movements of the winds, the whole surface of earth, like desserts, would permanently be exposed to the annoying storms and killing tempests, so there would not be quietude on earth for human.
Mountains, the Natural Refrigerators
If there were not mountains, the flowing rivers would not exist on earth. As we know, in high altitudes, the air is much colder and the heat radiation is less than what is on earth. Therefore, a huge amount of water is stored up in the form of snow and natural refrigerators over the mountains and constitutes the permanent and reliable sources of water for the rivers, while melting gradually in the warm seasons.
If there were not mountains, the rains would wash out the earth's surface in the form of floodwater, head up for the seas immediately, and the dry lands burn, in the lack of water reservation 6.
Quranic Viewpoint
As we mentioned above, according to the geologists, the mountains function as the natural refrigerators in which a huge amount of water is stored up in the form of snow to supply water in the warm seasons.
Wonderfully, this is what we perceive in the Quran, considering a relation between mountains and providing the drinkable water and river streams:
-And placed therein high mountains and given you to drink sweet water therein 7. Chapter77: verse27
Being cognizant that Muhammed (peace be upon him) had never seen a high mountain especially with snow in his whole life in the desert of Arabia, one might feel compelled to admit that these realities are the certain evident for the scientific miracles of the Quran.
Sheik Abdul Majid Zendani, a Professor of Islamic Studies in King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia relates from his meeting with the professor Siaveda, one of the best-known marine geologists from Japan and also one of the most famous scientists in the world:
“…He differs from other scholars but at the same time, he is a representative of a group of scholars. Professor Siaveda's mind was filled with many distortions and suspicions about all religions. He is right about what he says with regard to all religions, except Islam, because Islam differs from all other religions that he spoke about.
When we met him, he said to us: “You scholars of religion all over the world should keep your mouths shut forever”. The doctor most assuredly was a great skeptic of religion.
We replied: 'But why Professor? Why?' He said: Because when you speak you cause wars to break out between the people throughout the world. We asked him: 'Why NATO alliance and WARSAW Pact are accumulating such massive nuclear arsenals and nuclear weapons in space, sea, overland, and underground. Why this? Is it for religious reasons?'
He went silent then we said to him: 'At any rate we are aware of your attitude towards all religions, but since you do not know much about Islam, then you might as well listen to what we have to say.' So we asked him a number of questions in his area of specialization, and we also informed him of the Quranic verses and ahadeeth (Narration), which mention the phenomena he spoke of. One of these questions was about mountains and whether they were firmly rooted in the earth.
He replied and said: "The fundamental difference between continental mountains and the oceanic mountains lies in its material. Continental mountains are made essentially by sediments, whereas the oceanic mountains are made of volcanic rocks. Continental mountains were formed by compressional forces, whereas the oceanic mountains were formed by extensional forces. But the common denominator on both mountains is that they have roots to support the mountains.”
He continued: “In the case of continental mountains, light-low density material from the mountain is extended down into the earth as a root. In the case of oceanic mountains, there is also light material supporting the mountain as a root, but in the case of oceanic mountain this material is not light because the composition is light, but it is hot, therefore expanded somewhat. But from the viewpoint of densities, they are doing the same job of supporting the mountains. Therefore, the function of the roots is to support the mountains according to the law of Archimedes".
Professor Siaveda described the shape of all mountains whether they are on land or in the sea as being in the shape of a wedge. Could anyone during the time of Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be upon Him) have known of the shape of these mountains? Could anyone imagine that the solid massive mountain that he sees before him actually extends deep into the earth and has a root as scientists assure? A large number of geography books when discussing mountains, only describe that part which is on the surface of the earth. This is because specialists in geology do not write them, but modern science informs us about it and Allah says in the Quran:
-and the mountains as pegs 8? Chapter78: verse7
We asked Professor Sievada whether the mountains have a function in establishing the crust of the earth. He said that this has not yet been discovered and established by scientists. In view of the reply we researched and inquired about this and we found out that many geologists gave the same reply, except for a few.
Among those few are the authors of this book, entitled "The Earth". This book is considered as a basic reference text in many universities throughout the world. One of the authors of this book is Frank Press. He is currently the President of the Academy of Sciences in USA. Previously, he was science advisor to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. What does he say in his book? He illustrates the mountains in a wedge-like shape where the mountain itself is but a small part of the whole whose root is deeply entrenched in the ground. Dr. Press writes on the functions of the mountains and states that they play an important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth.
This is exactly how the Quran described mountains 14 centuries ago. Allah said:
-And the mountains Has He firmly fixed. Chapter79: verse32
And He said:
-And the mountains as pegs. Chapter78: verse7
And He also said:
-And he has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you. Chapter16: verse15
Who could have informed Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be upon Him) about this? We asked Professor Siaveda this question: 'what is your opinion on what you have seen in the Quran and the Sunnah with regard to the secrets of the Universe, which scientists only discovered now?' His answer was: “I think it seems to me very, very mysterious, almost unbelievable. I really think if what you have said is true; the book is really a very remarkable book…”
Yes, what can scientists say no matter how skeptical? They cannot attribute the knowledge revealed to Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be upon Him) by Allah and contained in the Quran to human beings or to any scientific authority in our times, because all scientists were unaware of all these secrets. Moreover, not all humanity could have any explanation but to attribute that knowledge to some extra-terrestrial force. Yes, it is a revelation from Allah, which he sent to his servant, the unlettered Prophet Muhammed, whom Allah has made an everlasting sign escorting humanity until the last hour 9.
References
1. Holy Quran translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, Fifth Edition 1969.
2. Al-Mawrid, A Modern English-Arabic Dictionary, by Munir Ba’albaki, Dar El-Ilm Lil-Malayen, Beirut, 1986.
3. Cambridge International Dictionary of English, Cambridge University Press, 1995.
4. Earth, Professor Emeritus Frank Press and Siever, p. 435. Also see Earth Science, Tarbuck and Lutgens.
5. Holy Quran translated by Arthur J. Arberry, Ansarian Publishers, Qom, the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1999.
6. The Quran and the Last Prophet (in Persian language), by ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, Dar al-Kotob Al-Islamiah, Qom, the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1996.
7. Holy Quran translated by Arthur J. Arberry, Ansarian Publishers, Qom, the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1999.
8. Holy Quran translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, Fifth Edition 1969.
9. Mountains in Holy Quran, http: //www.islam-guide.com/.
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