Exploring Science from the Vision of the Quran

“……. with water we created every living thing” (Quran 21:30).

Tazeem Fatima

There is no human work in existence that contains statements as far beyond the level of knowledge of its time as the Quran. Al Quran, the main source of Islamic faith, is a book of completely divine origin. The book is believed to be the words of Almighty Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) with everything told and every fact explained in it.

There is perhaps no better illustration of the close links between the Quran and knowledge than the Prophet Muhammad’s quoted statements:

“Seeking knowledge is compulsory on every Muslim”, and “Whoever follows a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make his path to paradise easy”.

As our knowledge of science in various fields increases, there comes a point where the phenomena of life necessitate the existence of a Creator. The Holy Quran has precise data that is directly related to the facts discovered by modern science.

The Quran in fact is a book of “Signs” i.e. Ayats (Verses). There are more than six thousand “Signs” in the Quran, and of them, thousands deal with pure science.

1. The Quran and mountains

Both the Quran and science agree to the structural make-up of mountains and the role it plays in maintaining the stability of Earth. 

This is how the Quran has described mountains. Allah has said in the Quran:

“Have we not made the Earth as a bed and the mountains as pegs?” (Quran 78:6-7)

Modern Earth science has proven that mountains have deep roots under the surface of the ground and the roots can reach several times their elevations above the surface of the ground. Mountains also play an important role in stabilizing the earth’s crust. They hinder the shaking of Earth.

Allah has said in the Quran:

“And he has set up firm mountains in the Earth so that it may not shake with you” (Quran 16:15)

2. The Quran and the well-guarded sky

A very important attribute of the sky is given in the Holy Quran: 

“We made the sky as a preserved and protected roof” (Quran 21:32)

This attribute can be wisely co-related to scientific research which says that the atmosphere surrounds earth for the continuity of life, and while destroying many meteors as they approach the earth, it prevents them from falling on earth and destroying life.

3. The Quran and the motion of the Sun and Moon

Allah tells us in the Holy Quran about our earth’s orbit:

“The night outstrip the day: Each swims along its own orbit” (Quran 36:38-39)

The Quran also says:

“It is Allah who alternates the night and the day: Verily in these things is an instructive example for those who have vision” (Quran 24:44)

From the present knowledge of science and astronomy, it is known that the Sun and the stars in the neighbourhood of our solar system revolve slowly around the centre of axis, in an orbit.

4. The Quran and the science on life creation in the sea and land

An interesting narration of life on earth says that if we consider the duration of the earth as one year, life appeared in the middle of August in the oceans on earth. Towards the end of November, the first animal left the water and colonized the land. The backbone animal invaded the land by the beginning of December.

Now let see what the Quran says about the creation of life:

“……. with water we created every living thing” (Quran 21:30)

The Quran puts a chronological order by saying:

• “He created you of dust” (Quran 30:20)
• “Created man from sounding (noisy) clay” (Quran 15:26)
• “Allah is he who perfected everything and began creation of man out of clay” (Quran 32:7)

And there are so many sequential verses in the Quran on life in sea and land.

Thus, the Holy Quran is a book of facts with reflections on the creation, beauty, and harmony of nature. The Quran has so much to reveal and explain. It just needs an eye to see, vision to observe, and an understanding to clarify the facts.