The Missing Science

“Al Quran”: (This is) a Book (the Quran) which has been revealed to you, full of blessings that people may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may remember”.(Chapter: Suuad, Verse: 29).

The miracle of Quran is everlasting one. Allah made clear to us that His book, the Qura’an, is reminder to us. It contains information that man discovers in due time. Every single verse contains divine knowledge. Thus, coming to know that this verse has been revealed from Allah, with the ever continuing process of human progress and development, man will come to find the clue that enables him to understand another verse, and so on. In this way mankind will continue to understand more and more verses. This is the wondrous characteristics of the Qur’an.

Science Before The Advent Of Islam: “Dark Ages”

Greek scientists are considered to be the pioneers of science. At the time when in Greece science was at its glory, Chinese, Indians and Syrians were also working to acquire scientific knowledge. Mariner’s compass and Aquatics Watch are the inventions of Chinese and Arabs. Whereas, Indians enriched the heritage of science with number and decimal system, Ptolemy of Alexandria added precious knowledge of Astronomy to science. Measurement of the intensity of earthquake (Seismography) is the discovery of Chinese scientists.

With the downfall of Greek empire, Romans came on the scene. Roman politics, type of government and culture did not allow science to grow. The Roman Emperor, Constantine adopted Christianity and declared it the state religion. Religious extremist vowed to kill people who did anything against their holy book. Hypatia (370-415AD), the first female mathematician of any importance, daughter of Theon, an astronomer and mathematician who ran a school for scientific studies in the city was murdered while going to deliver a lecture by preacher. She was accused of being pagan by the church.

A precious library of Alexandria was set on fire because priests alleged that some books in that library contained literature that was opposed to the injunctions of old and new testaments. These priests regarded science as devilish knowledge. This was the reason why these priests declared many Greek philosophers and scientists non-believers and infidel. By setting these scientific literatures on fire they deprived mankind from acquiring knowledge for a long time.

Although big buildings were set up in Syria, Europe, Rome, Iran and in the subcontinent in Gupta’s era but science could not flourish there. After fifth century, church was on the height of progress. They closed the doors and ways of scientific research and progress. Science remained under control of church for about ten centuries in Europe. This era of human history is known as “dark ages”.

Then Islam came and rescued science from the barriers set by church. Muslims held the beacon of knowledge and continued the advancement and progress of science for next one thousand years.

The Islamic Era (600-1500ad): New Awakening in Science

Islam is the only religion on earth that stresses the need of acquiring knowledge. The very first verse of the Holy Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu “alaihi wa sallam) states:

“Read; In the name of your Lord who is the creator. He created man from clot. Read: and your Lord is the Most Generous who teaches by the pen. Teaches man that he did not know”.

The importance given by Allah, may He be Exalted and Glorified to reading, writing and scientific knowledge is clear from this verse. The Holy Quran in so many verses has again and again ordained the believers to observe and think. Two are quoted here:

“Surely, in the creation of the heavens and earths and in the interchange of night and day and in the ships which sail through the sea and in the rain which Allah, may He be Exalted and Glorified sends down from Heaven giving life to the earth after its death and scattering it over all kinds of cattle and in the change of winds and in the clouds that are made to serve between the Heavens and the earth – are signs for those who understand”.

“Will they not observe the camels how they are created? And the Heavens how it is raised? And the hills, how they are setup?”.

Quran Provides Scientific Method

The basic principles of science are observation and reasoning. Qura’an stresses both. Numerous verses can be quoted in which the Holy Qura’an invites its readers to observe and think. For example:

“Don’t you see? Don’t you think? Don’t you plan”?

This verse and the verses quoted above are the orders from Allah, may He be Exalted and Glorified to observe, think and these are now recognized as basic principles of modern science. Islam, thus laid the foundation of modern scientific thought 1400 years before.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu “alaihi wa sallam) told his followers that learning is the duty of every Muslim man and woman and at an other place he said to acquire knowledge from cradle to grave.

It was the result of the Quranic injunctions and pronouncement the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu “alaihi wa sallam) that the spirit of inquiry spread through out the Muslim world. And the science with experimentation became well established in the Islamic era. In this era the venue of science shifted from Greece and Alexandria to Baghdad, Cordova, Samarkand and Bukhara. All Greek manuscripts were translated into Arabic and a lot of scientific activity took place in the Muslim countries. Greek were “arm chair” philosophers, they thought and argued without making observations.

Quran changed this attitude. Obeying the injunctions of Allah, the Muslims not only observed but also analyzed and reasoned out all that they observed. They established observatories and laboratories at various places. They revised the astronomical tables by Ptolemy and determined with precision the orbits of the moon and planets.

Al-Beruni, a great mathematician determined the earth’s circumference and divided its surface into latitude and longitudes. Al-khawrizmi wrote a number of books of algebra, astronomy and arithmetic that were used as textbooks in European universities till the 16th century. Ibnal-haitham developed the optics to it highest degree of perfection. His books translated in Latin are still available. Jabar Bin Hayan, great name in chemistry, improved the methods of sublimation and crystallization.

With the decline of Islamic empire the scientific activities ceased in Muslim countries. However works of Muslim scientists were translated in European languages. Experimental method of Muslims was widespread and well established. Europe advanced with the help of Muslim science while the Islamic countries sank into darkness politically, scientifically and economically.

Some Qur’anic Verses & Astronomical discoveries

Dr. Kozai is Professor at Tokyo University, Japan, and was the Director of the National Astronomical Observatory, Mikata, Tokyo Japan. He stated that all signs and indications are converging to prove that at one point in time the whole firmament was nothing but a cloud of smoke. This has come to be established as a proven visible fact. Scientists now can observe new stars forming up out of that smoke, which is the origin of our universe.

The pictures obtained only recently with the help of the spaceship show one of the stars as it forms up out of the smoke. The illuminating stars we see today were, just as was the whole universe, in that smoke form.

The Quranic Verse Says in This Regard:

“Then he turned to the sky, and it had been (as) smoke (dukhaan): He said to it and to the earth: come you together, willingly or unwillingly. They said: we do come (together) in willing obedience.” (Quran 41:11).

Some scientists describe this dukhaan or smoke “mist”. But Professor Kozai pointed out that the term “mist” does not correspond to the description of this smoke, because mist is characteristically cold, whereas this cosmic smoke is somewhat hot. Dukhaan indeed is made up of diffused gases to which solid substances are attached, and this is the exact description of the smoke from which the universe emerged even before the stars were formed. Professor Kozai said that because that smoke was hot, we couldn’t describe it as “mist”. Dukhaan is the best descriptive word that can never be cold. In this way Professor Kozai continued to scrutinize Quranic verse presented to him.

Professor Armstrong works at NASA, known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, where he is a well-known scientist. He was asked a number of questions about Quranic verses dealing with the expertise in Astronomy. He was asked about iron and how it was formed. He explained how all the elements in the earth were formed. He stated that the scientists have come only recently to discover the relevant facts about that formation process. He said that the energy of the early solar system was not sufficient enough to produce elemental iron.

In calculating the energy required to form one atom of iron, it was found to be about four times as much as the energy of the entire solar system. In other words, the entire energy of the earth or the moon or the planet Mars or any other planet is not sufficient to form one new atom of iron, even the energy of the entire solar system is not sufficient for that. That is why, Professor Armstrong said that, the scientists believe that iron is an extraterrestrial that was sent to earth and not formed therein.

The Quranic verse says about it: “And we sent down Iron, in which is Great might, as well as many benefits for mankind”. (Quran 57-25).

The word “sent down” in this verse clearly indicates that Iron is the metal that is not formed in the clusters of earth.

Geological Information In The Qur’an:

Professor Palmer is one of the foremost geologists in the United States of America. When he was presented the various scientific miracles in the Quran and Sunnah, he was greatly astonished. Quran mentions the lowest part of the earth and states that it is near Jerusalem, where a battle took place between the Persians and the Romans.

Allah, may He be Exalted and Glorified, said in the Quran: “Alif Laam Meem, the Romans have been defeated, in the lowest part of the land (adnal-ardh), but after defeat they will soon be victorious”. (Quran 30:1-3)

The term adna means both nearer and lowest. This war took place around Dead Sea, which was discovered by latest scientific instruments that this part of earth is the lowest.

Deep Oceans and Seas:

Allah said in the Quran, “Or (the unbelievers state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds: Depths of darkness, one above another: If a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! For any to whom Allah does not give light, there is no light”. (Quran 24:40).

Professor Rao, a specialist in marine Biology, has confirmed that scientists now know darkness by means of submarines that have enabled them to dive into the depths of the ocean, where human beings are not able to dive unaided for more than twenty to thirty meters. Those who dive for pearls do so in shallow waters and can not dive any deeper than this. Human beings cannot survive in the deep dark part of the oceans, such as at a depth of 200 meters. But this verse speaks about a phenomenon found in very deep oceans.

Qura’an goes on to say “ Underneath these waves which separate the two parts of the ocean, the darkness begins. Fish at these depths cannot see. Their only source of light is from their bodies. This darkness which is layered or tiered one over the other is what is referred to in the Quran: Darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed by billow topped by billow. (Quran 24:40)

In other words, above those waves there are still more tiers of waves. The latter being found on the surface of the ocean. The Quran then informs us that darkness is:” Topped by clouds: Depths of darkness, one above another”. (Quran 24:40)

The Origin Of The Earth

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, Mainz, Germany. Professor Kroner chose an example from the Quran, which proved to him, why the Quran could not have come from Muhammad (sallAllahu “alaihi wa sallam) himself. 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? We made from water every living thing… (Quran 21:30).

The meaning of ratqan in this verse, as Ibn Abbas, Mujaahid, and others (Raziallaahu-t’aala-anha) said, may Allah be pleased with all of them, 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 Muhammad (sallAllahu “alaihi wa sallam), could have known this. Professor Kroner has a special talent.

For example, when asked to describe the geological conditions of Arabia. “Was Arabia full of orchards and rivers?’ He said: “During the Snow Age.” And it is further known that the North Polar icebergs are slowly moving southwards. When those polar icebergs become relatively close to the Arabian Peninsula, the weather will change and Arabia will become one of the greenest and wettest parts of the world. But we have already found this mentioned by the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu “alaihi wa sallam) 1400 years ago. He said in a hadeeth transmitted in Saheeh Muslim:

The Last Hour will not come upon us until the lands of the Arabs are once again pasture lands and filled with rivers.

Mountains

Professor Siaveda, one of the best-known marine geologists from Japan, 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.

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 Muhammad (sallAllahu “alaihi wa sallam) 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?

Allah says in the Quran: “And the mountains as pegs”. (Quran 78:7).

Allah said: “And the mountains Has He firmly fixed”. (Quran 79:32).

And He also said: “And he has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you”. (Quran 16:15).

These few examples show us that the scientists are actually confirming what the Quran is saying, what has been said already many, many years ago in the Quran. Actually, that scientists are now discovering what has been said before, so this is important for all humans, especially for Muslim to read and ponder over the verses of Qura’an Religion urges us to acquire knowledge and commands us to contemplate the universe in a language that contemporaries understand.

Ironically we all recite Qura’an but never try to understand it. Qura’an is a divine book, having knowledge for the men of understanding and blessing for the whole humanity. Qura’an is not the property of Muslims; it is a code of guidance for every human, Muslim or non-Muslim. The one who will extend himself towards Qura’an will be shown the path of righteousness.

The Quran says:

“Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know?” (Quran 39:9), “Know, therefore, that there is no god but Allah. (Quran 47:19).