By Dr. Maurice Bucaille (Edited by Dr. A. A. Bilal Philips)
BIBLE, QUR’AN AND SCIENCE
We have now come to the last subject I would like to present in this short pamphlet: it is the
comparison between modern knowledge and passages in the Qur’an that are also referred to in the Bible.
Creation
We have already come across some of the contradictions between scripture and science regarding the creation of the universe. When dealing with that topic, I stressed the perfect agreement between modern knowledge and verses in the Qur’an, and pointed out that the Biblical narration contained statements that were scientifically unacceptable. This is hardly surprising if we are aware that the narration of the creation contained in the Bible was the work of priests living in the sixth century BC, hence the term ‘sacerdotal’ ( priestly ) narration is officially used to refer to it. The narration seems to have been conceived as the theme of a sermon designed to exhort people to observe the Sabbath. The narration was constructed with a definite end in view, and as Father de Vaux (a former head of the Biblical School of Jerusalem) has noted, this end was essentially legalist in character.
The Bible also contains a much shorter and older narration of Creation, the so-called ‘Yahvist’ version, which approaches the subject from a completely different angle. They are both taken from Genesis, the first book of the Pentateuch or Torah. Moses is supposed to have been its author, but the text we have today has undergone many changes.
The sacerdotal narration of Genesis is famous for its whimsical genealogies, that go back to Adam, and which nobody takes very seriously. Nevertheless, such Gospel authors as Matthew and Luke have reproduced them, more or less word-for-word, in their genealogies of Jesus. Matthew goes back as far as Abraham, and Luke to Adam. These writings are scientifically unacceptable, because they set a date for the age of the world and the time humans appeared on Earth, which most definitely contradicts what modern science has firmly established. The Qur’an, on the other hand, is completely free of dates of this kind.
Earlier on, we noted how perfectly the Qur’an agrees with modern ideas on the formation of the Universe. On the other hand, the Biblical narration of primordial waters is hardly, nor is the creation of light on the first day before the creation of the stars which produce this light; the existence of an evening and a morning before the creation of the earth; the creation of the earth on the third day before that of the sun on the fourth; the appearance of beasts of the earth on the sixth day after the appearance of the birds of the air on the fifth day, although the former came first. All these statements are the result of beliefs prevalent at the time this text was written and do not have any other meaning.
Age of the Earth
As for the Biblical genealogies which form the basis of the Jewish calendar and assert that today the world is 5738 years old, these are hardly admissible either. Our solar system may well be four and a quarter billion years old, and the appearance of human beings on earth, as we know him today, may be estimated in tens of thousands of years, if not more. It is absolutely essential, therefore, to note that the Qur’an does not contain any such indications as to the age of the world, and that these are specific to the Biblical text.
The Flood
There is a second highly significant subject of comparison between the Bible and the Qur’an; descriptions of the deluge. In actual fact, the Biblical narration is a fusion of two descriptions in which events are related differently. The Bible speaks of a universal flood and places it roughly 300 years before Abraham.
According to what we know of Abraham, this would imply a universal cataclysm around the twenty-first or twenty-second century BC This story would be untenable, in view of presently available historical data. How can we accept the idea that, in the twenty-first or twenty-second century BC, all civilization was wiped off the face of the earth by a universal cataclysm, when we know that this period corresponds, for example, to the one preceding the Middle Kingdom in Egypt, at roughly the date of the first Intermediary period before the eleventh dynasty? It is historically unacceptable to maintain that, at this time, humanity was totally wiped out. None of the preceding statements is acceptable according to modern knowledge. From this point of view, we can measure the enormous gap separating the Bible from the Qur’an.
In contrast to the Bible, the narration contained in the Qur’an deals with a cataclysm that is limited to Noah’s people. They were punished for their sins, as were other ungodly peoples. The Qur’an does not fix the cataclysm in time. There are absolutely no historical or archaeological objections to the narration in the Qur’an.
The Pharaoh
A third point of comparison, which is extremely significant, is the story of Moses, and especially the Exodus from Egypt of the Hebrews. Here I can only give a highly compressed account of a study on this subject that appears in my book. I have noted the points where the Biblical and Qur’anic narrations agree and disagree, and I have found points where the two texts complement each other in a very useful way.
Among the many hypotheses, concerning the historical time-frame occupied by the Exodus in the history of the pharaohs, I have concluded that the most likely is the theory which makes Merneptah, Ramesses II’s successor, the pharaoh of the Exodus. The comparison of the data contained in the Scriptures with archeological evidence strongly supports this hypothesis. I am pleased to be able to say that the Biblical narration contributes weighty evidence leading us to situate Moses in the history of the pharaohs. Moses was probably born during the reign of Ramesses II. Biblical data. are therefore of considerable historical value in the story of Moses. A medical study of the mummy of Merneptah has yielded further useful information on the possible causes of this pharaoh’s death. The fact that we possess the mummy of this pharaoh is one of paramount importance. The Bible records that pharaoh was engulfed in the sea, but does not give any details as to what subsequently became of his corpse. The Qur’an, in chapter Yoonus, notes that the body of the pharaoh would be saved from the waters:
“Today I will save your dead body so that you may be a sign for those who come after you.” Qur’an, 10:92
http://www.tubeislam.com/video/12890/
A medical examination of this mummy, has, shown that the body could not have stayed in the water for long, because it does not show signs of deterioration due to prolonged submersion. Here again, the comparison between the narration in the Qur’an and the data provided by modern knowledge does not give rise to the slightest objection from a scientific point of view.
Such points of agreement are characteristic of the Qur’anic revelation. But, are we throwing the Judeo-Christian revelation into discredit and depriving it of all its intrinsic value by stressing the faults as seen from a scientific point of view? I think not because the criticism is not aimed at the text as a whole, but only at certain passages. There are parts of the Bible which have an undoubted historical value. I have shown that in my book, The Bible, The Qur’an and Science, where I discuss passages which enable us to locate Moses in time.
The main causes which brought about such differences as arise from the comparison between the Holy Scriptures and modern knowledge is known to modern scholars. The Old Testament constitutes a collection of literary works produced in the course of roughly nine centuries and which has undergone many alterations. The part played by men in the actual composition of the texts of the Bible is quite considerable.
The Qur’anic revelation, on the other hand, has a history which is radically different. As we have already seen, from the moment it was first commto humans, it was learnt by heart and written down during Muhammad’s own lifetime. It is thanks to this fact that the Qur’an does not pose any problem of authenticity.
A totally objective examination of the Qur’an, in the light of modern knowledge, leads us to recognize the agreement between the two, as has already been noted on repeated occasions throughout this presentation.
It makes us deem it quite unthinkable for a man of Muhammad’s time to have been the author of such statements, on account of the state of knowledge in his day. Such considerations are part of what gives the Qur’anic revelation its unique place among religious and non-religious texts, and forces the impartial scientist to admit his inability to provide an explanation based solely upon materialistic reasoning.
Such facts as I have had the pleasure of exposing to you here, appear to represent a genuine challenge to human explanation leaving only one alternative: the Qur’an is undoubtedly a revelation from God.
WhyIslam
http://www.whyislam.org/submission/the-holy-quran/the-quran-and-modern-science-3/
http://www.tubeislam.com/video/12890/
The Qur’an and Modern Science: Embryology
Dr. Maurice Bucaille (Edited by Dr. A. A. Bilal Philips)
EMBRYOLOGY
THERE are a multitude of statements in the Qur’an on the subject of human reproduction which constitute a challenge to the embryologist seeking a human explanation for them. It was only after the birth of the basic sciences which contributed to our knowledge of biology and the invention of the microscope, that humans were able to understand the depth of those Qur’anic statements. It was impossible for a human being living in the early seventh century to have accurately expressed such ideas. There is nothing to indicate that people in the Middle-East and Arabia knew anything more about this subject than people living in Europe or anywhere else. Today, there are many Muslims, possessing a thorough knowledge of the Qur’an and natural sciences, who have recognized the amazing similarity between the verses of the Qur’an dealing with reproduction and modern scientific knowledge.
I shall always remember the comment of an eighteen-year-old Muslim, brought up in Saudi Arabia, commenting on a reference to human reproduction as described in the Qur’an. He pointed to the Qur’an and said, “This book provides us with all the essential information on the subject. When I was at school, my teachers used the Qur’an to explain how children were born. Your books on sex-education are a bit late on the scene!”
If I were to spend as long on all the details of reproduction contained in the Qur’an, as the subject merits, this pamphlet would become a book. The detailed linguistic and scientific explanations I have given in The Bible, The Qur’an and Science are sufficient for the person who does not speak Arabic nor know much about embryology to be able to understand the meaning of such verses in the light of modern science in more depth.
It is especially in the field of embryology that a comparison between the beliefs present at the time of the Qur’an’s revelation and modern scientific data, leaves us amazed at the degree of agreement between the Qur’an’s statements and modern scientific knowledge. Not to mention the total absence of any reference in the Qur’an to the mistaken ideas that were prevalent around the world at the time.
Fertilization
Let us now isolate, from all these verses, precise ideas concerning the complexity of the semen and the fact that an infinitely small quantity is required to ensure fertilization. In chapter al-Insaan the Qur’an states:
“Verily, I created humankind from a small quantity of mingled fluids.” Qur’an, 76:2
The Arabic word nutfah has been translated as “small quantity”. It comes from the verb meaning ‘to dribble, to trickle’ and is used to describe what remains in the bottom of a bucket which has been emptied. The verse correctly implies that fertilization is performed by only a very small volume of liquid.
On the other hand, mingled fluids ( amshaaj ) has been understood by early commentators to refer to the mixture of male and female discharges. Modern authors have corrected this view and note that the sperm is made up of various components.
When the Qur’an talks of a fertilizing fluid composed of different components, it also informs us that human progeny will be formed from something extracted from this liquid. This is the meaning of the following verse in chapter as-Sajdah:
“Then He made [ man’s ] offspring from the essence of a despised fluid.”
Qur’an, 32:8
The Arabic word translated by the term ‘essence’ is sulaalah which means ‘something extracted, the best part of a thing’. In whatever way it is translated, it refers to part of a whole. Under normal conditions, only one single cell, spermatozoon, out of over 50 million ejaculated by a man during sexual intercourse will actually penetrate the ovule.
Implantation
Once the egg has been fertilized in the fallopian tube, it descends to lodge itself inside the uterus. This process is called the ‘implantation of the egg’. Implantation is a result of the development of villosities, which, like roots in the soil, draw nourishment from the wall of the uterus and make the egg literally cling to the womb. The process of implantation is appropriately described in several verses by the word ‘alaq, which is also the title of the chapter in which one of the verses appears:
“God fashioned humans from a clinging entity.” Qur’an, 96:2
I do not think there is any reasonable translation of the word ‘alaq other than to use it in its original sense. It is a mistake to speak of a ‘blood clot’ here, which is the term Professor Hamidullah uses in his translation. It is a derivative meaning which is not as appropriate in this context.
Embryo
The evolution of the embryo inside the maternal uterus is only briefly described, but the description is accurate, because the simple words referring to it correspond exactly to fundamental stages in its growth. This is what we read in a verse from the chapter al-Mu’minoon:
“I fashioned the clinging entity into a chewed lump of flesh and I fashioned the chewed flesh into bones and I clothed the bones with intact flesh.” Qur’an, 23:14
The term ‘chewed flesh’ (mudghah) corresponds exactly to the appearance of the embryo at a certain stage in its development.
It is known that the bones develop inside this mass and that they are then covered with muscle. This is the meaning of the term ‘intact flesh’ (lahm).
The embryo passes through a stage where some parts are in proportion and others out of proportion with what is later to become the individual. This is the obvious meaning of a verse in the chapter al-Hajj, which reads as follows:
“I fashioned (humans) a clinging entity, then into a lump of flesh in proportion and out of proportion.” Qur’an, 22:5.
Next, we have a reference to the appearance of the senses and internal organs in the chapter as-Sajdah:
“… and (God) gave you ears, eyes and hearts.” Qur’an, 32:9
Nothing here contradicts today’s data and, furthermore, none of the mistaken ideas of the time have crept into the Qur’an. Throughout the Middle Ages there were a variety of beliefs about human development based on myths and speculations which continued for several centuries after the period. The most fundamental stage in the history of embryology came in 1651 with Harvey’s statement that “all life initially comes from an egg”. At that time, when science had benefited greatly from the invention of the microscope, people were still arguing about the respective roles of the egg and spermatozoon. Buffon, the great naturalist, was one of those in favor of the egg theory.Bonnet, on the other hand, supported the theory of ‘the ovaries of Eve’, which stated that Eve, the mother of the human race, was-supposed to have had inside her the seeds of all human beings packed together one inside the other.
WhyIslam
http://www.whyislam.org/submission/the-holy-quran/the-quran-and-modern-science-3/
The Qur’an and Modern Science: Biology
By Dr. Maurice Bucaille (Edited by Dr. A. A. Bilal Philips)
BIOLOGY
More than anything else, I was struck by statements in the Qur’an dealing with living things, both in the animal and vegetable kingdoms, especially with regard to reproduction. We should really devote much more time to this subject, but, due to the limited scope of this presentation, I can only give a few examples.
I must once again stress the fact that it is only in modern times that scientific progress has made the hidden meaning of some Qur’anic verses comprehensible to us. Numerous translations and commentaries on the Qur’an have been made by learned men who had no access to modern scientific knowledge. It is for this reason that scientists find some of their interpretations unacceptable.
There are also other verses whose obvious meanings are easily understood, but which conceal
scientific meanings which are startling, to say the least. This is the case of a verse in chapter al-Ambiyaa, a part of which has already been quoted:
“Do the unbelievers not realize that the heavens and the earth were joined together, then I clove them asunder and I made every living thing out of water. Will they still not believe?” Qur’an, 21:30
This is a dramatic affirmation of the modern idea that the origin of life is aquatic.
Botany
Progress in botany at the time of Muhammad (S) was not advanced enough in any country for scientists to know that plants have both male and female parts. Nevertheless, we may read the following in the chapter Taa Haa:
“(God is the One who) sent down rain from the sky and with it brought forth a variety of plants in pairs.” Qur’an, 20:53
Today we know that fruit comes from plants that have sexual characteristics even when they come from unfertilized flowers, like bananas. In the chapter ar-Ra‘d we read the following:
“… and of all fruits (God) placed (on the earth) two pairs.” Qur’an, 13:3
Physiology
In the field of physiology, there is one verse which appears extremely significant to me. One thousand years before the discovery of the blood circulatory system, and roughly thirteen centuries before it was determined that the internal organs were nourished by the process of digestive , a verse in the Qur’an described the source of the constituents of milk, in conformity with scientific facts.
To understand this verse, it must first be known that chemical reactions occur between food and enzymes in the mouth, the stomach and the intestines releasing nutrients in molecular form which are then absorbed into the circulatory system through countless microscopic projections of the intestinal wall called villi. Blood in the circulatory system then transports the nutrients to all the organs of the body, among which are the milk-producing mammary glands.
This biological process must be basically understood, if we are to understand a verse in the Qur’an which has for many centuries given rise to commentaries that were totally incomprehensible.
Today it is not difficult to see why! This verse is taken from the chapter an-Nahl:
“Verily, in cattle there is a lesson for yon. I give you drink from their insides, coming from a conjunction between the digested contents ( of the intestines ) and the blood, milk pure and pleasant for those who drink it.” Qur’an, 16:66
The constituents of milk are secreted by the mammary glands which are nourished by the product of food digestion brought to them by the bloodstream. The initial event which sets the whole process in motion is the conjunction of the contents of the intestine and blood at the level of the intestinal wall itself.
This very precise concept is the result of the discoveries made in the chemistry and physiology of the digestive system over one thousand years after the time of Prophet Muhammad (S).
WhyIslam
http://www.whyislam.org/submission/the-holy-quran/the-quran-and-modern-science-3/
The Quran and Modern Science: Geology
By Dr. Maurice Bucaille (Edited by Dr. A. A. Bilal Philips)
GEOLOGY
LET us now return to earth to discover some of the many amazing statements contained in Qur’anic reflections about our own planet. They deal, not only with the physical phenomena observed here on earth, but also with details concerning the living organisms that inhabit it.
As in the case of everything we have discussed so far, we shall see that the Qur’an also expresses concepts in the field of geology that were way ahead of those current at the time of its revelation.
At this point, we must ask ourselves the following question: How could an uneducated man in the middle of the desert accurately tackle so many and such varied subjects at a time when mythology and superstition reigned supreme? How could he so skillfully avoid every belief that was proven to be totally inaccurate many centuries later?
Water Cycle
The verses dealing with the earthly systems are a case in point. I have quoted a large number of them in my book, The Bible, The Qur’an and Science, and have paid special attention to those that deal with the water cycle in nature. This is a topic which is well known today. Consequently, the verses in the Qur’an that refer to the water cycle seem to express ideas that are now totally self-evident. But if we consider the ideas prevalent at that time, they appear to be based more on myth and philosophical speculation than on observed fact, even though useful practical knowledge on soil irrigation was current at that period.
Let us examine, for example, the following verse in chapter az-Zumar:
“Have you not seen that Allah sent rain down from the sky and caused it to penetrate the ground and come forth as springs, then He caused crops of different colors to grow…” Qur’an,39:21
Such notions seem quite natural to us today, but we should not forget that, not so long ago, they were not prevalent. It was not until the sixteenth century, with
Bernard Palissy
Mountains
In geology, modern science has recently discovered the phenomenon of folding which formed the mountain ranges. The earth’s crust is like a solid shell, while the deeper layers are hot and fluid, and thus inhospitable to any form of life. It has also been discovered that the stability of mountains is linked to the phenomenon of folding. The process of mountain formation by folding drove the earth’s crust down into the lower layers and provided foundations for the mountains.
Let us now compare modern ideas with one verse among many in the Qur’an that deals with this subject. It is taken from chapter an-Naba’:
“Have We not made the earth an expanse and the mountains stakes?”
Qur’an, 78:6-7
Stakes ( awtaad ), which are driven into the ground like those used to anchor a tent, are the deep foundations of geological folds.
Here, as in the case of all the other topics presented, the objective observer cannot fail to notice the absence of any contradiction to modern knowledge.
WhyIslam
http://www.whyislam.org/submission/the-holy-quran/the-quran-and-modern-science-3/
The Qur’an and Modern Science: Authencity of Qur’an
By Dr. Maurice Bucaille (Edited by Dr. A. A. Bilal Philips)
AUTHENTICITY OF QUR’AN
Dr Maurice Bucaille
It is known that the text of the Qur’an was both recited from memory, during the time it was revealed, by the Prophet and the believers who surrounded him, and written down by designated scribes among his followers. This process lasted for roughly twenty-three years during which many unofficial copies were made. An official copy was made within one year after the Prophet’s death at the instruction of Caliph Abu Bakr.
Here we must note a highly important point. The present text of the Qur’an benefited in its original preparation from the advantage of having its authenticity cross-checked by the text recited from memory as well as the unofficial written texts. The memorized text was of paramount importance at a time when not everyone could read and write, but everybody could memorize. Moreover, the need for a written record was included in the text of the Qur’an itself. The first five verses of chapter al-‘Alaq, which happen to constitute the first revelation made to the Prophet (S), express this quite clearly:
“Read: In the name of your Lord who created. Who created man from a clinging entity. Read! Your Lord is the most Noble, Who taught by the pen. Who taught man what he did not know.” Qur’an, 96:1-5
These are surely words in “praise of the pen as a means of human knowledge”, to use Professor Hamidullah’s expression.
Then came the Caliphate of ‘Uthman (which lasted from the twelfth to the twenty-fourth year following Muhammad’s death). Within the first two years of Caliph ‘Uthman’s rule, seven official copies were reproduced from the official text and distributed throughout a large area of the world which had already come under Islamic rule. All unofficial copies existing at that time were destroyed and all future copies were made from the official seven copies.
In my book, The Bible, the Qur’an and Science, I have quoted passages from the Qur’an which came from the period prior to the Hijrah (the Prophet’s emigration from Makkah to Madeenah in the year 622) and which allude to the writing of the Qur’an before the Prophet’s departure from Makkah.
There were, moreover, many witnesses to the immediate transcription of the Qur’anic revelation.
Prof Jacques Berque
I shall also mention another fact of great importance. We shall examine statements in the Qur’an which today appear to merely record scientific truth, but of which men in former times were only able to grasp the apparent meaning. In some cases, these statements were totally incomprehensible. It is impossible to imagine that, if there were any alterations to the texts, these obscure passages scattered throughout the text of the Qur’an, were all able to escape human manipulation. The slightest alteration to the text would have automatically destroyed the remarkable coherence which is characteristic to them. Change in any text would have prevented us from establishing their total conformity with modern knowledge. The presence of these statements spread throughout the Qur’an looks (to the impartial observer ) like an obvious hallmark of its authenticity.
The Qur’an is a revelation made known to humans in the course of twenty-three years. It spanned two periods of almost equal length on either side of the Hijrah. In view of this, it was natural for reflections having a scientific aspect to be scattered throughout the Book. In a study, such as the one we have made, we had to regroup the verses according to subject matter, collecting them chapter by chapter.
How should they be classified? I could not find any indications in the Qur’an suggesting any particular classification, so I decided present them according to my own personal one.
It would seem to me, that the first subject to deal with is Creation. Here it is possible to compare the verses referring to this topic with the general ideas prevalent today on the formation of the Universe. Next, I divided up verses under the following general headings: Astronomy, the Earth, the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms, Humans, and Human Reproduction in particular. Furthermore, I thought it useful to make a comparison between Qur’anic and Biblical narrations on the same topics from the point of view of modern knowledge. This has been done in the cases of Creation, the Flood and the Exodus. The reason that these topics were chosen is that knowledge acquired today can be used in the interpretation of the texts.
A copy of Uthman’s mushaf kept in Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey.
http://www.whyislam.org/submission/the-holy-quran/the-quran-and-modern-science-3/
The Quran and Modern Science: Religion and Science & Al-Quran and Science
By Dr. Maurice Bucaille (Edited by Dr. A. A. Bilal Philips)
RELIGION AND SCIENCE
There is, perhaps, no better illustration of the close links between Islam and science than the Prophet Muhammad’s often-quoted statements:
“Seeking knowledge is compulsory on every Muslim.”
“wisdom is the lost property of the believer.”
“whoever follows a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make his path to paradise easy.”
These statements and many others are veritable invitations to humanity to enrich their knowledge from all sources. It comes as no surprise, therefore, to learn that in Islam religion and science have always been considered as twin sisters and that today, at a time when science has taken such great strides, they still continue to be associated. Nor is it a surprise to learn that certain scientific data are used for the better understanding of the Qur’anic text. What is more, in a century where, for many people, scientific truth has dealt a deathblow to religious belief, it is precisely the discoveries of science that, in an objective examination of the Islamic scripture, have highlighted the supernatural nature of revelation and the authenticity of the religion which it taught.
When all is said and done, scientific knowledge seems, in spite of what many people may say or think, to be highly conducive to reflection on the existence of God. Once we begin to ask ourselves, in an unbiased or unprejudiced way, about the metaphysical lessons to be derived from some of today’s knowledge, (for example our evolving knowledge of the smallest components of matter or the questions surrounding the origin of life within inanimate matter), we indeed discover many reasons for thinking about God. When we think about the remarkable organization presiding over the birth and maintenance of life, it becomes clear that the likelihood of it being the result of chance lessens quite considerably.
As our knowledge of science in the various fields expands, certain concepts must seem increasingly unacceptable. For example, the idea enthusiastically expressed by the recent French winner of the Nobel prize for medicine, that living matter was self-created from simple chemical elements due to chance circumstances. Then from this point it is claimed that living organisms evolved, leading to the remarkably complex being called man. To me, it would seem that the scientific advancements made in understanding the fantastic complexity of higher beings provides stronger arguments in favor of the opposite theory: that the existence of an extraordinarily methodical organization presiding over the remarkable arrangement of the phenomena of life necessitates the existence of a Creator.
In many parts of the Book, the Qur’an, encourages this kind of general reflection but also contains infinitely more precise data which are directly related to facts discovered by modern science. It is precisely this data which exercise a magnetic attraction for today’s scientists.
The Qur’an And Science
For many centuries, humankind was unable to study certain data contained in the verses of the Qur’an because they did not possess sufficient scientific means. It is only today that numerous verses of the Qur’an dealing with natural phenomena have become comprehensible. A reading of old commentaries on the Qur’an, however knowledgeable their authors may have been in their day, bears solemn witness to a total inability to grasp the depth of meaning in such verses. I could even go so far as to say that, in the 20th century, with its compartmentalization of ever-increasing knowledge, it is still not easy for the average scientist to understand everything he reads in the Qur’an on such subjects, without having recourse to specialized research. This means that to understand all such verses of the Qur’an, one is nowadays required to have an absolutely encyclopedic knowledge embracing many scientific disciplines.
I should like to stress, that I use the word science to mean knowledge which has been soundly established. It does not include the theories which, for a time, help to explain a phenomenon or a series of phenomena, only to be abandoned later on in favor of other explanations. These newer explanations have become more plausible thanks to scientific progress. I only intend to deal with comparisons between statements in the Qur’an and scientific knowledge which are not likely to be subject to further discussion. Wherever I introduce scientific facts which are not yet 100% established, I will make it quite clear.
There are also some very rare examples of statements in the Qur’an which have not, as yet, been confirmed by modern science. I shall refer to these by pointing out that all the evidence available today leads scientists to regard them as being highly probable. An example of this is the statement in the Qur’an that life has an aquatic origin ( “And I created every living thing out of water” Qur’an, 21:30 ).
These scientific considerations should not, however, make us forget that the Qur’an remains a religious book par excellence and that it cannot be expected to have a scientific purpose per se. In the Qur’an, whenever humans are invited to reflect upon the wonders of creation and the numerous natural phenomena, they can easily see that the obvious intention is to stress Divine Omnipotence. The fact that, in these reflections, we can find allusions to data connected with scientific knowledge is surely another of God’s gifts whose value must shine out in an age where scientifically based atheism seeks to gain control of society at the expense of the belief in God. But the Qur’an does not need unusual characteristics like this to make its supernatural nature felt. Scientific statements such as these are only one specific aspect of the Islamic revelation which the Bible does not share.
Throughout my research I have constantly tried to remain totally objective. I believe I have succeeded in approaching the study of the Qur’an with the same objectivity that a doctor has when opening a file on a patient. In other words, only by carefully analyzing all the symptoms can one arrive at an accurate diagnosis. I must admit that it was certainly not faith in Islam that first guided my steps, but simply a desire to search for the truth. This is how I see it today. It was mainly the facts which, by the time I had finished my study, led me to see the Qur’an as the divinely-revealed text it really is.
http://www.whyislam.org/submission/the-holy-quran/the-quran-and-modern-science-3/
The Quran and Modern Science: Foreword & Introduction
By Dr. Maurice Bucaille (Edited by Dr. A. A. Bilal Philips)
EDITOR’S FOREWORD
Dr AA Bilal Philips
In this reprint, I decided to improve its presentation by simplifying the language and editing the text from an oral format to a pamphlet format. There were also passing references made by the author to material in his book, The Bible, the Qur’an and Science, which needed explanation. I took the liberty of including explanatory portions from his book where more detail was necessary. A few footnotes were also added for clarity and a hadeeth which the author mentioned was replaced due to its inauthenticity. There were also some corrections made to the historical material on the compilation of the Qur’an.
It is my hope that these slight improvements will make this excellent work even more effective in presenting the final revelation of God to mankind.
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Director/Islamic Information Center Dubai
U.A.E.
May, 1995
INTRODUCTION
On the 9th of November, 1976, an unusual lecture was given at the French Academy of Medicine. Its title was “Physiological and Embryological data in the Qur’an”. I presented the study based on the existence of certain statements concerning physiology and reproduction in the Qur’an. My reason for presenting this lecture was because it is impossible to explain how a text produced in the seventh century could have contained ideas that have only been discovered in modern times.
Dr Maurice Bucaille
There is no human work in existence that contains statements as far beyond the level of knowledge of its time as the Qur’an. Scientific opinions comparable to those in the Qur’an are the result of modern knowledge. In the commentaries to translations of the Qur’an that have appeared in European languages, I have only been able to find scattered and vague references to them. Nor do commentators writing in Arabic provide a complete study of the aspects of the Qur’an that deal with scientific matters. This is why the idea of a comprehensive study of the problem appealed to me.
In addition to this, a comparative study of similar data contained in the Bible (Old Testament and Gospels) seemed desirable. Thus, a research project was developed from the comparison of certain passages in the Holy Scriptures of each monotheistic religion with modern scientific knowledge. The project resulted in the publication of a book entitled, The Bible, the Qur’an and Science. The first French edition appeared in May 1976. English and Arabic editions have since been published.
http://www.whyislam.org/submission/the-holy-quran/the-quran-and-modern-science-3/
Muslim women urged to revive role in science, tech
Sally Piri
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
A VISITING professor from England yesterday underscored the need to understand the original role and position of women in early Muslim civilisation as they had made great contributions in building the society, including in science, medicine and management.
According to Emeritus Professor Salim Al-Hassani at the University of Manchester, the women in early Muslim civilisation were better off and had more dynamic roles in the religion and in building of the society.
“So, for women (today) to pursue science, it is naturally in the tradition because it was done before. For women to become doctors, nurses, astronomers, mathematicians, they did it before. It is all done before,” said Professor Salim, who is also president of the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation in the United Kingdom.
During his lecture at Dewan Jubilee of Universiti Sultan Shariff Ali (UNISSA), Professor Salim talked about the involvement and role of Muslim women in the development and progress of science and technology, during which he gave examples of prominent women in Muslim heritage who played major roles in the field of science and medicine such as Zubayda bin Abu Ja’far al-mansur.
Emeritus Professor Salim, University of Manchester President of Foundation for Science and Technology and Civilisation (UK), delivering his lecture. Photo: BT/Ridhwan Kamarulzaman
He said that young people should be inspired by scientists from the western world but also need to recognise great Muslim scientists as well as Chinese and Indian scientists. This will create respect and harmony between nations and cultures.
“This will inspire young people to seek for science, technology, and discovery then become curious about the universe and they become useful to the society,” he added.
The talk titled “Involvement of Muslim Women in Science” was organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
Present as the guest of honour was Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Datin Paduka Hjh Adina Othman.
On the sidelines of the event, Datin Paduka Hjh Adina said women in Brunei are treated equally as they have been participating in various fields including in science and technology.
She called on the women and youth in Brunei to learn as much as they can, be inspired and make use of all the facilities provided.
“It is up to us to grab those opportunities, advance ourselves and study hard, and contribute to the nation.”
The Brunei Times
Friday, November 7, 2014
http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2014/11/07/muslim-women-urged-revive-role-science-tech
Muslims encouraged to ‘be open to the world’
Dr Tariq Ramadan, professor of contemporary Islamic studies at the University of Oxford. Photo: BT/Quratul-Ain Bandial
Quratul-Ain Bandial
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
THERE is a need to revive intellectual discourse in Islam, said a renowned Muslim academic, adding that Muslims should be critical in order to gain a better understanding of their faith.
Dr Tariq Ramadan, professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University, said religious scholars should not isolate themselves to criticism and new ideas.
“For many of the ulama it’s about the rules, it’s not about the environment, critical thinking or the movement,” he said during a public lecture on contemporary Islam at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) yesterday.
“It’s about protecting ideas… We should not protect ourselves from the changing world; we should change the world for the better.”
The Swiss academic is on his fourth visit to Brunei as a visiting scholar at UBD’s Sultan Omar `Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS).
Responding to a question from an audience member, Ramadan said while there were immutable laws in Islam, our understanding of religious texts should evolve through intellectual discourse.
“Seeking knowledge as a Muslim is not only to come to the Islamic references – this is a problem.
“You cannot change the world if you remain isolated … Seek knowledge by reading other books, reading people who are not Muslims, be open to the world.”
The professor also stressed the importance of interfaith dialogue in contributing to the understanding of Islam.
“(During theological conferences) many people leave after the Muslims have spoken… You are not disrespecting the man who is speaking but you are disrespecting yourself, your mind, because you are not listening to people who have something to say,” he said.
“Everyone can teach us something and this is intellectual humility.”
He told university students to be committed to intellectual engagement and to have the courage to be critical.
“We have to be committed to reviving this spirit… As a student, the first thing is to seek knowledge. Seeking a degree – that’s not knowledge… It can go together but sometimes it doesn’t.”
Ramadan is scheduled to speak at the Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies International Conference (SICON) next week.
He is the author of several books contributing to the debate on issues faced by Muslims in the West and Islamic revival in the Muslim world.
The Brunei Times
Sunday, November 2, 2014
http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2014/11/02/muslims-encouraged-%E2%80%98be-open-world%E2%80%99
Scientific explanation for the event of Mi’raj – Ascension of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to the Heaven
Owais-ur-Rehman Khan
Foreword:
To write scientific explanation on the Event of Miraj is a difficult and a complicated task due to its miraculous aspect. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is our beloved Holy Prophet and a beloved of Allah. Therefore, before writing anything about the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we must keep in mind the high rank dignity and glory of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). We must consider the highly praising about his (peace be upon him) sacred personality as described in the Holy Qur’an and Islamic books. If I make any mistake, fluctuate or If I fail to describe the Event of Miraj in best possible required manner then may Allah forgive me, and give me the true and right knowledge, by which I can write the entire contents of the Event of Miraj in the most suitable and respectful words.
Introduction:
The Event of Miraj (ascension of the Holy Prophet to the heaven) is a miracle of the beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). During the journey of Miraj, he (peace be upon him) travelled the entire universe, he (peace be upon him) met to the glorious Allah, and he (peace be upon him) also observed to the heaven and the hell, he (peace be upon him) also met to all the Holy Prophets and all the Holy Messengers. Non-Muslims disbelieved and disagreed on the fact of Event of Miraj. Many times non-Muslims raised a question that how could it was possible for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to travel entire universe in a very short duration of time? In that era when this event occurred, it was very difficult to understand it, or to convince non-Muslims. Now today it is possible to prove the fact of the Event of Miraj in the light of Modern Physics and universally accepted
Special Theory of Relativity.
The Special Theory of Relativity is one of the greatest theories proposed by Albert Einstein in 1905. This theory has a variety of surprising consequences that are unacceptable by human intellect and seem to violate common sense. The details about this theory are written below. In the early period of this theory it was so difficult for a common person to understand it because there was no observatory evidence or proof. Event of Miraj is also an observatory proof for the Special Theory of Relativity. The interesting point is that Event of Miraj occurred in 622 A.D. while Albert Einstein proposed his theory in 1905. I think it might be possible that Albert Einstein developed his idea about Special Theory of Relativity by the reference of the Event of Miraj. Furthermore, Albert Einstein proposed his General Theory of Relativity in 1917. The scientists consider that the “General Theory of Relativity” is the best theory of all times and that is the reason due to which scientists consider Albert Einstein “The Genius”. Here, I have a question in my mind that why did Albert Einstein propose the Special Theory of Relativity before the General Theory of Relativity? Alternatively, why did Albert Einstein take 12 years to propose General Theory of Relativity? I think may be Albert Einstein knew about the Event of Miraj, and Albert Einstein developed the basic idea of Special Theory of Relativity from the Event of Miraj. After the Special Theory of Relativity, Albert Einstein deeply researched 12 years and finally Albert Einstein proposed the General Theory of Relativity, which is the greatest theory of all times yet.
History, Description and Details:
History, Description and Details of both “Event of Miraj” and “Special Theory of Relativity is discussed one by one below, and in the last of this article, I have written the Scientific Explanation of the Event of Miraj by the comparison of Special Theory of Relativity and the Event of Miraj.
1. History and Short Description of the Event of Miraj.
2. History and Short Details of the Special Theory of Relativity.
1. History and Short Description of the Event of Miraj
History:
In 622 A.D. on the midnight of Monday, 27th Rajab (Rajab is the 7th month in Islamic Calendar); the beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) travelled the entire Universe and met to the glorious Allah, this event is called the Event of Miraj.
Short Description:
Note: What Happened in the event of Miraj? The short description is written below as it is described in the famous books of Hadiths “sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)” namely “Sahih Bukhari”, “Sahih Muslim” and other Islamic books.
On the midnight of Monday 27th Rajab, the beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was resting. The famous angel Gabriel (a.s) came to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and brought Buraq (the horse-like animal). Buraq means electric and its travelling speed is equal or more than the speed of light. Angel Gabriel (a.s) awoke the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and told him (peace be upon him) the message of Allah. Angel Gabriel (a.s) split (tore) the blessed chest (sacred chest) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Angel Gabriel (a.s) washed the blessed heart of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by Aab-e-Zamzam (sanctified water that is in the “Mecca” a city in Saudi Arabia) and angel Gabriel (a.s) also filled the blessed body of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with wisdom (mystery) and splendour (special light “Noor”). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) bathed with Hozz-e-Kosar (a holy water which is in the heaven). Buraq can travel a very huge distance within an instant. Angel Gabriel (a.s) handled the bridle of Buraq. Angel Isra’feel (a.s) and other angels followed them. In the galaxy of angels the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) started the journey with the highly dignity (glory). Riding (Buraq) reached to the Bait-ul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem the holy place in Palestine) in a very short time.
In the Bait-ul-Muqaddas, all the Holy Prophets and angels prayed “Namaaz” within the leadership of the beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
After the prayer the Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) started the journey towards the sky, by the same riding (Buraq) and the same speed. Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reached to the first sky where father of all humans Hazrat Adam (a.s) welcomed him (peace be upon him). On the second sky Hazrat Yahya (a.s) “John (peace be upon him)” and Hazrat Eessa (a.s) “Jesus Christ (peace be upon him)” welcomed Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). On the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh sky, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) met to all the Holy Prophets namely Hazrat Yousuf (a.s) “Joseph (peace be upon him)”, Hazrat Idris (a.s) “Enoch (peace be upon him)”, Hazrat Haroon (a.s) “Aaron (peace be upon him)”, Hazrat Moosa (a.s) “Moses (peace be upon him)”, and Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s) “Abraham (peace be upon him)” respectively. After the seventh sky, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and angel Gabriel (a.s) reached to the place called Sidrat-ul-Muntaha, where angel Gabriel (a.s) had no permission to move further. After that place the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) kept continue the journey without Buraq and angel Gabriel (a.s). What happened next to that place no body knows, even the Holy Qur’an did not disclose that secret. Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was honoured to meet with Allah. Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did conversation with Allah. The beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also visited the gardens and other places of heaven and hell. After that journey when the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came back to the room, the blessed bed was still warm and the chain of the door was still oscillating as he (peace be upon him) left the room before going to journey.
Full details about the event of Miraj can be studied from the other books Hadith and Islamic books.
2. History and Short Details of the Special Theory of Relativity
History:
Albert Einstein proposed the Special Theory of Relativity in 1905 in his article “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies”.
Short Details of the Special Theory of Relativity:
a). Postulates:
3. First postulate – Special Principle of Relativity-The laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference. In other words, there are no privileged inertial frames of reference.
4. Second postulate – Invariance of c – The speed of light in a vacuum is a universal constant, c, which is independent of the motion of the light source.
b). Consequences:
Time dilation – the time lapse between two events is not invariant from one observer to another, but is dependent on the relative speeds of the observers’ reference frames.
Relativity of simultaneity – two events happening in two different locations that occur simultaneously to one observer, may occur at different times to another observer.
Lorentz contraction – the dimensions (e.g., length) of an object as measured by one observer may be smaller than the results of measurements of the same object made by another observer.
Composition of velocities – velocities (and speeds) do not simply ‘add’, for example if a rocket is moving at ⅔ the speed of light relative to an observer, and the rocket fires a missile at ⅔ of the speed of light relative to the rocket, the missile does not exceed the speed of light relative to the observer. (In this example, the observer would see the missile travel with a speed of 12/13 the speed of light.)
Inertia and momentum – as an object’s velocity approaches the speed of light from an observer’s point of view, its mass appears to increase thereby making it more and more difficult to accelerate it from within the observer’s frame of reference.
Equivalence of mass and energy, E = mc² – the total energy content of an object with mass m equals mc2 in its rest frame. Conservation of energy implies that in any reaction a decrease of the sum of the masses of particles must be accompanied by an increase in kinetic and potential energies of the particles after the reaction. Similarly, the mass of an object can be increased by taking in kinetic and potential energies.
Scientific Explanation for the Event of Mi’raj
The question (doubt) that was raised in the early era regarding the Event of Miraj is written below.
How could it was possible for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to travel the entire universe in a very short duration of time?
Since the Special Theory of Relativity has a variety of surprising consequences that seems to violate common sense. A very common question regarding the Special Theory of Relativity that appears in the mind of students is written below.
How we will verify the consequences of Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity, if no body can travels with the speed of light?
The most important question regarding the Event of Miraj, which was under debate is that Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) travelled the entire universe and when he (peace be upon him) returned back to the room from where he (peace be upon him) started the journey of Miraj, the chain of the door was still at the same position where it was oscillating previously. It was impossible to understand that he (peace be upon him) travelled the entire universe but on the earth very short duration of time passed or time stopped.
According to Special Theory of Relativity if a body travels with the velocity of light then Time Dilation and Relativity of Simultaneity occurs. Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was riding on the Buraq, and the speed (velocity) of the Buraq was similar or more than the speed (velocity) of light. Therefore, now we can easily understand that Time Dilation and Relativity of Simultaneity occurred during the Event of Miraj. Therefore, time seemed to be stop or a very short duration of time passed. (Allah knows the best)
The comoving distance from the earth to the edge of the visible universe is about 46.5 billion light-years in any direction, which is called visible universe. It is sometimes quoted as a diameter of 92.94 billion light-years. Light travels 9.46 trillion kilometres in a year. It means that if light travel continuously then it will reach to the edge of visible universe in 46.5 billon years and the exact universe is far bigger than visible universe about which scientists are yet unaware.
Furthermore, velocity of light is 3 x 108 m/s. It is yet the fastest possible velocity of anything.
Now the second question is that to travel such a huge distance billions years are required so, how did the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) travelled such a huge distance in a very short duration of time?
The simplest answer of above question is that Allah is omnipotent, Allah potent over everything. However, the answer of above question can also be understood. Another consequence of Special Theory of Relativity is Lorentz Contraction according to which length seems to be contracted (shorter) for an observer (person) moving with velocity of light. Therefore, it is possible that he (peace be upon him) felt a very short distance while in fact it was a very huge distance. (Allah knows the best)
The final consequence of Special Theory of Relativity is equivalence of mass and energy, E=mc2 according to which if a body will travel with the speed (velocity) of light then its mass will be convert into energy. Moreover, when this energy will be reconvert into mass then due to mass defect some amount of mass will be disappear. Furthermore, mass of the body will not join as it was originally. It means that it may possible that hand will join to ear, ears will join to legs and legs will join to head. No part of the body will join to its original position.
According to E=mc2 there must be mass variation (mass defect), but in fact with the blessed body of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) nothing like above happened, no defect produced. Allah kept safe the blessed body of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from every possible defect. Why did no mass defect produce in the blessed body of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
I am unable to say an exact answer of above question in meanings of physics because we do not know the factors, states and conditions, which can fail, change, and violate the consequences of Special Theory of Relativity. It might be possible that E=mc2 violated during the Event of Miraj. Event of Miraj is not fiction story; it is a fact and a marvellous miracle. Therefore, we need to modify and upgrade the Special Theory of Relativity to understand and explore the phenomenon of the Event of Miraj.
I think the mystery due to which no mass defect produce in the blessed body of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is actually that before going to journey of Miraj, angel Gabriel (a.s) filled the blessed body of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with mystery, wisdom and a highly special type of light “Noor”. Blessed body of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was composed with “Noor”, it was not like ordinary mass due to which no mass defect occurred in his (peace be upon him) blessed body. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) safely returned back to the earth without any defect. (Allah knows the best)
Allah is the glorious and eminent is Allah’s glory. No one can see the splendour (display) of Allah. Many years ago before the Event of Miraj, Holy Prophet Musa (a.s) “Moses (peace be upon him)” wished to see Allah via his (peace be upon him) eyes. Allah showed an instantaneous glimpse but Prophet Moosa (a.s) “Moses (peace be upon him)” was not able to see Allah, the splendour (glimpse) was so much strong that the Koh-e-Toor (a mountain where Allah showed a glimpse) became Black (Dark), and this mountain is still on the earth for our observation. So, the question is that if no body has viewed yet a glimpse of Allah then how could it was possible for the beloved Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) to sought and meet with Allah?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was honoured in the journey of Miraj. Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) met to Allah and did conservation with Allah. Before depart to the journey of Miraj the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) bathed with Hozz-e-Kosar (a holy water in the heaven) and angel Gabriel (a.s) washed his (peace be upon him) blessed heart by Abb-e-Zamzam (a holy water in “Mecca” a city in Saudi Arabia). About the mystery of Hozz-e-Kosar I am unable to say anything, while about Abb-e-Zamzam I think, the reason behind it to washed his (peace be upon him) blessed heart with Abb-e-Zamzam, might be it provided strong force to the blessed heart of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to face and to see Allah. (Allah knows the best)
I think that Abb-e-Zamzam must have unique characteristics, it is good for heart, it may reduce heart attack chances or it can make heart stronger. We should research on Abb-e-Zamzam to verify above characteristics.
Message for The Readers:
I did not try to measure Event of Miraj in the scales of science; miracles are always beyond human intellect. Science has not yet progressed to the level by which we can understand or investigate miracles of Allah. No one can comment any thing else, about such a marvellous miracle, human knowledge and intellect is limited to describe miracles. Allah is the glorious and Allah knows the best. I simply try to convince non-Muslims according to my knowledge and intellect. The exact mystery and phenomenon behind the miracle of Miraj, only Allah knows the best. If anyone have objection on my above research article please point out it to me then I will modify it, if there is any mistake please draw my attention toward it so I will correct it. If you have any questions, doubts, suggestions, or if you want to comment on my above research article then please email me do not hesitate to ask me or to share your opinion with me.
Email: owaiskhan.islam@yahoo.com
Islam In Indonesia 