Islamic attitudes towards science

This is a sub-article to Islamic science and Qur'an and miracles.

The Qur'an is the holy book of Islam. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the literal word and the final revelation of God for the guidance of humankind. Science, on the other hand, is a changing body of knowledge acquired through natural methods.

Researchers have written about the relationship between the contents of the Qur'an and the findings of science. French physician Maurice Bucaille, in The Bible, the Qur'an and Science, claims that this relationship "turns out to be one of harmony and not of discord", to the surprise of most scientists "bound up in materialist theories", and notes that Islam often encouraged scientific acquisition of knowledge. Skeptics, such as historian and philosopher Richard Carrier, counter that certain scientific facts which are said to be detailed in the Qur'an were known in the Middle East centuries before it was written. Others, such as physicist Taner Edis, also counter that the Qur'an offers "vague descriptions of natural phenomena" which are shown to be in agreement with modern science by using "stretched or arbitrary" interpretations.

Islam encourages scientific thinking

Quran: Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand. [^{[Quran 3:190]}]

Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path). [^{[Quran 2:18]}]

Astronomy

Big Bang

Quran: "Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?" [^{[Quran 21:30]}]

According to the Big Bang theory, the universe emerged from an extremely dense and hot state (bottom). Since then, space itself has expanded with the passage of time, carrying the galaxies with it.

Science: Here Quran indicate towards the Big Bang theory. In physical cosmology, the Big Bang is the scientific theory of how the universe emerged from a tremendously dense and hot state about 13.7 billion years ago. The theory is based on the observations indicating the expansion of space. [ copied from Big Bang].

Creating of Galaxies

Quran: "Moreover He comprehended in His design the sky, and it had been (as) smoke" [^{[Quran 41:11]}]

NGC 4414, a typical spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, is about 56,000 light years in diameter and approximately 60 million light years distant.

Science: Scientists say that before the galaxies in the Universe were formed, celestial matter was initially in the form of huge gaseous matter or clouds.

Commentary by Dr. Maurice Bucaille

The Qur'an presents in two verses a brief synthesis of the phenomena that constituted the basic process of the formation of the Universe. (i.e. 21:30 and 41:11) The important things to remember at present are the following:

(a) The statement of the existence of a gaseous mass with fine particles, for this is how the word 'smoke'(dukan in Arabic) is to be interpreted. Smoke is generally made up of a gaseous substratum, plus, in more or less stable suspension, fine particles that may belong to solid and even liquid states of matter at high or low temperature; (b) The reference to a separation process (fatq) of an primary single mass whose elements were initially fused together (ratq). It must be noted that in Arabic 'fatq' is the action of breaking, diffusing, separating, and that 'ratq' is the action of fusing or binding together elements to make a homogenous whole.

This concept of the separation of a whole into several parts is noted in other passages of the Book with reference to multiple worlds. The first verse of the first sura in the Qur'an proclaims, after the opening invocation, the following: "In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful", "Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds." The terms 'worlds' reappears dozens of times in the Qur'an. The Heavens are referred to as multiple as well, not only on account of their plural form, but also because of their symbolic numerical quantity: 7.

Motion of Sun and Moon

Quran: "It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course." [^{[Quran 21:33]}]

File:SOHO solar flare sun large 20031026 0119 eit 304.png

"It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course." [^{[Quran 21:33]}].

Science: According to science, planets (including Earth) rotate around the sun in elliptical orbits. Furthermore, the Sun also orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy at a distance of about 25,000 to 28,000 light-years from the galactic center, completing one revolution in about 225–250 million years. Still, science currently does not support creationism.

Existing of life other then Earth

Quran: "See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another, And made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun as a (Glorious) Lamp?"[^{[Quran 71:15]}]-[^{[Quran 71:16]}]

Commentary by Dr. Maurice Bucaille The terms 'worlds' reappears dozens of times in the Qur'an. The Heavens are referred to as multiple as well, not only on account of their plural form, but also because of their symbolic numerical quantity: 7. This number is used 24 times throughout the Qur'an for various numerical quantities. It often carries the meaning of 'many' although we do not know exactly why this meaning of the figure was used. The Greeks and Romans also seem to have used the number 7 to mean an undefined idea of plurality. In the Qur'an, the number 7 refers to the Heavens themselves (samawat). It alone is understood to mean 'Heavens'. The 7 roads of the Heavens are mentioned once. The commentators on the Qur'an are in agreement on all these verses: the number 7 means no more than plurality. There are therefore many Heavens and Earths, and it comes as no small surprise to the reader of the Qur'an to find that earths such as our own may be found in the Universe, a fact that has not yet been verified by man in our time.

Concept of Space

Maurice Bucaille writes that: Another observation which may surprise the Twentieth century reader of the Qur'an is the fact that verses refer to three groups of things created, i.e.

1. Things in the Heavens
2. Things on the Earth
3. Things between the Heavens and the Earth

Here are several of these verses: "To Him belongs what is in the heavens and on earth, and all between them, and all beneath the soil." [^{[Quran 20:6]}]

"He Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between, in six days, and is firmly established on the Throne (of Authority): Allah Most Gracious: ask thou, then, about Him of any acquainted (with such things)." [^{[Quran 25:59]}]

"It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all between them, in six Days, and is firmly established on the Throne (of Authority): ye have none, besides Him, to protect or intercede (for you): will ye not then receive admonition?" [^{[Quran 32:4]}]

"We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us." [^{[Quran 50:38]}]

The reference in the Qur'an to "what is between the Heavens and the Earth" is again to be found in the following verses: [^{[Quran 21:16]}],[^{[Quran 44:7]}],[^{[Quran 44:38]}],[^{[Quran 78:37]}], [^{[Quran 15:85]}], [^{[Quran 46:3]}], and [^{[Quran 43:85]}]. Hence Quran give following concepts.

1. Existence of six periods for the Creation in general.
2. Interlocking of stages in the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth.
3. Creation of the Universe out of an initially unique mass forming a block that subsequently split up.
4. Plurality of the Heavens and of the Earths
5. Existence of an intermediary creation 'between the Heavens and the Earth'.

Moon light

Quran: "Blessed is He Who made the constellations in the heavens and made therein a lamp and a shining moon." [^{[Quran 25:61]}]

Explanation: The arbic word used for moon light is munir. That means borrowed ligth.[1]

Science: Science says that sun has its own light (called as lamp in above verse) and moon has borrowed light (from sun).

Shape of Earth

Oblate spheroid (shape of earth)

Quran: "And the earth, He expanded it after that" [^{[Quran 79:30]}]

"And the earth, moreover He has made egg shaped" 79:30 alternative meanings .[2][3]

Explanation: The Arabic word used for earth is "dahhaahaa" is derived from ``Dahhyah which means egg. However it also means "in an expand or spread". [4] [5]

Science: The Earth's shape is very close to an oblate spheroid, although the precise shape (the geoid) varies from this by up to 100 meters (330 ft). [ text copied from Earth]

Formation of day and night

Quran: "Do you not see that Allah makes the night to enter into the day, and He makes the day to enter into the night, and He has made the sun and the moon subservient (to you); each pursues its course till an appointed time; and that Allah is Aware of what you do?" [^{[Quran 31:29]}]

Water cycle

The movement of water around, over, and through the Earth is called the water cycle.

Quran: "Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail: He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight." [^{[Quran 24:43]}] Also there are many other Surah indicating towards water-cycle. For example. [^{[Quran 39:21]}], [^{[Quran 30:24]}], [^{[Quran 15:52]}], [^{[Quran 23:18]}], [^{[Quran 30:48]}], [^{[Quran 7:17]}], [^{[Quran 25:14]}], [^{[Quran 25:41]}].

Biology

The Alder is monoecious. Shown here: maturing male flower catkins on right, last year's female catkins on left

.. And Allah has created every animal from water... [^{[Quran 24:45]}

]

Sex of plants

Quran: "He Who has, made for you the earth like a carpet spread out; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky. With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others." [^{[Quran 20:53]}]

Science: Bisexual - Reproductive structure with both male and female equivalent parts (stamens and pistil in angiosperms; also called a perfect or complete flower); another term widely used is hermaphrodite. [copied from Plant sexuality]

Life with Water

Quran: "... and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?" [^{[Quran 21:30]}]

"And Allah has created every animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things." [^{[Quran 24:45]}]

Science: From a biological standpoint, water has many distinct properties that are critical for the proliferation of life that set it apart from other substances. It carries out this role by allowing organic compounds to react in ways that ultimately allows replication. All known forms of life depend on water. [ copied from Water_effect_on_life]

Embryology

Human birth

A sperm cell attempts to penetrate an ovum coat to fertilize

Quran: "Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight" [^{[Quran 76:2]}]

"Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood" [^{[Quran 96:2]}]

"Then He made his seed from a draught of despised fluid;" [^{[Quran 32:8]}]

Science: As indiciated above in [^{[Quran 76:2]}], we know from science that a single sperm is enough to concive birth of a child. [see Spermatozoon]

Embrology stages

"Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed;"

"Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!" [^{[Quran 23:13]}]- [^{[Quran 23:14]}]

Geology

Quran: Verily, verily they shall soon (come to) know! Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, And the mountains as pegs? [^{[Quran 78:5]}]-[^{[Quran 78:7]}]

.. He set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you;... [^{[Quran 31:10]}]

Medicine

Honey as medicine

Quran: (Chapter "The Bee") "There issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors wherein is healing for people." [^{[Quran 24:45]}]

Zoology

The Bee

Quran (chapter The Bee): Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. [^{[Quran 16:69]}]

Communication between Ants

Quran: And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts,- of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks. At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." [^{[Quran 27:17]}]-[^{[Quran 27:18]}]

Caryl Parker Haskins in "The Ant and Her World" writes:

"In fact ants are little chemical factories continuously producing an array of substance called pheromones, that serves the ant language. Through these pheromones the ants convey messages ranging from location of food to the presence of danger "