Quran and Science

Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth;-(Here) indeed are signs for a people that are wise.

Chapter 2, Verse 164

This verse is one of those very prominent verses of the Quran in which the Quran is giving an “Invitation to ponder” to all of those who use their intelligence. Quran is inviting them to ponder upon the universe, its happenings, and the signs of the God. Quran is a book which awakes your sense of pondering and thinking. Quran wants that people should use their intelligence, their thinking to the maximum extent. For example, The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) once said:

Intelligence is the root of my religion.

In this verse, the God has directed our attention towards at least 8 of His signs:

1. The creation of the universe (heavens and the earth)
2. The system of cycling of the night and the day (one comes after the other)
3. The movement of boat in water (Sea Travel)
4. The rainfall
5. The living of the dead land(the growth of crops and minerals in a land which was once dead and without water)
6. The creation of the living beings and their scattering in the universe
7. The system of the winds
8. The hanging of clouds in the sky and their movement

”Heavens and the earth” are the words which are giving meanings of the word “universe” that we use today which includes milky ways, galaxies, stars and other bodies.

In the universe there are millions of galaxies, in each galaxy there are billions of stars. The galaxy in which we are present is called “The Milky Way”. There are billions of stars in our milky way. Our sun is a medium sized star in this galaxy. There are 8 planets(considering Pluto as a dwarf planet not a full planet) rotating around the sun.

In a galaxy, the stars are present at long distances from each other. These distances are so long that even the unit of Light Year becomes too short for their measurement. Light Year is the distance which the light travels in one year considering that the speed of light is 300000 km per second. So now we can get a slight idea how large this universe would be.

The earth’s structure, its making, its mass, its body, its distance from the Sun, its orbital movement around the sun, its spin upon its own axis, its climatic conditions which are suitable for the living beings, these all aspects include a lot of food for thought for those who want to ponder.

The cycling system of the day and night is one of the greatest boons of the God. The day and night keep coming after each other, the day replaces the night and the night replaces the day.

Without this cycling system, it would not be possible for the life to exist on this earth. If there would be only night, then the temperature of the earth would be very low and all the water upon this earth would be ice. If there would be only day, then the temperature of the earth would be very high and all the water would be in the form of vapors. The earth’s surface would be so hot that life would not be able to exist.

This is a great sign of the God that He has developed such an excellent system for the cycling of the day and night. So that they keeps replacing each other, and thus life can exist.

The earth spins upon its own axis. So the part of earth which comes in front of the sun brings day in that part and the part which is not in front of the sun has night in it. The earth’s spinning speed is so suitable that it supports life upon it. Neither the day and night are too long nor too short.

The movement of the boats and ships upon the surface of water is also a great gift of the God. God has given this skill and thinking power to the humans to think and determine that how he can use these seas, oceans and rivers for traveling and transportation.

The fluidity and the density of water are such that the objects can float over its surface if the density of the object is less than the density of the water. Similarly humans have developed small and big boats and ships and determined the methods to make them float on the surface of water.

In today’s age, the sea travels and transportation is of high importance. Millions of boats,ships, fleets, submarines are traveling through water today, transporting humans, their goods from one place to another.

Some ships are so large and huge that there are even cities present on them. There are airports making planes to land and take off from the surface of the ships.

”In the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind” are the words which are highlighting the importance of sea travel and sea transportation.

The Rainfall is the sign of the God’s greatness.

The dead, un-watered land when watered, gets green and fertile.

There are seeds of plants present in the land but they cannot grow without water because they are in the dormant state. The land remains dead. When that land gets water from the God’s decision, then the same seeds starts growing as plants and the same land which was once dead converts into green and fertile.

The rainfall is a system of providing that water. This water is then used to fertile the farms, crops thus giving the living beings the gifts of the God.

This should also be taken into account that the main component of the food of the living beings are the plants. For example, human beings eat vegetables, fruits as well as meat. Vegetables and fruits are obtained directly from the plants but the meat is obtained from the animals which eat different plants. So plants remain the primary component of our food.

There is an atmosphere present around us. Due to the variation in the temperature, a difference in the air pressure is created as a result, the wind blows. But this blowing of winds, this changing of winds, is according to a systematic system devised by the God.

There are many advantages of the changing of winds. It refreshes the environment. It conveys oxygen from the plants to humans and animals and carbon dioxide from the humans and animals to the plants. At some points, it keeps a definite proportion of gases in the atmosphere.

The winds move the clouds from one place to another. Their changing keeps the temperature moderate. It brings the coldness from the colder areas to the hotter areas and the hotness from the hotter areas to the colder areas.

They helps in the pollination process among the plants. The take part in the dispersion of seeds that is transferring them from one place to another.

Clouds are the large reservoirs of water vapors. The water gets evaporated from the water reservoirs (sea, oceans, rivers, lakes) when sun energy falls on it and then it forms the clouds in the sky.

It is a fact of interest that even remaining under the gravitational field of the earth, the clouds remains floating in the sky, traveling from one place to another. This is because their weight is less than the weight of the air.

These all are the great signs of the God. The clouds carry billions of tons of water from one place to another. Without this system, it would not be possible for the living beings to get such a huge amount of drinkable water.

The water molecules are lighter than the molecules of nitrogen and oxygen which are the main gases of the air. Therefore the water vapors rise up and gets collected up in the sky. If we just concentrate over this single point that if air would be lighter than the water vapors that is if there would be an excess concentration of hydrogen or helium gas molecules in the air, then water vapors would not be able to rise up and thus clouds would not be able to form and would not be able to transfer water from one place to another.

These all are the great signs of the God. Quran invites all of us to ponder, use our intelligence, without any descrimination. If we would ponder honestly over these signs we would get a clear idea of the God’s existence and His oneness.

Please feel free to comment regarding this post and discussion. I hope you would accept the Invitation to Ponder.

Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and send down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth).

Chapter No. 2, Verse No. 22

In Arabic Language the word of "earth" is used in extensive meanings. Basically the word "earth" means every that thing which is below the feet of humans or anything which is below something.

Similarly the word "heavens" is itself a very extensive word. However its basic meaning is of something which is above the head of or anything above something. Earth and Heavens are the two opposites in each other. Another meaning of earth can be taken as "downfall" while that of heavens as "rise".

The word "heavens" is used in different meanings. For example , the atmosphere above our heads, clouds, horizon, that blue roof, that seems to be present above our heads, cosmic space and heavenly bodies etc.

In Quran, this word is also used in the meanings of Universe. It is also used in the meanings of Spiritual or Metaphysical world. But besides all these meanings, its basic meaning remains the same that is the peak, the rise, the height.

From the context of this verse, we can easily determine that here the word heavens is used for what meanings.

Couch is a word that means something which is lied down so that one can feel comfort over it. This means that the earth is created in such a manner that Humans and other living beings can survive on it. For example, there is a balance between the hardness and softness of the earth's surface. It is neither very hard, nor very rocky, nor very sharp and neither it is very soft nor very sandy.

Earth is rotating and revolving with a very high speed in the universe but we don't get even a single feeling of such a fast speed.

The structure of earth, its distance from the the Sun, its climate, everything is very suitable for life to survive comfortably.

The earth's crust which basically serves as a couch (floor). The inside layers of the earth is very hot and is made of extremely hot and molten matter called Magma in which convectional currents keep flowing.

Due to Geological Process, the upper layer of earth becomes solid and it takes the form of a floor and gradually it becomes so suitable that living beings can exist now on it.

This floor like surface of earth doesn't mean that the earth is flat in shape. This is in the same way that there are huge high mountains present upon earth but they don't negate the curvilinear shape of earth.

"Canopy" means something which is built. This word is used for building, roof, ceiling and camp etc. Here this word is used in contrast with "Couch". Couch is used for something which is lying below our feet and Canopy means something which is present above our heads.

Here the word "heavens" is used for Atmosphere which is present as a protective layer around the earth, just like a roof or ceiling. It saves earth from exterior anomalies, meteorites, harmful rays e.g ultraviolet rays, cosmic rays and the magnetic effects of the Sun.

The soft and comfortable couch and a protective and safe roof are the beautiful metaphors used in this verse. Without these two, it was not possible for humans to live life on earth comfortably. These are the gifts of our Creator to us, so we should be thankful to Him for such great gifts. This is what Quran wants, to propagate the feeling of thankfulness in humans to their Creator,
Allah- the Almighty.

The second word of "heavens" here means the place above us where clouds are present. Rainfall comes from the clouds.

This is certainly a miracle of our Creator, that He has constructed such a great system of providing Fresh Water to all the living beings on this earth.

When sun rays fall on the water surface of water resources, then water evaporates and gets collected in the atmosphere in the form of vapors. This makes the clouds. The wind blows the clouds from one place to another and then due to precipitation, these vapors fall on earth in the form of rain or snow. These all are the great signs of God's existence.

Water is the basic need of life. This helps the growth of crops, fruits, minerals, vegetables etc. These are then consumed by the Humans and Animals and Plants as their feed. Plants also fulfil many other needs of Humans.

So what do you think my dear friends? Aren't these concepts, these statements true for all of us? Are they not created by Someone extremely powerful and extremely unique? For everyone who possess a little bit of thinking power even, would be able to understand that there is Someone behind all these system and that Someone is no one but Allah, the Almighty, our Creator, our God. If you don't understand it yet, take some time and read it again with your minds open to accept the invitation to ponder and you will get the feeling of the God, the One and the Only One Who created you this whole universe.

For further discussion on this verse, please comment below preferably in English.

May God Bless You!