If anyone were to search in a library or on the internet about the recent scientific findings as to the origin and development of the universe, they will definitely come across the Big Bang Theory and the expansion of the universe. As Muslims, we believe that these are correct because the Qur’an told us 1400 years ago about that. Almighty Allah says,
Haven’t the disbelievers considered that the Heavens and the Earth were a joined entity and We separated them… (Al-Anbiya’ 21:30)
And the Heaven we created with great strength and indeed We are its expander. (Ad-Dhariyat 51:47)
The Atmosphere/Ozone Layer
Science has recently uncovered that there is a protective barrier between the Earth and the immediate sky. It serves to protect us from burning and deadly UV-rays, and small meteors. This reality was not even discussed by the scientists and philosophers at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Yet, the Qur’an said it as clear as a scientist would do today.
And we made the sky a protective ceiling… (Al-Anbiya’ 21:32)
The Sun, the Moon and Celestial Bodies
When the Qur’an was revealed, there were hundreds of ideas and theories as to the reality of the Sun and the Moon. It was recently discovered that the moon and the earth go through orbits, and that the earth goes around the sun. The latest advancement is that the sun orbits our galaxy which also has its own orbit. Allah (glory be to Him) clarified this issue in the Qur’an centuries before the modern science and technology.
…the sun and the moon; all heavenly bodies are swimming in an orbit (circular motion). (Al-Anbiya’ 21:33)
The Lowest Point on Earth
If you look up “the lowest point on the earth” in any geography book or on the internet, you will find a unanimous decision that it is the land surrounding the Dead Sea. All of the early commentators of the Qur’an exegesis said that a battle took place after the Persians invaded deep into Byzantine Levant (modern day Syria, Jordan, Palestine). The commentators as well as non-Muslim historians specified that the battle took place in a land called Azriyat, which was close to the northern tip of the Dead Sea. It is interesting to see that the commentators, centuries ago, argued and disagreed as to why Allah (exalted be He) used the word “the lowest” referring to this place. Now, science has informed us what Allah meant. Almighty Allah says,
“The Byzantines have been defeated in the lowest of the Earth (Adnal-Ard)… (Ar-Rum 30:2-3)
The Uniqueness of the Fingerprint
Allah, the Almighty, tells us in the Qur’an that when resurrecting everyone from their graves, Allah puts them back as they were before dying. He emphasizes by ascertaining that He can even perfectly proportion the finger tips. In the modern world, it is well-known in the science of human identification that the finger print is the one unique factor in differentiating between people. Therefore, to say we can put them back together is one thing, but even to the very fingerprint is a claim to perfection which only Allah can make. This was revealed 1400 years ago. Allah says,
Does man think that We will not assemble his bones? Yes. We are able to proportion him to his fingertips.(Al-Qiyamah 75:3-4)
Iron as a Metallic Element Sent Down from Above
Almighty Allah says,
“…And We sent down iron in which there lies a great force and which has many uses for mankind…” (Al-Hadid 57:25)
The word “anzalna,” translated as “sent down” and used for iron in the verse, could be thought of having a metaphorical meaning to explain that iron has been given to benefit people. But, when we take into consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, “being physically sent down from the sky”, as this word usage had not been employed in the Qur’an except literally, like the descending of the rain or revelation, we realize that this verse implies a very significant scientific miracle. Because, modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the iron found in our world has come from giant stars in the outer space.
One scientific source provides the following:
“There is also evidence for older supernova events. Enhanced levels of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments have been interpreted as indications that a supernova explosion occurred within 90 light-years, about 5 million years ago.”
This shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried from Supernovas, and was “sent down,” as stated in the verse. It is clear that this fact could not have been known in the 7th century, when the Quran was revealed. Nevertheless, this fact is related in the Qur’an, the Word of Allah, Who encompasses all things in His Infinite Knowledge.
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