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.

AUTHENTICITY OF QUR AN Before getting to the essence of the subject, there is a very important point which must be considered: the authenticity of the Qur anic text. 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. Professor Jacques Berque has told me of the great importance he attaches to it in comparison with the long gap separating the writing down of the Judeo-Christian revelation from the facts and events which it relates. Let us not forget that today we also have a number of manuscripts of the first written versions of the Qur an which were from a time period very close to the time of revelation. 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. The Quran and Modern Science The Quran and Modern Science The history of the infinitely large universe, and its history are questions which may be difficult to answer some decades ago, but modern astronomers and astrophysicists are able to tell about the accurate formation of the universe. The well establish concept is that the whole universe was initially a single mass which subsequently split up into different fragments resulting in the formation of the galaxies which then gave birth to the stars, planets, sun, moon, earth etc.

1. Formation of the Universe All this is discovered by the scientist in a very recent time, but amazingly all this concept of the formation of the universe is given in the Quran in 7th century.

Translations: Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were one piece. Then, we parted them Verse 30, Surah Al-Ambiya (21) Para 17

The verse gives a brief version of the formation of the universe, it is stated here evidently that the earth and the heavens were a single piece earlier. The universe is formed by the separation of one single mass. This is the fact exposed by the modern astronomy, and cosmology today. But the same information had been provided by the Quran in 7th century. An ordinary person of that time can not provide such accurate and precise information without the aid of spaceship or telescopes! This means that book (Quran) is not written by a man, but is book from Allah.

2. Status of Universe at its time of formation It is a firmly established concept that the universe was in gaseous state at an early stage of its formation. This fact is foretold by the Quran 1400 years ago.

Translations: Then he rose over towards that heaven when it was smoke (Dukhan), and said to it and to the earth: 'come both of you willingly or unwillingly' they both said: 'we come willingly'". Verse 11, Surah Ha-Mim (41) Para 24

The Arabic world (Dukhan) is translated as smoke which is the gaseous state. The Quran describes very clearly that the universe was smoke before its creation, and it is now certified by the modern astronomy. Astronomers have pictures of galaxies being formed out of smoke which is the origin of the universe. It was stated almost fourteen hundred years ago in the Quran. The question persists, how can a 7th century book contain such profound scientific facts about the physical universe which were far beyond the imagination of the people of the Arab? Who told Muhammad (SAW) that the universe was smoke before its creation? Whatever it could be assumed, but it is very clear that this information must have come from a supernatural source.

3. Nature of the Moon and the Sun We are aware of the fact that the Sun generates light itself while the moon only reflects the Sun's light. The nature of the Sun and the Moon is stated by the Quran as:

Translations: God is the one who has made the sun a shining glory and the moon a light (of beauty) . Verse 5, Surah Yunus (10) Para 11

Translations: Blessed is He who made constellations in the skies, and placed there in a lamp and a moon giving light . Verse 61, Surah Al-Furqan (25) Para 19

Translations: See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another? And (He) has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp . Verse 15, 16, Surah Nuh (71) Para 29

Throughout the Quran, the term used for the Sun is never used for the moon. The Quran points out very clearly the moonlight and the sunlight. It has been mentioned identically all the time, and never mixed up with each other. It is science which discovered the difference between the sun and moon. But it was Muhammad (SAW) who told about these natures of two heavenly bodies, question arises here who told the Prophet 1400 years ago? Did he accidentally select the appropriate terms for the sun and the moon? Why did he not refer to the sun as light and to moon as lamp or shining glory, if He was just guessing? It means that all these facts were discovered by some supernatural in the book (Quran).

4. Orbital Motion and the rotation of the Sun and the Moon Orbital Movement is the movement of a body in the curved path around a centre.

Rotating Motion can be defined as, 'the spinning or turning of a body on its own axis.

It has been confirmed by the modern Astronomy that the sun and the moon not only travel in their orbits but also rotate about their own axis. According to the astronomical facts the sun takes about 250 million years to complete one revolution around the centre of galaxy and it takes approximately 25 days to rotate around its own axis. Whereas the moon takes the same time i.e. e, 29.5 days to complete its rotating motion on its own axis, as it revolves around the earth. This was learned 1400 years ago in the Quran as:

Translations: God is the one who created the night, the day, the sun and the moon each one is travelling in an orbit with its own motion . Verse 33, Surah Al-Ambiya (21) Para 17

It would be ridiculous to suggest that Muhammad (SAW) had a powerful telescope however the right option might be that, if Muhammad (SAW) had simply informed the orbital movement of the sun and the Moon but also made a reference to their own motion in space which definitely leads to conclude that it was beyond possibility for a 7th century person to give such a detailed description of the motions of the sun and the moon.

5. Solar Apex

Translations: The sun runs its course to a fixed place. This is the decree of the Almighty, the full of knowledge . Verse 38, Surah Yasin (36) Para 23

The above verse describes that the sun is travelling towards a fixed place which has been confirmed by modern astronomical research.

Modern astronomy discovered that the sun along with the solar system is evolving in space towards a point situated in the constellation of Hercules whose exact location is firmly recognized and which has also been given a name The solar apex . This is another scientific fact described by the Quran over 1400 years ago.

6. Death of the Sun

Translation: When the sun is overthrown . Verse 1, Surah At-Takveer (81) Para 30

There can be no distrust that this verse refers to the end of the sun. If we compare this statement with the views of modern science we came to know that science also predicts an end to the sun.

This is the death of the sun which is mentioned in above quoted Quranic verse.

7. The Red Rose Nebula

Translation: When the sky is torn apart, so it is (like) a red rose, like ointment . Verse 37, Surah AlRehman (55) Para 27

The Arabic word used in this verse is Wardatan its meaning are red rose. To understand this verse, a picture is given below which is taken from NASA website: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991031.html

It is a blowing up star 3000 light years away. It is also mentioned in NASA site that this picture represents a dying star which inevitably is the awaiting faith of our own solar system. We can observe that this picture is remarkably resembles with the Red Rose which is told by the Glorious Quran fourteen hundred years ago. Think! We discovered all this by using powerful telescopes, which the Quran has foretold in 7th century. If someone consider that Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) just made the guess then why did he not suggest that when sky is torn apart, it is likely sun flower or any flower else? But why only the Rose?

8. Sequence of Day and Night

Translation: He coils the night upon the day and He coils the day upon the night . Verse 5, Surah AlZumar (39) Para 24

There are many verse of this subject in the Quran but we are taking one of them. In this verse the word coil deserves full attention which is the translation of the Arabic verb Kawwara This verb is used here to describe the action of coiling a turban around the head.

Sequence of the day and night, we come to know today that the earth rotates on its axis and go around completely in twenty four hours, During its rotation half of its surface facing the sun, and the remaining half is in darkness. As the sun generates light permanently so the half part of the earth facing sun has day and the other half has night.

This continuous coiling of the day and night has been mentioned in the holy Quran 1400 years before.

9. Earth Shape Modern science discovered recently that the earth resembles an ellipsoid and is not a perfect sphere. The Quran has told this fact in the 7th century as:

Translation: And the earth moreover, Hath he made egg shaped . Verse 30, Surah Al-Naziat (79) Para 30

In the verse an Arabic word Dahaha is used which has translation of Egg Shaped thus this verse precisely indicates that the shape of the earth resembles an egg i.e. e, ellipsoid which is now proved by the modern science. It is beyond possibility that Muhammad (SAW) being a common person could mention the shape of the earth correctly over fourteen centuries before.

10. Expansion of the Universe

Astronomers once thought that the universe was static and unmoving. But in 1925 an American astronomer Edwin P. Hubble made a surprising discovery that the universe is not static and unmoving in fact it is expanding. He provided observational evidence for the expansion of the universe. Albert Einstein was the one who provided the theory of the universe s unmoving. When Hubble proved that universe is not static, Einstein declared his static model as One of the greatest mistake of my career .

This startling discovery of the recent time was confirmed by the Quran more than 1400 years ago.

Translation: The Heaven, we have built it with power. Verily we are expanding it . Verse 47, Surah AlZariyat (51) Para 27

Isn t it a great wonder of the Quran? And is not this science that proves the truth of Quran? Answer is yes .

Statistics in the Holy Quran A renowned scholar Dr. Tariq Al-Suwaidan has conducted the statistical study of the Holy Quran. The glimpse of the study is provided here. Value of this miracle study would be understood, if we recall in our memory that the existence of statistics as subject was unlike today.

Some part of information provided here is derived from a book SCIENCE: the Proof of Islam s Truth by Safoora Babar, and also download by using net. 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, that we gained the first coherent description of the water cycle. Prior to this, people believed that the waters of the oceans, under the effect of winds, were thrust towards the interior of the continents. They then returned to the oceans via the great abyss, which, since Plato s time was called the Tartarus .In the seventeenth century, great thinkers such as Descartes still believed in this myth. Even in the nineteenth century there were still those who believed in Aristotle s theory that water was condensed in cool mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. Today, we know that it is the infiltration of rain water into the ground that is responsible for this. If one compares the facts of modern hydrology with the data found in numerous verses of the Qur an on this subject, one cannot fail to notice the remarkable degree of agreement between the two. 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. 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). 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.

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

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 JudeoChristian 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. And Allah says in the Quoran: "Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a similar number. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah comprehends all things in (His) Knowledge."

Surah At-Talaq Surah 65 Ayah 12

The earth is built up of certain layers, three main layers as defined in modern geography, the crust, the mantle and the core going from the outer to the inner layers. The crust is divided into two separate structures of rocky material, the mantle into three different regions and the core into two subdivisions (see Compton's Encyclopaedia, "The Earth's Layer's".) These vary in substance and density and consist

mainly of magma (liquid rock), iron and nickel. So they are exactly seven, as stated in the Quran in the verse above. Geology Atmosphere Seven Layers, Duty and Role

And Allah says in the Quoran: "It is He who hath created for you all things that are on earth; moreover His design comprehended the heavens for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; (sab'a sama_wa_t(in)) and of all things he hath perfect knowledge" Surah Al-Baqara Surah 2 Ayah 29.

Two words are used for heaven or sky in the Quran: "asma" and "taraiq". One can be translated as firmament (asma) and the other one as heaven (taraiq). Both have a distinguished scientific meaning and implication. The meaning of heaven (taraiq) will be dealt with in Astronomy 2, the meaning of firmament (asama) is being dealt in this chapter. The seven firmaments are the seven layers of the Earth's atmosphere. According to modern geological definition these are defined as the following: Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere (Compton's Encyclopedia), exactly seven in number: Structure and Shape

And Allah says in the Quoran: "And by the Earth which is cracked (za_tish sadi)" Surah At-Tariq Surah 86 Ayah 12

The continental plates, which form the surface of the Earth, show cracks in-between where they meet. These are the so-called continental faults or cracks. They can only be seen clearly where the plates meet, usually at the bottom of the oceans (deep sea vents, see B1/1), and have only been discovered after the Second World War when deep sea research was established. Rarely, there are such cracks visible on the surface of the Earth: And Allah says in the Quoran: "So He completed them as seven firmaments (sab'a sama_wa_t(in)) in two Days and He assigned to each heaven its duty and command. And We adorned the lower heaven with lights and (provided it) with guard. Such is the Decree of (Him) the Exalted in Might Full of knowledge" Surah Ha-Mim Surah 41 Ayah 12.

Each of these seven layers has an essential role and duty in the protection of life on Earth. It reflects back hazardous material and electromagnetic waves. For example the ozonosphere reflects back a high percentage of hazardous ultraviolet light (UV), some 98 %. Being a part of the stratosphere, it consists of O3, oxidised oxygen, a state only possible under different conditions up in the stratosphere (40 km above the ocean level). It lets through 2% of the solar UV, the essential amount for life on the surface of the Earth. Through pollution, it is being reduced and the rate of skin-cancer is increasing. There is actually an ozone hole which opens up each spring over the Antarctic and triggers the greenhouse effect and global warming: By the Firmament (sama_wa_t(in)) which returns Surah At-Tariq Surah 86 Ayah 11 The seven layers themselves, being gaseous compounds, are returned to the Earth permanently and are kept back from evaporation by the gravity of the Earth: So the firmament returns itself due to its mass in the gravitational field of the Earth. It also reflects back hazardous material and waves into the universe and other essential substances back to the Earth. Only a small percentage is let through, like the 2% UV from the sun, which is the vehicle of photosynthesis and necessary for us to be able to breathe in the first place. An oath worth swearing as in S 86: A11. Only the very Creator of the Earth can have sworn this oath since it was written down 1350 years ago. Neither did methods for the measurement of atmospheric refraction exist in those times nor were there any satellites for taking infrared pictures of the layers of the atmosphere. Neither were there balloons with thermometers and signal transmission which are a basic necessity for measuring changes in the atmosphere. These were not invented for at least another 1000 years.

And Allah says in the Quoran: "He created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): He makes the Night overlap (yukaw wirul) the Day and the Day overlap the Night:He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His law) each one follows a course for a time appointed. Is not He the Exalted in Power He Who forgives again and again?"

Surah Az-Zumar 39 Ayah 5 And Allah says in the Quoran: "And He spread the earth (Walarha bada dza_lika daha_ha_)"

Surah An-Nazi'at, 79 Ayah 30

And Allah says in the Quoran: "It is He Who has made the earth manageable for you so traverse ye through its tracts and enjoy of the Sustenance which He furnishes: but unto Him is the Resurrection. Do ye feel secure that He Who is in heaven will not cause you to be swallowed up by the earth when it shakes (as in an earthquake)?"

Surah Al-Mulk 67 Ayah 15/16

By the description of the relation between night and day and the overlapping exchange of the light in S39: A5 we can clearly see, that the change from night to day and vice versa are movements similar to the coiling or winding of a cloth around a ball shaped object. The word "yukaw wirul" in Arabic stands for the coiling movement of the turban around the head. This must have been written down after oral revelation through the Creator of the earth, because it was in a time without distant sea travelling leave alone space flight and the predominant theory of the churches stated that the Earth was flat.

The second Ayah (S 79: A30) shows us additionally that this ball shaped earth must have been spread or squeezed, since daha is the Arabic word for an ostrich egg, which is oval shaped. This is completely true, since the rotating centrifugal force of the earth around its axis causes it to spread towards the equator and flattens it at the poles. The diameter at the poles is approximately 43km less than at the equator. This difference keeps varying because of the liquid state of the inner mantle and liquid Outer core of the Earth. So the Earth has a certain plasticity left from the time of its early stage of being a liquid magma ball over 4 billion years ago (see A 6/1, A5/1).

Finally, the two last verses (S67: A15/16) indicate that the Earth had to be made manageable for mankind. to be able to travel through it and enjoy it fully. This indicates clearly that the hard crust and stable surface of the Earth did not always exist and in the second verse it is immediately mentioned that the Earth could still "swallow" us "up", like it would have done in the early stage when it was unstable and earthquakes were more frequent. Life, leave alone mankind could not exist without this manageability of the Earth commanded to it by the Creator and we are asked to appreciate it and travel through it and enjoy it as long as we fear him and his punishment. One way of punishing ignorant men is through earthquakes, which can swallow whole citie