Fat Miracle in the Quran
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WikiIslam Archive,
Archives of the first iteration of WikiIslam, prior to acquisition and revamp by Ex-Muslims of North America
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Some Islamic apologists claim that the Quran contains detailed knowledge about fat-burning in the verse 22:27. The verse doesn't talk about fat-burning at all.
Contents
"Miracle"
Fats serve both as energy sources for the body, and as stores for energy in excess of what the body needs immediately. Each gram of fat when burned or metabolized releases about 9 food calories (37 kJ = 8.8 kcal). Fats are broken down in the healthy body to release their constituents, glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol itself can be converted to glucose by the liver and so become a source of energy. Wikipedia, Fats, 2019
Fats need a lot of time to convert to energy. If you sprint for a few minutes then you won't burn any fats. However if you run a marathon then you will burn a lot of fats. So it is the endurance activities that burn fats, not the short burst ones. This was only known recently, however this was portrayed in the Quran 1400 years before it was discovered.
[Quran 22:27] And announce the pilgrimage to humanity. They will come to you on foot, and on every skinny [animal] they will come from every deep valley.
"Damer ضامر " means became skinny or thin. For short journeys people used to go walking however for long journeys they used to ride animals (camels, horses...). Those animals become skinny when they travel long distances and climb out of deep valleys. However short journeys on foot will not make you skinny. Today we know why short distance walking will not make you skinny because it is the endurance activities that burn fats, not the short burst ones. Traveling long distances and climbing out of deep valleys are endurance activities that burn fats.
How could an illiterate man who lived 1400 years ago have known how to burn fats?The verse
Apologetic translation
The verse says nothing about burning fat:
And announce the pilgrimage to humanity. They will come to you on foot, and on every skinny [animal] they will come from every deep valley.
Since it says nothing about burning fat, the miracle claim is false.
Actual translation
Apologists translated the verse as talking about two types of pilgrims:
- those on foot
- those on skinny animals and these are from deep valley
But in most translations the Quranic text is understood and translated as talking about:
- those on foot
- those on skinny animals
And "they will come from every deep valley" is an addition that is not attached to the second category. So both those who come on foot and those who come on animals can come from a deep valley. Which makes more sense, because should a person not make a pilgrimage just because he doesn't have an animal? Most translations divide the "camel" from "they will come" by a semicolon or a comma:
Muhsin Khan: And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj).
Pickthall: And proclaim unto mankind the pilgrimage. They will come unto thee on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every deep ravine,
Sahih International: And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass -
Yusuf Ali did use the interpretation that they are skinny, because of long journeys:
Yusuf Ali: "And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways;
But even if this was the real meaning, it wouldn't be a scientific miracle, because it was observable in the 7th century, that animals get lean when traveling on long distances.
Losing weight by sprinting
Islamic apologists claim:
But the reality is:
Sprinting is one of the most explosive exercises you can do. It's a complete, total-body workout -- targeting the butt, hips, hamstrings, quads, calves and abs -- that builds long, lean muscle. In fact, many professional athletes incorporate sprints into their training for that reason.
Sprinting also promotes fat loss and increases your metabolic rate for several days after the workout, a phenomenon known as the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) effect. EPOC -- also known as "afterburn" -- allows you to continue burning calories long after the workout is over.
