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Scientific Miracles in the Quran: Difference between revisions
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Some modern Islamic scholars and voices, including Harun Yahya, have argued that {{Quran|57|25}} provides a scientifically-sound description of the origin of the iron that is present on Earth. Historians have pointed out that the myth regarding the heavenly-descent of iron vastly predates Abrahamic scriptures and can be found some three millennia prior to the advent of Islam among the ancient Egyptians who describe Iron as '''ba-en-pet''<nowiki/>' or 'metal from heaven'.<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ancient-egyptians-had-iron-because-they-harvested-fallen-meteors-86153874/ The Ancient Egyptians Had Iron Because They Harvested Fallen Meteors] - Smithsonian Institution, 13 May 2013</ref> Similar descriptions have also been found among the even more ancient people of Mesopotamia. | Some modern Islamic scholars and voices, including Harun Yahya, have argued that {{Quran|57|25}} provides a scientifically-sound description of the origin of the iron that is present on Earth. Historians have pointed out that the myth regarding the heavenly-descent of iron vastly predates Abrahamic scriptures and can be found some three millennia prior to the advent of Islam among the ancient Egyptians who describe Iron as '''ba-en-pet''<nowiki/>' or 'metal from heaven'.<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ancient-egyptians-had-iron-because-they-harvested-fallen-meteors-86153874/ The Ancient Egyptians Had Iron Because They Harvested Fallen Meteors] - Smithsonian Institution, 13 May 2013</ref> Similar descriptions have also been found among the even more ancient people of Mesopotamia. | ||
Critics have pointed out that this is a clear case of 'elective literalism'. The term used to describe the 'descent' of Iron is '''anzala''<nowiki/>', which is frequently used elsewhere in the Quran where it describes cattle, garments, food, and even the [[People of the Book|people of the book (Jews and Christians)]] as being 'sent down' by some deity. In all these cases and many others, ''anzala'' is not taken literally. | Critics have pointed out that this is a clear case of 'elective literalism'. The term used to describe the 'descent' of Iron is '''anzala''<nowiki/>', which is frequently used elsewhere in the Quran where it describes cattle, garments, food, and even the [[People of the Book|people of the book (Jews and Christians)]] as being 'sent down' by some deity. In all these cases and many others, ''anzala'' is not taken as literally meaning descent from outer space. | ||
{{Quote|{{quran|10|59}}|Say: 'Have you considered the provision God has '''sent down''' for you, and you have made some of it unlawful, and some lawful?' Say: 'Has God given you leave, or do you forge against God?'}}{{Quote|{{quran|6|114}}|[Say], "Then is it other than Allah I should seek as judge while it is He who has '''sent down''' to you the Book explained in detail?" And those to whom We [previously] gave the Scripture know that it is sent down from your Lord in truth, so never be among the doubters.}}{{Quote|{{quran|39|6}}|He created you of a single soul, then from it He appointed its mate; and He '''sent down''' to you of the cattle eight couples.}}{{Quote|{{quran|7|26}}|Children of Adam! We have '''sent down''' on you a garment to cover your shameful parts, and feathers; and the garment of godfearing -- that is better; that is one of God's signs; haply they will remember.}}{{Quote|{{quran|31|34}}|Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and '''sends down''' the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.}} | |||
Some Islamic scholars have also argued that the occurrence of the word 'iron' in the 26th verse of the surah is miraculous, given that Iron's atomic number is 26. Critics have argued that this nothing more than a coincidental product of numerological datamining and have asked why the surah number could not also have been 55 or 56, rather than 57, to also match Iron's atomic weight, which is 55.845.{{Quote|{{quran|57|25}}|Certainly We sent Our Messengers with clear proofs and We sent down with them the Scripture and the Balance that may establish the people justice. And We sent down [the] iron, wherein (is) power mighty and benefits for the people, and so that Allah may make evident (he) who helps Him and His Messengers, unseen. Indeed, Allah (is) All-Strong All-Mighty.}} | Some Islamic scholars have also argued that the occurrence of the word 'iron' in the 26th verse of the surah is miraculous, given that Iron's atomic number is 26. Critics have argued that this nothing more than a coincidental product of numerological datamining and have asked why the surah number could not also have been 55 or 56, rather than 57, to also match Iron's atomic weight, which is 55.845.{{Quote|{{quran|57|25}}|Certainly We sent Our Messengers with clear proofs and We sent down with them the Scripture and the Balance that may establish the people justice. And We sent down [the] iron, wherein (is) power mighty and benefits for the people, and so that Allah may make evident (he) who helps Him and His Messengers, unseen. Indeed, Allah (is) All-Strong All-Mighty.}} | ||
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{{Quote|Midrash Tanhuma 2:2:14 (5th cent.)<ref>Footnote 1 in [https://www.thetorah.com/article/why-pharaoh-went-to-the-nile Why Pharaoh went to the Nile] by Prof. Scott B. Noegel Accessed 19 Oct 2021</ref><ref>It is also translated on the Sefaria site: "And the Lord said unto Moses: “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh from the water” (Exod. 8:16). Why did Pharaoh go to the waters early in the morning? Because the wicked one boasted that since he was a god, he had no need to go to the water to relieve himself." [https://www.sefaria.org/Midrash_Tanchuma%2C_Vaera.14.1?lang=bi Midrash Tanhuma Vaera 14] Saferia.org</ref>|Why was he going out to the water? Because the wicked man was boasting of himself, for he had said that he was a god and had no need to relieve himself. Therefore he went out to the water in the morning, so that no one would see he was a (mere) man.}} | {{Quote|Midrash Tanhuma 2:2:14 (5th cent.)<ref>Footnote 1 in [https://www.thetorah.com/article/why-pharaoh-went-to-the-nile Why Pharaoh went to the Nile] by Prof. Scott B. Noegel Accessed 19 Oct 2021</ref><ref>It is also translated on the Sefaria site: "And the Lord said unto Moses: “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh from the water” (Exod. 8:16). Why did Pharaoh go to the waters early in the morning? Because the wicked one boasted that since he was a god, he had no need to go to the water to relieve himself." [https://www.sefaria.org/Midrash_Tanchuma%2C_Vaera.14.1?lang=bi Midrash Tanhuma Vaera 14] Saferia.org</ref>|Why was he going out to the water? Because the wicked man was boasting of himself, for he had said that he was a god and had no need to relieve himself. Therefore he went out to the water in the morning, so that no one would see he was a (mere) man.}} | ||
=== A small Exodus === | |||
The Quran contains the story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt escaping the pharaoh. Modern archaeology carried out extensively across the Egyptian, Israeli/Palestinian and surrounding areas has found an astonishing lack of evidence for this allegedly historical event, with not a single Egyptian chronicle mentioning it, and plentiful evidence for the founding of the Israeli/Jewish people as simply emerging from ancient Canaanites who developed into a distinct culture.<ref>Finkelstein, Israel, and Silberman, Neil Asher. ''[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Bible_Unearthed/lu6ywyJr0CMC?hl=en&gbpv=1 The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Sacred Texts]''. United Kingdom, Free Press, 2002. | |||
See ''Chapter 2: Did the Exodus happen? pp 48-71,'' and ''Chapter 4: Who were the Israelites pp 97-122''</ref> | |||
Some apologists claim that the fact that unlike the Bible, the Quran (which typically lacks more specific details in the story), does not mention the large numbers involved (~600,000 men and more women and children),<ref>Exodus 12:37. The Bible. New International Version. Bible Gateway. Biblegateway.com | |||
''The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.''</ref> and cite a Quran verse where Pharoah proclaims to his men summoning troops that the Israelites are 'a small band', is evidence for a small scale group that may explain the lack of archaeological evidence for the exodus. | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|26|53-54}}|53. Then Pharaoh sent into the cities summoners, | |||
54. Pharaoh said: "Indeed, those are but a small band."}}However, a quick examination of the previous verse (Q26:53) shows that firstly Pharoah sent these men to summon more men in different cities (plural), which would not have happened if this was a small number of Israelites, that the assumingly capital city the pharaoh would have resided in could quickly and easily have dealt with. | |||
Secondly, what 'small' means here is not provided and could have a number of meanings, which have typically included being small relative to the larger Egyptian army, or are a small people meaning 'lowliest of people' as a form of insult and ridicule, rather than saying they were small in number. That is how it's been interpreted by classical exegetes who never saw it as negating the biblical story nor the large >600,000 figure which has been taken as fact, including for example Al-Jalalayn,<ref>Tafsir Al-Jalalayn on [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/26.54 ''Verse 26:54''] </ref> Al-Zamakhshari, <ref>Tafsir Al-Zamakhshari on [https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=2&tSoraNo=26&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1 ''Verse 26:54'']</ref> Al-Qurtubi<ref>Tafsir Al-Qurtubi on ''[https://quran.ksu.edu.sa/tafseer/qortobi/sura26-aya53.html Verse 26:53]''</ref> At-Tabrisī,<ref>Tafsir Al-Tabrisī on [https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=3&tSoraNo=26&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&Page=2&Size=1&LanguageId=1 V''erse 26:54'']</ref> Al-Baydawi,<ref>Tafsir Al-Baydawi on ''[https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=6&tSoraNo=26&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&Page=2&Size=1&LanguageId=1 Verse 26:54]''</ref> Mawardi,<ref>Tafsir Mawardi on [https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=12&tSoraNo=26&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1 ''Verse 26:54'']</ref> Ibn Al-Jawzi<ref>Tafsir Ibn Al-Jawzi on [https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=15&tSoraNo=26&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1 ''Verse 26:54'']</ref>, Al-Tabari (who cites traditions confirming the large number)<ref>Al-Tabari on ''[https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=1&tSoraNo=26&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&Page=1&Size=1&LanguageId=1 Verse 26:54]''</ref> and Al-Razi.<ref>Tafsir Al-Razi on ''[https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=4&tSoraNo=26&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1 Verse 26:54]''</ref> | |||
Thirdly, it is worth noting that it is quoting pharaohs' speech and not God telling us directly or for certain that it was 'small'. Pharaoh is set up as a villain who is dishonest, highly arrogant and even violently oppressive repeatedly in the Quran,<ref>''[https://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jrme/papers/Vol-10%20Issue-6/Series-5/I1006055560.pdf Pharaoh's personality traits in the Holy Qur'an]'' Dr. Akram A. Mansour Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Palestine University, Palestine. ''IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSR-JRME)'' e-ISSN: 2320–7388, p- ISSN: 2320-737x Volume 10, Issue 6 Ser. V (Nov. – Dec. 2020), PP 55-60. https://www.iosrjournals.org/</ref> i.e. in no way a trustworthy character who would admit that he could be in danger from the Israelites, and when gathering soldiers from other cities could well be simply lying to galvanize the troops as a means of persuasion and/or hide the danger and challenge of the task. | |||
And finally if the Quran really meant to 'correct' a biblical narrative, it easily could have done so by correcting the number of Israelites, just like it directly confronts and 'corrects' Biblical Christian notions of the trinity and crucifixion. | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||