Distance Miracle in the Quran

Some Islamic apologists claim that the Quran talks about meters, kilometers and miles before they were used.

Meters

The claim

Cubits are mentioned in the Quran.

[Quran 69:32] Then in a chain which length is seventy cubits tie him up.

It turned-out that 70 cubits are equivalent to 32 meters, same number of the verse itself.

70 cubits is equivalent to 32 meters. The number of the verse is 32.

miracles-of-quran.com: Distance

Analysis

Cubit, unit of linear measure used by many ancient and medieval peoples. It may have originated in Egypt about 3000 BC; it thereafter became ubiquitous in the ancient world. The cubit, generally taken as equal to 18 inches (457 mm), was based on the length of the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger and was considered the equivalent of 6 palms or 2 spans. In some ancient cultures it was as long as 21 inches (531 mm).

Encyclopedia Britannica: Cubit

So it's not clear what exactly the length is, because it's based on length of arm and everyone's arm has a different length. So how can an exact miracle be based on this? And according to a tradition, the length of the cubit will be according to the length of an angel's arm:

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas and Ibn Jurayj both said, "Each cubit will be the forearm's length of an angel.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 69:32

So before apologists calculate the length of the chain in metres, they have to first measure the length of an arm of an angel.

And the numbering of verses is arbitrary, the numbers are not part of the revelation, so it would mean nothing even if it was true.

Ibn Abbas also added some interesting details about how the chain will be used:

(Then fasten him) "It will be entered into his buttocks and pulled out of his mouth. Then they will be arranged on this (chain) just like locusts are arranged on a stick that is being roasted.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Kilometres

The claim

In another incident the number of verses to Iron in the Quran is the same number of kilometers to Iron on Earth. From the beginning of the Quran there is 5100 verses to the Iron verse in chapter Iron. It turned out that Iron on Earth is concentrated at its core 5100 km below the surface.

With a radius of almost 3,500 km (2,200 miles), Earth's core is about the size of the entire planet Mars. About one-third of Earth's mass is contained in the core, most of which is liquid iron alloyed with nickel and some lighter, cosmically abundant components (e.g., sulfur, oxygen, and, controversially, even hydrogen). Its liquid nature is revealed by the failure of shear-type seismic waves to penetrate the core. A small, central part of the core, however, below a depth of about 5,100 km (3,200 miles), is solid iron.
Britannica, Earth The Enterior, 2019

Number of verses to Iron in the Quran is the same number of kilometers to Iron on Earth.

miracles-of-quran.com: Distance

Analysis

Apologists didn't even explain what "number of verses to Iron" means. But let's assume it's a verse that mentions iron. There are 3 verses that mention iron (حديد). So it's not clear which verse apologists mean, but it doesn't even matter. Number of verses that came before "the verse of iron" is unknown, because scholars are not sure about the exact order of suras. The order we have today is arbitrary. And the numbering of verses is also arbitrary. The numbers are not a part of the revelation. And the cited text from Britannica says it's "about 5,100 km ", so the number is not exact. So both the number of verses and the number of kilometers is questionable.

Miles

The claim

In another incident the number of verses between Kaaba and Al-Aqsa Mosque is the same number of miles between them geographically.

[Quran 9:28] O you who believe! The polytheists are polluted, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs. And if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you from His grace, if He wills. Allah is Aware and Wise.

[Quran 17:1] Glory to Him who journeyed His servant by night, from the Sacred Mosque, to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, whose precincts We have blessed, in order to show him of Our wonders. He is the Listener, the Beholder.

The verses that contain the Sacred Mosque (Kaaba) and Al-Aqsa Mosque are separated by 767 verses. It turned-out that geographically they separated by 767 miles.

Getting the coordinates from Google Maps.

Kaaba 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E Aqsa 31.7761° N, 35.2358° E

Using Coordinate Distance Calculator to get the distance between the two locations.

The distance between the two mosques is 767 miles.

How could an illiterate man who lived 1400 years ago have known about Meters, Kilometers and Miles?

miracles-of-quran.com: Distance

Analysis

Again, the numbering of suras and verses is arbitrary. It's not a part of the revelation. So how is this a miracle of Allah?

And why are apologists counting the "verse distance" between the Sacred Mosque and al-Aqsa mosque, when they are comparing the geographical distance of The Kaaba and al-Aqsa mosque? Kaaba was also mentioned in the Quran, in the verses 5:95 and 5:97 , so why are they not counting from one of those verses?

ِAlso it is a cherry-picking fallacy, because the Sacred Mosque is mentioned in many verses:

We see the turning of thy face (for guidance to the heavens: now Shall We turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque (المسجد الحرام): Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.

Quran 2:144

From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque (المسجد الحرام); that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.

Quran 2:149

So from whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque (المسجد الحرام); and wheresoever ye are, Turn your face thither: that there be no ground of dispute against you among the people, except those of them that are bent on wickedness; so fear them not, but fear Me; and that I may complete My favours on you, and ye May (consent to) be guided;

Quran 2:150

And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque (المسجد الحرام), unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.

Quran 2:191

...This is for those whose household is not in (the precincts of) the Sacred Mosque (المسجد الحرام). And fear Allah, and know that Allah Is strict in punishment.

Quran 2:196

Then also in 2:217, 5:2, 8:34, 9:7, 9:28, 17:1, 22:25, 48:25 and 48:27. There 15 mentions of the Sacred Mosque. 1 of them happened to have an interesting "verse distance" from the verse about al-Aqsa. That's success of 1/15 and failure of 14/15. But apologists cherry-pick the one case where the result is interesting and they are silent about all the other numbers that don't fit.

And the Quran mentions much more places than the Sacred Mosque and al-Aqsa, so where are the "verse distance" miracles for all the other places?

Counting

Number of verses between 9:28 and 17:1 (with 9:28 and 17:1 excluded):

• Sura 9 has 129 verses, so after 9:28, there is 101 verses remaining.
• Sura 10 has 109 verses. 101 + 109 = 210.
• Sura 11 has 123 verses. 210 + 123 = 333.
• Sura 12 has 111 verses. 333 + 111 = 444.
• Sura 13 has 43 verses. 444 + 43 = 487.
• Sura 14 has 52 verses. 487 + 52 = 539.
• Sura 15 has 99 verses 539 + 99 = 638
• Sura 16 has 128 verses. 638 + 128 = 766.

So even the apologist counting is wrong. And if one of the verses (9:28 or 17:1) was counted, then why not the other?

See also

• Equivalence Principle in the Quran Miracle
• Name of Moses in the Quran Non-Miracle
• Scientific Miracles in the Quran