Nocturnal Animals 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 Quranic verse 6:13 is a scientific miracle, because nobody 1400 years ago could have suspected that there could be active animals in the night.
The "miracle"
1400 years ago people thought that all animals rest at night. However today we know that this is false. Some animals are active during the night and rest during the day.
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Wikipedia, Nocturnality, 2019. However the Quran said that there are creatures that rest at night as well as creatures that rest at day:
[Quran 6:13] To Him belongs whatever rests in the night and the day. He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
Creatures that rest in the day means they are active at night. No mistakes in the Quran.
How could an illiterate man who lived 1400 years ago have known about nocturnal animals?
"Scientific discovery"
Islamic apologists claim:
1400 years ago people thought that all animals rest at night.
And that is a lie. Animals who are active at night were already mentioned in the Old Testament long before the Quran mentioned it:
You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
And animals that are active during the night were also easily observable in the 7th century.
The verse
It's not clear that the word سكن (sakana) means "rests":
Muhsin Khan: And to Him belongs whatsoever exists (سكن) in the night and the day, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."
Pickthall: Unto Him belongeth whatsoever resteth in the night and the day. He is the Hearer, the Knower.
Sahih International: And to Him belongs that which reposes by night and by day, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
Yusuf Ali: To him belongeth all that dwelleth (or lurketh) in the night and the day. For he is the one who heareth and knoweth all things."
Mufti Taqi Usmani: To Him belongs all that dwells in the night and the day. He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
In other contexts in the Quran the word is usually translated as "dwell". [1]
The verse doesn't even mention animals. It could be about people, some of them resting in the day.
