Scientific Miracles in the Quran: Difference between revisions

*They have translated the Quranic word “heaven سَّمَاءَ” as “universe”, which is not correct ''(see analysis and issues in [[Science and the Seven Earths]])''.  

*They have taken the Arabic noun “We are the expanders”, but turned it into the verb “The Universe is expanding,”

*And then they added the entirely superfluous adverb “steadily” in an attempt to insert into the Quran additional ideas that are not actually there.

*In any case the meaning of the word most like means vast or strong (as was understood in tafsirs)

Critics point out that the term “lamūsi‘ūna لَمُوسِعُونَ ” in this verse is a noun and not a verb, and it describes "God" and not the "heaven" (i.e. the term “wa-innā lamūsi‘ūna وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ” at best means "God is the Expander", and not "the Universe is Expanding").

Moreover, the root word of لَمُوسِعُونَ (lamūsiʿūna) is و س ع (waw-sin-ayn), which Lane's lexicon of classical Arabic explains as to make ample room or width.<ref name="LexiconExpanders">وسع awsa'a - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000306.pdf Lane's Lexicon] page 3052 [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000307.pdf and page] 3053</ref> In the Quran, this word and its derivatives have elsewhere been used in the meanings of "'''Encompassing"'''.

In this verse, the word الْمَاهِدُونَ l-māhidūna (spreader/smoother) has exactly the same grammar <ref>Active Participle Form I male plural noun [https://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=51&verse=48 Corpus Quran] Verse 51:48</ref> as the word لَمُوسِعُونَ lamūsiʿūna (i.e. expander) in the previous verse, but no one translated it as "earth is steadily spreading out". It is from the root mahada مهد which means to make plain, even, smooth, spread a bed<ref>مهد mahada - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000267.pdf Lane's Lexicon] page 2739</ref>. Also from this root is the noun mahdan, meaning a bed or even expanse, which appears in other verses about the creation of Earth where it was made a bed in the past tense. The tense is clear in those verses to mean a past event rather than an ongoing process ({{Quran|20|53}},{{Quran|43|10}} and {{Quran-range|78|6|7}}).  

However, the Quran heaven is a solid canopy: {{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}| الذي جعل لكم الارض فراشا والسماء بناء وانزل من السماء ماء فاخرج به من الثمرات رزقا لكم فلا تجعلوا لله اندادا وانتم تعلمون </br>Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}The word translated as canopy is binaa or binaan ( بِنَاء ). This word means "building"<ref>بِنَاء binaa - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000298.pdf Lane's Lexicon] page 261</ref>. Here, the heavens are described as a multi-story building over the earth. There are seven layers or stories to this building called the heavens. The heavens are built on a foundation called "the earth". The tafsir of Ibn Kathir, among others, elaborates this<ref>[https://tafsir.app/2/22 Tafsirs 2:22]</ref>:{{quote |[http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid&#61;2&tid&#61;1494 Tafsir Ibn Kathir]| These Ayat indicate that Allah first created the earth, then He made heaven into seven heavens. This is how building usually starts, with the lower floors first and then the top floors}}

The key to understanding the meaning is the context apparent in the first verse, 21:30, which is about the creation of the world. Gabriel Said Reynolds notes in his academic commentary on the Quran an earlier parallel taught by the Syriac church father Ephrem (d. 373 CE). He writes, "[...] Ephrem, who explains that God created everything through water: 'Thus, through light and water the earth brought forth everything.' Ephrem, ''Commentary on Genesis'', 1:1-10)."<ref>Gabriel Said Reynolds,  "The Quran and Bible:Text and Commentary", New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2018 p. 553. This is regarding {{Quran|24|45}}, though on p. 508 Reynolds cross references the same parallel regarding the other verse, {{Quran|21|30}}, which is more clearly a statement in the context of the Genesis creation story, like Ephrem's comment.</ref> Ephrem's comment is in the context of the Genesis creation story, much like the first Quranic verse, 21:30. Ephrem says that when heaven and earth were created there were no trees or vegetation as it had not yet rained, so a fountain irrigated the earth. Tafsirs say that when the heaven and earth were separated rain fell so that plants could grow. There is also a similarity with Ephrem in the other verse (24:45), which mentions creatures that move on two, four or no legs. Ephrem explains that as well as the "trees, vegetation and plants", the "Scripture wishes to indicate that all animals, reptiles, cattle and birds came into being as a result of the combining of earth and water".<ref>[https://faberinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Ephrem-the-Syrian-Commentary-on-Genesis-2-3-Brock.pdf Ephrem's commentary on Genesis] - Faber Institute.com</ref> For many more parallels between the Quran and Syriac Christian literature see [[Parallelism_Between_the_Qur%27an_and_Judeo-Christian_Scriptures|this article]].

Critics of the miracle claim sometimes also point out that the ancient Greek philosophers Thales believed that life originated from water,<ref>''[https://teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/1980/5/80.05.11.x.html#:~:text=One%20of%20Thales'%20contributions%20was,died%20when%20deprived%20of%20it. The Origin of Life: A History of Ancient Greek Theories.] Man and the Environment.'' Curricular Resources > 1980 Volume V > Unit 11 (80.05.11) > Section 1. Joyce Puglia. Yale-New Heaven Teachers Institute</ref> and Anaximander proposed that the first living creatures were made from evapourated water.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anaximander Anaximander] - Britannica.com</ref>

Some modern Islamic scholars and popular voices, particularly Harun Yahya, have argued that the {{Quran|77|8}} and {{Quran-range|86|1|3}} contain an accurate description of black holes and pulsars. {{Quran|77|8}} speaks of the stars being "obliterated" or "effaced" and {{Quran-range|86|1|3}} speaks of a star of "piercing brightness". Critics have argued that neither of these verses imply anything other than the eschatological disappearance and observable brightness of stars, neither of which statements is particularly noteworthy. Indeed, it is said, that the sense of the word used in {{Quran|77|8}} which means "effaced" even suggests a solid firmament above the Earth upon which the stars are some sort of sprinkled light. Critics also point out that the same verse ({{Quran|77|8}}) is interpreted by Islamic figures, including Yahya, to describe both black holes and pulsars and that this is plainly impossible as the two are in no way the same phenomenon.{{Quote|{{quran|77|8}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then when the stars become dim;

 

'''Corpus:''' So when the stars are obliterated,

 

'''Daryabadi:''' So when stars are effaced.}}{{Quote|{{quran-range|86|1|3}}|By the Sky and the Night-Visitant (therein);- And what will explain to thee what the Night-Visitant is?- (It is) the Star of piercing brightness;-}}

{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}Some Islamic scholars and voices, such as Harun Yahya, have argued that the Quran's statement regarding the creation of Adam, the first man, from clay contains a scientifically-sound insight regarding the chemical composition of the human body. Relevant verses include {{Quran-range|38|71|72}}, {{Quran|37|11}}, and {{Quran|23|12}}. Critics and historians have argued that where the Quran describes the formation of the first man from clay, it is merely repeating the common ancient myth widespread throughout the Earth well before Islam. Critics have also argued that the description in the Quran is not scientifically-sound because whereas the Quran says that the first human was made from clay, modern science holds that clay only 'match-makes' the RNA and membrane vesicles involved in the production of living organisms and does not form a building block.{{Quote|{{quran-range|38|71|72}}|When said your Lord to the Angels, "Indeed, I am going to create a human being from clay. So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of my spirit, then fall down to him prostrating."}}{{Quote|{{quran|37|11}}|Then ask them, "Are they a stronger creation or (those) whom we have created?" Indeed, we created them from a clay sticky.}}{{Quote|{{quran|23|12}}|'''Corpus:''' And indeed, We created the humankind from an essence of clay.<br>'''Daryabadi:''' And assuredly We created man of an extract of clay.<br>'''Pickthall:''' Verily We created man from a product of wet earth;<br>'''Yusuf Ali:''' Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay);}}

Many modern Islamic scholars, including particularly Zakir Naik, have argued the Quran's description of the production of semen 'from between' the ''sulb'' (backbone) and ''tara'ib'' (ribs) in {{Quran-range|86|6|7}} contains a scientifically-sound insight. Very diverse explanations, all mutually exclusive although nearly all depending upon a rereading of ''sulb'' to mean the Englist word 'loins' in its euphemistic sense (the male reproductive area) rather than its literal meaning (literally, the 'loins' are the lower back), have been advanced by Islamic scholars. Interestingly, classical scholars continually argued over the meaning the words contained in this verse as well. For instance, Ibn Kathir describes ''tara’ib'' as a female organ, while other classical tafsirs argue that it belongs to the male. Critics argue that there is no singular, cogent interpretation of this verse whereby it can be said to be scientifically sound. It appears, they argue, that this verse is simply repeating Hippocrates' theory regarding the production of sperm from between the backbones and ribs from the 5th century which had become popular in the region by the advent of Islam. Hippocrates taught that semen comes from all the fluid in the body, diffusing from the brain into the spinal marrow, before passing through the kidneys and via the testicles into the penis.<ref>Hippocratic Writings (Penguin Classics, 1983) pp. 317-318</ref>  

Critics and linguists have also pointed out that ''sulb'' incontrovertibly meant 'backbone' in the 7th century, supported further by hadith evidence and other verses directly relevant to this context.

{{Quote|{{quran-range|86|6|7}}|'''Corpus:''' He is created from a water, ejected, Coming forth from between the backbone and the ribs. <br>'''Sahih Intl:''' He was created from a fluid, ejected, Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs. <br>'''Pickthall:''' He is created from a gushing fluid That issued from between the loins and ribs.<br>'''Yusuf Ali:''' He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs:}}

However, [[w:Merneptah|Merneptah]] suffered from arthritis and atherosclerosis and died as an old man. Further, the salt crystals in his body which was the basis for Bucaille's claim of death by drowning is simply a result of Egyptian burial and preservation practices. Natron, the drying agent used in ancient Egypt is a mixture of baking soda and salt. It is therefore entirely expected to find salt in mummies. In fact, secular historians do not even regard the [[w:The_Exodus#Origins_and_historicity|Exodus to have been a historical event]], let alone identify which Pharaoh was involved in order for him to be a sign for later generations, since there is a total absense of independent evidence to support the story as described in the scriptures.<ref>Hawass, Z. & Saleem, S. (2016). "Scanning the Pharaohs: CT Imaging of the New Kingdom Royal Mummies." D`Auria, S. (ed.) AUC Press. p. 153.</ref>

=== A small Exodus ===