.....By Maurice Bucaille (boo-say).
This book (1980) is at the root of current claims by muslims that the the koran contains scientific facts unknowable to the muslims at the time of Mohammad. In modern societies awash with technology and flourishing through scientific advancement these claims are one of the foundations that confirm beliefs that many muslims hold that the koran was revealed by god. In the face of an advanced west they feel a kind of honor, confidence and satisfaction that they are following a true religion. One scholar behind this industrial scale diceit said "One of the main convincing evidences to people to accept Islam is the large number of scientific facts in the Quran."
It's hucksterism of the worst kind, after the release of the book Bucaille made millions and a post publishing popularity bandwagon rolled into action, it is still trundling on even today. When you see arguaments like embryology, geology, marine science, every science claim muslims make for the koran is a direct result of Maurice Bucaille's dishonest book.
The publicity machine was manned by scholars who quickly saw the advantages of promoting such a doctrine, how right they were, one only needs to type the words "science+koran" into google or you tube to see how pervasive this idea is. The movement called "Bucailleism" invited respected professors and scientists from the west and adopted a scatter gun approach, showering individuals and their spouses with invitations to attend plush hotels and dinners, during conferances, plied the attendees with gifts, then they subjected these learned and greatful scientists to a barage of video interviews using tactics a high pressure door to door salesman would blush at. The result was some kind of meagre endorsement that still today is trumpeted from the rooftops.
Here's a nice video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8A9DEeglXI