OK, here's first draft script. I will leave it here for a few days for ppl to comment and suggest changes. I took out the number miracle coz it's not really a scientific miracle. But if ppl think it should go in then I will do it later. I know I have cut a great deal out - but I had to! I'm havin a break now - thanks to all those who contributed
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Scientific Miracles in the Qur'an?
Many Muslims claim that God revealed scientific facts in the Qur?an, long before modern science discovered them. They believe it is indisputable proof that the author of the Qur?an could not possibly be Muhammad, but must be the Creator of the Universe, Himself.
Let?s take a look at the main ones.
1. The Qur'an describes the fertilization process and embyonic growth before it was known about.
This is not true. Details of reproduction and Embryology were known about at the time.
There was at least one companion - Nafi ibn al-Harith - who had studied Greek Medicine and would have been well acquainted with the teachings of Aristotle, Hippocrates, and Galen. The embryology expressed in the Qur'an clearly follows Greek knowledge prevalent at the time. In fact it appears to repeat not only the accuracies of Greek ideas, but their inaccuracies also.
The Qur?an says:
?We created Man from a drop of mingled fluid...? (76:2)
Which sounds very much like the germinal fluid that Hippocrates spoke of when writing about male and female reproductive fluids.
The Qur?an also says:
?(Man) is created from a drop emitted. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs: ? (86:6 to 7)
First of all it is interesting to not that the Qur?an always mentions the sperm but nowhere does it mention the female egg or the actual process of fertilization which would be in any basic description of such things if it was known about by the author. In fact the Qur?an?s description simply reflects the view of Hippocrates, common in the 5th century, that semen comes from all the fluid of the body and passes through the kidneys on the way to the penis. We know now of course that it comes from the testicles.
The Qur?an also says:
?Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! (23: 14)
This account directly follows the four stages described by the Greek physician Galen, writing around 500 years before Muhammad and includes his belief that bones were formed before the flesh.
2. The Qur'an describes Iron as being sent down before it was known that meteors containing Iron fell to earth from outer space
?And We also sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind?? (Qur'an, 57:25) )
The word used for sending down is Anzala which when not qualified by a phrase like from the sky, usually simply means God provided such and such... There is no reason why it should be taken literally in this case.
However if we accept that this is what it means, then I?m afraid there is still no miraculous knowledge here because it was common knowledge that meteors containing iron fell to earth from space. The Ancient Egyptian word for iron translates as "metal of heaven", and cultures as far flung as Tibet and Australian Aboriginals were well aware that meteors fell to earth containing iron.
Actually almost all elements on Earth came from outer space. If the Qur?an is indeed singling out Iron as coming from outser space, then it is revealing itself to be limited to the knowledge of the day and unaware of how the earth and it?s elements actually came about.
3. The Qur?an describes the moon's light as reflected light long before it was known.
?And made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun as a Lamp? (71:16)
?Blessed is He Who made constellations in the skies, and placed therein a Lamp and a Moon giving light? (25:61)
Firstly, the claim that the words Nur and Muneer , mean reflected light is simply wrong. Nur means light and Muneer means to shed light. But again even if we accept these meanings I?m afraid it was already known that the moons light was reflected light and 1000 years before Muhammad Aristotle describes the lunar eclipse that makes this very clear.
4. The Qur?an mentions that salt water and fresh-water don?t mix before this was known.
?It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, a partition that is forbidden to be passed.? (25:53)
Once again this was already known about and 1000 years before Muhammad, Aristotle wrote:
"The drinkable, sweet water, then, is light and is all of it drawn up: the salt water is heavy and remains behind," (Meteorology Book 2 Chapter 2)
5. The Qur?an reveals the Big Bang & Making Everything from Water before these things were known.
?Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were one piece, before we clove them asunder, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?? (21:30)
If this is supposed to be a description of the big bang then it is a terrible one. The Earth didn?t exist at the time of the Big Bang nor was it formed at the time of the big bang but about 10 billion years after it and a long time after the rest of the heavens had been formed.
It does, however, follow very precisely creation mythologies that were believed in at the time of Muhammad. "According to the Sumerians, ?the heavens had been separated from the earth..." [Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the nether world] and the idea that the Heavens and Earth was once a "single block" that was "broken in two" was a common theme in Ancient Egypt, wher it was believed that the god of the heavens and the godess of Earth were once one and that another god "broke" them apart.
As for the claim that the Qur?an revealed that everything came from Water before this was known about. Aristotle records that Thales believed 'that it [the nature of things] is water' and Anaximander stated that life came from the sea.
It?s obvious the Qur?an was not revealing unknown facts to convince some future set of unbelievers but was simply referencing known beliefs to convince it?s immediate audience that they should believe in Islam also.
As the Qur?an says : ?Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were one piece, before we clove them asunder...? (21:30)
The Qur?an knows that the answer to that rhetorical question is; Yes! Yes, the unbelievers were aware of these things. The Qur?an is using these references precisely because they are already aware of it, in order to drive home the message that they should believe in Islam also. It is using a belief they already have - or can be attested to by experts in the knowledge of the day - to attach a belief they presently reject. It?s a tried and tested method of preaching. If you believe A then you should believe B.
6. The Qur?an revealed that planets move in orbits before this was known.
?It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.? (21:33)
This verse clearly reflects the view current in Muhammad?s day that the sun, moon and planets all move round the earth. There is absolutely nothing in the verse that suggest anything else.
7. The Qur?an reveals an expanding universe before this was known.
?We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof)? (51:47)
Quite simply that verse does not say that the universe is expanding. At best it says the sky has been made vast. Though many traditional tafseers do not regard it has anything to do with the sky but is simply stateing that God ?will make things plentiful?. This is actually a better meaning particulary as the word ?Moosi?oon? is preceded by the prefix ?La? which which means a promise to do something. If we were to accept the claim that it means the Universe is Expanding, then we would have to conclude that God has deliberately chosen to be confusing, ambigious and misleading, which surely defeats the whole object of revealing scientific miracles.
8. The Qur'an reveals knowledge of the gaseous state of the universe pre-big bang.
?Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient.? (41:11)
Firstly gas and smoke are not the same thing. Gas is a state of matter. Smoke is a collection of solids, liquids, and gases that are emitted when a material combusts.
Secondly if one looks at the verses before and after this verse one can see that it cannot have anything to do with the gaseous state of the universe. It says God created the Earth, then he created hills on the Earth, then it says he turned to the heavens when they were smoke? Like all these so-called scientific passages they actually have nothing whatsoever to do with science.
9. The Quran mentioned the 7 layers of atmosphere before this was known."It is He Who created everything on the earth for you and then directed His attention up to heaven and arranged it into seven regular heavens. He has knowledge of all things." [The Qur'an, 2:29]
"Then He turned to heaven when it was smoke. In two days He determined them as seven heavens and revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate." [The Qur'an, 41:12]
First of all modern science usually specifies 5 layers not 7. But more important is that the Qur'an is clearly not talking about the atmosphere but about 7 heavens where the planets are - one of the lower ones the Qur'an says is beautified with the stars and moon. Obviously the stars and moon are no where near the lower atmosphere of earth.
Again the Qur'an reveals itself to be sharing ancient beliefs of 7 heavens comes from ancient beliefs and ties in with the idea that the earth is in the centre of the universe and everything goes around earth.
Topic: Scientific Miracles in the Qur'an?