Scientific Error in the Qur'an
Question:
I am a Muslim. as the title shows that the question relates to science. the ayah of Quran, 03.190-Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. this ayah focus the signs in the creation of heavens & earth also with the alteration of day & night.
Sir the question is that today Science tells that the earth, planets, sun & galaxies were created by the big bang. today science tells that the big bang happened in the sky or heavens & after it the earth, sun, galaxies etc came to existence. but the ayah of Quran, 21.30-Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?
Quran, 41.11-Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly." since both the ayahs of Quran tells that the heavens & earth were joined together & were seperated, contrary science & the big bang videos & images by N.A.S.A tell that big bang happened in the sky which means the heavens were already there before the creation of earth, sun, moon etc.
Do not you think that this is the Quranic contradiction with the established science & if this is so then how do you see the claim of Quran in 04.82-Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction. the men of understanding see that this is the contradiction of Quran with science, then how Muslims can answer this as this is one of the scientific errors in Quran told by the Christian Apologetics. if this is the error then is Quran the word of ALLAAH or not.
waiting for the answer. thank You.
Answer:
Before looking specifically at the verses you referred to, I would like to make two general points:
1. The Qur’an is not a book of science. This does not mean that it can conflict science. What this means is that wherever any natural phenomenon is described in the Qur’an, the primary objective is to provide guidance for success in the hereafter. The objective is not to illustrate and detail a scientific fact. This is why the language of the Qur’an when describing natural phenomenon is not the language of science but is the language of warning and guidance. By stating something that could invite the attention of the primary addressees of the Book (that are Arabs at the time of the Prophet – pbuh) the Qur'an warns them and guides them.
2. The version of the Bible that is easily available to people today is the translation of translation of the original language (which itself was not fully preserved and reliable). This has created some problems because when access to the original language is not an easy possibility, then deliberation to try to fully understand a verse is also not easily possible. This is obviously not the case for the Qur’an.
After appreciating the above I now proceed to look at each verse that you have referred to:
Verse 21:30
أَ وَ لَمْ يَرَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَ جَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كلَُّ شىَْءٍ حَىٍّ أَ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُون
“Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were ‘closed up’, but We ‘opened them’ And We have made of water everything living Will they not then believe?” (21:30)
You have interpreted ‘closed up’ and ‘opened them’ on the basis of the assumption that this refers to heavens and earth being closed together and then being opened and separated from each other.
This is not the only way of interpreting this verse and I can assure you that this is not an apologetic strategy. More than 1000 years ago (when the big bang concept was not known), Imam Tabari discusses this verse and using Ahadith provides possible interpretations. He then narrates a Hadith from Akramah and Atiyah. The Hadith suggests that ‘closed up’ and ‘opened them’ refers to each of the heaven and the earth in isolation. Accordingly a clearer meaning will be:
“Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were ‘each’ closed up, but We opened ‘each of’ them And We have made of water everything living Will they not then believe?” (21:30)
According to the Hadith, the heavens closed up and then being open refers to rain coming from the sky and earth closed up and then being open refers to the beginning of growing of the plants on the face of earth.
Imam Tabari prefers this view for a reason that to my understanding sounds very valid:
“وأولى الأقوال في ذلك بالصواب قول من قال: معنى ذلك: أو لم ير الذين كفروا أن السماوات والأرض كانتا رتقا من المطر والنبات، ففتقنا السماء بالغيث والأرض بالنبات. وإنما قلنا ذلك أولى بالصواب في ذلك لدلالة قوله: (وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ) على ذلك، وأنه جلّ ثناؤه لم يعقب ذلك بوصف الماء بهذه الصفة إلا والذي تقدمه من ذكر أسبابه.”
“and the closest to the correct view (from among these views) is the one that says: ‘the meaning of this is: “Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were closed up ‘respectively’ to rain and to the plant, but We opened the sky for the rain and we opened the earth for the plant.’
“I say this is the closest to the correct view because the part that says ‘And We have made of water everything living’ is an evidence to that. He the Almighty would not mention water in this way unless it is preceded with the means to this water." (Tabari, 18:433)
To be brief, the latter part of the verse (referring to rain) easily justifies the meaning of the beginning of the verse as described above.
Verse 41:11
ثمَُّ اسْتَوَى إِلىَ السَّمَاءِ وَ هِىَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لهَا وَ لِلْأَرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائعِين
“ ‘Then’ He directed Himself to the heaven and it is a vapour, so He said to it and to the earth: Come both, willingly or unwillingly, They both said: We come willingly” (41:11)
The problem that you described was that before this verse the creation of earth is described and this verse starts with ‘then’ and the verses after are about creation of heavens. This is while we know that sky was made much before the earth. The reason this objection arrives is because of the word Thumma (ثم) that is translated as ‘then’.
Although in most usages the word Thumma is used to refer to a sequential event, this is not the only use of the word.
I invite you to deliberate on this classical Arabic poem:
أعجبني ما صنعت اليوم
ثم ما صنعت أمس أعجب
The translation:
“What today came up made me amazed
‘then’ what yesterday came up was even more amazing”
I am sure you agree that Thumma (then) in this poem cannot mean sequence because yesterday comes before today not after it.
Thumma here simply means ‘moreover’ just as ‘then’ in English sometimes imply the same meaning (e.g. I did not have any money, then I did not have my car either).
In fact there are some experts in the Arabic language that say in applications of Thumma like this, the previous event comes after the later event and this is to emphasize on what is being said (i.e. inviting the attention of the reader/listener).
Based on this, the Thumma in the verse 41:11 can simply translated as ‘more over’. This means the Almighty after mentioning the creation of earth, says that moreover I also did what I did in creation of heavens.
As I wrote above, the language of the Qur’an is not a scientific language but a guiding language. For an Arab that hears these verses, mentioning of earth first, makes much sense. This is not only because that is where he resides but also because the description of earth and then the sky above it is very much like the description of a piece of land and the tent above it, which is a very familiar image for an Arab of the time. This most probably had a very nice poetic effect on the mind of the addressees at the time.
If you still have any doubts about whether the author of the Qur’an knew that heavens were created before earth, then I invite you to look at this verse:
ءَ أَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاءُ بَنَئهَا
رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّئهَا
وَ أَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَ أَخْرَجَ ضحُئهَا
وَ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَالِكَ دَحَئهَا
“Are you the harder to create or the heaven? He made it
He raised high its height, then put it into a right state
And He made dark its night and brought out its light
And the earth, He expanded it after that”
(79:27-30)
Please note, unlike the word Thumma, the phrase Ba’da Zalika (بعد ذلک) only has one meaning: “After that”.
---------------
February 2013
I am a Muslim. as the title shows that the question relates to science. the ayah of Quran, 03.190-Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. this ayah focus the signs in the creation of heavens & earth also with the alteration of day & night.
Sir the question is that today Science tells that the earth, planets, sun & galaxies were created by the big bang. today science tells that the big bang happened in the sky or heavens & after it the earth, sun, galaxies etc came to existence. but the ayah of Quran, 21.30-Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?
Quran, 41.11-Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly." since both the ayahs of Quran tells that the heavens & earth were joined together & were seperated, contrary science & the big bang videos & images by N.A.S.A tell that big bang happened in the sky which means the heavens were already there before the creation of earth, sun, moon etc.
Do not you think that this is the Quranic contradiction with the established science & if this is so then how do you see the claim of Quran in 04.82-Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction. the men of understanding see that this is the contradiction of Quran with science, then how Muslims can answer this as this is one of the scientific errors in Quran told by the Christian Apologetics. if this is the error then is Quran the word of ALLAAH or not.
waiting for the answer. thank You.
Answer:
Before looking specifically at the verses you referred to, I would like to make two general points:
1. The Qur’an is not a book of science. This does not mean that it can conflict science. What this means is that wherever any natural phenomenon is described in the Qur’an, the primary objective is to provide guidance for success in the hereafter. The objective is not to illustrate and detail a scientific fact. This is why the language of the Qur’an when describing natural phenomenon is not the language of science but is the language of warning and guidance. By stating something that could invite the attention of the primary addressees of the Book (that are Arabs at the time of the Prophet – pbuh) the Qur'an warns them and guides them.
2. The version of the Bible that is easily available to people today is the translation of translation of the original language (which itself was not fully preserved and reliable). This has created some problems because when access to the original language is not an easy possibility, then deliberation to try to fully understand a verse is also not easily possible. This is obviously not the case for the Qur’an.
After appreciating the above I now proceed to look at each verse that you have referred to:
Verse 21:30
أَ وَ لَمْ يَرَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَ جَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كلَُّ شىَْءٍ حَىٍّ أَ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُون
“Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were ‘closed up’, but We ‘opened them’ And We have made of water everything living Will they not then believe?” (21:30)
You have interpreted ‘closed up’ and ‘opened them’ on the basis of the assumption that this refers to heavens and earth being closed together and then being opened and separated from each other.
This is not the only way of interpreting this verse and I can assure you that this is not an apologetic strategy. More than 1000 years ago (when the big bang concept was not known), Imam Tabari discusses this verse and using Ahadith provides possible interpretations. He then narrates a Hadith from Akramah and Atiyah. The Hadith suggests that ‘closed up’ and ‘opened them’ refers to each of the heaven and the earth in isolation. Accordingly a clearer meaning will be:
“Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were ‘each’ closed up, but We opened ‘each of’ them And We have made of water everything living Will they not then believe?” (21:30)
According to the Hadith, the heavens closed up and then being open refers to rain coming from the sky and earth closed up and then being open refers to the beginning of growing of the plants on the face of earth.
Imam Tabari prefers this view for a reason that to my understanding sounds very valid:
“وأولى الأقوال في ذلك بالصواب قول من قال: معنى ذلك: أو لم ير الذين كفروا أن السماوات والأرض كانتا رتقا من المطر والنبات، ففتقنا السماء بالغيث والأرض بالنبات. وإنما قلنا ذلك أولى بالصواب في ذلك لدلالة قوله: (وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ) على ذلك، وأنه جلّ ثناؤه لم يعقب ذلك بوصف الماء بهذه الصفة إلا والذي تقدمه من ذكر أسبابه.”
“and the closest to the correct view (from among these views) is the one that says: ‘the meaning of this is: “Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were closed up ‘respectively’ to rain and to the plant, but We opened the sky for the rain and we opened the earth for the plant.’
“I say this is the closest to the correct view because the part that says ‘And We have made of water everything living’ is an evidence to that. He the Almighty would not mention water in this way unless it is preceded with the means to this water." (Tabari, 18:433)
To be brief, the latter part of the verse (referring to rain) easily justifies the meaning of the beginning of the verse as described above.
Verse 41:11
ثمَُّ اسْتَوَى إِلىَ السَّمَاءِ وَ هِىَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لهَا وَ لِلْأَرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائعِين
“ ‘Then’ He directed Himself to the heaven and it is a vapour, so He said to it and to the earth: Come both, willingly or unwillingly, They both said: We come willingly” (41:11)
The problem that you described was that before this verse the creation of earth is described and this verse starts with ‘then’ and the verses after are about creation of heavens. This is while we know that sky was made much before the earth. The reason this objection arrives is because of the word Thumma (ثم) that is translated as ‘then’.
Although in most usages the word Thumma is used to refer to a sequential event, this is not the only use of the word.
I invite you to deliberate on this classical Arabic poem:
أعجبني ما صنعت اليوم
ثم ما صنعت أمس أعجب
The translation:
“What today came up made me amazed
‘then’ what yesterday came up was even more amazing”
I am sure you agree that Thumma (then) in this poem cannot mean sequence because yesterday comes before today not after it.
Thumma here simply means ‘moreover’ just as ‘then’ in English sometimes imply the same meaning (e.g. I did not have any money, then I did not have my car either).
In fact there are some experts in the Arabic language that say in applications of Thumma like this, the previous event comes after the later event and this is to emphasize on what is being said (i.e. inviting the attention of the reader/listener).
Based on this, the Thumma in the verse 41:11 can simply translated as ‘more over’. This means the Almighty after mentioning the creation of earth, says that moreover I also did what I did in creation of heavens.
As I wrote above, the language of the Qur’an is not a scientific language but a guiding language. For an Arab that hears these verses, mentioning of earth first, makes much sense. This is not only because that is where he resides but also because the description of earth and then the sky above it is very much like the description of a piece of land and the tent above it, which is a very familiar image for an Arab of the time. This most probably had a very nice poetic effect on the mind of the addressees at the time.
If you still have any doubts about whether the author of the Qur’an knew that heavens were created before earth, then I invite you to look at this verse:
ءَ أَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاءُ بَنَئهَا
رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّئهَا
وَ أَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَ أَخْرَجَ ضحُئهَا
وَ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَالِكَ دَحَئهَا
“Are you the harder to create or the heaven? He made it
He raised high its height, then put it into a right state
And He made dark its night and brought out its light
And the earth, He expanded it after that”
(79:27-30)
Please note, unlike the word Thumma, the phrase Ba’da Zalika (بعد ذلک) only has one meaning: “After that”.
---------------
February 2013
