THE
SCIENTIFIC MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN
THE
COMING OF THE UNIVERSE INTO EXISTENCE
THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE
THE END OF THE UNIVERSE
AND THE BIG CRUNCH
CREATION FROM HOT SMOKE
THE SPLITTING ASUNDER OF
"THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH"
THE CREATION OF WHAT LIES
BETWEEN THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH
THE PERFECT EQUILIBRIUM
IN THE UNIVERSE
THE FINE TUNING IN THE UNIVERSE
THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE STARS
ORBITS AND THE ROTATING
UNIVERSE
THE COMING OF THE UNIVERSE INTO
EXISTENCE
Until the mid-20th century, the prevalent
view across the world was that the universe was infinite, had existed
forever and that it will continue to do so for all time. According to
this view, known as the "static universe model," the universe had no end
or beginning.
In maintaining that the universe is a collection of fixed, static and
unchanging substances, this view has constituted the basis of materialist
philosophy and has consequently rejected the existence of a Creator. However,
as science and technology progressed during the 20th century,
the static universe model has been completely uprooted.
We have now entered the 21st century and a new dawn is upon
us. Through numerous experiments, observations and calculation conducted
by some of the world's most prominent thinkers, modern physics has proven
that the universe did indeed have a beginning, that it came into being
from nothing in a single moment in a huge explosion. Furthermore, it has
been established that the universe is not fixed and static, as materialists
still stubbornly maintain. On the contrary, it is undergoing a constant
process of movement, change and expansion. These recently-established
facts all act as nails in the coffin of the static universe theory. Today,
all these facts are universally accepted by the scientific community.
The origin of the universe is described in the Qur'an in the following
verse:
He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth.
(Qur'an, 6:101)
This information is in full agreement with the findings of contemporary
scientists. As we stated earlier, the conclusion that astrophysics has
reached today is that the entire universe, together with the dimensions
of matter and time, came into existence as a result of a great explosion
that occurred a long time ago. This event, known as "The Big Bang," is
the catalyst for the creation of the universe from nothingness. This explosion,
all parties in the scientific community agree, emanated from a single
point some 15 billion years ago. (See Harun Yahya, The
Creation of the Universe, Al-Attique Publishers Inc. Canada,
2000)
Before the Big Bang, there was no such thing as matter. From a condition
of non-existence in which neither matter, nor energy, nor even time existed-and
which can only be described metaphysically-matter, energy, and time were
all created in an instant. This fact, only recently discovered by modern
physics, was announced to us in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago.
The sensitive sensors on board the COBE space satellite,
launched by NASA in 1992, captured evidentiary remnants of the Big
Bang. This discovery served as evidence for the Big Bang, which
is the scientific explanation of the fact that the universe was
created from nothing.
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THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE
Edwin Hubble with his giant telescope
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In the Qur'an, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago at a time when
the science of astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the universe
was described in the following terms:
And it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might,
and verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it. (Qur'an, 51:47)
The word "heaven," as stated in the verse above, is used
in various places in the Qur'an. It is referring to space and the wider
universe. Here again, the word is used with this meaning, stating that
the universe "expands." The Arabic word "moosiaaoona" in the
term "inna lamoosiaaoona," translated into English as "it
is We Who are steadily expanding it", comes from the verb "evsea,"
meaning "to expand." The prefix "la" emphasises the following name or
title and adds a sense of "to a great extent." This expression therefore
means "We expand the sky or the universe to a great extent." This is the
very conclusion that science has reached today. 1
Until the dawn of the 20th century, the only view prevailing
in the world of science was that "the universe has a constant nature and
it has existed since infinite time." However, modern research, observations,
and calculations carried out by means of modern technology have revealed
that the universe in fact had a beginning and that it constantly "expands."
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian physicist
Alexander Friedmann and the Belgian cosmologist Georges Lemaitre theoretically
calculated that the universe is in constant motion and that it is expanding.
From the moment of the Big Bang, the universe has been constantly
expanding at a great speed. Scientists compare the expanding universe
to the surface of a balloon that is inflated.
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This notion was confirmed by the use of observational data in 1929. While
observing the sky with a telescope, Edwin Hubble, the American astronomer,
discovered that the stars and galaxies were constantly moving away from
each other. This discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history
of astronomy. During these observations, Hubble established that the stars
emit a light that turns redder according to their distance. That is because
according to the known laws of physics, light heading towards a point
of observation turns violet, and light moving away from that point assumes
a more reddish hue. During his observations, Hubble noted a tendency towards
the colour red in the light emitted by stars. In short, the stars were
moving further and further away, all the time. The stars and galaxies
were not only moving away from us, but also from each other. A universe
where everything constantly moves away from everything else implied a
constantly expanding universe. The observations carried out in the following
years verified that the universe is constantly expanding.
In order to gain a clearer understanding of this, let
us imagine the universe to be the surface of a balloon being inflated.
In the same way that the more the balloon is inflated, the further away
the points on its surface move from one another, celestial bodies also
move away from one another as the universe expands. This was theoretically
discovered by Albert Einstein, regarded as one of the greatest scientists
of the 20th century. However, in order to avoid violating the
"static universe model" that was generally accepted at that time, Einstein
laid that discovery aside. He would later describe this as the greatest
blunder of his life. 2
This fact was explained in the Qur'an in a time when telescopes and similar
technological advancements were not even close to being invented. This
is because the Qur'an is the Word of Allah: the Creator and Ruler of the
entire universe.
THE END OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE BIG CRUNCH

The Big Crunch theory proposes that
the universe, that began expanding with the Big Bang, will
collapse in on itself with increasing speed. According to
the theory, this collapse of the universe will continue until
the universe has lost all its mass and turned into a single
point of infinite density.
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As we have stated above, the creation of the universe
began with a huge explosion. From this point, the universe has been expanding
ever since. Scientists say that when the mass of the universe has reached
a sufficient level, this expansion will come to an end because of gravity,
causing the universe to collapse in on itself. 3
It is also believed that the contracting universe will end in a fierce
heat and contraction known as the "Big Crunch." This would lead to the
end of all forms of life as we know them. Renata Kallosh and Andrei Linde,
professors of physics from Stanford University, made the following statements
on the subject:
The universe may be doomed to collapse and disappear.
Everything we see now, and at a much larger distance that we cannot
see, will collapse into a point smaller than a proton. Locally, it will
be the same as if you were inside a black hole... We have found that
some of the best attempts to describe dark energy predict that it will
gradually become negative, which will cause the universe to become unstable,
then collapse... Physicists have known that dark energy could become
negative and the universe could collapse sometime in the very distant
future... but now we see that we might be, not in the beginning, but
in the middle of the life cycle of our universe. 4
This is how this scientific hypothesis of the Big Crunch is indicated
in the Qur'an:
That Day We will fold up heaven like folding up the
pages of a book. As We originated the first creation so We will regenerate
it. It is a promise binding on Us. That is what We will do. (Qur'an,
21:104)
In another verse, this state of the heavens is described thus:
They do not measure Allah with His true measure. The
whole earth will be a mere handful for Him on the Day of Rising the
heavens folded up in His right hand. Glory be to Him! He is exalted
above the partners they ascribe! (Qur'an, 39:67)
According to the Big Crunch theory, the universe will begin to collapse
slowly and will then increasingly pick up speed. At the end of the process
the universe will have infinite density and be infinitely hot and small.
This scientific theory runs parallel to the Qur'anic explanation of this
particular scientific concept. (Allah knows best)
The picture represents the Big Bang, which revealed once again that
Allah created the universe from nothingness. The Big Bang is a theory
that has been proven with scientific evidence. Although some scientists
tried to advance arguments against the Big Bang, scientific evidence
has caused the Big Bang theory to be completely accepted by the
scientific community.
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CREATION FROM HOT SMOKE
Scientists
today are able to observe the formation of stars from a hot gas cloud.
Formation from a warm mass of gas also applies to the creation of the
universe. The creation of the universe as described in the Qur'an confirms
this scientific discovery in the following verse:
He placed firmly embedded mountains on it, towering
over it, and blessed it and measured out its nourishment in it, laid
out for those who seek it-all in four days. Then He turned to heaven
when it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come willingly or
unwillingly." They both said, "We come willingly." (Qur'an, 41:10-11)
The Arabic word for "smoke" in the above verse is "dukhanun,"
which describes the hot, cosmic smoke in question. This word in the Qur'an,
in pinpoint fashion, describes this smoke very accurately for it is a
warm body of gas containing mobile particles connected to solid substances.
Here, the Qur'an has employed the most appropriate word from the Arabic
language for describing the appearance of this phase of the universe.
Let us note that only in the 20th century have scientists discovered
that the universe emerged from a hot gas in the form of smoke. 5
The fact that such information about the creation of the universe is
given in the Qur'an is nothing short of a miracle of the Qur'an.
THE SPLITTING ASUNDER OF "THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH"
Another
verse about the creation of the heavens is as follows:
Do those who disbelieve not see that the heavens and
the earth were sewn together and then We unstitched them and
that We made from water every living thing? So will they not believe?
(Qur'an, 21:30)
The word "ratq" translated as "sewn to" means "mixed
in each, blended" in the Arabic vernacular. It is used to refer to two
different substances that make up a whole. The phrase "we unstitched"
is the verb "fataqa" in Arabic and implies that something comes into being
by tearing apart or destroying the structure of things that are sewn to
one another. The sprouting of a seed from the soil is one of the actions
to which this verb is applied.
Let us take a look at the verse again. In the verse, sky and earth are
at first subject to the status of "ratq." They are separated
(fataqa) with one coming out of the other. Intriguingly, when
we think about the first moments of the Big Bang, we see that the entire
matter of the universe collected at one single point. In other words,
everything-including "the heavens and earth" which were not created yet-were
in an interwoven and inseparable condition. Then, this point exploded
violently, causing its matter to disunite.
THE CREATION OF WHAT LIES BETWEEN THE HEAVENS AND THE
EARTH
The Qur'an contains a great many verses concerning the creation of the
earth, the heavens and what lies between:
We did not create the heavens and earth and everything
between them, except with truth. The Hour is certainly coming,
so turn away graciously. (Qur'an, 15:85)
Everything in the heavens and everything on the
earth and everything in between them and everything under the ground
belongs to Him. (Qur'an, 20:6)
We did not create heaven and earth and everything
in between them as a game. (Qur'an, 21:16)
Scientists
state that first of all, a mass of hot gas increased in density. This
mass later divided into smaller parts to form galactic matter and later
still, the stars and planets. To put it another way, the Earth along with
stars around it, are all parts which separated from a united body of gas.
Some of these parts brought the suns and planets into being, thus leading
to the emergence of the many Solar Systems and galaxies. As we have set
out in earlier sections of this book, the universe was first in a state
of "ratq" (fusion: combined together, united) and then became
"fataqa" (divided into parts). The emergence of the universe
is described with the most suitable words in the Qur'an, in such a way
as to confirm the scientific accounts. 6
On the occasion of every division, a few particles remained
outside the new, fundamental bodies forming in space. The scientific name
for these extra particles is "interstellar galactic material." Interstellar
matter consists of 60% of hydrogen, 38% of helium and 2% of all other
elements. 99% of the interstellar matter consists of interstellar gas
and 1% of interstellar dust, which probably consists of heavy elements
in small particles of 0,0001 to 0.001 mm in diameter. Scientists regard
these substances as very important from the point of view of astrophysical
measurements. These substances are so fine as to be capable of being regarded
as dust, smoke or gas. However, when one considers these substances as
a whole, they represent a larger mass than the total of all the galaxies
in space. Although the existence of this interstellar galactic matter
was only discovered in 1920, attention was drawn to the existence of these
particles, described as "ma baynahuma"-translated as "everything
between them"-hundreds of years ago in the Qur'an.7
THE PERFECT EQUILIBRIUM IN THE UNIVERSE
He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You
will not find any discrepancy in the creation of the All-Merciful.
Look again-do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight
will return to you dazzled and exhausted! (Qur'an, 67:3-4)
The
billions of stars and galaxies in the universe move in perfect equilibrium
in the paths set out for them. Stars, planets and satellites rotate not
only around their own axes but also together with the systems of which
they are an integral part. Sometimes, galaxies containing 200-300 billion
stars move across each others' paths. Yet amazingly, no collisions take
place that might damage the great order in the universe. This miracle
is something over which all of us should reflect.
In the universe, the concept of speed assumes giant dimensions when compared
to earthly measurements. Stars, planets, galaxies and conglomerations
of galaxies-whose numerical properties can only be conceived by mathematicians-weigh
billions or trillions of tons, and move through space at extraordinary
speeds.
For example, the Earth rotates at 1,670 kmph. If we consider that the
fastest-moving bullet today possesses an average speed of 1,800 kmph,
we can see how fast the Earth is moving, despite its enormous size and
mass.
The speed of the Earth as it orbits the Sun is some 60 times faster than
a bullet: 108,000 kmph. If we were able to construct a vehicle capable
of moving at that speed, it would be able to circumnavigate the Earth
in 22 minutes. These figures apply only to the Earth.
Those for the Solar System are even more fascinating. The speed of that
system is such as to exceed the bounds of reason: The larger the systems
in the universe, the greater their speed. The Solar System's speed of
orbit around the centre of the galaxy is 720,000 kmph. The Milky Way,
with its 200 billion or so stars, moves through space at 950,000 kmph.
There is no doubt that there is a very high risk of collisions in such
a complicated and fast-moving system. Yet nothing of the sort actually
happens and we continue with our lives in complete safety. That is because
everything in the universe functions according to the flawless equilibrium
set out by Allah. It is for this reason that, as stated in the verse,
there is no "discrepancy" in the system.
THE FINE TUNING IN THE UNIVERSE
He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will
not find any flaw in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again-do
you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return
to you dazzled and exhausted! (Qur'an, 67:3-4)
Do you not see how He created seven heavens in layers?
(Qur'an, 71:15)
He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and the earth
belongs. He does not have a son and He has no partner in the Kingdom.
He created everything and determined it most exactly. (Qur'an, 25:2)
Materialist philosophy emerged with the claim that all the systems in
nature and the universe were like machines that functioned on their own,
that the flawless order and balance within them were the work of chance.
However, today, the false nature of materialism and of Darwinism, its
so-called scientific foundation, has been scientifically demonstrated.
(See Harun Yahya, The
Evolution Deceit, 8th ed., Taha Publishers, 2004 and Darwinism
Refuted, Goodword Books, 2003.)
The scientific discoveries of the 20th century that followed swiftly,
one after the other, in the fields of astrophysics and biology have proved
that life and the universe were created. As the theses of Darwinism collapsed,
the Big Bang theory has shown that the universe was created from nothing.
Discoveries have revealed that there is a great design and fine-tuning
in the material world and this has categorically demonstrated the groundless
nature of the claims of materialism.
Considering the conditions necessary for life, we see
that only the Earth meets these particular conditions. For an environment
suitable for life, there are innumerable conditions taking place simultaneously
and unceasingly all around us. There are some hundred billion galaxies,
each with-on average-a hundred billion stars. In all the galaxies, there
are perhaps as many planets as stars.8
In the face of such overpowering numbers, one can better comprehend
the significance of the formation of such an exceptional environment on
the Earth.
From the force of the Big Bang explosion to the physical values of atoms,
from the levels of the four basic forces to the chemical processes in
the stars, from the type of light emitted by the Sun to the level of viscosity
of water, from the distance of the Moon to the Earth to the level of gases
in the atmosphere, from the Earth's distance from the Sun to its angle
of tilt to its orbit, and from the speed at which the Earth revolves around
its own axis to the functions of the oceans and mountains on the Earth:
every single detail is ideally suited to our lives. Today, the world of
science describes these features by means of the concepts of the "Anthropic
Principle" and "Fine-Tuning." These concepts summarise the way that the
universe is not an aimless, uncontrolled, chance collection of matter
but that it has a purpose directed towards human life and has been designed
with the greatest precision.
Attention is drawn in the above verses to the measure and harmony in
Allah's creation. The word "taqdeeran," meaning "to design, measure,
create by measuring," is employed in Qur'anic verses such as Surat al-Furqan
2. The word "tibaqan," meaning "in harmony," is used in Surat
al-Mulk 3 and Surah Nuh 15. Furthermore, Allah also reveals in Surat al-Mulk
with the word "tafawutin," meaning "disagreement, violation,
non-conformity, disorder, opposite," that those who seek disharmony will
fail to find it.
The term "fine-tuning," which began to be used towards the end of the
20th century, represents this truth revealed in the verses. Over the last
quarter-century or so, a great many scientists, intellectuals and writers
have shown that the universe is not a collection of coincidences. On the
contrary, it has an extraordinary design and order ideally suited to human
life in its every detail. (See Harun Yahya, The
Creation of the Universe, Al-Attique Publishers, November 2002
and
A Chain of Miracles, Global Publishing, May 2004.) Many features
in the universe clearly show that the universe has been specially designed
to support life. The physicist Dr. Karl Giberson expresses this fact thus:
In the 1960s, some physicists observed that our universe
appears to have been fine-tuned for the existence of
human life. 9
The British astrophysicist Professor George F. Ellis refers to this fine-tuning
in these terms:
Amazing fine tuning occurs in the
laws that make this [complexity] possible. Realization of the complexity
of what is accomplished makes it very difficult not to use the word
"miraculous" without taking a stand as to the ontological status of
the word. 10
Everything in the heavens
and everything in the earth belongs to Allah. All matters return
to Allah.
(Qur’an, 3:109) |
The speed of the Big Bang explosion:
The balances established with the Big Bang, the instantaneous
formation of the universe, are one of the proofs that the universe did
not come into being by chance. According to the well-known Adelaide University
professor of mathematical physics Paul Davies, if the rate of expansion
that took place following the Big Bang had been just one in a billion
billion parts different (1/1018), the universe could not have
come into being.11 In his
book A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking recognises this
extraordinary precision in the universe's rate of expansion:
If the rate of expansion one second after the big
bang had been smaller by even one part in a hundred thousand million
million, the universe would have recollapsed before it ever reached
its present size. 12
The Four Forces:
All physical motion in the universe comes about thanks to the interaction
and equilibrium of the four forces recognised by modern physics: gravity,
electromagnetic force, strong nuclear force and weak nuclear force. These
forces possess extraordinarily different values to one another. Michael
Denton, the famous molecular biologist, describes the extraordinary equilibrium
among these forces thus:
If, for example, the gravitational force was a trillion
times stronger, then the universe would be far smaller and its life
history far shorter. An average star would have a mass a trillion times
less than the sun and a life span of about one year. On the other hand,
if gravity had been less powerful, no stars or galaxies would have ever
formed. The other relationships and values are no less critical. If
the strong force had been just slightly weaker, the only element that
would be stable would be hydrogen. No other atoms could exist. If it
had been slightly stronger in relation to electromagnetism, then an
atomic nucleus consisting of only two protons would be a stable feature
of the universe-which would mean there would be no hydrogen, and if
any stars or galaxies evolved, they would be very different from the
way they are. Clearly, if these various forces and constants did not
have precisely the values they do, there would be no stars, no supernovae,
no planets, no atoms, no life. 13
The Distances between Celestial Bodies:
The distribution of celestial bodies in space and the enormous spaces
between them are essential to the existence of life on Earth. The distances
between celestial bodies have been set out in a calculation compatible
with a great many powerful universal forces in such a way as to support
life on Earth. In his book Nature's Destiny Michael Denton describes the
distance between supernovae and stars:
The distances between supernovae and indeed between
all stars is critical for other reasons. The distance between stars in
our galaxy is about 30 million miles. If this distance was much less,
planetary orbits would be destabilized. If it was much more, then the
debris thrown out by a supernova would be so diffusely distributed that
planetary systems like our own would in all probability never form. If
the cosmos is to be a home for life, then the flickering of the supernovae
must occur at a very precise rate and the average distance between them,
and indeed between all stars, must be very close to the actual observed
figure. 14
Gravity:
- If gravity were stronger, excessive ammonia and methane would collect
in the Earth's atmosphere, which would have a most damaging effect on
life.
- If it were weaker, the Earth's atmosphere would lose excessive quantities
of water, making life impossible.
The Earth's Distance from the Sun:
- If this were any greater, the planet would grow very cold, the water
cycle in the atmosphere would be affected, and the planet would enter
an ice-age.
- If the Earth were any closer to the Sun, plants would burn up, the
water cycle in the Earth's atmosphere would be irreparably damaged, and
life would become impossible.-
The Thickness of the Earth's Crust:
- If the crust were any thicker, then an excessive amount of oxygen would
be transferred to it from the atmosphere. - If it were any thinner, the
resulting amount of volcanic activity would make life impossible.
The Speed at which the Earth Revolves:
If this were any slower, the temperature difference between day and
night would grow enormously.
-If it were any faster, then atmospheric winds would reach enormous speeds,
and cyclones and storms would make life impossible.
The Earth's Magnetic Field:
- If this were any more powerful, very strong electromagnetic storms
would arise.
- If it were any weaker, then the Earth would lose its protection against
the harmful particles given off by the Sun and known as solar winds. Both
situations would make life impossible.-
The Albedo Effect (Ratio between the amount of light the Earth
reflects and the amount of light that is absorbed):
- If this were any greater, an ice-age would rapidly result.
- If it were any less, the greenhouse effect would lead to excessive
warming. The Earth would first be flooded with the melting of the glaciers,
and would then burn up.-
The Proportion of Oxygen and Nitrogen in the Atmosphere:
- If this were any greater, vital functions would be adversely accelerated.
- If it were any less, vital functions would adversely slow down. The
Proportion of Carbon Dioxide and Water in the Atmosphere:
- If this were any greater, the atmosphere would overheat.
- If it were any less, the temperature of the atmosphere would fall.
The Thickness of the Ozone Layer:
- If this were any greater, the Earth's temperature would fall enormously.
- If it were any less, the Earth would overheat and be defenceless against
the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted by the Sun.
Seismic Activity (Earthquakes):
- If this were any greater, there would be constant upheaval for living
things.
- If it were any less, the nutrients at the sea bottom would fail to spread
into the water. This would have a damaging effect on life in the seas and
oceans and all living things on Earth.-
The Earth's Angle of Tilt:
The Earth has a 23 degree angle of inclination to its orbit. It is this
inclination that gives rise to the seasons. If this angle were any greater
or any less than it is now, the temperature difference between the seasons
would reach extreme dimensions, with unbearably hot summers and bitterly
cold winters.
The Size of the Sun:
A smaller star than the Sun would mean the Earth would freeze and a larger
star would lead to its burning up.
The Attraction between the Earth and the Moon:
- If this were any greater, the powerful attraction of the Moon would
have extremely serious effects on atmospheric conditions, the speed at
which the Earth revolves around its own axis and on the ocean tides.
- If it were any less, this would lead to extreme climate changes.-
The Distance between the Earth and the Moon:
- If they were just a little closer, the Moon would crash into the Earth.
- If they were any further, the Moon would become lost in space.
- If they were even a little closer, the Moon's effect on the Earth's
tides would reach dangerous dimensions. Ocean waves would inundate low-lying
areas. The friction emerging as a result of this would raise the temperature
of the oceans and the sensitive temperature balance essential to life
on Earth would disappear.
- If they were even a little further away, the tides
would decrease, leading the oceans to be less mobile. Immobile water would
endanger life in the seas, and the level of the oxygen we breathe would
be endangered. 15
The kingdom of the heavens
and earth belongs to Allah. Allah has power over all things. In
the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of
night and day, there are
Signs for people with intelligence.
(Qur’an, 3:189-190) |
The Temperature
of the Earth and Carbon-Based Life:
The existence of carbon, the basis of all life, depends on the temperature
remaining within specific limits. Carbon is an essential substance for
organic molecules such as amino-acid, nucleic acid and protein: These
constitute the basis of life. For that reason, life can only be carbon-based.
Given this, the existing temperature needs to be no lower than -20 degrees
and no higher than 120 degrees Celsius. These are just the temperature
limits on Earth.
These are just a few of the exceedingly sensitive balances which are
essential for life on Earth to have emerged and to survive. Yet even these
are sufficient to definitively reveal that the Earth and the universe
could not have come into being as the result of a number of consecutive
coincidences. The concepts of "fine-tuning" and the "anthropic principle"
that began to be employed in the 20th century are further evidence of
Allah's creation. The harmony and proportion therein were described with
magnificent accuracy fourteen centuries ago in the Qur'an.
THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SUN, THE MOON
AND THE STARS
We built seven firm layers above you. We installed
a blazing lamp. (Qur'an, 78:12-13)
As we
know, the only source of light in the Solar System is the Sun. With advances
in technology, astronomers discovered that the Moon was not a source of
light but that it merely reflects the light reaching it from the Sun.
The expression "lamp" in the above verse is a translation of the Arabic
word "sirajan," which most perfectly describes the Sun, the source
of light and heat.
In the Qur'an Allah employs different words when referring to such celestial
bodies as the Moon, the Sun and the stars. This is how the differences
between the structures of the Sun and Moon are expressed in the Qur'an:
Do you not see how He created seven heavens in layers,
and placed the moon as a light in them and made the sun a blazing lamp?
(Qur'an, 71:15-16)
In the above
verse, the word "light" is used for the Moon ("nooran" in Arabic)
and the word "lamp" for the Sun ("sirajan" in Arabic.) The word
used for the Moon refers to a light-reflecting, bright, motionless body.
The word used for the Sun refers to a celestial body which is always burning,
a constant source of heat and light.
On the other hand, the word "star" comes from the Arabic root "nejeme,"
meaning "appearing, emerging, visible." As in the verse below, stars are
also referred to by the word "thaqib," which is used for that
which shines and pierces the darkness with light: self-consuming and burning:
It is the star that pierces through darkness! (Qur'an,
86:3)
We now know that the Moon does not emit its own light but reflects that
reaching it from the Sun. We also know that the Sun and stars do emit
their own light. These facts were revealed in the Qur'an in an age when
mankind simply did not have the means to make scientific discoveries of
their own accord. It was an age when peoples' knowledge of celestial bodies
was severely restricted, to say the least. This further emphasises the
miraculous nature of the book of Islam.
ORBITS AND THE ROTATING UNIVERSE
One of the most
important reasons for the great equilibrium in the universe is the fact
that celestial bodies follow specific paths. Stars, planets and satellites
all rotate around their own axes and also rotate together with the system
of which they are a part. The universe functions within a finely-tuned
order, just like the wheels in a factory.
There are more than 100 billion galaxies in the visible
universe and each small galaxy contains approximately a billion stars.
Furthermore, each big galaxy contains more than a trillion. 16
Many of these stars have planets and many of those planets have satellites.
All these celestial bodies follow the most finely calculated paths and
orbits. For millions of years, each one has been moving in its own path
in flawless harmony with all the others. In addition to these, there are
also a great many comets moving along in their own pre-determined paths.
In addition, the paths in the universe are not restricted to a few celestial
bodies. The Solar System and even other galaxies also exhibit considerable
motion around other centres. Every year, Earth, and the Solar System with
it, move some 500 million km from where they were the previous year. It
has been calculated that even the slightest deviation from celestial bodies'
paths could have drastic consequences which might spell the end of the
entire system. For example, the consequences of the earth's deviating
from its course by a mere 3 mm have been described in one source as follows:
While rotating around the sun, the earth follows such
an orbit that, every 18 miles, it only deviates 2.8 millimetres from
a direct course. The orbit followed by the earth never changes, because
even a deviation of 3 millimetres would cause catastrophic disasters:
If the deviation were 2.5 mm instead of 2.8 mm, then the orbit would
be very large, and all of us would freeze. If the deviation were 3.1
mm, we would be scorched to death. 17
Another characteristic of heavenly bodies is that they also rotate around
their own axes. The verse which reads "[I swear] by Heaven with
its cyclical systems," (Qur'an, 86:11) indicates this truth.
Naturally, at the time when the Qur'an was revealed, people had no telescopes
with which to study bodies millions of kilometres away in space, advanced
observation technology or our modern knowledge of physics and astronomy.
It was therefore impossible to establish that space had "its oscillating
orbits," (Qur'an, 51:7) as described in the verse. The Qur'an
however, revealed at that time, provided clear information concerning
that fact. This is proof that this book is indeed Allah's Word.
Like many other comets in the universe, Halley's
comet, seen above, also moves in a planned orbit. It has a specific
orbit and it moves in this orbit in a perfect harmony with other
celestial bodies.
All celestial bodies—including
planets, satellites of these planets, stars and even galaxies—have
their own orbits that have been determined with very delicate computations.
The One Who established this perfect order and maintains it is Allah,
Who created the entire universe. |
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