Unapologetically Muslim

Scientific Miracles of the Quran

The Quran describes a number of natural phenomenon that is only recently being discovered by modern science. These facts range from biology, geology, zoology, to advanced areas like cosmology and astrophysics. Here are some of the more specific and notable examples of scientific miracles from the Quran. 

The description of comets

"Can't you see that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a pile? Then you see rain come out from within? And He sends down from heaven mountains with ice inside them; that strike whomever He wishes or miss whoever He wishes; Its flash almost blinds you." (24:43)

The object that perfectly fits the description of the above verse are comets, large balls of ice, dust, and rocky material that orbit the sun. While comets are known to be smaller than most asteroids, on average they are at least 30,000 feet long (6 miles, 10 km). The largest recorded comet, however, is estimated to be as big as 139 million miles (225 million km) wide in diameter. Even larger than mountains!

While today many scientists disagree on what exactly could have caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs millions of years ago, more and more research suggests that the object that hit the earth's atmosphere and set off such catastrophic events was a comet, not an asteroid. A 2013 study published by Live Science says, 

"The 112-mile (180 kilometers) Chicxulub crater in Mexico was made by the impact that caused the extinction of dinosaurs and about 70 percent of all species on Earth, many scientists believe. A new study suggests the crater was probably blasted out by a faster, smaller object than previously thought, according to research presented this week at the 44th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas. Evidence of the space rock's impact comes from a worldwide layer of sediments containing high levels of the element iridium, dubbed the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary, which could not have occurred on Earth naturally. The new research suggests the often-cited iridium values are incorrect, however. The scientists compared these values with levels of osmium, another element delivered by the impact. Their calculations suggested the space rock generated less debris than previously thought, implying the space rock was a smaller object. In order for the smaller rock to have created the giant Chicxulub crater, it had to have been going exceedingly fast, the researchers concluded" (Lewis, 2013).

What type of object is characterized by its exceedingly fast movement, high levels of energy and low rock composition? Comets.

The verse also states that when these comets enter the earth's atmosphere, they emit bright flashes that can be blinding to our eyes. The same is true of other meteorites as well. Such a phenomenon has been observed by spectators many times and even caught on camera.

How could a 7th century man have known that these comets were made of ice? Or that they were powerful enough to cause mass extinctions? 

All worker bees are female

"And your Lord (Allah) revealed to the bees: Build your hives in mountains, trees and in what they build. Then eat (for females) from every fruit and follow (for females) your Lord's enslaved paths, from its bellies (بُطُونِهَا) exits drink of different colors, in it healing for man. These are signs for those who contemplate." (16:68-9)

The honeybee isn't the only insect that has a chapter named after it in the Quran. The spider, al-"ankaboot", and the ants, "al-naml" also have their own chapters. But what makes the honeybee especially unique is that it's the only insect in the Quran where the female verb tense is used to refer to it instead of the male verb tense. Take a look at the picture below, which breaks down each of the Arabic words used in this verse. The verbs "take" and "eat" both have the female verb usage (as shown in green).