[IslamCity] The Scientific Exegesis of The Qur'an-deep look

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 12:37:55 -0800

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The Scientific Exegesis of The Qur'an

Justifying Quran with science or any other yardstick must be done with proper defined lines. Mistaking theses lines may lead to improper understanding and doubts. First we should clearly understand why Muslim should believe in Quran as a message of Allah (swt). Lets look at this little deeply. So, scientific justification and its degree of importance can easily understand.

Islamic teaching and its applications are universal and not confined to a language, time period or place. Similarly some reasons behind Muslims’ belief in Islam and Quran are irrespective of time, place and languages. However there are some other reasons that differ person-to-person and period-to-period. Early conversion to Islam are due to the fact that, Mohamed’s (puh) moral conducts, information regarding last prophet in the previous revelation, etc. People knew that he never tell lies, so they believed in his message, consequently some accepted due the clear message of Quran without mistakes and its ability to make realize the myths and mistakes in that society such as idle worshiping. Some literate people recognized the truth with Quran’s way of presenting which was unable to challenge by poets. Like wise we can increase the list by analyzing until the Quran was revealed completely. Every message made them recognize the truth and gave a motivation to accept. Whatever be the attracted reason towards Islam, they had a primary reason to believe, which they understood with the word " there is no god but Allah". This primary reason had not changed even right now.

Now the question is why nowadays people believe in Quran as a message of Allah. Here this can be analyzed in many ways. Let me put my understanding. I’ll list down in three types. Primary reason, Supportive reason and Extended reasons. Primary reason is one can understand irrespective of intellectual capacity, language, time and place. Supportive reason is Quran’s miraculous nature that can comprehend by a person; comprehension may differ based on a person’s ability to understand Arabic. Finally extended reasons, this could differ person to person based on intellectual capacity, knowledge on specific subject, time, place, etc. Mean time one of this extended reason may be more attractive to a person than another based on his knowledge and profession, which leads to proper understanding.

Primary reason; note here, it is "reason" and not "reasons". Though I present in point form all these are inter connected and just one answer, point to note here, "to accept Islam this is sufficient": -

  • No doubts in divine nature of god

Quran ask us to understand the existence of god by looking at creations. That is, its construction and the way it functions. Hence it insists us to accept the existence of god. For example man could look at him self. Every organ is properly placed in an organized way and its placements are meaningful. Eyes, hands, legs, lungs, heart etc. placed in an organized way. To organize such there should be an organizer and this is god. To understand this, a person need not to be a literate because " to organize things an organizer should exist" is a simple fact that can understand by human. In other words An organized being cannot come to existent by chance. Religion like Buddhism fails to recognize this and do not support the question how organized universe came in to existent. Another issue is Quran presents god as unlimited. Rest of the religions give a limited image on him so cannot accept. Anyone with material needs and instincts cannot be termed as god. Eg:- Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism insist god is having family members such as either son, brother or mother, hence it makes god limited as this is an attribute of creations. In Quranic teaching above two messages, that is; existence of god and his nature do not leads to any doubts regarding his divinity, this verifies the message is from god. (For more information)

  • Can comprehend the completeness.

Quran is cable of providing solution to the questions and problems without conflict and contradiction hence becomes complete. Some of this solutions cannot be identified by each of us as it needs intense study on Quran and its explanation by Sunnah, in such cases all of us can understand the solutions without difficulty once the solutions are presented. In other words Quran makes man to accept it by attracting with errorless message in all matters. For example by reading quran we can understand that implementation of Quran will lead to a peaceful society. As its teachings could give us a clear social order and it’s teachings do not conflict each other, so no conflicts in implementation. Its nature of providing optimum solution without contradiction makes it complete. Such completeness can be produce by a supernatural power, which should have full of knowledge in all things including characteristics of creations. Take for example killing in Buddhism. Killing is not acceptable in Buddhism for any reasons. Is this concept appropriate to a ruler? If some people become threat to a society, a ruler can do two actions, first make those threatening party realize the mistake, but if they fail to understand and start a war, ruler does not have any other option other than fighting and killing to save the society. By accepting Buddhism he compel to detach his religion from life. So according to Buddhism politics is different and religion is different, as some of the duties of a ruler cannot be fulfil by following that religion. However in Islam politics is part and partial, as even politician should follow a religion without compromise. Several example of this kind can be present taking rest of the religions and ideologies. With this we can understand Islam is complete and perfect. Understanding towards god and completeness in his message without contradiction gives us the conclusion that this cannot do by human. The success of Quran’s teaching was witnessed in the past and the consequences of its absence can be observed very clearly in today’s socity..

  • Satisfies spiritual instinct completely or god’s signature

Finally, Quranic teaching satisfies the spiritual instinct completely, as the reason behind its acceptance is not emotional but clear understanding with above stated point, it caters man’s spiritual need. This drives to inner peace, mean time it makes Muslims to refute the threats they receive in terms of thoughts. This is not emotional, as answers are clear and understandable. This nature can be defined as god’s signature in Quran. For example most conversion occurs after reading Quran. This is because while reading Quran man start to satisfy the spiritual instinct completely and other religious scriptures do not have this attracting quality because ether it is completely made by man or alteration are visible on its original teaching in the forms of errors and contradictions.

Supportive reason:

This is Quran’s miraculous nature that can be comprehended by one person; comprehension may differ based on a person’s ability to understand Arabic language. Its poetic nature with unique style, clear and shortness in presenting and richness in fact full meaning, ect. Influences at this point. Even though this nature can identify in Quran’s translations, to really enjoy this Arabic is essential. Even in the period of prophet people attempt to produce like Quran. When they presented that, everyone on their surrounding started to laugh at it as its style and order did not supported with shortness of message and richness in meaning. In other words they struggle a lot to keep a balance between unique style, clear and short in presenting and richness in meaningful fact, ect. if some people produced a written form of fake Quran for distribution and this should take as a good opportunity to produce the miraculous nature of Quran. Muslim scholars especially those who well versed in Arabic should come forward to show the weakness in those materials and opportunity like this only would come only once in a lifetime. Verily satan’s plans are week.

Extended reasons:

This could differ person to persons due to one or combinations of issues such as intellectual capacity, knowledge on specific subject, time, place, ect. Some times this reasons might look very attractive to one and not that much to another due to lack of understanding towards the subjects. Those who attracted by these reasons may even accept Islam as it acts as a motivating factor. Even in such cases, understanding of primary reason dominants his belief once complete Islamic teaching is gained. Hence it becomes an extended reason or director towards Islam. Under this list reasons could be many and I’ll produce here some important reasons.

  1. Prophecies

Quran is having some prophecies. They were fulfilled during the period of prophet. Such as, conquest of macca by Muslims, Roman’s victory over Persians. When prophecies are accurate and associate with primary reasons stated above, it becomes a valid reason to accept its divine origin. In absence of accuracy and if primary reason is missing, then people do not consider such as divine origin. Say for example a person like Nostradamus propheis in 16th century were not considered as divine origin due to its weakness in accuracy and lack of primary reason.

  1. History and archeological evidences

Here also this support as evidence once it combines with primary reason. Historical information can differ between community to community and this only dominates once primary reason is satisfied. For example, an indian king named sCheraman Perumal accepted islam during the period of prophet after noticing the moon split while he was in India.(More information)

Mean time historical events related to miracles does not take much priority if it is not serve the primary reason. Take Christians’ claim about Jesus (puh) crucification and resurrection. For most people this is a historical event and when Quran said he was neither crucified nor died people never bothered to reject crucification and Christianity to accept Islam. This is because Christianity fails to satisfy the primary reason.

  1. Previous scripture

This is about the Quran’s demand regarding the last prophet and his nature in previous revelations. An analytical study on jewish bible and Christian bible direct them to question personalities such as shiolo (Genesis 49:1-10) and comforter (John 14:13-16). These are not been answered clearly till now. (More information)

Science and Islam

I choose this as a separate heading because this should analyze carefully to place under one or more above stated three reason/reasons. To this we have to conduct a deep analysis on this matter.

Though definition for science cannot define easily, it can be define briefly as, an orderly approach with measurable units to observe and understand the reality of matter and energy with its function.

As in the definition this can be apply on to the limited creations. Sometimes it cannot even provide the precise answer to limited things. For example;

1. Why universe is expanding in an accelerating speed?

As we know big bang caused universe to expand but if the expansion is only based on initial force caused at the time of explosion then due to gravitational forces between maters, expansion speed should decelerate, but its actually accelerating. Reason is not known.

2. How the heart beat initiates?

According to medical science, once heart beat has stopped permanently the person is considered as died. However still science failed to recognize how the initial beat starts while a baby is being developed.

As science can be applied on limited issues, an unlimited entity even if it is exist cannot be proved with science, thus god’s existent cannot be proved with science. Same way his existent cannot disprove with science. Therefore if anyone takes science to prove god by trying to point him out directly, then they have selected a wrong yardstick.

Science to understand Allah (swt) existent.

As we discussed earlier, with the use of science man is unable to pointout god directly, but it can be used as a tool to understand his existence, this is an indirect approach. As science is only applicable on limited things (i.e creations), this must use to identify the complexity of creations and recognize the necessity of a creator for such creation. All scientists submit on this matter including those who call atheists. Once this is identified, there are two options left. Try to point out the power directly with science or try to find out the message of such creator whether it had reached human. Atheists choose the first option, which is wrong in its origin. Therefore second option left as an only option for those who are intelligent.

As Allah states in Quran to identify him with his creations, with the help of science man can increase the understanding towards the need of an organizer’s existent by analyzing deeply with the new discoveries of science. For example complexity and functions of an animal cell make us to realize the need of a creator. Therefore such approach can be place as a tool to understand primary condition stated above.

Another point to note about science, this not always accepts what is clearly proved. Some times a theory without proof is accepted and on that acceptation proofs are being searched. We shouldn’t give same degree of importance for theory, which was not proved. For example; evolution of human. So far not even a single living cell from non-living molecules been produced by a scientist to prove the initiation of evolution, infact not even a theory clearly giving the links of such formation is proposed!.

The Scientific Exegesis of The Qur'an.

This approach is famous after Maurice Bucaille’s attempt. Mean time some of the researches struggle to draw the line for which verses of Quran this is applicable and applying this to unsuitable places demotivates the reader and brings a threat to where actual scientific facts have been revealed in quran. This is dangerous as this may mislead people. Therefore researches on this topic must know the purpose of quran and must approach only at suitable places by understanding the line of separation clearly.

We can find two kinds of verses in Quran with respect to a creation.

1. Some are used to explain the situation such as time. Take for example sun in following verse.

Until when he reached the setting of the sun He found it set in a spring of murky water: near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority) either to punish them or to treat them with kindness." (18:86)

we know sun never set in to the water. Here this is used to indicate the time and what Zul-qarnain saw at that time.

It is equally dangerous to take the things which are not defined in terms of worldly matters. For example, it is not advisable to interpret haven as another planet. All we know its a place and nothing more than this.

2. Some are use to natural phenomena, which can observe by every one to understand the need of a creator for such act. Some verses out of it can clearly understand once scientific facts are known. for example formation of universe. The application should be only on these as these are directs to god’s creations which can be accessesable by human.

Scientific discoveries are subject to change hence science is evolving. What ever evolve is incomplete. However some discoveries of science will not change though the related field might subject to advancement. For example, still man is exploring the universe and new discoveries are adding to this field. This evolution may not threat the discovery of the shape of the earth (sphere in shape) as it is confirmed. Another such example is outward looks of human embryonic development with the help of microscope. in such confirmed issues, the Scientific Exegesis of The Qur'an is meaning full and its surprises the reader. This reason is an extent reason, as it will caters only those who have interest in science and this confirms the divine origin if it is combines with primary reason stated above.

Quran is not a science book, but it informs certain information related to scientific observations, which makes man to think of a creator. We believe its divine origin if this observation are reveled in advance. Such discoveries are, human embryonic development, observation on mountain, ect.

In certain instances, people forget the evolving nature of science and come to a wrong conclusion about Quran by believing those scientific discovery which in fact half done.

For example. We know earth and other planets are moving around the sun and the moon is moving around the earth. This sounds sun is fixed in the center of the solar system. When people look at Quran, it says

And He it is who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit. (21:33)

Some people would have doubt the Quranic teaching based on this. This is the danger if anyone believe only science as his primary reason to accept Quran.

Lets solve the verse 21:33 first. Sun is not fixed. It is moving around center of galaxy and mean time galaxy is expanding. What if this scientific discovery not been discovered yet. What we should do at such situation. We must look at confirmed nature of it, is science confirmed sun was fixed. No, it never said that, even if said so it’s a human error as motions are relative, so one cannot come to a conclusion without confirming this with a deep research.

Therefore if any theory contradicts Quran (so far not even a single one) or anything comes as against Quran, this will not affect the believer. In fact if he is a science student then if possible he could propose a Phd based on it. As he knows well what is true and what is not.

Brother in islam

Jamil

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