Qur'an and Science

Submitted by Raqib Ahmed Asif (Bangladesh), Nov 9, 2006 at 12:36

To Lactantius Jr.

"And it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it." (Surah adh-Dhariyat, 47)

The word heaven as stated in this verse used in the varies spaces in the Qur'an with the meaning of space and the universe. Here again the word is used with this meaning in the other words Qur'an is saying that universe is "expanding". This in the very conclusion astronomy has reached today. As stated earlier by the materialistic that universe had no beginning nor will it have an ending. It has continued and it will continue to exist forever. Research and calculation carried in the modern times found out that universe has a beginning and it is expanding.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian scientist Alexander Freidman and the Belgian cosmologist George theoretically calculated that universe is expanding. This fact was proved by the American astronomer, Edwin Hubble. He found that stars and galaxies are constantly moving away from each other. In the universe where stars and galaxies are moving away from each other implies that the universe is expanding. Yet this fact was explained in Qur'an when it was unknown to anyone. It is truly the word of Allah. ?It is He Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They swim along each in an orbit?. (Surah al-Anbiya, 33). It is mentioned in another verse too that Sun is not static but moves in a certain orbit, ?And the sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-knowing?, (Surah Ya?sin, 38).

According to the calculation made by modern physicists, the sun is traveling at enormous speed of 17,280,000km/day in the direction of the star Vega in a particular orbit, solar epics. Along with the sun all planets and satellites within the gravitational system of the sun also travel the same distance. "By the sky full of paths and orbits". (Surah adh-Dhariyat). All this fact were stated 1400 years ago in Quran showing that Quran is the word of Allah.

Lactantius, the last paragraph of your article asked me very interesting question. However you have asked me to answer. I am not telling the answers, it is Allah who has given the answer of your question in the Holy Quran. I was asked, "Why the Holy Quran does not bother to mention that the earth is rotating on its axis, or that it is also traveling on an orbit?".

As I have mentioned earlier that Qur?an is not a book of science, it is Allah's will to write "travelling on an orbit" rather "rotating on its axis"?. If He had written ?rotating on its axis? then we would not have been here, sending and posting articles. Better look at the meaning of "orbit" in the Oxford Dictionary. "Swimming along in its own orbit".

With kind regards and best wishes, Raqib Ahmed Asif.

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