An Introduction to Real Islam
02 Jan, 2006
Hypocrisy & Deception: The Koranic Science Conundrum (2)
- Prophets and Miracles
-
The Quran has the stories of many prophets who were armed
with miracles, which serve the purpose of a divine stamp of
authenticity. For example, Moses had his famous stick, which
converts to a snake and with which he caused the sea to split.
Sulaiman was in control of the wind and the
jinn and was able to
understand the language of animals. Jesus had the ability to cure
the sick and wake up the dead. No human being who witnesses any of
those miracles can argue with it, although it was up to them whether
to believe in the prophet or not. When Moses converted his stick
into a snake, no one in the crowd said
'no, you did not convert it to a
snake' and this seems to be consistent in all the
miracle stories told in the Quran.
- The Quranic Puzzles
- Such consistency seems to have been broken in the case of the miracles attributed to the Quran itself. To appreciate a Quranic miracle one needs to have an unlimited imagination and a willingness to believe what is against rational thinking. If there are any miracles in the Quran then only a few people could see them. But there aren't any, and we will see why.
Are we supposed to believe that the Quran is a puzzle? Why Allah likes to give us puzzles when it comes to the Quran? Why he doesn't make it clear to all and every one of us so that we all understand it and agree on its meaning? Is it a test of intelligence? So what about the rest of us who are not intelligent enough to understand the miracle?
When a neutral person reads the Quran, the first question that arises why does it contain so many scientific errors? To counter these shortcomings, Muslims have devised a new tactics. They demand the Quran is not only free of scientific errors but also has scientific miracles in it! They have adopted the strategy: attack is the best form of defence.
The Quran describes itself as the clear book (alkitab almubeen); in other words, it is written in clear language. In theory, every one with a reasonable understanding of Arabic should be able to understand the Quran. So, when one finds the Quran to be ambiguous, it must be that either the Quran is not accurate in describing itself as a clear book, therefore not a divine book, or those claims are wrong, which again leads to the conclusion that it is not a divine book!
The Quran is claimed by Muslims to be God’s word to humanity for guide them perfectly through this life. It is claimed to be like a complete manual of life. Muslims may refer to it, whenever they are faced with confusion or difficulty in life's issues. It is supposed to be the chosen means of communication between God and humans. The Quran keeps emphasizing that it is a clear book (mubeen) and meant for all mankind. That is the theory; the reality is that all these claims are far from true. It has been a useless manual for 1400 years, never been a clear book and Muslims disagreed on its issues from the early days of Islam. They even killed each over the Quranic ambiguity!
The Quran is written in Arabic and has to be subjected to the rules of the language. It is just unacceptable to allow various Islamic groups to bring new meanings to Quranic verses to suit their agenda. Those Muslims who claim the right to change the Quranic meanings will only prove to us that this book is meaningless.
Quran consistent with the 7th century science
A legitimate question to ask when considering the subject of the Quran and science will be: Was the Quran in agreement with the prevailing scientific knowledge of the 7th century Arabia? I think the answer is YES. All the evidence we have is that the Quran did not make any scientific statement that was seen absurd at the time of its composition. The Arabs of Mecca were very critical to the Quran in many ways; for example, regarding its composition or regarding the insults to their idols, but we do not know of a single incident when the Arabs objected to a Quranic verse because of a scientific issue. That tells us that the Quran did not say anything that was outside the Arab's current scientific knowledge. From the scientific point of view the Arabs of Mecca were very happy about the Quran.
The Arabs of the 7th century heard Mohammed reciting the verses describing the movement of the sun around a flat earth that is stabilized by placing mountains here and there. They heard Mohammed saying the earth is like a carpet, they did not see anything unusual in that. They normally sat on their carpets in the open and placed few stones (mountains) here and there to stabilize it. They did not see anything unscientific in that. They also heard the verses, without raising any eyebrows which describes the development of the human embryo. However, 1400 years later, we see a plethora of Muslim miracle scientists who claim that the Quran is full with scientific knowledge which humans discovered only recently. It is now claimed that the Quran contains over 1200 scientific verses! Some miracle scientists even claim that all science is recorded in the Quran!
There are hundreds of claims made by the miracle specialists; the most quoted are probably the ones regarding the shape of the earth and the development of the human embryo. I shall take these two to demonstrate how those specialists wrap nonsense with modern scientific terminology to overwhelm the simple and willing-to-believe audience and call them miracles.
The Shape of the Earth
- The following is a list of the verses referring to the shape of earth. The Arabic words used in the Quran are in bold red.
Q. 13:3 And He it is who hath outstretched the earth, and placed on
it the firm mountains
Madda
Q.
15:19 And
the earth have WE spread out
Madadnaha
Q. 20:53 [since he is the One] Who has laid out the earth as a carpet
for you
Mahdan`
Q.
2:22
Who made the earth a bed for you, and the heaven a roof
Firasha
Q. 43:10 (Yea, the same that) has made for you the earth (like a
carpet) spread out
Mahdan`
Q. 50:6-7 What, have they not beheld heaven above them, how we have
built it, and decked it out fair, and it has no cracks? And the earth
-- We stretched it forth, and cast on it firm mountains, and we caused
to grow therein of every joyous kind
Madadnaha
Q. 51:48 And the earth we have spread out, and how excellently
do we spread it out!
Farashnaha
Q. 71:19 And God has laid the earth for you as a carpet
Bisata
Q. 78:6 Have WE not made the earth as a bed, And the mountains as
pegs
Mihada
Q. 79:27-30 What, are you stronger in constitution or the heaven
He built? He lifted up its vault,
and levelled it, and darkened its night, and brought forth
its forenoon; and the earth - after that He spread it out...
Dahaha
Q. 88:20 Nor even how the earth has been flattened out?
Sutehat
Q. 91:5-6 By the heaven and that which built it and by the earth and
That which extended it!
Tahaha
Quran described the shape of earth using the following Arabic words:
Madda, Madadnaha, Firasha, Mahdan, Farashnaha, Bisata, Mihada, Dahaha, Tahaha and Sutehat.
Every one of them means FLAT. I am trying to think of other words in the Arabic language that mean flat but can't find anymore! It is clear that Allah, according to the Quran wants to tell man that earth is flat, and he used all available Arabic vocabulary to get the message across. It is clear that Allah knows nothing about geography.
Let us check whether Allah has got any knowledge in physics, biology or astronomy. Just look at this verses.
2.22: "Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth)."
Allah made "the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens "? So Allah sends rain from heaven! It is clear that Allah is quite ignorant of the process called water-cycle.
15:26-33. “Verily We created man of potter's clay of black mud altered,. And the jinn did We create aforetime of essential fire. And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter's clay of black mud altered, So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My Spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him. So the angels fell prostrate, all of them together. Save Iblis. He refused to be among the prostrate. He said: O Iblis! What aileth thee that thou art not among the prostrate? He said: I am not one to prostrate myself unto a mortal whom Thou hast created out of potter's clay of black mud altered!"
Allah has made us from mud?! Allah
clearly reveals his utter ignorance in Biology as well.
Allah made Moses' staff become a serpent?!
26:32 "Then he flung down his staff and it became a serpent manifest"
Allah claims he made the stars as "missiles for the devils"?! Allah's ignorance in the field of astronomy is also revealed in Koran.
67:5 "And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame."
Allah doesn't know even the basics of geography, biology or astronomy. You can understand how foolish it is to claim that Koran is full of science. The fact is that it is full of non-sense.
Bin Baz and
Flat Earth in the Koran
The late sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz was in his time the highest Islamic authority in Saudi Arabia, and to many Muslims in the whole world. Sheikh Bin Baz was a man of unquestionable knowledge in Islam and the Arabic language, and a very dedicated Muslim. As recently as 1982, he issued a fatwa that earth is flat and those Muslims who say otherwise contradict the Quranic teachings. Sheikh Bin Baz was aware that scientific discoveries point to a round earth that orbits the sun. He was a true devout Muslim who had to choose between man made scientific discoveries and the Quranic revelations. Being a dedicated Muslim Sheikh Bin Baz decided to side with Allah who never do mistakes. In 1982 scientists had no doubt about the shape of earth, but Sheikh Bin Baz, on the other hand, had no doubt about the clarity of the Quranic revelations that made him issue his fatwa with confidence. He knew how it is embarrassing for him in the scientific circles but he was willing to face the whole world because of his confidence in the Quran.
So how those miracle specialists extract a miracle from such a clear error? As usual, they have to re-interpret the Quran, change the laws of the language, even to extract new meanings from the words and to bring logical thinking to an end. They say: When the Quran says earth is flat it means the earth appears to be flat, so wherever you are on earth it appears to you that the earth is flat, and thought of this could happen only if the earth is round!!
But the Quranic verses do not mention the Arabic word for appear (tahsabuha) at all. The Quran has used words to mean appear to you in other verses and could have used them in this context to make its point, but it didn't. Then what about those astronauts to whom the earth does not appear to be flat but round?
Other Muslim apologists put another excuse for this error. They claim that it would be unrealistic for the Quran to say the earth is round to the 7th century Arabs, they would not believe it! But then, this means the Quran was revealed only to confirm existing wrong ideas. But Muslims will not use the same standard (gentle approach) regarding Allah saying that birds and ants could speak to humans, or that a human (Mohammed) could spend the night with Allah in the seventh heaven, and had a sight-seeing tour to view hell and paradise?
Other apologists focus on one word, Dahaha. According to Arabic dictionaries and tafseer books, this word also means flat. It is the bed, which an ostrich prepares to lay its eggs. Those miracle experts noticed this word eggs and eureka! It's a miracle! The Quran knew 1400 years ago earth is round! But dahaha still means flat.
Other apologists looked everywhere in the Quran to find a word that can possibly mean round and they found one in sura 39:5: “He has created the Heavens and the Earth for Truth. He wraps the night up in the day, and wraps the day up in the night.”
The word yukawer translated here as wraps can also mean to make like a ball but that does not refer to earth, it refers to the day and night. Miracle scientists will see this as a hint made by the Quran 1400 years ago about the shape of earth!
- I just wonder if the earth is really flat and Allah wants to say it is flat, how can he say it and in what expression? Are there any other expressions left in the Arabic language that Allah has not used in the Quran to give the meaning of flat? Unless of course those apologists think that Allah should use the English word FLAT to convince them.
- Development of the human embryo
- The Quran described the development of the human embryo in a number of verses similar to this one (Q.23: 12-14), which is the most quoted:
"Verily We created man from a product of wet earth, then placed him as a drop of seed in a safe lodging, then We fashioned the drop a clot ('alaqa), and of the clot ('alaqa) We fashioned a lump, and of the lump We fashioned bones, and We clothed the bones (with) meat. Then We produced it as another creation."
The way this verse is structured in Arabic means that Allah created man from a drop which he placed in a safe place (we assume it is the uterus), then this drop was created into something sticky (alaq), then this sticky thing was made into a lump (which looks like something that has been chewed) then this lump was fashioned into bone, then Allah dressed this bone with flesh.
The above verse used few words notfa (drop), alaqa (sticky thing, or blood clot), mudgha (lump). I don't see in this verse or in all the other verses about this subject anything more than a description of what ladies could describe after a miscarriage. Miscarriages can happen at various stages of early pregnancy; so embryos look different in each stage.
I keep looking at this verse trying to find a miracle. Humans since the Stone Age must have noticed that man's semen was necessary for a woman to get pregnant. They also must have noticed how embryos look like after miscarriages at various stages of pregnancy. How else any woman in 7th century Arabia would describe to us her understanding of the development of the human embryo? Muhammad having so many wives and so many likely miscarriages must have had this information.
In connection with embryos, the Arabs heard Mohammed saying this and the other verses, and they accepted it with no criticism whatsoever. The Arabs, and indeed the Jewish tribes in Arabia, criticized Mohammed whenever he said something that looks absurd to them. On this occasion, they did not. There is not a shred of evidence that this verse was met with any criticism. We must conclude that these verses must have agreed with the prevailing knowledge of the 7th century.
Comparing with our time, we have to admit that the 7th century knowledge, although appropriate for its time, was not accurate enough. Where is the science in the above verse or in other similar verses? Is there any clear mention of the ovum? Why didn't Allah know that the ovum is as important as the sperm is? The above verse clearly states that the lump was converted into bones, which implies that the whole lump was converted into the skeletal system, which is then dressed with flesh? This does not at all corroborate with our current understanding of embryology. In truth, the flesh develops first within which bones develop later at appropriate locations.
It is quite amazing to note that the Quranic verses describing the embryological development contain scientific errors. And these errors are being explained as the scientific miracles by the Islamist experts of the Koran. On this, they made a remarkable success when Prof. Keith Moore of Canada fell into the trap set for him by the Saudi organization dealing with the Quranic miracles. To the satisfaction of the Saudis, Prof. Keith Moore shamelessly accepted that Quran has an accurate description of the development of the embryo. Overnight, Prof. Moore became a celebrity and was treated as a VIP in his frequent trips to Islamic countries. He even published a special edition of his book, apparently financed by Osama Bin laden to whom he made an acknowledgement. Prof. Moore's statement is widely used by Muslims who consider it as the end of discussion.
I do not claim for a minute any authority in the field of embryology, but this is not about embryology. It is about commonsense. You don't need to be an embryology genius to spot the nonsense of extracting a miracle from a wrong 7th century statement. When the Saudis recruited Prof. Moore to do his dirty part they meant just that. They wanted to silence any freethinking about this subject and to stop any criticism to their false claims.
- Baucaille and Moore - do they believe their own claims?
- These two western scientists have given the Saudi organization dealing with Quranic miracles more than they could dream of. Their support to Saudis false claims is of tremendous magnitude, and has indirectly helped to fuel Islamic extremism. History will always have personalities like these two who would rather succumb to the temptation of fame and money rather than stand by their principles. Money, especially Arab/oil money, it seems could really buy the conscience of the so-called celebrated scientists and physicians.
These two scientists claimed that the Quran must have been revealed from Allah. It does not matter if they are now Muslims or Christians. We know they made their claims in the 70s and 80s and remained Christians for a long time, probably until now!
We find this attitude difficult to digest. They must have read Allah's threatening verses in the Quran regarding the severe punishments awaiting the unbelievers. If they really believed that the Quran is a divine revelation then they should know that Allah does not compromise with the unbelievers, unless they naively believe that their good relations with the Saudis might make Allah forgive them.
These two scientists made their claims and disappeared from the open stage! They only appeared in Islamic sponsored meetings and refuse any interviews from other parties. They can only defend their claims in an Islamic environment when all they hear is praise and complements. Appearing in Islamic conferences put big checks in their pocket as well. But they know well what awaits them if appeared in open scientific debates, meetings or interviews and they carefully keep away from such events.
- Examples of Abuse of human intelligence and trust
- Some Muslims now believe that there are hundreds of verses in the Quran that contain scientific miracles. News scientific miracles in the verses of the Koran keep cropping regularly. Some even go further and claim that we should be able to find all human knowledge in the Quran. They support their arguments by the Quranic verse that says, "It is not a narrative which could be forged, but a verification of what is before it and a distinct explanation of all things" [Q 12:111]. I shall discuss some of the most quoted miracles as a demonstration of how some Muslims wrap 7th century statements with modern science.
• When some unbelievers challenged Mohammed to split the moon, he did it. The moon was split 1400 years ago, then it was put back together. Only recently NASA discovered that the moon was split in the past. This was also recorded in Chinese calendars.
This is a big lie. NASA never claimed such nonsense, neither did the Chinese. A splitting of the moon would have been seen by all nations around the earth; also it would have serious consequences on earth. The Arabs of Mecca never thought of the moon to be so massive in size.
• Human astronauts heard azan (call for prayer) on the moon. Neil Armstrong converted to Islam.
This is another big lie that was circulated widely by the Muslims. The circulated story was so detailed that one wonders how those Muslims behind it had the courage to do it. It was denied completely by Neil Armstrong, but it shows how far the miracle scientists are prepared to go to claim a victory.
• Aeroplane technology predicted in the Quran. I saw this in an Islamic website and was completely amazed. When I clicked to see the details I found a reference to prophet's Sulaiman control of the wind, which is a hint, made by the Quran that man will control air travel! The writer went on to explain some details of aviation physics. Remember all the Quran mentioned was the word wind! A typical example of extracting a miracle from nonsense.
• Microchip technology predicted in the Quran. The reference here is to the same story of prophet Sulaiman when he entered the valley of ants and heard them talking! The Quran only had to mention the word valley and Muslim scientists will understand that it is a reference to the Silicon Valley, which is the centre of microchip industry! Don't they experiment in robotic insects in the Silicon Valley?
They pick up a word in the Quran and immediately cover it with scientific language and move on to talk about complicated scientific principles. In other words, they are saying to their simple audience: this one is really too clear that we are sure you are convinced; let us move on to the next!
Conclusion
The Quran is a 7th century book that is full with scientific, historical and linguistic errors. It is impossible for any true, dedicated scientist to see any miracles in such a book. It even fails the test of morality when it asks humans to do acts against their instincts. Accepting slavery, treatment of women as inferiors and intolerance to criticism and freethinking are only few of the moral codes of the Quran. The Quran does not only contain one or two scientific errors, it is full with them. A book like this cannot be attributed to Allah. It is not divine but man-made, and is badly made.
Islamic Medical Science
[From Islamic Medicine: Thanks to Greatest-ever Scientist Dr. Prophet Muhammad - by Mumin Salih]
The Islamic maxim on healthy life‑style: eat some black seeds and seven dates a day, then relax with a glass of camels’ urine and enjoy the drink! Mohammed’s talent as a prophet and a Muslim leader is well‑known, however, Mohammed's talent in medicine is known little outside the Muslim communities. More and more Muslims are becoming aware of Mohammed as a medical doctor and tend to follow him blindly, as they have always done. Today, there are more publications about Mohammed’s medical practice and teachings than any other doctor in the world. There are easily thousands of papers and hundreds of conferences and websites dedicated to this interesting branch in Islam called altibb alnabawi or the prophetic medicine.
Nowadays, as Muslims express their keen interest in Islam itself, the so-called prophetic medicine has become a serious issue for discussion, dissemination, and emulation. Thousands of Muslim doctors take Mohammed's (read Allah's) recommended medicine more seriously than the prescribed medicine they had learned at their medical schools. These doctors’ blind faith makes them turn their backs to their professional responsibility and cheat their scientific backgrounds to forge research and publications in their desperate attempt to prove Mohammed was right.
Let us make a quick tour through the extraordinary teachings of Prophet Mohammed. Most of the quoted hadiths (Mohammed’s sayings) supporting this article are taken from volume 7,chapter 71 of Sahih Bukhari, which is the most trusted book in the hadith field, but they are also mentioned in the other hadith books.
Human
physiology
According to Prophet Mohammed’s teachings, it is the heart, not the brain, which is the centre of intellectual functions like decision-making and thinking. The brain does not seem to have any function in Prophet Mohammed’s medical science. According to those who truly believed his expertise on human physiology, the brain is no more than a stuffing for the human skull. The brain is completely ignored in the Quran and ahadith, while the heart is referred to frequently as the centre of intelligence, like this verse from surat Al Hajj: (Q.22:46. Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts, which are in their breasts). And this verse from surat Al A'araf (Q22:179.…. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle..).
Remember, the above verses come from the Quran, which Muslims claim to have scientific miracles!
Rise in body temperature (fever) caused by infection: according to Mohammed, has nothing to do with the body’s response to the disease; it is rather a heat wave from hell!
Number
622: Narrated Rafi … I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Fever is from
the heat of Hell, so abate fever with water."
Nutrition and prevention of disease
Prophet Mohammed believes that certain types of food provide protection against all types of diseases. This applies in particular to honey; dates as well as black seed, all were his favourite food.
Number 586: Narrated by Aisha: The Prophet used to like sweet edible things and honey.
Number 663: Narrated Saud: The Prophet said, "If somebody takes seven 'Ajwa dates every morning, he will not be affected by poison or magic on that day till night."
Number 592: Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "There is healing in black seed for all diseases except death."
Certainly, Muslim doctors and researchers will not stop forging papers about the scientific foundations of this claim.
Healing Power
Prophet Mohammed is an advocate of using camels’ urine and milk as medicines! That is true; camels’ urine and milk were prescribed as health drinks. Read this disturbing story:
Volume 8, Book 82, Number 794: Narrated Anas:
Some people from the tribe of 'Ukl came to the Prophet and embraced Islam. The climate of Medina did not suit them, so the Prophet ordered them to go to the (herd of milch) camels of charity and to drink, their milk and urine (as a medicine). They did so, and after they had recovered from their ailment (became healthy) they turned renegades (reverted from Islam) and killed the shepherd of the camels and took the camels away. The Prophet sent (some people) in their pursuit and so they were (caught and) brought, and the Prophets ordered that their hands and legs should be cut off and that their eyes should be branded with heated pieces of iron, and that their cut hands and legs should not be cauterized, till they die.
Even more distressing is the discovery of the healing properties of dipping flies in one’s food as described in this hadith:
Number 673: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "If a fly falls in the vessel of any of you, let him dip all of it (into the vessel) and then throw it away, for in one of its wings there is a disease and in the other there is healing (antidote for it) i e. the treatment for that disease."
It is disturbing to note that many Muslim doctors defend fiercely this claim and they not ashamed to quote imaginary publications to support their argument!
Prophet Mohammed had an interesting approach to accelerate wound healing: he used to spit on his finger (saliva is full with germs) then dip it in earth (more germs). Here is the hadith on this Islamic method of healing a wound:
Number 642: Narrated 'Aisha: Allah's Apostle used to read in his Ruqya, "In the Name of Allah" The earth of our land and the saliva of some of us cure our patient with the permission of our Lord." with a slight shower of saliva) while treating with a Ruqya.
Psychiatric Disorders
This is the area where Mohammed’s medicine had its widest application. Muslims believe that invisible creatures called jinn constantly influence our lives. Some jinn are Muslims but others are not. These non-Muslim jinn cause trouble to Muslim humans. The bizarre behaviour of patients with psychiatric disorders is explained by a kafir jinni that rides the human Muslim and influencing his/her behaviour. The Arabic word for a mad man is majnoon which means ridden (or influenced) by a jinn. The treatment now becomes straight forward, just read some verses from the Quran and beat the jinni (by beating the patient) and the jinni will leave!
It is very sad that Psychiatric disorders are still treated in this way in most Islamic countries. This old Bedouin desert culture is not fading away. On the contrary, this Islamic mumbo‑jumbo is actually on the rise with many publications and television channels dedicated to promote such backwardness.
All societies have their share of eccentric groups with eccentric cults, Muslim societies being no exception. The only difference is that in Islam, sanity is eccentric and madness is the norm.