The Glorious Quran 3:190–193 – Unity of Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Reflections

By Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times

The Verses in Focus

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ النَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ

رَّبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلْإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّا ۚ رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْأَبْرَارِ

“In the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of the night and the day there are indeed Signs for people of understanding (Ulul Albaab), who remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on their sides and ponder over the creation of the heavens and the earth, which impels them to supplicate: Lord, You have not created all this without purpose. Holy are You; shield us then from the torment of the Fire. Lord, him whom You do condemn to enter the Fire, You have surely humiliated, and for the transgressors there is no helper. Lord, we have heard a Caller calling unto faith: Believe ye in your Lord; and we have believed.
Lord, forgive us, therefore, our errors and remove from us our ills, and in death number us with the righteous.” (3:190-193)

Signs in Creation and Human Response

These verses seamlessly interweave empirical observation of the natural world with metaphysical insight and ethical devotion. Verse 190 points to the cosmos – “the creation of the heavens and the earth” and the regular cycle of “night and day” – as containing ayat (signs or evidences) for Ulul Albab, meaning people of deep understanding. The subsequent verses (191–193) describe the spiritual and intellectual posture of these insightful observers: they remember God constantly and ponder (yatafakkaroon) the wonders of creation, leading them to affirm that the universe is purposeful, not created in vain, and to respond with humble prayers for forgiveness and uprightness. In essence, this passage portrays a holistic worldview where examining nature leads to recognition of divine purpose, which in turn culminates in moral commitment and devotional humility.

Now, my main suggestion to the open-minded readers is to read on and in the words of Sir Francis Bacon, “Read not to contradict … but to weigh and consider.”

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