Presented by Zia H Shah MD

Abstract: Modern scientific discoveries in physics, chemistry, biology, and cosmology have consistently resonated with the signs and messages in the Glorious Quran. Far from seeing a conflict between faith and science, Muslim scholars argue that each new discovery confirms the truths the Quran has been proclaiming for centuries. The Quran itself directs readers to observe the natural world – taking oaths by the sun, moon, stars, earth, and more – as evidence of its divine message. Throughout its verses, the Quran weaves together insights from cosmology, geology, biology, and other fields, urging reflection on the unity and purpose in creation as proof of God’s wisdom. Remarkably, the Quran also contains statements about nature and the cosmos that anticipated modern scientific knowledge by many centuries. In what follows, we will explore (A) how Quranic oaths on natural phenomena bolster its truth, (B) the Quran’s method of uniting multiple scientific realms as signs of its veracity, and (C) specific examples where Quranic verses predated scientific discoveries, highlighting the convergence between scripture and science.

Quranic Oaths on Natural Phenomena as Evidence of Truth

One striking feature of the Quran is its use of qasam (oaths) in which Allah swears “by” various natural phenomena – the sun and moon, the stars, the sky, the mountains, the wind, even time itself. These oaths serve to grab the listener’s attention and underscore the importance of the message that follows thequran.love thequran.love. Crucially, the items sworn upon are not random; they are aspects of creation that reflect divine wisdom and power, presented as witnesses to the truth of what the Quran is about to declare. As one analysis notes, “the majestic order in nature (anchored by the sun’s light) is used as evidence for the truth that the Qur’an is conveying”, with God’s swearing by these mighty creations pointing to His sovereignty over them thequran.love. In Islamic teaching, humans are only to swear by God, but God may swear by anything He wills – and when He swears by elements of nature, He in effect elevates them as proofs of His creative authority and the reliability of the ensuing revelation thequran.love thequran.love.

For example, Surah Ash-Shams (91:1–10) opens with a series of seven oaths: “By the sun and its morning brightness; by the moon as it follows it; by the day as it displays it; by the night as it conceals it; by the sky and He who built it; by the earth and He who spread it; and by the soul and He who proportioned it…” – culminating in the lesson that the successful are those who purify their souls. By swearing on these cosmic phenomena and the human soul, the Quran asserts that the entire natural order, from the orbits of the sun and moon to the cycle of day and night, down to our very conscience, all testify to the truth of its moral message thequran.love thequran.love. The sun’s precise regularity, for instance, is invoked as a daily reminder of Allah’s dependability and mercy, “bolstering the Quran’s claim that its message comes from the Lord of all such phenomena.” thequran.love Similarly, in Surah Al-Waqi’ah (56:75–77) Allah declares, “I swear by the positions of the stars – and indeed, that is a mighty oath if you only knew – that this is indeed a noble Quran.” Here the Quran itself makes explicit that the oath by the stars is meant to underscore “the gravity of what follows (the truth of the Quran, 56:77)”, pointing to the vast precision of the cosmos as a testimony to the veracity of the revelation thequran.love. In summary, when the Quran calls celestial and natural phenomena to witness, it is effectively saying that the book of scripture and the “book of nature” both emanate from the same Truth. The harmony and order evident in creation thus serve as a tangible, ever-present proof that the Quran’s message is from the Creator of that nature.

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