Presented by Zia H Shah MD

1. Introduction: The Teleological Imperative of the Hydrosphere

The intersection of physical cosmology, biochemistry, and theology has long been a fertile ground for the “Argument from Design,” or the teleological argument. While historical iterations of this argument often relied on the complexity of biological structures—such as the vertebrate eye or the bacterial flagellum—contemporary discourse has shifted toward the fundamental constants of the universe and the specific properties of matter itself. This “Fine-Tuning” argument posits that the laws of physics and the chemical properties of the elements are not arbitrary but are precisely calibrated to permit the emergence and sustenance of complex life. Within this framework, no substance offers a more compelling case study than water ($H_2O$).

Water is the matrix of life. It is the absolute prerequisite for carbon-based biology, serving not merely as a passive background solvent but as an active participant in the molecular choreography of existence. Its properties are anomalous in the extreme; it defies the periodic trends that govern its elemental neighbors, exhibiting behaviors that, were they slightly different, would render the universe sterile. This report constructs a comprehensive “Hydro-Cosmological Argument,” synthesizing advanced insights from astrophysics, thermodynamics, and geology with the scriptural revelations of the Quran.

We engage specifically with the observations of chemist Thomas David Parks, who famously noted that while biological complexity might be dismissed by some as evolutionary accident, the inanimate precision of water’s design “demands an intelligence”.¹ Furthermore, we integrate the Quranic narrative, which does not view water merely as a resource but as a Sign (Ayah)—a deliberate creation sent down in due measure (Qadar) to facilitate a specific biological and aesthetic outcome. Through a detailed exegesis of verses 21:30, 16:65, and 27:60, alongside an analysis of the “Ringwoodite” reservoirs and the anomalous expansion at 4°C, this report demonstrates that the “fitness of the environment” is best explained by a purposive agency.

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2. The Cosmic Genesis: Primordial Foundations of the Water Molecule

To comprehend the teleological weight of a glass of water, one must first trace the genealogy of its constituent atoms. Water is not an earthly terrestrial product; it is a cosmic artifact, the result of two distinct epochs of universal history merging in a single molecule. The Quranic proposition in Surah Al-Anbiya (21:30) invites us to consider this cosmic beginning: “Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water?”.² This verse explicitly links the singularity of the universe’s origin (the “one piece” or Ratq) with the aqueous basis of life, a connection that modern astrophysics has only recently elucidated with precision.

2.1 The Primordial Nucleosynthesis of Hydrogen

The story of the hydrogen atom—two of which flank every oxygen atom in water—begins in the first few minutes after the Big Bang. Approximately 13.8 billion years ago, as the initial singularity expanded and cooled (the “unstitched” or Fataq event implied in the Quran), the quark-gluon plasma condensed into protons and neutrons. A single proton constitutes the nucleus of Hydrogen ($^1H$), the simplest and most abundant element in the cosmos.³

The survival of this hydrogen is a matter of profound fine-tuning. During Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, the strength of the Strong Nuclear Force was critical. Had it been slightly stronger (by a mere 2%), all protons would have fused immediately into diprotons and subsequently into helium.⁴ In such a universe, no hydrogen would remain to form water ($H_2O$) or to fuel the long-lived main-sequence stars that are essential for planetary evolution. The universe would be a sterile expanse of helium. Conversely, had the weak nuclear force been different, the ratio of protons to neutrons would have shifted, potentially preventing fusion altogether.

Thus, the hydrogen in our oceans is a relic of the moment of creation, preserved by the precise calibration of fundamental forces. It is the “ancient” component of water, linking every biological organism directly to the birth of time.

2.2 Stellar Alchemy and the Oxygen Imperative

While hydrogen is a child of the Big Bang, oxygen ($^{16}O$) is a child of the stars. It did not exist in the early universe. Its creation required the formation of the first generation of massive stars (Population III stars), which acted as nuclear furnaces.⁶

The production of oxygen occurs via the triple-alpha process and subsequent carbon burning. Inside the crushing gravity of a stellar core, three helium nuclei fuse to form carbon, and carbon fuses with another helium nucleus to form oxygen. This process is governed by the Hoyle State, a specific resonance energy level in the carbon nucleus. Sir Fred Hoyle, the astrophysicist who discovered this, noted that if this energy level were slightly different, the universe would contain very little carbon or oxygen. The resonance levels appear “rigged” to produce the exact ratio of Carbon and Oxygen found in the universe—a ratio that allows for carbon-based life to exist in a water-based medium.⁷

These stars eventually exploded as supernovae, scattering their oxygen-enriched entrails across the cosmos. It was only after generations of stellar death that sufficient oxygen existed to pair with the primordial hydrogen. This highlights the immense timescale required for the creation of water; the universe had to “age” and stars had to die to create the “O” in $H_2O$. This sequence aligns with the Quranic concept of Taskhir (subjection)—that the massive forces of stellar evolution were subjected to a process that would ultimately yield water.

2.3 The “Anzala” Mechanism: Cometary Delivery and Cosmic Descent

The Quran frequently uses the term Anzala (“sent down”) regarding water, as in Surah Al-Mu’minun 23:18: “And We sent down water from the sky according to (due) measure…”.⁸ While traditionally interpreted as rain, a geo-cosmological exegesis suggests a more literal meaning: the extraterrestrial origin of Earth’s water.

Astrophysical models of the early solar system indicate that the proto-Earth formed inside the “snow line,” a region so hot that volatiles like water could not condense. The nascent Earth was a dry, molten rock. The water we see today was delivered later, during a period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment (approx. 4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago). Icy comets and carbonaceous chondrite asteroids from the outer solar system (the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud) bombarded the Earth, bringing with them the frozen water that would form the oceans.⁹

This delivery mechanism literally fits the description of “sent down from the sky” (Min al-Sama). Just as the Quran mentions “sending down” iron (which is also formed in stars and delivered via meteorites), it describes water as an alien substance introduced to the planetary system.¹¹ The “measure” (Qadar) mentioned in the verse is crucial: the volume of water delivered was precise.

• Too Little: Earth would be a desert planet like Mars, unable to buffer its climate.
• Too Much: Earth would be a “Water World” with no continents, preventing the silicate-carbonate cycle that regulates atmospheric $CO_2$ and preventing terrestrial life.The amount of water delivered—covering 71% of the surface—appears finely tuned to balance albedo, temperature regulation, and land availability.13

2.4 Formation in the Vacuum

Contrary to the belief that water requires a planetary surface to form, recent insights reveal that water synthesis occurred as early as 100 million years after the Big Bang, in the gas phase of molecular clouds.⁶ This means the universe was “wet” long before Earth existed. The components of life were waiting in the void. This pre-existence of water reinforces the concept of a universe designed for life, rather than life being an accidental byproduct of a dry universe.

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3. The Chemistry of Providence: Anomalous Properties as Evidence of Design

If the cosmic origin of water speaks to a grand orchestration of forces, the physical chemistry of the water molecule speaks to a local, intimate design. Chemist Thomas David Parks, in his analysis of water’s properties, argues that the “design demands an intelligence”.¹ This conclusion stems from the fact that water behaves unlike any other substance in its chemical group, defying the periodic laws that allow scientists to predict the behavior of matter.

3.1 The Periodic Deviation

Water ($H_2O$) belongs to the hydrides of Group 16 elements. Periodic trends dictate that boiling points and freezing points should increase as molecular weight increases. We can observe this trend in the heavier members of the group: Hydrogen Sulfide ($H_2S$), Hydrogen Selenide ($H_2Se$), and Hydrogen Telluride ($H_2Te$).

Table 1: The Anomalous Thermal Profile of Group 16 Hydrides

Compound	Molecular Weight (g/mol)	Freezing Point (°C)	Boiling Point (°C)	State at Earth Temp (20°C)
Water ($H_2O$)	18	0	+100	Liquid
Hydrogen Sulfide ($H_2S$)	34	-82	-60	Gas
Hydrogen Selenide ($H_2Se$)	81	-66	-41	Gas
Hydrogen Telluride ($H_2Te$)	130	-49	-2	Gas

Data synthesized from ¹ and.¹⁵

Based on its molecular weight of 18, water should theoretically freeze at -100°C and boil at -80°C. If water followed the “law,” it would exist on Earth only as a gas. There would be no liquid oceans, no blood, no sap. However, water deviates wildly from this trend. Its boiling point is nearly 200 degrees higher than predicted. This “unlawfulness” of water is the prerequisite for liquid life on Earth. The Creator appears to have instituted a specific exception in the laws of chemistry for this single molecule.

3.2 The Geometry of the Dipole

The secret to this anomaly lies in the geometry of the water molecule. The oxygen atom, with its two lone pairs of electrons, forces the hydrogen atoms into a bent shape with a bond angle of 104.5°.¹⁶ This is a deviation from the perfect tetrahedral angle of 109.5° (found in Methane, $CH_4$) due to the repulsion of the lone pairs.

This 104.5° angle is critical. It creates a distinct separation of charge—a dipole. The oxygen side is negatively charged, and the hydrogen side is positive. This allows water molecules to act like magnets, attracting one another via Hydrogen Bonds. These bonds are transient but strong enough to hold the molecules together in a liquid state at temperatures where they should be gas.

• Counterfactual: If the bond angle were linear (180°), the dipoles would cancel out. Water would be non-polar, like Carbon Dioxide ($CO_2$). It would not form hydrogen bonds, would boil at -80°C, and would not dissolve salts. Life would be impossible.¹⁷

3.3 The Thermal Flywheel: Specific Heat Capacity

Water has the highest specific heat capacity of any common liquid (4.184 J/g°C). This means it can absorb massive amounts of heat energy with only a small rise in temperature.

• Planetary Thermostat: The oceans act as a massive heat sink. They absorb solar energy during the day and summer, storing it without boiling, and release it slowly during the night and winter. This moderates the Earth’s climate, preventing the violent temperature swings seen on dry planets like Mercury or Mars.¹⁸
• Biological Regulation: In the human body, this property is vital. Metabolic processes generate significant heat. If the body were made of a substance with a lower specific heat (like alcohol or oil), these reactions would raise body temperature to lethal levels. Water absorbs this heat, protecting enzymes and proteins from thermal denaturation.²⁰

3.4 The Anomalous Expansion at 4°C: The Miracle of the Frozen Lake

Perhaps the most cited “miracle” of water chemistry in teleological literature is its density behavior. Almost all substances contract and become denser as they cool. The solid form is denser than the liquid form (e.g., solid candle wax sinks in molten wax).

Water follows this rule as it cools from 100°C down to 4°C. At this temperature, water reaches its maximum density ($1.000 g/cm^3$). However, as it cools further from 4°C to 0°C, it inexplicably begins to expand. Upon freezing at 0°C, it expands by approximately 9%, making ice significantly less dense than liquid water ($0.917 g/cm^3$).²⁰

The Mechanism of the Lattice

This expansion is due to the formation of the hydrogen bond network. As thermal agitation decreases, the hydrogen bonds lock the molecules into a rigid hexagonal crystal lattice. This lattice is an “open” structure with large voids between the molecules. In the liquid state, molecules have enough energy to break these bonds and slide into the voids, packing more tightly. The solid state forces them apart.¹⁶

The Ecological Necessity

This anomaly is the saviour of aquatic life.

1. Top-Down Freezing: In winter, as a lake cools, the water at the surface becomes denser and sinks. This circulation continues until the entire lake is 4°C.
2. The Density Barrier: As the surface cools below 4°C (e.g., to 3°C), it becomes lighter due to the anomalous expansion. It stays on top.
3. Insulation: Ice forms on the surface. Because ice is less dense, it floats. This layer of ice (and snow) acts as an insulator, preventing the heat of the deep water from escaping into the atmosphere. The water at the bottom remains liquid at 4°C, allowing fish and other organisms to survive the winter.²²

The “Normal” Scenario:

If water behaved “normally” (contracting upon freezing):

• The coldest water (0°C) and ice would be the densest and would sink to the bottom.
• The lake would fill with ice from the bottom up.
• In summer, the sun would only melt the top layer; the deep ice would remain permanently frozen, insulated by the water above.
• Earth would eventually become a frozen planet with no liquid water cycle, and aquatic life would be crushed or frozen solid.¹

Thomas David Parks reflects on this property: “Water is the only known substance which becomes lighter as it freezes. This is tremendously important to life… design demands an intelligence”.¹ This specific deviation from physical laws at the exact point necessary to preserve life argues strongly against chance. It suggests a Creator who is Al-Latif (The Subtle), embedding mercy into the very thermodynamics of the universe.

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4. Planetary Storage and Hydrology: The Quranic “Lodging”

The presence of water is not enough; it must be stored and cycled effectively. The Quranic descriptions of Earth’s hydrology reveal a sophisticated understanding of water storage that aligns with cutting-edge geological discoveries.

4.1 “Lodged in the Earth”: The Ringwoodite Revelation

Quran 23:18 states:

“And We sent down water from the sky according to (due) measure, then We cause it to settle in the earth, and We are most certainly able to withdraw it.”.⁸

The Arabic phrase fa-askannahu fi al-ard (“We caused it to settle/dwell in the earth”) implies a deep, stable residence. For centuries, this was understood as referring to surface aquifers. However, 21st-century geology has unveiled a much deeper meaning.

In 2014, scientists analyzing a diamond ejected from a volcano in Brazil discovered an inclusion of a mineral called Ringwoodite. This mineral forms only in the transition zone of the Earth’s mantle, between 410 and 660 kilometers deep. Crucially, the crystal structure of Ringwoodite acts as a sponge, trapping water in the form of hydroxide ions.24

• The Deep Ocean: Calculations based on this discovery suggest that the Earth’s mantle holds one to three times the volume of all surface oceans combined.²⁶
• Geological Function: This deep water is not useless; it lowers the viscosity of the mantle rock, facilitating convection currents. These currents drive plate tectonics, which are essential for recycling carbon and creating the magnetic field that shields Earth’s atmosphere from solar wind.²⁷

The Quranic description of water being “lodged” or “settled” deep in the earth aligns perfectly with this discovery. It portrays the Earth not just as a rock with puddles on top, but as a vessel designed to hold vast quantities of water internally. The verse’s conclusion—“We are most certainly able to withdraw it”—serves as a reminder of the fragility of this system. If the magnetic field failed (due to changes in the deep earth water/convection), the atmosphere would be stripped away, and the surface water would be lost to space, turning Earth into a second Mars.²⁸

4.2 The Fertilizing Winds and the Water Cycle

Quran 15:22 describes another crucial mechanism:

“And We send the fertilizing winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water…”.²⁹

This verse links winds to two forms of fertilization:

1. Botanical Fertilization: Winds carry pollen, fertilizing plants (gymnosperms and angiosperms).
2. Meteorological Fertilization (Cloud Seeding): Modern meteorology confirms that rain clouds cannot form in sterile air. Water vapor needs a surface to condense upon—a Condensation Nucleus. Winds “fertilize” the atmosphere by carrying microscopic particles of dust, sea salt, and pollen up into the clouds. These particles act as the nuclei around which raindrops form.³⁰ Without this “fertilization” by the wind, clouds would be vaporous ghosts yielding no rain.

4.3 The Barrier Between Seas

In Surah Al-Furqan (25:53), the Quran describes a barrier between fresh and salt water:

“And He is the One Who merges the two bodies of water: one fresh and palatable and the other salty and bitter, placing between them a barrier and a prohibiting partition.”.³²

Oceanographers have identified this barrier as the pycnocline or halocline. In estuaries where rivers meet the sea, the fresh water (low density) and salt water (high density) do not immediately mix. A distinct physical boundary forms, often visible to the naked eye, where the waters flow side by side or one atop the other for great distances. This “barrier” creates a unique brackish environment, the estuary, which serves as the nursery for most marine life. The teleological significance lies in the preservation of fresh water sources; if diffusion were instantaneous, river mouths would be toxic to terrestrial life and agriculture.³³

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5. Biological and Aesthetic Teleology: Life and Beauty from Water

The ultimate purpose of this fine-tuned system is the sustenance of life and the manifestation of beauty, both of which are highlighted in the Quran as proofs of God’s existence.

5.1 The Aqueous Origin of Life

“We made from water every living thing…” (Quran 21:30).

This is not merely a statement that living things drink water; it defines water as the structural basis of life.

• The Hydrophobic Effect: The machinery of life—proteins and DNA—relies on water’s rejection of non-polar substances. When proteins fold, water forces the hydrophobic (water-fearing) parts to the center and the hydrophilic (water-loving) parts to the outside. This folding creates the specific 3D shapes that allow enzymes to function.³⁴ Without water, proteins would be shapeless chains, and life would cease.
• The Solvent of Metabolism: The cytoplasm of a cell is a complex water-based solution. Water’s high dielectric constant (approx. 80) allows it to dissolve salts into ions ($Na^+, K^+, Cl^-$). These ions are the currency of the nervous system. No other solvent can support this level of ionic conductivity while remaining neutral and stable.³⁵

5.2 The Argument from Beauty (Orchards)

“Who is it that has created the heavens and the earth and sent down for you water from the sky and then We caused to grow therewith orchards full of beauty whose trees you could never grow…” (Quran 27:60).³⁶

Here, the Quran appeals to the aesthetic experience—Bahjah (delight/beauty). In a purely materialistic worldview, survival is the only utility. Yet, the interaction of water and light produces the vibrant green of chlorophyll and the kaleidoscope of flowers.

• Photosynthesis as a Miracle: The verse challenges human capacity: “whose trees you could never grow.” While humans can plant seeds, we cannot engineer photosynthesis. We cannot build a machine that takes water, splits it using photons (photolysis), releases oxygen, and synthesizes sugar. This process, the foundation of the global food chain, is an automated technology gifted to humanity.
• Aesthetics as Sign: The fact that this survival mechanism is also visually beautiful (Orchards of Delight) is a surplus value. It suggests the Creator intends not just the survival of the creature, but its joy. It is an argument against the indifference of the universe.

5.3 Resurrection and Anhydrobiosis

“And Allah sends down rain from the sky, giving life to the earth after its death…” (Quran 16:65).³⁷

The revival of dead land is the primary Quranic metaphor for the Resurrection (Al-Ba’ath). Biologically, this corresponds to Anhydrobiosis. Certain organisms (seeds, tardigrades, resurrection ferns) can lose 95% of their water content and enter a state of suspended animation that resembles death. They can persist for centuries. Upon the reintroduction of water, their metabolism virtually instantly restarts.³⁸ This biological reality serves as an empirical “proof of concept” for the metaphysical claim that the Creator can reassemble and revive the dead.

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6. Synthesis: The Fitness of the Environment

The cumulative evidence presented here supports the “Fitness of the Environment” hypothesis proposed by biochemist Lawrence Henderson (1913). Henderson argued that for life to exist, the environment must possess a specific set of properties that are statistically improbable to occur together by chance.³⁹

Table 2: The Convergence of Optimalities in Water ($H_2O$)

Property	Biological/Planetary Function	Alternative Substance Failure
High Specific Heat	Climate stabilization; Body temp regulation.	Alcohol/Oil: Massive temp swings, enzyme denaturation.
High Heat of Vaporization	Efficient cooling via sweating/transpiration.	Ammonia: Evaporates too fast, freezing the organism.
Expansion on Freezing	Insulates aquatic environments; prevents bottom-freezing.	All other liquids: Lakes freeze solid; aquatic life dies.
High Surface Tension	Capillary action in tall trees.	Organic solvents: Trees cannot transport water to leaves.
High Dielectric Constant	Dissolves electrolytes for nerve signaling.	Non-polar liquids: No nerve impulses, no muscle function.
Transparency	Allows sunlight for photosynthesis in oceans.	Opaque liquids: No aquatic food chain.

The Teleological Conclusion:

The probability of a single molecule ($H_2O$) possessing all these maximal properties simultaneously—driven by the singular geometric constraint of the 104.5° bond angle—is vanishingly small. When we add the cosmological fine-tuning required to produce Hydrogen and Oxygen, and the planetary fine-tuning required to deliver and store water, the inference of Design becomes the most robust explanation.

As the Quran concludes in Surah Al-Mulk: “Look again! Can you see any flaw? Look again! And again! Your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated” (67:3-4). The “flawlessness” of the water cycle—from the nuclear forces in the Big Bang to the ice floating on a winter lake—stands as a testament to a Creator who is both the Architect of the Cosmos and the Sustainer of Life.

7. Conclusion

This report has traversed the journey of water from the fiery crucible of the Big Bang to the serene depths of the Earth’s mantle and the cells of living organisms. We have identified a consistent pattern of “anomalous” behaviors—physical and chemical properties of water that deviate from the norm precisely where necessary to support life.

1. Cosmological: The specific nuclear forces allowed Hydrogen to survive and Oxygen to be forged.
2. Chemical: The 104.5° bond angle created a dipole capable of hydrogen bonding, raising the boiling point to a habitable range.
3. Physical: The density reversal at 4°C prevents the freezing of the oceans, a “mercy” codified in thermodynamics.
4. Geological: The “lodging” of water in Ringwoodite and aquifers secures the biosphere’s future.
5. Scriptural: The Quran accurately describes these origins (Anzala), reservoirs (Askanna), and functions (Revival), framing them not as accidents but as Signs.

The “Hydro-Cosmological Argument” thus stands as a robust challenge to materialist reductionism. It suggests that the universe was not merely a container into which life was accidentally spilled, but a home explicitly built, hydrated, and regulated for the guest. In the words of the Quran: “And We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?”

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