The Travellers Crew

Category: Decoding the verses of Quran

  • What does Quran say about the shape of the Earth?

    What does Quran say about the shape of the Earth?

    12. Decoding the verses of Holy Quran 

    The theory of a flat earth has been scientifically disproven. In 1577, Sir Francis Drake showed that the Erath is spherical. But, What does Quran say about the shape of the Earth? Contrary to popular belief, Qur’anic passages strongly hint that the Earth is spherical. In one of the many cases, it stated

    Al Quran - English Translation - Surah Luqman

    “Do you not see that Allah causes the night to merge into the day and the day into the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon, each orbiting for an appointed term, and that Allah is All-Aware of what you do?”

    Chapter 31 (Surah Luqman) verse 29

    The shape of the Earth and Quran

    “Do you not see that Allah causes the night to merge into the day and the day into the night…..” Merging is a slow process. The night slowly and gradually merges into the day and the day slowly merges into the night. If the Earth was flat, than there would be a sudden change. In another chapter, Allah says:

    Surat Az-Zumar [39:5] - The Noble Qur'an - القرآن الكريم

    “He created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. He wraps the night around the day, and wraps the day around the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each orbiting for an appointed term. He is truly the Almighty, Most Forgiving.”

    Chapter 39 (Surah Az-Zumar) verse 5

    The use of the word “kawwara” is significant. A ball is “kurah” in Arabic.

    “Kuwar” is to wind around? “Kawwara al-‘ imamah” is for winding the turban (around the head). Consequently, the going round of light and darkness is only possible if the earth is round. Yet in another place Allah says:

    79:30

    “He made the earth egg-shaped.”

    Chapter 39 (Surah Az-Zumar) verse 5

     

    What does the word “daha” mean?

    The word “daha” of the original carries two meanings: to spread, stretch, expand, as well as to “give a round shape.” It is  derived from the word duhiya, which means “ostrich egg”. The Qu an has used other words for spreading or stretching the earth, in several places. The words used there “madda” (mentioned three times ) or “bisata” (mentioned once). That’s why you see دَحَاهَا not used in other verses that use spread word.

    “Daha? in the sense of a sphere is not merely a meaning of the classical times, but rather still used in our times for things of round shape. In Hejaz and parts of Middle-cast, an egg is a ” dahiyah.” The hole that an ostrich makes for its eggs is “ud-hiyyun” (the round hole). The hole that children make the ground for playing with marbles are known as “mid-ha.”  word daha may derive from the word duhiya, which is said to mean “ostrich egg”.

     

    Mustafa Mahmoud view about daha

    Mustafa Mahmoud, a well-known Egyptian apologist from the 1970s, was one of the ‘pioneers’ in the field of scientific marvels. In some of his books in the early 1970s (e.g., ‘A Dialogue with my Atheist Friend’), he proposed the following:

    The term ‘daha’ denotes two things: leveling and stretching, and forming into the shape of an egg.

    Thus, he maintained that the use of the word in the Quran is a magnificent marvel because of its extreme precision, just as the Earth appears to us to be flat but is truly round. Furthermore, due to the disparity in polar and equatorial diameters, the globe is egg-shaped.

    When we compare the shape of the Earth to that of the Arabian ostrich egg we see that out of all eggs this shape is the closest egg to an oblate spheroid.

    This is what a very famous dictionary says about this word:

    دَحَا, (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ,) first pers. دَحَوْتُ, (Ṣ,) aor. يَدْحُو, (Mṣb, Ḳ,) inf. n. دَحْوٌ, (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ,) He spread; spread out, or forth; expanded; or extended; (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ;) a thing; (Ṣ;) and, when said of God, the earth; (Fr, Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ;) as also دَحَى, (Mṣb, Ḳ,) first pers. دَحَيْتُ, (Ḳ in art. دحى,) aor. يَدْحَى, inf. n. دَحْىٌ: (Mṣb, and Ḳ in art. دحى:) or He (God) made the earth wide, or ample; as explained by an Arab woman of the desert to Sh: (TA:) also, said of an ostrich, (Ṣ, TA,) he expanded, and made wide, (TA,) with his foot, or leg, the place where he was about to deposit his eggs: (Ṣ,* TA:) and, said of a man, he spread,, &c., and made plain, even, or smooth. (TA in art. دحى.)

     

    Ostrich Spread

    الأُدْحِيُّ و الإدْحِيُّ و الأُدْحِيَّة و الإدْحِيَّة و الأُدْحُوّة مَبِيض النعام في الرمل , وزنه أُفْعُول من ذلك , لأَن النعامة تَدْحُوه برِجْلها ثم تَبِيض فيه وليس للنعام عُشٌّ . و مَدْحَى النعام : موضع بيضها , و أُدْحِيُّها موضعها الذي تُفَرِّخ فيه.ِ

    Translation: Al-udhy, Al-idhy, Al-udhiyya, Al-idhiyya, Al-udhuwwa: The place in sand where an ostrich lays its egg. This is because the ostrich spreads out (تَدْحُوه, tadhooh) the earth with its feet then lays its eggs there, an ostrich doesn’t have a nest.

    This special spread is called an “ostrich SPREAD”. earlier Quran verses indirectly refer Earth as spherical shape but this one specifically refer Earth like egg shape. The only birdy animal there was in Arab was an Arabian ostrich. The connection with the word دَحَاهَا and the Arabian ostrich becomes more apparent by understanding the specific way the ostrich would lay its eggs was by SPREADING out the sand before laying on top of it. This is why the root word has the meanings to spread and that of an egg.

    Ostrich: The World's Largest Bird
    Ostrich: The World’s Largest Bird https://suchscience.net/ostrich/

    Yet another dictionary states:

    والدَّحْوُ اسْتِرْسال البَطْنِ إلى أَسْفَلَ وعِظَمُه (لسان العرب)

    “And’a-dahwu’ is used for a stomach that hangs down toward the ground, and for its bulkiness” (Lisan al- Arab).” A contemporary dictionary states:

    دحا اللهُ الأرضَ: بَسَطَها ومَدَّها ووَسَّعَها على هيئة بيضة (معجم اللغة العربية المعاصرة)

    “Allah has ‘daha’ al-ard’ means, ‘He stretched it, expanded it, extended it in the shape of an egg’” (Mu jam).

    والأُدْحِيُّ من منازل القمر (لسان العرب)

    “Uhiyyu is one of the phases of the moon” ; and, as we know, the moon goes round and round.

    Thus, although not stated in direct terms, the Quran clearly implies that the carth is spherical in shape. The meaning was ignored by earliest witers because the concept was revolutionary and had to wait for a thousand years before it would receive credibility.

     

    My final words

    The glorious Quran says:

    Surat Fussilat [41:53] - The Noble Qur'an - القرآن الكريم

    “We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the

    truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?”

    – Chapter 41 (Surah Fussilat ) verse 53 

    Some people require only one sign, while others require numerous signs to embrace the truth. On the other side, there are others who, even after receiving thousands of indications, refuse to embrace the reality. The Quran describes these persons as:

    “They are ˹wilfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will never return ˹to the Right Path˺.”
    – Chapter 2 (Surah Al-Baqarah) verse 18

    The Bible says the same thing:

    “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”
    – Gospel of Matthew verse 13 of chapter 13 

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

    My Blogs 

    Hopefully, that was helpful to you and will assist you in strengthening your belief. You can also visit my other blogs:

    What does Quran says about the dynamic motion of the Earth?

    What does the Quran say about the moon?

    What does Quran say about the rise in sea level?

    Contact Me

    writer= Ayhian Ali

    email: ayhianali@gmail.com

  • What does Quran say about human Embryology?

    What does Quran say about human Embryology?

    11. Decoding the verses of the Holy Quran

    In the early 1980s, Prof. Keith Moore, formerly an anatomist at the University of Toronto, Canada produced a special edition of his embryology textbook, the standard version of which has been widely used in medical schools around the world. Apparently when he first read what the Qur’an had to say about the development of the human embryo he was “astonished by the accuracy of the statements that were recorded in the 7th century AD, before the science of embryology was established”. So, what does Quran say about human Embryology?

    “then We developed the drop into a clinging clot, then developed the clot into a lump ˹of flesh˺, then developed the lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, then We brought it into being as a new creation.1 So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators..”

    – Chapter 23 (Surah Al-Mu”minun) verse 14
    Let’s decipher this topic of the Holy Quran

    Stages of Human Embryology and Quran

    There are at least 60 verses which deal explicitly with human reproduction and development,
    but these are scattered throughout the Qur’an A questioner at the University of Illinois (USA) asks Dr. Keith Moore: “Have you become Muslim and accepted Islam? Why and why not?” (8th May 1990, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA).

    I believe that what is recorded in Quran accurate according to our present knowledge

    So, isn’t the Holy Quran a book of God?

    My final words

    The glorious Quran says:

    Surat Fussilat [41:53] - The Noble Qur'an - القرآن الكريم

    “We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the

    truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?”

    – Chapter 41 (Surah Fussilat ) verse 53 

    Some people require only one sign, while others require numerous signs to embrace the truth. On the other side, there are others who, even after receiving thousands of indications, refuse to embrace the reality. The Quran describes these persons as:

    “They are ˹wilfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will never return ˹to the Right Path˺.”
    – Chapter 2 (Surah Al-Baqarah) verse 18

    The Bible says the same thing:

    “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”
    – Gospel of Matthew verse 13 of chapter 13 

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

    My Blogs 

    Hopefully, that was helpful to you and will assist you in strengthening your belief. You can also visit my other blogs:

    What does Quran says about the dynamic motion of the Earth?

    What does the Quran say about the moon?

    What does Quran say about the rise in sea level?

    Contact Me

    writer= Ayhian Ali

    email: ayhianali@gmail.com

  • What does Quran say about Copper?

    What does Quran say about Copper?

    10. Decoding the verses of the Holy Quran

    Gold, silver, platinum, and the rest of the heavy elements are all the result of tremendous star explosions in the distant past. Regardless of the idea, copper is a metal with stellar origins. So, What does Quran say about Copper? And here comes an extraordinary Qur’anic revelation that confirms, however implicitly, the stellar origin of copper, or, to put it another way, the existence of copper in space. It is  stated:

    “O  assembly of jinn and humans! If you can penetrate beyond the realms of the heavens and the earth, then do so. ˹But˺ you cannot do that without ˹Our˺ authority. Then which of your Lord’s favours will you both deny? Flames of fire and ˹molten˺ copper will be sent against you, and you will not be able to defend one another.”
    – Chapter 55 (Surah Ar- Rahman) verse 33-35
    Let’s decipher this verse of the Holy Quran.

    Early universe 

    There is known that the  early universe created hydrogen and helium. Both are very simple elements. Astrophysicists suggest that hydrogen was the first element to be created in the soup of sub-atomic particles after big bang (the big blast that created the universe). It has no neutrons. within three minutes, helium is thought to be formed. It has two protons, two neutrons and two electrons circulating its nucleus. After the creation of hydrogen and helium, the early universe cooled and expanded so much that formation of new elements was forbidden. So, the question remained, how and when did heavy elements appear, and specifically Copper that has 29 protons, 35 neutrons, and 29 electrons. Researches have shown that the creation of heavy elements is only possible in the core of large stars, larger than sun, which are largely made of hydrogen and helium. When they have burnt hydrogen, they switch to burning their helium. At that stage they expand to several times their size and are referred to as “Red Giant Stars.” If they had sufficient mass at the start, they become Supergiants.

    Blue Supergiant as compared to our Sun
    Blue Supergiant as compared to our Sun https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a27392563/blue-supergiants-explained/

     

    Nonetheless, when they have finished burning their fuel, they begin to contract. As they contract, temperature rises immensely. As the process of contraction continues, pressure builds up, and temperatures rise. With high temperatures and pressures, the process of nucleosynthesis is triggered and new, heavier elements are synthesized, iron being the last. (This cannot happen in our sun because it is not large enough).  Then the star explodes, scattering this all material in the vast space.

     

    Fred Hoyle | Department of Physics & Astronomy at Sonoma State University
    Fred Hoyle | first to suggest how possibly heavy elements like carbon, nickel, iron etc. could have been made by nature https://phys-astro.sonoma.edu/brucemedalists/fred-hoyle

     

    Origin of Copper

    Copper has another story. Scientists know the origins of the majority of chemical elements, from hydrogen to uranium, and there is no disagreement. However, with an atomic number of 29, copper appears to be an exception. Some hypotheses suggest that it originated in huge stars, while others believe it was created in white dwarfs, which are formed when stars the size of our Sun exhaust their hydrogen and helium fuel and enter the nucleosynthesis phase before exploding. They are thus referred to as type la supernovae, and copper appears to be a byproduct of la type supernova.

    Nucleosynthesis - How Elements Are Made
    Nucleosynthesis – How Elements Are Made https://sciencenotes.org/nucleosynthesis-how-elements-are-made/

     

    A star bursts into a Supernova
    A star bursts into Supernova https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2016/03/30/the-milky-ways-most-recent-supernova-was-hidden-until-now/

     

    However, the majority of experts believe that copper on Earth came from a star eight times the size of our Sun. When a star’s core runs out of hydrogen, it expands into a supergiant, and the core begins to convert helium into carbon and oxygen. Further burning results in an increase in temperature and a decrease in size (iron atomic number 26). Further nucleosynthesis results in the formation of copper. Finally, the star explodes, sending its elements into space, where they are absorbed by various celestial bodies, including our Earth, in their own good time. Gold, silver, platinum, and the rest of the heavy elements are all the result of tremendous star explosions in the distant past. Regardless of the idea, copper is a metal with stellar origins. And here comes an extraordinary Qur’anic revelation that confirms, however implicitly, the stellar origin of copper, or, to put it another way, the existence of copper in space. It is stated:

    “O  assembly of jinn and humans! If you can penetrate beyond the realms of the heavens and the earth, then do so. ˹But˺ you cannot do that without ˹Our˺ authority. Then which of your Lord’s favours will you both deny? Flames of fire and ˹molten˺ copper will be sent against you, and you will not be able to defend one another.”
    – Chapter 55 (Surah Ar- Rahman) verse 33-35

     

    So, isn’t the Holy Quran a book of God?

    My final words

    The glorious Quran says:

    Surat Fussilat [41:53] - The Noble Qur'an - القرآن الكريم

    “We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the

    truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?”

    – Chapter 41 (Surah Fussilat ) verse 53 

    Some people require only one sign, while others require numerous signs to embrace the truth. On the other side, there are others who, even after receiving thousands of indications, refuse to embrace the reality. The Quran describes these persons as:

    “They are ˹wilfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will never return ˹to the Right Path˺.”
    – Chapter 2 (Surah Al-Baqarah) verse 18

    The Bible says the same thing:

    “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”
    – Gospel of Matthew verse 13 of chapter 13 

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

    My Blogs 

    Hopefully, that was helpful to you and will assist you in strengthening your belief. You can also visit my other blogs:

    What does Quran says about the dynamic motion of the Earth?

    What does the Quran say about the moon?

    What does Quran say about the rise in sea level?

    Contact Me

    writer= Ayhian Ali

    email: ayhianali@gmail.com

  • What does Quran say about the rise in sea level?

    What does Quran say about the rise in sea level?

    9. Decoding the verses of the Holy Quran

    Sea levels are predicted to increase a foot by 2050, regardless of how much global carbon emissions are lowered. Since 2010, sea levels have risen more than 10 centimeters globally. By 2100, over 410 million people could be at risk from rising sea levels. But What does Quran say about the rise in sea level? The Holy Quran says:

    “Do they not see that We gradually reduce their land from its borders? Allah decides—none can reverse His decision. And He is swift in reckoning.”
    – Chapter 13 (Surah Ar-Ra’d) verse 41
    Also,
    Do they not see that We gradually reduce ˹their˺ land from its borders? Is it they who will then prevail?
    – Chapter 21 (Surah Al-Anbya) verse 44
    Let’s decipher this verse of the Holy Quran.

    The rise in Sea levels

    These verses can be understood in different ways depending upon the extent of knowledge of reader. If the reader´s knowledge goes back to the time of the prophet Muhammad, the meaning is obvious: The pagans were losing their lands to Islam. Does that meaning hold good in our times, seeing that Muslims conquest ended centuries ago? In fact Muslim´s lands are being taken away from them e.g, lands in palatine, which have been given to Jews.

    But there is a scientific relevance hidden in the text. According to our new understanding, the sea levels are rising and mankind is losing its land at its edges. It is estimated that the sea rise has been between 15-20 mm over the last 20 years. This means millions of kilometers of land lost to the sea. Maldives, the lowest lying country in the world, is expected to be entirely submerged by 2100

    Sea Level graph
    This graph shows global mean sea level (in blue) since 1993 as measured by a series of five satellites. https://sealevel.nasa.gov/news/270/nasa-analysis-sees-spike-in-2023-global-sea-level-due-to-el-nino/

     

    Three causes of the rise in sea level?

    1. Warming of the sea water. This is because of rise in earth temperatures. This leads to expansion of water in the oceans. The estimated amount of water in the seas and oceans is 1,335,000,000 cubic kilometers (321,003,271 cubic miles). Its expansion can mean addition of several millions of land gone under it.
    Warm water takes up more space than cold water because the molecules in warm water move faster and are spread further apart
    Warm water takes up more space than cold water because the molecules in warm water move faster and are spread further apart https://www.acs.org/middleschoolchemistry/lessonplans/chapter1/lesson2.html

     

    2. Ice melt of glaciers and ice-sheets. Measurements taken from satellites show that the sea ice decline is 5 % over the last decade. The polar ice caps are continuously melting. If all the ice at the caps melted, the sea level rise by 200 feet, taking in, billions of kilometers of land under.

    Ice melting off at the surface
    Ice melting off at the surface https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-are-glaciers-melting-from-the-bottom-its-complicated/

     

    3. Reduction of storage of water on land. Hundred of small seas, lakes, ponds, and other reservoirs are getting dried up. When water evaporates, only one-third of it falls back on land through rain, two-thirds would fall into the sea. The Saltan Sea in California, Dead Sea and many more are examples of shrinking seas. The Russian Aral Sea which once was about half the size of England has completely dries up.

    The size of the Aral Sea, compared to Switzerland
    The size of the Aral Sea, compared to Switzerland https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/9g802a/the_size_of_the_aral_sea_compared_to_switzerland/?rdt=61575

     

    So, isn”t the Holy Quran a book of God?

    My final words

    The glorious Quran says:

    Surat Fussilat [41:53] - The Noble Qur'an - القرآن الكريم

    “We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the

    truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?”

    – Chapter 41 (Surah Fussilat ) verse 53 

    Some people require only one sign, while others require numerous signs to embrace the truth. On the other side, there are others who, even after receiving thousands of indications, refuse to embrace the reality. The Quran describes these persons as:

    “They are ˹wilfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will never return ˹to the Right Path˺.”
    – Chapter 2 (Surah Al-Baqarah) verse 18

    The Bible says the same thing:

    “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”
    – Gospel of Matthew verse 13 of chapter 13 

    Hopefully, that was helpful to you and will assist you in strengthening your belief. You can also visit my other blogs:

    What does Quran says about the dynamic motion of the Earth?

    What does the Quran say about the moon?

     

    writer= Ayhian Ali

    email: ayhianali@gmail.com

  • What does Quran talks about pain receptors?

    What does Quran talks about pain receptors?

    8. Decoding the verses of the Holy Quran

    Nociceptors (also called as Pain Receptors) were discovered by Charles Scott Sherrington in 1906. But do you know that the pain receptors present in the skin, discovered recently, were indicated in the Quran 1500 years ago? The Holy Quran says:

    “Surely those who reject Our signs, We will cast them into the Fire. Whenever their skin is burnt completely, We will replace it so they will ˹constantly˺ taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.”
    – Chapter 4 (Surah An-Nisa) verse 56
    Let’s decipher this verse of the Holy Quran.

    Pain Receptors

    We now know that pain receptors exist in our skins thanks to recent scientific discoveries. That is why Allah states that when their skins will be burned, He will replace them with new skins so that they can perceive the pain.

    Noxious Pain Receptors Skin Nerve Pathways
    Fig no. 1 Noxious Pain Receptors Skin Nerve Pathways https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/noxious-pain-receptors-skin-nerve-pathways-229165579

     

    Pain is a very important defense mechanism. It warns the body about the potential injuries or diseases, so that protective actions can be taken. Basically, noxious signals send impulses to the spinal cord, which release the information to the brain. The brain interprets the information as pain, localizes it and send back instructions for the body to react. Pains receptors, also called as nociceptors, are present in the skin, superficial tissues and virtually all organs except for the brain. Pain receptors can be myelinated, A type, or non-myelinated, C type. Myelinated A fibers conduct at fast speeds (12-30 m/s) and are responsible for the initial sharp pain perceived at the time of injury. Non-myelinated fibers conduct at slower speed and are responsible for a long- lasting, dull, diffused pain.

    Prof. Tagatat Tejasen accepted Islam

    Prof. Tagatat Tejasen – Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, has spent a great amount of time on research of pain receptors. Initially he could not believe that the Quran mentioned this scientific fact 1,400 years ago.

    Prof. Tagatat Tejasen accepted Islam just because of one verse of the Holy Quran
    Fig no.2 Prof. Tagatat Tejasen accepted Islam just because of one verse of the Holy Quran

     

    He at the 8th Saudi Medical Conference held in Riyadh on the Scientific Signs of Quran and Sunnah he proclaimed in public:

    “During the last three years, I became interested in the Quran … From my study and what I have learned from this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Quran fourteen hundred years ago must be the truth, that can be proved by the scientific means. Since the Prophet Muhammad could neither read nor write, Muhammad must be a messenger who relayed this truth, which was revealed to him as an enlightenment by the one who is eligible [as the creator. This creator must be God. Therefore, I think this is the time to say there is no god to worship except Allah (God), Muhammad is Messenger (Prophet) of Allah (God). Lastly, I must congratulate for the excellent and highly successful arrangement for this conference… I have gained not only from the scientific point of view and religious point of view but also the great chance of meeting many well-known scientists and making many new friends among the participants. The most precious thing of all that I have gained by coming to this place is La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah, and to have become a Muslim.”

    So, isn’t  the Holy Quran the word of God?

    My final words

    The glorious Quran says:

    Surat Fussilat [41:53] - The Noble Qur'an - القرآن الكريم

    “We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the

    truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?”

    – Chapter 41 (Surah Fussilat ) verse 53 

    Some people require only one sign, while others require numerous signs to embrace the truth. On the other side, there are others who, even after receiving thousands of indications, refuse to embrace the reality. The Quran describes these persons as:

    “They are ˹wilfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will never return ˹to the Right Path˺.”
    – Chapter 2 (Surah Al-Baqarah) verse 18

    The Bible says the same thing:

    “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”
    – Gospel of Matthew verse 13 of chapter 13 

    Hopefully, that was helpful to you and will assist you in strengthening your belief. You can also visit my other blogs:

    What does Quran says about the dynamic motion of the Earth?

    What does the Quran say about the moon?

    What does Quran say about the rise in sea level?

    writer= Ayhian Ali

    email: ayhianali@gmail.com

  • The barrier between the oceans and Quran

    12. Decoding the verses of the Holy Quran

    It is worth noting that Prophet Muhammad never limbed into a boat. Biographies, both old and new, suggest that he never spent time at the ocean. His journeys to Syria took him into remote hinterland areas. Quite clearly, the following comment does not sound like it could come from a man who has never seen seawater in his life.

    “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 they cannot cross.”

    Chapter 25 (Surah Al-Furqan) verse 53

    Did the people of the Prophet’s time could have realized what was meant. After all, there were no seas near Makkah or Madinah. So, let’s decipher this verse of the Holy Quran.

    The barrier

    It is true to the amazement of those who would have traveled by ships across seas. There are several locations, such as at Cape Peninsula (South Africa) where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean, or where the North Sea waters join with the waters of the Baltic Sea, or the Raritan Bay water joins with the New York Harbor waters, or the Blue Nile waters joining with the White Nile waters, or the two seas at Bab at-Mundeb, etc.

     

    Oceanographers and the Sea Barrier 

    It was in the 19h century that oceanographers first discovered that ocean waters were not the same all over the globe. Samples taken from a number of locations were different from each other in respect of salinity, temperature, density, types of marine organisms, etc. The study’s findings were confirmed when the Americans undertook the study in 1933.  why did the seas not mix and become homogeneous in spite of the effect of tide and other factors such as surface and internal waves, sea currents? Further studies revealed that there happen to be ‘barriers’ laid between the seas which helps waters on each side of them to maintain their distinctive properties.

    It has been observed that the barrier seems to exist even to the depths of up to 1,400 meters and even at long distances both bodies of water maintain their individual temperatures, salinity and other properties.

    The zone of separation to which the Quran refers as a “barrier” has different salinity from the waters on the two sides and there is no strangeness involved in the phenomenon, except that mankind has learnt of it only since about a century or less. The waters of the Earth’s oceans and seas DO MIX, but only on a restricted scale, and it will most likely take millennia to finish globally.

     

    The difference in densities 

    The difference in density between the two waters can lead to slow mixing. For instance, the difference of density of the order 0.1kg/m3 can cause several days for mixing to occur. In case of fresh water joining sea water, the mixing would take yet longer because density difference between fresh river water and salty sea water is high, and so, is calm. The boundary is also visible clearly.

    Experiment at home 

    Simple experiments can be conducted at home to watch the phenomenon of two waters not mixing with each other. E.g. if blue food color is added to a well-mixed sugary water, and then a red-colored water is gently poured over it, the color of the new mixture remains blue at bottom, red on top, and minimal purple in the middle. The result persists, perhaps for days.

    The Quran does not discuss technical details. Its objective is to make a man think about the text, and ask himself: could this be a human production?

     

    What prevents the water from mixing?

    The zone separating the upper mixed layer from the deeper ocean is usually characterized by substantial Vertical gradients in water characteristics. To maintain stability in the water column, lighter (less dense) water must be placed above heavier (denser) water…

    During summer at mid-latitudes, surface heating from the sun can cause a shallow seasonal thermocline (pycnocline) that connects the top mixed layer to the deeper, more permanent thermocline, or main pycnocline.’

    Similarly, in subpolar locations, seasonal summer imports of fresh water near the surface from rainfall, rivers, or ice melt can create a seasonal halocline (pycnocline) that separates the fresh surface from the deeper saltier waters. The vertical density gradient in the primary pycnocline is very severe, and the turbulence inside the top mixed layer cannot penetrate deeper into the ocean due to the high stability of the main pycnocline. The primary pycnocline’s stability acts as a barrier against turbulent mixing processes, and water beneath this depth has not come into contact with the top in a long time.

     

    Vertical gradients in water can refer to differences in water temperature, density, or hydraulic head, and they can indicate a number of things, including:

     

    Blue Energy 

    Several decades of studies of chemical reactions at where the sea and river waters meet has led to the discovery that the chemical processes taking place at the barrier could lead to a new method of energy extraction in massive quantities. This new energy is dubbed blue energy because it creates no pollution but could in addition prove to solve the pollution problem created by the burning of fossil fuels.

    According to one estimate, this “blue energy” is so plentiful that it could meet all our needs – if we can find an effective way to tap it.

    This developing technology of extracting energy, which is also referred to as the “osmotic power,” (because it relies on osmosis with ion specific membranes) depends on energy extraction from the difference in the salt concentration between seawater and river water. To explain in simplest possible terms, two solutions of waters of different densities are separated by a thin membrane that lets water through but not salt ions. This causes less dense water to pass through to the other side. The pressure that builds up can be used to drive turbines which produce energy.

    Plants have been set up in many parts of the world, such as Australia, Holland, Norway, UK, to name a few, to produce electricity through this process. At present the yield is low when measured against the costs, but improvements are expected.