Reflections on the Medical Miracles of the Holy Quran
Dr. Sharif Kaf Al Ghazal
September 2004
Acknowledgement : I would like to acknowledge the great help that Mr. M A H Madi * provided into the English translation of this article .
Introduction and significant points
Fourteen centuries ago, Allah (SWT) sent down the Quran to mankind as a book of guidance. He called upon people to be guided to the truth by adhering to this book. From the day of its revelation to the day of judgement, this last divine book , the Holy Quran, will remain the sole guide, faith and a methodology of life for humanity.
Allah (SWT) says in Quran :
“Surely this Quran guides to the way that is straightest and gives good tidings to the believers who do deeds of righteousness, that theirs shall be a great wage.” (18:9)
(إن هذا القرآن يهدي للتي هي أقوم ويبشر المؤمنين الذين يعملون الصالحات أن لهم أجرا كبيرا) الإسراء ( 9 ).
The matchless style of the Quran and its superior wisdom are definite evidence that it is the word of God. In addition, the Quran has many miraculous attributes proving that it is a revelation from God. One of these attributes is the fact that a number of scientific truths that we have only been able to uncover by the technology of the 20th century were stated in the Quran 1,400 years ago.
Of course the Quran is not a book of science. However, many scientific facts that are expressed in an extremely concise and profound manner in its verses have only been discovered with the technology of the 20th century. These facts could not have been known at the time of the Quran’s revelation, and this is still more proof that the Quran is the word of God.
In order to understand the scientific miracle of the Quran, we must first take a look at the level of science at the time when this holy book was revealed.
In the 7th century, when the Quran was revealed, Arab society had many superstitious and groundless beliefs where scientific issues were concerned. Lacking the technology to examine the universe and nature, these early Arabs believed in legends inherited from past generations. They supposed, for example, that mountains supported the sky above. They believed that the earth was flat and that there were high mountains at its both ends. It was thought that these mountains were pillars that kept the vault of heaven high above.
However all these superstitious beliefs of Arab society were eliminated with the Quran. In Surat Al Ra’ed (Chapter 13) , verse 2, it was said: “Allah is He who raised up the heavens without any pillars, that you can see ” (The Quran, 13:2).
(اللّهُ الَّذِي رَفَعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا) سورة الرعد : 13
This verse invalidated the belief that the sky remains above because of the mountains. In many other subjects, important facts were revealed at a time when no one could have known them.
Few points need to be highlighted :
- Quran’s principal objective is to form a righteous man and establish a virtuous community …
- Quran is not a book of astrology, or medicine.
- Quran’s words need not reflect the norms of the present time, or have connotation to recent theories and knowledge…
- Quran’s words are very well-contrived and accurate, as they are composed by Allah, Who has perfected everything.
- Quran’s purposes of medical and scientific references, and miracles are numerous, of which the most significant are:
1- Reinforcing and strengthening the faith in Moslems through motivation of admonition, deliberation and meditation.
2- Giving non-Moslems conclusive evidences of the genuineness of Islam, as Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was not to get acquainted
with such scientific issues, which were not revealed except in the recent decades, unless told of by Allah the Almighty.
“Soon will We show them our signs in the furthest horizons, and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this
is the Truth…” (41: 53)
(سنريهم آياتنا في الآفاق وفي أنفسهم حتى يتبين لهم أنه الحق أوَ لم يكف بربك أنه على كل شيء شهيد ) سورة فصلت (53)
Let’s take for example this verse “O mankind! If ye have a doubt about Recreation ,” (22:5)
(يا أيها الناس إن كنتم في ريب من البعث) الحج : 5
here is the evidence: “surely We created you out of dust, then of a sperm-drop, then of a leech-like clot, then out of a lump of flesh, formed and unformed, that We may make clearer (Our signs) to you; and We establish in the wombs what We will, till a stated term, then We deliver you as infants, then that you may come of age; and some of you die, and some of you are kept back unto the vilest state of life, that after knowing, they may know nothing…” (22: 5)
(فإنَّا خلقناكم من تراب ثم من نطفة ثم من علقة ثم من مضغة مخلقة وغير مخلقة لنبين لكم، ونقر في الأرحام ما نشاء إلى أجل مسمى، ثم نخرجكم طفلاً، ثم لتبلغوا أشدكم، ومنكم من يُتوفى ومنكم من يرد إلى أرذل العمر لكي لا يعلم من بعد علم شيئاً) الحج (5) .
The verse goes on; “and you see the earth barren, but when We send down water upon it, it quivers, and swells, and puts forth of every delightful pairs.” (22: 5),
(وترى الأرض هامدة فإذا أنزلنا عليها الماء اهتزت وربت وانتبت من كل زوج بهيج) الحج (5)
Quran encourages all that helps reveal the secret of the universe and existence, and strengthens faith to Allah .
“Say; ‘Journey in the land, and see how Allah did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later creation: for Allah has power over all things.’” (29: 20)
( قُلْ سِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانظُرُوا كَيْفَ بَدَأَ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ اللَّهُ يُنشِئُ النَّشْأَةَ الْآخِرَةَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ) العنكبوت (20)
