There are scientific signs in more than one thousand verses of the Quran, accordingly in many sayings of the Prophet, although these signs often do not speak in a direct scientific way. Instead, the verses give man’s mind the room to work until it arrives at certain conclusions. A common stratagem of Islamic science is to cite examples of how the Quran anticipated modern science, intuiting hard facts without modern equipment or technology.

For over 1400 years, Muslims, as well as some non-Muslims, have drawn inspiration from the Quran, which they consider to be the actual Word of God, revealed to the Prophet Mohammed by the archangel Jibrael (A.S). For Muslims, the Quran not only establishes what is lawful and what is not, but also defines the scope of human activity - from conception to death, and beyond physical death to resurrection and life after death.

Islam encouraged the pursuit of scientific knowledge right from its inception. The Prophet Muhammad SAWW- who himself could not read or write - emphasised that the material world can only be understood through scientific inquiry. Islamic culture, he insisted, was a knowledge-based culture. He valued science over extensive worship and declared: ‘An hour’s study of nature is better than a year’s prayer’.

The first Quranic word revealed to Muhammad SAWW is ‘Read’. It refers, amongst other forms of readings, to reading the ‘signs of God’ or the systematic study of nature.  It is a basic principle of Muslim belief that the material world is full of signs of God; and these signs can only be deciphered through rational and objective inquiry.

It is noteworthy that the testimony of faith itself is a statement of knowledge. “When a man dies”, the Prophet of Islam SAWW is reported to have said, “his work also stops, except for 3 [things]: acts of charity, which are continued, knowledge by which [all] profit, and a righteous child who prays for him.” He also said: “Whoso walks in the path seeking knowledge thereby, God will make him walk in the paths of paradise; and verily, the angels spread out their wings out of pleasure for the seeker after knowledge; and verily those who are in the heavens and the earth and fish also in the midst of water, all ask pardon for him; and, verily, the excellence of a learned man over a mere worshipper is as the excellence of full moon over the stars. And, verily, the learned men are the inheritors of the prophets; for verily, the prophets’ heritage is not [riches], but the heritage of knowledge; whoso then receives this, he has received ample good fortune”.

The aforesaid hadith, mainly emphasis on seeking knowledge and this refers to the key of success. As we know that the first revelation of Quran starts from the word “read” which means the entire world is a slave of reading - and what to read?? is obviously Quran which has the entire knowledge and faith and whatever, a human performs in his life from birth to death, it is clearly / mentioned in Quran o Hadith to guide the righteous path here and hereafter.

Science and Islam are intimately linked. Islam not only places a high premium on science but positively encourages the pursuit of science. Indeed, Islam considers science as an essential prerequisite for human survival.

A perfect example to understand Islam and science “the creation of Human”. While today people have a good understanding of reproduction, this has not always been the case. For instance, the theory of “spontaneous generation” held sway for a time. The idea was that things like maggots would “spontaneously” appear on meat. Of note, almost one third of the Quran is devoted to the praise of scientific knowledge, objective inquiry and serious study of the material world. Considering embryology. Here are some Quranic verses and their commentaries that deal with human embryology.

Quran says “Then He made [ man’s] offspring out of the essence of a humble fluid”. (See the Arabic word “Sulalah” below). Quran, 32:8

Interestingly, the Arabic word “sulalah“ used in this verse has multiple meanings, “a long piece, a long fish, something drawn out or flowing”, “an extraction of something from its group, or an essential part. If one carefully examines seed (sperm), they do have an uncanny resemblance to tiny, long, swimming fish! Furthermore, the seeds are only one part (the essential part) of the male fluid (i.e., semen). Which is a quite remarkable word selection.

Quran says, “it is We who have created man out of a drop of sperm intermingled, so that We might try him [in his later life]: and therefore, we made him a being endowed with hearing and sight”. 76:2

The verse thereby emphasis on human sight and hear. One sees the development of hearing and sight. Yet again, the Quran is prescient in its identification of these important symbols at this stage. More surprising the Quranic order is correct. Science tells us that hearing development precedes sight development by about three to four weeks!

Science, or at least knowledge, has always had a special status in Islamic culture. If we observe the Abbasid era, the most famous library was the ‘House of Wisdom’, founded in Baghdad by the Abbasid Caliph al-Mamun, which played a decisive role in spreading scientific knowledge throughout the Islamic empire. In Spain, the library of Caliph Hakam II of Cordoba had a stock of 400,000 volumes.

Scholars such as al-Kindi, al-Farabi, ibn Sina, ibn Tufayl and ibn Rushd subjected Greek philosophy to detailed critical scrutiny. At the same time, serious attention was given to the empirical study of nature. Experimental science, as we understand it today, began in Muslim civilisation. ‘Scientific method’ evolved out of the work of such scientists as Jabir ibn Hayan, who laid the foundations of chemistry in the late eighth century, and ibn al-Haytham, who established optics as an experimental science in the tenth century

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 18 2023

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