There Is No Scientific Knowledge in the Qur'an: A Critical Examination of Surah 21:30 and the Myth of Quranic Science
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
Introduction
In recent decades, a popular apologetic trend within segments of the Muslim world has been the assertion that the Qur’an contains miraculous scientific knowledge that predates modern discoveries by over a millennium. This claim, largely popularized by figures such as Dr. Zakir Naik and the late Dr. Maurice Bucaille, suggests that various Qur’anic passages anticipate concepts in contemporary science, thus allegedly proving its divine origin. One of the most frequently cited verses in this regard is Surah Al-Anbiya (21):30.
This essay seeks to critically examine this claim, demonstrate its methodological weaknesses, and establish that Surah 21:30 does not, in fact, predict the Big Bang theory or any other scientific cosmology. Furthermore, it highlights how such readings are often retrospective and contrived, reflecting more the ingenuity of modern interpreters than the content of the text itself.
Surah 21:30 in Context
The verse in question reads as follows:
“Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?”
(Surah 21:30, Yusuf Ali Translation)
Muslim apologists claim this verse refers to the Big Bang theory — the modern scientific model explaining the origin of the universe from an initial singularity, which then expanded to form space, time, and matter.
However, a careful examination reveals several issues with this assertion:
-
The Text Says Nothing About a Singularity:
The Big Bang theory posits that the universe began from a state of infinite density and temperature — a singularity — approximately 13.8 billion years ago. Yet the Qur’anic text speaks only of the heavens and earth being joined together and then separated. It makes no mention of a singularity, nor does it describe a state of infinite density, temperature, or cosmic expansion. -
Heavens and Earth as Premodern Cosmological Terms:
In ancient Near Eastern cosmology — including in the Qur’an — the terms heavens and earth typically refer to the visible sky (firmament) and the land below. These are understood within a geocentric worldview where the earth is stationary and the heavens are physical domes or layers above it. The concept of space-time or cosmic inflation is entirely alien to this worldview. -
Parallel with Genesis 1:6-7:
The Qur’anic description is notably similar to Genesis 1:6-7 where God separates the waters above from the waters below, creating the sky (firmament) in between. Both texts describe a primordial unity or indistinction between the heavens and earth that is then divided — a common motif in ancient creation myths (e.g., the Babylonian Enuma Elish).
The Apologetic Misappropriation of Modern Science
Zakir Naik and Maurice Bucaille represent a strand of apologetics known as concordism, where ancient scriptures are forced into alignment with modern scientific discoveries through selective reinterpretation. Bucaille’s book The Bible, The Qur’an and Science became influential in this regard, claiming that Surah 21:30 mirrors the Big Bang. However, several methodological problems arise:
-
Anachronism:
Bucaille reads contemporary cosmological concepts into a 7th-century text written within a pre-scientific worldview. The original audience would have had no conception of an expanding universe or cosmic singularity. -
Selective Translation and Interpretation:
The Arabic word “ratq” (رَتْقًا), translated as “joined together” or “sewn up,” simply means closed up or united. The word “fataqna” (فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا) means to split or tear apart. This language lacks the scientific specificity needed to accurately describe the Big Bang’s mechanics. -
Ignoring Established Historical Cosmology:
The Qur’an reflects the cosmological assumptions of its time, which, like other ancient Near Eastern texts, conceived the universe as a three-tiered structure: heavens above, earth below, and waters beneath. There is no evidence in Islamic exegetical tradition before modernity suggesting that Surah 21:30 implied a cosmic singularity or expansion.
The Problem of Retroactive Interpretation
Modern Muslim apologists often retroactively assign modern scientific meanings to Qur’anic passages after such discoveries have already been made. This method lacks predictive power — a genuine prophecy or scientific miracle would describe future discoveries in clear, unambiguous terms before their discovery.
For example:
-
If Surah 21:30 truly described the Big Bang, it should have detailed the cosmic singularity, spacetime expansion, cosmic background radiation, or the formation of matter and antimatter — none of which are mentioned.
-
The verse’s focus on water as the origin of life reflects ancient biological thought rather than molecular biology, evolutionary theory, or abiogenesis as understood today.
Further Examples of Erroneous ‘Quranic Science’
Similar misappropriations abound in other areas:
-
Seven Earths (Surah 65:12) — contradicts modern planetary science, which recognizes one earth and no stratified seven-layered flat earth cosmology as suggested in medieval tafsir.
-
Sperm coming from between the backbone and the ribs (Surah 86:6-7) — biologically inaccurate as sperm originates from the testes.
-
Mountains as pegs preventing earthquakes (Surah 78:6-7) — contradicts geological evidence that mountains are formed by tectonic activity and are not stabilizing pegs.
Conclusion
Upon close scrutiny, Surah 21:30 does not contain miraculous scientific knowledge. Rather, it reflects ancient cosmological ideas similar to those found in other Near Eastern traditions. The attempt to reconcile it with the Big Bang theory or other modern scientific discoveries involves anachronistic interpretations, selective reading of the text, and concordist apologetics lacking academic rigor.
The claim of scientific miracles in the Qur’an thus appears to be a product of modern reinterpretation efforts rather than intrinsic features of the text itself. It remains crucial for honest religious scholarship to recognize the historical and cultural context of sacred texts without forcing them into artificial harmony with contemporary science.
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
No comments:
Post a Comment