The water cycle and the seas in the Quran

When the verses of the Quran concerning the role of water in man’s existence are read in succession today, they appear to express ideas that are obvious. The reason for this is simple: in our day and age, we all know about the water cycle in nature to a greater or lesser extent.

However, if we consider the various ancient concepts on this subject, it becomes clear that the data in the Quran does not embody the mythical concepts prevalent at the time of Revelation, that had developed more according to philosophical speculation than observed phenomena.

Although it was empirically possible to acquire the useful practical knowledge necessary to improve irrigation, the concepts held on the water cycle in general would hardly be acceptable today.

Thus, it would have been easy to imagine that underground water could have come from the infiltration of precipitation in the soil. In ancient times however, this idea, held by Virtuvius Polio Marcus in Rome, 1st century CE, was cited as an exception. Thereafter, for many centuries (and the Quranic Revelation occurred during this period) man held completely inaccurate views on the water cycle.

Two specialists on this subject, G. Gastany and B. Blavoux, in their entry in the Encyclopedia Universalis under the heading ‘Hydrogeology’, give an edifying history of this problem.
“In the 7th century CE, Thales of Miletus held the theory whereby the waters of the oceans, under the effect of winds, were thrust towards the interior of the continents; so the water fell upon the earth and penetrated into the soil. Plato shared these views and thought that the return of the waters to the oceans was via a great abyss, the ‘Tartarus’. Until the 18th century CE, this theory had many supporters, one of whom was Descartes. Aristotle imagined that the water vapour from the soil condensed in cool mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. He was followed by Seneca (1st century CE) and many others, until 1877 CE, among them O. Volger …”

The first clear formulation of the water cycle must be attributed to Bernard Palissy in 1580 CE.

He claimed that underground water came from rainwater infiltrating into the soil. This theory was confirmed by E. Mariotte and P. Perrault in the 17th century CE.

In the following passages from the Quran, there is no trace of the mistaken ideas that were current at the time of Prophet Muhammad , .

The Quran says (what means):
“We sent down water from the sky, blessed water whereby We caused to grow gardens, grains for harvest, tall palm-trees with their spathes, piled one above the other – sustenance for (Our) servants. Therewith We gave (new) life to a dead land. So will be the emergence (from the tombs).” [Quran 50:9-11]

And (what means):
“We sent down water from the sky in measure and lodged it in the ground. And We certainly are able to withdraw it. Therewith for you We gave rise to gardens of palm-trees and vineyards where for you are abundant fruits and of them you eat.” [Quran 23: 18-19]
And (what means): “We sent forth the winds that fecundate. We cause the water to descend from the sky. We provide you with the water – you (could) not be the guardians of its reserves.” [Quran 15:22]

There are two possible interpretations of this last verse. The fecundating winds may be taken to be the fertilizers of plants because they carry pollen. However, this may be a figurative expression referring by analogy to the role the wind plays in the process, whereby a non-raincarrying cloud is turned into one that produces a shower of rain.

The Quran says (what means): “Allaah is the One Who sends forth the winds which raised up the clouds. He spreads them in the sky as He wills and breaks them into fragments. Then thou seest raindrops issuing from within them. He makes them reach such of His servants as He wills.

And they are rejoicing.” [Quran 30:48]

And (what means): “(Allaah) is the One Who sends forth the winds like heralds of His Mercy. When they have carried the heavy-laden clouds, We drive them to a dead land. Then We cause water to descend and thereby bring forth fruits of every kind. Thus We will bring forth the dead. Maybe you will remember.” [Quran 7:57]

And (what means): “Hast thou not seen that Allaah sent water down from the sky and led it through sources into the ground? Then He caused sown fields of different colors to grow.” [Quran 39:21]

And (what means): “Therein We placed gardens of palm-trees and vineyards and We caused water springs to gush forth.” [Quran 36:34]
The importance of springs and the way they are fed by rainwater conducted into them is stressed in the last three verses. It is worth pausing to examine this fact and call to mind the predominance in the Middle Ages of views such as those held by Aristotle, according to whom springs were fed by underground lakes. In his entry on Hydrology in the Encyclopedia

Universalis, M.R. Remenieras, a teacher at the French National School of Agronomy (Ecole nationale du Genie rural, des Eaux et Forets), describes the main stages of hydrology and refers to the magnificent irrigation works of the ancients, particularly in the Middle East. However, he notes that an empirical outlook ruled over everything, since the ideas of the time proceeded from mistaken concepts. He continues as follows:
“It was not until the Renaissance (between circa 1400 and 1600 CE) that purely philosophical concepts gave way to research based on the objective observation of hydrologic phenomena. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519 CE) rebelled against Aristotle’s statements. Bernard Palissy, in his Wonderful Discourse on the Nature of Waters and Fountains both Natural and Artificial (Discours admirable de la nature des eaux et fontaines tant naturelles qu’artificielles; Paris, 1570) gives a correct interpretation of the water cycle and especially of the way springs are fed by rainwater.”

This last statement is surely exactly what is mentioned in the Quran (chapter 39, verse 21) describing the way rainwater is conducted into sources in the ground.
The subject of chapter 24, verse 43, is rain and hail (which means):
“Hast thou not seen that God makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them a heap. And thou seest raindrops issuing from within it. He sends down from the sky mountains of hail, He strikes therewith whom He wills and He turns it away from whom He wills. The flashing of its lightning almost snatches away the sight.”

The following passage requires some comment (which means):
“Have you observed the water you drink? Do you bring it down from the rainclouds? Or do We? If it were Our will, We could make it salty. Then why are you not thankful?” [Quran 56: 68-70]
This reference to the fact that God could have made fresh water salty is a way of expressing Divine Omnipotence. Another means of reminding us of the same Omnipotence is the challenge to man to make rainfall from the clouds. In modern times however, technology has surely made it possible to create rain artificially. Can one therefore oppose the statement in the Quran to man’s ability to produce precipitations?

The answer is no, because it seems clear that one must take account of man’s limitations in this field. M.A. Facy, an expert at the French Meteorological Office, wrote the following in the Encyclopedia Universalis under the heading Precipitations: “It will never be possible to make rain fall from a cloud that does not have the suitable characteristics of a raincloud or one that has not yet reached the appropriate stage of evolution (maturity).” Therefore, man can never hasten the precipitation process by technical means, when the natural conditions for it are not present. If this were not the case, droughts would never occur in practice – which they obviously do. Thus, to have control over rain and fine weather still remains a dream.

Man cannot willfully break the established cycle that maintains the circulation of water in nature. This cycle may be outlined as follows, according to modern ideas on hydrology:
The heat from the sun’s rays causes the water from the sea and other water surfaces on Earth to evaporate. The water vapour that is given off rises into the atmosphere and, by condensation, forms clouds. The winds then intervene and move the clouds thus formed over varying distances. The clouds can then either disperse without producing rain, or combine their mass with others to create even greater condensation, or they can fragment and produce rain at some stages in their evolution. When rain reaches the sea (70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water), the cycle is soon repeated. When rain falls on the land, it may be absorbed by vegetation aid its growth; the vegetation in its turn gives off water and thus returns some water to the atmosphere. The rest, to a lesser or greater extent, infiltrates into the soil, from where it is either conducted through channels into the sea, or comes back to the Earth’s surface network through springs or resurgences.
When one compares the modern data of hydrology to what is contained in the numerous verses of the Quran quoted in this paragraph, one has to admit that there is a remarkable degree of agreement between them.

Summarized from: The Bible, the Quran and Science

Tuesday : 24/04/2007

Why Islam ?

Islam and Security
One of the basic needs of man is to feel secure. The feeling of security is a psychological need which has to be satisfied so as to achieve the individual’s harmony and adjustment. As we know, human needs are of two types: physical and psychological. Physical needs include the need for water, food, and shelter. Psychological needs include the need for belonging, security, and affection. If a physical need is not satisfied, this usually causes harm to the body. On the other hand, if a psychological need is not satisfied, this usually leads to psychological disorders, lack of happiness, anxiety, and a variety of maladjustment symptoms.

Internal harmony
Islam emphasizes the moral and ethical aspects, because man needs more than bread to live happily. Man needs internal harmony. Man is body and soul -- not body or soul only. Therefore, man needs what satisfies both his body soul.
Islam provides man with the feeling of security. This feeling of security is built in different ways.
This feeling will remove despair, hopelessness and anxiety, and will make man more hopeful, active, and self-confident.
Allaah’s Mercy
Islam instructs the believer that Allaah is the Most Merciful. This concept of Allaah’s Mercy is essential in Islam. Allaah’s Mercy affects the Muslim in two ways: by example and forgiveness. If Allaah is the Merciful, man must be merciful. Man must be merciful to other persons of all races and all religions. He must be merciful to animals as well. He must be merciful to women, relatives and strangers, to parents and children, and to all living beings.

This atmosphere of mercy in Islam gives the person a feeling of security for one’s life, honor, rights and property, because mercy is something you give to others and others give it to you.

Allaah’s Mercy works in another way, if man sins, he is not driven out of Allaah’s blessings forever. In Islam, if you sin, the door of Allaah’s forgiveness remains open. If you sin and then sincerely repent, Allaah forgives. This formula of Allaah’s Mercy and forgiveness keeps the Muslim secure about his relation with Allaah and secure about his ethical code and moral future.

Human Mercy
This concept of Allaah’s Mercy and interhuman mercy is emphasized by Islam. When a Muslim eats, he begins by saying: “In the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful and the Most Gracious.”

When a Muslim reads the Quran or quotes the Quran he starts by mentioning Allaah’s Mercy. In prayer, the Muslim mentions Allaah’s Mercy a number of times every day.
Thus, the Muslim lives in an atmosphere of mercy, both physically and psychologically. A Muslim is led to feel that God is merciful and that his brethren are merciful. If a person’s relations with Allaah and men are controlled by mercy, this will make him feel secure in the present and the future.

Belief in Allaah
Believing in Allaah gives the believer a sense of security. How can a person feel secure if he does not believe in Allaah? Research has shown that mental disorders show up in non-believers more frequently and more severely than in believers. A non-believer is not sure about anything. He is not sure about his beginning, his end, or his goals. A non-believer is not sure about values, ideals, right, wrong, good, or bad. A non-believer is usually a sceptical person, anxious, disordered and hesitant.

On the contrary, a Muslim knows the origin and purpose of his life. He is one hundred percent sure about what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad. A Muslim is certain about himself, his life, the Universe, his social relations, his rights, and his duties. He is sure of his ideals and values.

Certainty of Values
The Muslim’s certainty about his values and ideals springs from the comprehensive code of ethics given by God to man. When a person has clear values, clear ideals, a clear beginning, and a clear destination, he feels secure, because he know where he is going.
Coming to more specific data, if we look at some non-Islamic communities, we find that there is a high frequency of persons with mental disorders. This is due to the lack of religion in those communities. With no religion, man feels lost, unsupported, and feels that he has no significant purpose. On the other hand, with belief in Allaah, man feels secure, because he feels that he is guided and supported by Allaah and that he has a significant purpose.

Thus, Islam provides man with the psychological security he needs throughout life, through the mercy and guidance of Allaah.
When you know that Allaah guides and protects those who believe in Him, you would feel secure.


By: Dr. Muhammad Ali Al-Khuli