Religion and Science
Throughout history, people have turned to two main sources of knowledge to
satisfy their curiosity; experience and revelation. These two different
sources have aimed at two different purposes to meet two different needs of
humans. The sciences, which are the product of experience, in a very general
sense, have aimed to advance knowledge and technology by discovering
cause-effect relationships in nature, to purify from superstitions, and thus
to make life more livable for humans. Religions based on revelations have
attributed meaning to the existence, order, life, and finally the will being
unexpectedly laid out before our eyes without beginning, and by inviting the
human sitting at their intersection to understand this meaning, they have
tried to answer the human's search for meaning. In this framework, sciences
have always remained within the given field based on experiment and
observation, while religions have always turned their gaze to the perspective
of wisdom.
Although they pursue different purposes, both science and religion take their examples from the same universe. Religion evaluates subjectively the existence that science handles objectively. For science, the universe is a laboratory, and objects are experimental materials. Every kind of formation and transformation we observe in nature occurs within causality, within the framework of certain laws named physics, chemistry, biology, etc. For example, according to science, the earth's crust is formed from tectonic plates that have solidified as a result of the cooling of magma and are interlocked with each other, constantly in motion. Celestial bodies follow their orbits in balance according to the law of gravitational attraction. Our atmosphere is also composed of gases in the earth's gravitational field under the influence of the same law of attraction. However, religion looks at the universe as a table of lessons, and at creatures as a chain of bounties. Everything in nature proceeds within a measure and order. This order, called Sunnatullah, shows that there is a creator with will behind everything. From the perspective of the Quran, the earth is a bed, and the sky is a protected dome. The sun and the moon are two lamps that illuminate our day and brighten our night. These are signs showing a creator who encompasses humans with mercy and settles them in the world, and of course, such a creation is not in vain.
Despite the difference in their contexts, the fact that the examples contain the same elements can create areas of conflict in our perceptions of religion and science. Moreover, if these conflicts are not analyzed sensibly, they can create big question marks in our faith in religion or science. First of all, it should be known that the one who will reach an interpretation by evaluating the data provided by religion and science together is ultimately a human. However, humans have limited capacity. However, it is not easy to have holistic knowledge and multidimensional thinking skills in two different disciplines with extensions as wide as encompassing all existence and deep roots. It is not possible to be equipped with certain and final knowledge free from all doubts in all branches of science, just as it is not possible to fully master all the subtleties of Arabic, a rich and grammatical language that reflects the pure temperament and natural tastes of the illiterate Arab society living in the desert during the age of ignorance, containing treasure troves of imagination full of metaphors and similes, and the religious sciences that have developed conceptually from the past to the present. In addition, while developing themselves in some areas, humans can dull their abilities in other areas. Individuals can have different aptitudes in areas divided as concrete-abstract, numerical-verbal, material-spiritual, and when they turn to one of these areas, they can regress in the other. The approach styles, reasoning methods, even characters of people in certain professional groups can be shaped according to the requirements of that profession. To interpret religion and science together requires being able to think both abstract and concrete at the same time, to distinguish the certainty of mathematics from the mystery of rhetoric, to look rationally when necessary, imaginatively when necessary, not to fall into nihilism while living in the world of causes, not to detach from life while believing in the causer of causes.
In addition to the difficulties of having the competence to reason religion and science together, there are other human barriers that influence the human mind and lead to wrong judgments. One of the weaknesses of humans is that their intellectual faculties are involuntarily under the influence of their emotional state, preconceptions, desires and whims, habits, partisan feelings, ego factor, and the instinct to constantly protect their interests. While progressing on a path, the mind does not always go ahead, most of the time it follows the emotions it is under the influence of. An example of this is that humans do not want to fall apart from the generally accepted values of the society they live in. Humans gain strength from society by being a social being. Being a part of society makes their life easier, just as thinking in parallel with the values of society provides them with a mental comfort zone. For humans to step out of this comfort zone and build their own world of ideas, to pursue the truth in a religious or worldly matter, requires serious effort. Even more difficult than this is the necessity to shape their own life according to this truth after finding the truth. However, living in harmony with the generally accepted values of the social fabric they are in is a much easier and safer choice. This feature of humans is valid for those in academic circles as well as for those in religious formations.
For the reasons mentioned above, the conclusions that people reach using their minds cannot always be evaluated as absolute truths produced by pure reason. In fact, the existence of many philosophical schools that contradict and even conflict with each other in certain periods of history is evidence of this. Many cultural, political, religious movements claiming to be based on reason have been accepted by large masses for a while but lost their effect over time. In fact, the file of crimes committed by humanity against right and truth is so thick that it is full of criminal records of a bunch of fraudsters who have given their minds to the command of their impulses, from scientists producing false evidence to religious figures who distorted their own holy books. Today, both religion and science have become instruments of ideological and political polarizations and personal interests more than ever in history, and have taken their share from populism excessively. As a result, we can say that the interpretations we derive from religious texts appearing to conflict with the scientific data of the time period we are in does not mean that religion and science conflict ontologically.
The universe, spread before our eyes like a book written with the pen of power, contains a very important message. The task of reading this message has been given to the human sent to the world with the mission of caliphate; because the human is created on a nature exactly capable of fulfilling this task. Almost everything in the universe has been placed in the creation of humans or associated with humans. As if the human is a miniaturized universe, the universe is a great human. In terms of matter and needs, the human is already connected to many elements. His body is created by filtering from different atoms on every side of the universe. It resembles many living beings like itself. The necessity to obtain sustenance directly connects him to the soil, rain, sun. The alternation of night and day, the formation of seasons is part of the human's life cycle. The balance of the sky and the continuation of order is an indispensable necessity of life. The needs necessary to sustain life cause him to establish a necessary bond with nature. Through sense organs, he recognizes objects in detail while experiencing pleasure and pain. He learns benefit and harm. Unlike other living beings, humans show interest in existence out of curiosity or affection even when vital needs are not at stake. He wants to explore the boundaries of space. He strives to observe subatomic particles. He investigates how life began, what the end of the universe will be. He establishes intellectual or emotional bonds with everything around him. He grieves for extinct species. He rushes to help whales trapped in icebergs. He wants to satiate his mind and heart as well as his stomach. Humans are equipped with abilities not only in bodily aspects but also in spiritual aspects. He is passionate about perfection, always seeks the perfect. He carries compassion in his heart, helps others without benefit. He gets angry against injustice, fights for it. He owns his family, his property. This holistic creation in humans, being related to everything, ego, mind, and emotions equip him to recognize objects, establish cause-effect relationships, reach from action to actor, from art to artist, and as a result, to search for the creator, to question the purpose of existence. Learning this purpose is the most important task given to humans by their creator, as well as silencing a groan coming from the depths of the soul for humans. Because humans cannot find peace without making sense of their own existence. They cannot build their life on a void without grounding the essence and purpose of their existence.
Since the universe that humans inhabit is not eternal, and since they themselves do not live an eternal life, it is impossible for humans to seek the purpose of their existence solely within finite existence. Such a perspective contains a kind of tautology, like saying, “The purpose of life is to live.” Humans can only place the purpose of existence on a logical ground by knowing the will of the one who created them from nothing. Every goal set for life without knowing Allah and seeking His pleasure cannot go beyond a consolation. The state of humans in this world is like a man wandering without knowing how and why he was brought, among a community he does not know, in a place he does not belong to. Such a stranger who has no idea what to do would first want to learn the owner of the place he is in and ask him the reason for being brought there, similarly, the deepest and primary desire of humans is to recognize Allah and listen to revelation to comprehend the meaning of existence. Here, the Quran, which is the word of Allah, was revealed to solve this fundamental issue of humans and informs us of our purpose of creation in the 56th verse of Surah Zariyat as follows:
“I have only created jinn and humans that they may worship Me.”
The introduction of Bediuzzaman's treatise Ayetül Kübra, which interprets this verse, begins with the following sentences:
“With the secret of this great verse, the wisdom and purpose of sending humans to this world is to know the Creator of the Universe and to believe in Him and worship Him. And the innate duty of humans and the obligatory debt is to know Allah and believe in Him, and to confirm His existence and oneness with understanding and certainty.” (Rays, 7th Ray)
For humans who comprehend with their mind and deepest intuitions that existence has a creator and that this creator has a purpose, trying to know the eternal and absolute creator with their finite and limited nature is like progressing on an infinite journey. It is of course impossible for the human, looking at objects through the window of five sense organs, to comprehend the essence of the exalted creator who has no equal, no similar, no opposite, who cannot be imagined or conceived, who is free from space and time, who cannot be encompassed by minds. The recognition of the creator by humans can only occur through His actions, under the guidance of the revelation He sent, and within human limits. In this framework, humans make some comparisons starting from their relationship with objects. They liken the creator's disposition over creatures to partial examples in their own world. As Bediuzzaman expresses, “He imagines a fictitious lordship, ownership, power, knowledge in himself, draws a limit, sets a fictitious boundary to the encompassing attributes with it. He makes a division saying ‘Up to here is mine, after that is His.’ He slowly understands their essence with the small measures in himself.” Such a recognition is not a recognition worthy of Allah’s greatness, but a recognition suitable for human nature. In a prayer taught to his ummah by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), “O Lord known by all creatures, we could not know and recognize You to the extent that You should be known,” expresses this truth.
The truth journey of humans is not limited to reaching a momentary consciousness as a result of serious contemplation, nor is it confined to the framework of the mind. Life is a long process that brings humans to a different level of comprehension at every stage on the path to becoming perfect human, requiring struggle with different difficulties. What falls to humans in this challenging process is to submit to the guidance of revelation in a way that turns every step of this process into a gain, in the unity of mind, heart, and righteous deeds. The knowledge of Allah and love of Allah that this submission will bring to humans is the most valuable asset that can be obtained in life, as well as the only thing they can take with them when leaving this world.
“O people! If you are in doubt about resurrection, know that: We created you first from soil, then from a drop of semen, then from a clinging cell, then from an embryo in the appearance of chewed meat with its basic elements completed but all organs not yet completed, so that We may clearly show Our power to you. We keep whom We will in the womb for a certain period. Then We bring you out as a baby. Then We grow you until you gain strength. Some of you are killed while still children, some are brought to the most wretched form of life. So much so that they come to not know what they knew before. You see the earth dry and barren, but when We send down water there, it soon stirs, swells, and produces every beautiful pair of plants.” (Hajj: 5)
In another verse, while mentioning that the book and the balance were sent down with prophets so that people uphold justice, in the same verse, it says that iron was also sent down as an element of benefit and strength. Here, with the chosen word “اَنْزَلْنَا - we sent down”, while reminding that iron is a heavenly bounty, it points to the fact that the majority of iron ores in the world are sourced from meteor showers. And it says this in the 26th verse if counted with the basmala at the beginning of Surah "Al-Hadid - Iron" (There are four isotopes of iron in nature with atomic weights of 54, 56, 57, and 58.), which is the 57th surah from the beginning and 58th from the end of the Quran. (Iron is in the periodic table with atomic number 26) Along with this, the abjad value of the word “Al-Hadid - Iron” (Abjad calculation is a calculation method using the numerical values of letters in Arabic.) is 57, just as if the abjad value of the word “Hadid - Iron” without the definite article at the beginning is calculated, it is found to be 26:
“We certainly sent Our messengers with clear proofs and sent down with them the Book and the balance so that people may establish justice. And We sent down iron, in which there is mighty power and benefits for people, so that Allah may know who helps Him and His messengers in the unseen. Indeed, Allah is Powerful, Almighty.” (Hadid 25)
Sometimes the Quran evokes associations in a different context while addressing a topic. In the following verse known as the Light verse of Surah Nur, while describing with a metaphor the astonishing qualities of the light of existence whose real owner is Allah, which illuminates the heavens and the earth, makes the universe visible, announces the truth, delights eyes and hearts, the light of guidance, the light of prophethood, the light of the Quran, the light of faith, the thought of an electric bulb being depicted comes to our minds:
“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp; the lamp is within glass; the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.” (Nur 35)
One part of the hereafter creed, which is one of the four principles of the Quran, is the belief in the occurrence of the apocalypse. Today, we who are aware of galaxy collisions, star explosions, black holes swallowing giant celestial bodies, or the laws of thermodynamics do not find the occurrence of the apocalypse strange, but 1400 years ago, it was not even possible to consider it probable. While the Quran warns people with the horror of that day and calls them to goodness and charity in verse 88 of Surah Naml, it informs us almost openly of a fact we realized in the last century. According to the data of geology, the earth's crust is not a single motionless piece as thought. The outer hard and cold layer called the lithosphere resembles a puzzle with its structure consisting of more than ten tectonic plates of various sizes. Each of these plates carrying continents and mountains on them is moving in different directions on the molten magma. 200 million years ago, when all continents were a single contiguous continent, as a result of these tectonic plates being dragged thousands of kilometers, the continents separated from each other and took their current shape. The Quran narrates this truth after an apocalypse scene, but in wide tense and emphasizing solidity. Allah, who is aware of the human mind's thought system, uses words so appropriately that He puts forth a solid art of expression so that both the people of past times take lessons from an hereafter depiction without having to deny their eyes and minds, and we experience the admiration of seeing another scientific miracle of the Quran:
“You see the mountains and think them firmly fixed, but they pass away as the passing away of clouds. [Such is] the artistry of Allah, who perfected all things. Indeed, He is Acquainted with that which you do.” (Naml 88)
It is possible to mention many more parallels like these between the Holy Quran and scientific findings. More detailed information can be obtained from numerous works written on this subject.
Although not in a style that directly addresses the desires and expectations of modern humans, we have previously stated that the Quran touches on many scientific truths. In doing this, the Quran's not handling concepts with the clarity of a science book is not indifference, but a conscious choice. We can examine the reasons for this choice under a few headings.
“The true believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, whose faith increases when His verses are recited to them, and who rely only on their Lord.” (Anfal, 8/2)
"When a new surah is revealed, some of them / hypocritical disbelievers say: 'Which of you has this increased faith?' mocking the revelation. But this increases the faith and certainty of those who believe, and they rejoice and give glad tidings to each other. But those surahs added disbelief to the disbelief of those whose hearts have the disease of disbelief and hypocrisy, and they died as disbelievers.” (Tawba, 9/124 and 125).
“We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers. But it only increases the loss of the wrongdoers.” (Isra,17/82).
The clustering of believers whose hearts tremble when Allah’s verses are recited around Furqan-i Hakim, and the mocking disbelievers distancing themselves from it, brings about the formation of a healthy social fabric that is vital for the Muslim community to develop and strengthen. An individual setting out in the light of revelation means stepping into a challenging process on the path to realizing personal potential and becoming a perfect human. Overcoming this challenging process requires social solidarity, just as the development and maturation of the beauties in the individual's potential depend on mutual interaction within society. The feedback the individual receives from society becomes determinant in building their own character. At the same time, knowing the existence of those aiming at the same goal motivates the individual. Social support gives the individual courage to exhibit positive behaviors, while also helping in controlling the compelling impulses of the nafs. When it is considered that the Quran is a guide that deeply encompasses every aspect of human life, the importance of social solidarity is understood much better. Because the Quran is a holistic book that directs individuals' emotional and thought world, faith principles, worships, worldly deeds, moral structure, and relationships with their environment.
One of the purposes of the Quran is to create a healthy social structure that will contribute to their perfection by bringing together people who value Quranic values and carry the will to develop themselves in line with these values. In this cause, the separation of those addicted to falsehood from society is as important as the coming together of seekers of truth. Protecting believers from the corrupting effect of disbelievers and hypocrites who turn their backs on a truth, a virtue or a merit by denying every Quran verse that is a source of healing and mercy is a requirement of conveyance.
Furqan-i Hakim preparing such an environment where healthy individuals can grow for believers becomes possible by leaving people alone with their free will. Because under compulsion, humans hide their character and engage in hypocritical attitudes. They behave in accordance with their essence only when they feel free. If left free among different options, they make choices reflecting what they harbor inside. If they want to turn to evil, to follow falsehood, they want an open door to cloak it in logic. Therefore, leaving humans free to believe and disbelieve, that is, preserving the secret of trial is a Quranic principle.
By creation, humans are free, free in their choices, and responsible for the consequences of their choices. What makes us us is the choices we make using our will. Because we have will, we will be held accountable in the hereafter, we will see reward or punishment. The area of movement of free will is the uncertainties where what is in our essence emerges. As in this story, the emergence of human's essence depends on feeling free in the choices between right and wrong. Our view of life, our way of life, our value judgments show themselves in moments when we feel free. Our desires and ambitions, our whims and fancies, evaluate shaded areas as opportunities for escapades.
The Holy Quran, while presenting its invitation, does not force humans to believe in a way that leaves no open door. As Bediuzzaman expresses, it opens the door to the mind but does not take away the will. This is called the secret of trial. The bee drinks water and produces honey, the snake drinks water and pours poison. Similarly, the Quran nourishes humans with pure truths, presents its clear evidences, provides sufficient data to believe but leaves humans free in choice in a way that will reveal what is in their essence.
“Those who do not know the truth said: ‘Shouldn't Allah speak to us or a miracle be shown to us?’ Those before them said similar words. How similar their hearts are! We have shown the evidences clearly for those who want to know the truths well.” (Baqarah 118)
Yes, we said that one name of the Holy Quran is Furqan. Because it separates truth from falsehood as well as the pure from the raw. It reveals the difference between the diamond-souled Abu Bakr and the coal-souled Abu Jahl. If the Quran spoke openly about historical events and scientific discoveries about the future, the secret of trial would disappear and this difference would not emerge. Because minds would be compelled to accept the Quran. In a monolithic and diseased human community filled with those whose minds cannot deny, whose hearts cannot believe, true believers would be deprived of separating and purifying to progress and perfect.
Compulsory orientations that block the way for humans to choose freely prevent humans from contemplation and perfection. Humans can achieve lasting progress only by questioning, using their mind, experiences, feelings all together. They can even learn many abstract truths by experiencing them personally. Every kind of certainty state is a compulsory orientation for humans. To make something certain means at the same time to put the final point and stop. Uncertainty is a state of being in constant search and discovery. This ensures the continuation of contemplation and perfection. An individual who says "I am done!" in science, art, trade, morality, and faith has actually stopped and started to regress. They have wasted their potential by stopping going forward. The religion of Islam does not allow humans the luxury of saying "I am done!" in faith and deeds.
The state of not being sure of oneself gives the believer tremendous dynamism. They never see what they do as valid and sufficient. They belittle their own deeds next to what should be. They constantly aim for more, better, and more sincere. The worry of hypocrisy in their deeds keeps them alert. In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah in Muslim, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) says:
“The first person whose account will be settled on the Day of Judgment is a martyr brought forth. Allah Almighty reminds him of the bounties He gave, he remembers and confesses that he attained them. The Almighty says: So what did you do in return for these? The martyr replies: I fought in Your way until I was martyred. You are lying. You fought so that they say 'brave man', and it was said, He commands. Then he is ordered and that person is thrown face down into hell. This time a person who learned knowledge, taught it, and recited the Quran is brought forth. Allah reminds him too of the bounties He gave. He remembers and confesses. To him too: So what did you do in return for these bounties? He asks. I learned knowledge, taught it, and recited the Quran for Your pleasure, he answers. You are lying. You learned knowledge so that they say 'scholar', you recited the Quran so that they say 'how beautifully he recites'. These were said about you too, He commands. Then he is ordered, and he too is thrown face down into hell. (Then) a person to whom Allah gave every kind of wealth and opportunity is brought. Allah reminds him too of the bounties given. He remembers and confesses. So you, what did you do in return for these bounties? He commands. I did not withhold from any place You love to give, are pleased with, I gave, spent only to gain Your pleasure, he says. You are lying. Whereas you did all that you did so that they say 'what a generous man'. This was already said for you, He commands. He is ordered, this too is thrown face down into hell.”
Just as in deeds, the believer cannot be sure of themselves in faith either. The worry of hypocrisy and the fear of dying without faith always make them uneasy. As stated in a hadith in Buhari, Ibn Abi Mulaikah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
"I reached thirty of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who participated in the Battle of Badr. All of them were afraid of hypocrisy on their own account and did not feel secure from falling into fitna in their religion." [Bukhari, Faith 36 (Recorded in the chapter title).]
When Allah's greatness and human's weakness are considered, it is clear that there are always distances to be covered on the path to knowing Allah. As humans deepen in faith, they realize that they cannot know Allah properly and worship Him worthily and begin to worry about their end. This uneasiness drives humans to alertness. They go to strengthen their weaknesses, to complete their deficiencies. Similarly, when humans strive to increase their faith by nourishing from the Quran, while finding solutions to many issues on one hand, on the other hand, their mind gets stuck on some mysterious expressions of the Quran. The thought of removing the opacities in their mind multiplies and deepens their interest and curiosity in the Quran. This causes the believer to shake off laziness and show the necessary determination to understand the Quran and cling tightly to a source of guidance that harbors no doubt on the path of contemplation.
One of the wisdoms in the Quran not mentioning scientific developments in a way that would remove the secret of trial is to keep alive the interest and need of humans in the Quran and to ensure the continuation of their perfection. While the Quran presents evidences from nature with its unique style, it makes one feel that these expressions contain different layers of meaning. It makes one think that the issues stuck in the human mind are clues to deep truths. With its reassuring verses, it encourages humans to solve these clues. To those who show the necessary effort, it opens the door to its secret truths.
Another factor requiring the limitation of human desires is human responsibilities towards nature. The greed to obtain more with avarice has caused many disasters throughout human history. Every destruction caused in nature also reduces human living comfort. As a result, human emotions need to be kept under control and reformed. Otherwise, humans, owners of endless desires and ambitions, can become perpetrators of unimaginable oppression and murders. The world wars we experienced in the last century, besides the third one being talked about now, many environmental disasters such as global warming reaching horrific dimensions today, microplastics in seas, air pollution, shrinking water basins, soil pollution caused by agricultural chemicals, genetic pollution in agricultural products are indicators of how far human uncontrollability can go. While humans work on the world with greed beyond their needs, in a way that can also bring their own end, they progress so fast that they themselves cannot keep up with the change. With the entry of social media into our lives, the difference between generations has turned into an abyss. While access to information and news has become easier, the problem of inability to focus and insensitivity has increased, evil has normalized, social fabric has come to the point of disintegration. The danger of the levels that artificial intelligence, which has entered our agenda in recent years, can reach frightens even the developers of artificial intelligence themselves.
All these enumerated elements are indicators of how greedy humans are towards the world. While humans already record progress at a speed far above their own needs and nature's capacity, encouraging humans to work for the world is meaningless. However, humans show extreme resistance against moral values that will balance this greed, set boundaries, direct to the benefit of society in general. Therefore, what really needs to be done is not to motivate humans to work more for the world in a way that will further whip up their greed, but to ensure compliance with moral and conscientious boundaries by advising. The Quran does this difficult job, guides humans not to the world but to the straight path. Benefiting from science and technology correctly is only possible through moral people. Therefore, expecting the Quran to mention scientific truths instead of moral values is an inappropriate expectation.
Let's assume for a moment that this expectation is realized; if the Quran shed light on scientific truths in a way that would pioneer numerous technological developments with each verse, what effect would this have on humanity? Probably the first thing that comes to most of our minds is the thought that the majority of people would become Muslims. So what would such a belief bring with it? Of course, a terrible race. People would enter into a fierce competition to make discoveries starting from the scientific data in the holy book. So what would this race to reach knowledge and power give birth to? What it has given birth to throughout human history, it would give birth to the same; struggle and war. The sole responsible for the war that believers wage to gain superiority over each other would be the holy book they believe in. Because this book, by pioneering science and technology, would not only legitimize the results arising from it but also take all responsibility upon itself. People advancing on the path shown by God would act with the understanding, "If God gave us such knowledge, there is no harm in using it as we wish." Therefore, it would be accepted that God is responsible for many evils that emerge.
Even if this holy book mentioned the hereafter, those mentions would be ignored. Moral orientations would remain in the background in this competition and knowledge race. The hereafter and morality emphases of a book whose main theme is the world would also be distorted and evaluated in the context of the world. Indeed, virtuous behavior could not be expected from those who believe in a God who commits evil.
As a result, we can say that if the Quran mentioned scientific truths like a science book, it would motivate humans with worldly ambitions and legitimize its results. While humans have already overconsumed nature and thus disrupted the ecological balance, and produced technologies like nuclear weapons to kill each other, directing them to more ambitions cannot be the duty of a holy book. Such a book cannot mention morality and faith either.
Humans trying to satiate their emotions without boundaries with worldly bounties is a futile effort like trying to catch the horizon line. Every bounty reached makes humans desire more. Even if it is possible to satiate their body, their soul is always hungry. As stated in a noble hadith, if they had two mountains of gold, they would want the third. As Satan deceived our father Hz. Adam by making him eat from the fruit of the tree of eternity with the promise of being eternal, he deceives his children by saying that they can satiate their desire for infinity inside with the finite fruits of the world.
One weakness of humans is preferring what is immediate to what will come later. They give up great but distant bounties to reach small but close pleasures. They even take great harms that they will have to endure later for a small pleasure. In verse 11 of Surah Isra, it says:
“Humans want evil as much as they want good. Humans are very hasty!”
The exalted Allah, knowing both the desire for eternity and the hasty nature of humans, has made religion easy for them by lightening their responsibility in the world. He has decreed a life long enough for humans to understand the truth and learn from their mistakes. He has kept the door of repentance always open, allowing them to open a new page at any moment despite everything. Although the value of the finite cannot be mentioned next to the eternal, Allah has not asked humans to completely abandon the world. By saying “Seek the home of the Hereafter with what Allah has given you, but do not forget your share from the world.” (Qasas 77), He has taken into account their weakness but has not compromised the truth. He has placed worldly and otherworldly things in perfect balance within His own integrity and consistency. He has made the world a share, the hereafter home a target. Within this balance, the world is not abandoned but not made the purpose of life either. The world is a tool, the hereafter is the purpose. The world is the land of service, the hereafter is the land of reward. What makes the world valuable enough to live is this face that looks not to itself but to the hereafter.
The world is finite but the hereafter is earned with what we do in the world. Our worldly efforts, works, if done seeking Allah’s pleasure, take the rule of worship and become as if multiplied by an infinity coefficient. Because as our Prophet said, “Deeds are according to intentions.” Scientific studies that aim to discover the art and wisdom in creation, that lead to contemplation by interpreting the book of the universe seem worldly but are efforts to seek the hereafter home. Along with this, scientists who work to gain Allah’s pleasure by benefiting people are among the best of people. It can even be said that doing this is a necessary duty upon a group of Muslims. The Quran already encourages scientific studies to be done with this motivation with numerous verses. The following verses can be given as examples:
“So let man observe from what he was created.” (Tariq Surah 5)
“Do they not look at the camels, how they are created? And at the sky, how it is raised? And at the mountains, how they are erected? And at the earth, how it is spread out?” (Ghashiyah Surah 17,18,19,20)
“So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear?” (Hajj Surah 46)
“Say, ‘Travel through the land; then observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation. Indeed Allah, over all things, is competent.’” (Ankabut Surah 20)
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], ‘Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.’” (Ali Imran Surah 190, 191)
Within this balance, it is of course unthinkable for the holy book of a religion that values existence to abandon the hereafter and encourage humans to the world. The world has never been presented as a second target in front of, beside, or behind the hereafter. The Quran does not contradict itself by showing the finite world as a target for humans while eternal life stands. It knows that compared to infinity, no matter how large, every number is as nothing. Therefore, when mentioning the world, it mentions it only as a tool that will earn the hereafter. It does not praise the world in a way that legitimizes making it the purpose of our life, does not incline to the world, does not occupy with the world.
Many people want to see the Quran as a science book because they make the world their purpose and forget the hereafter. For them, producing worldly benefit is the most important issue, so religion should serve this purpose. It should guide scientific developments, motivate humans to work more for the world, and give consolation against the difficulties of worldly life. Thus, it should help humans turn the world into paradise. Unfortunately, although this understanding seems like a religious interpretation to some, it is quite a secular understanding. Although very common today, it is not possible to reconcile this understanding with Islam. Those who evaluate the Quran with expectations suitable for the desires of the secular world claiming that humans can be happy only by satisfying their bodily desires should not overlook that they are mostly people who show weakness regarding belief in the hereafter.
The word miracle, coming from the root "acz", is a term meaning "disabling, unopposable, incomparable, marvelous". In Islamic literature, extraordinary events that prove that prophets are true messengers sent by Allah, leaving people unable in terms of qualities to bring similar ones are called miracles. Although they differ in terms of types and purposes, the existence of miracles was a need especially for the first addressees to fulfill such an important mission as prophethood. Because this first generation, which would be the carrier of centuries and generations, while living in the darkest period of history, were addressed with a very serious claim that would radically change their lives and leave them face to face with countless dangers. They were told by a prophet sent by the Lord of the worlds to enter a tough struggle for a life after death, disregarding the world. At the beginning of the matter, there was no evidence supporting this great claim other than the pure personality of Hz. Prophet (peace be upon him) and the soul-penetrating effect of the verses revealed until then. Here, most of the miracles occurred in these difficult times, considering human needs and weaknesses, to convince some bedouin-tempered natures and to reinforce some sensitive souls. Along with this truth, miracles remained in a quite limited framework, religion was not built upon these extraordinariness. Because the main evidences showing Allah’s knowledge, wisdom, justice, art, and transcendent power are not in exceptional miracles, but in the order and regularity that flows before our eyes as a whole within cause-effect relationships.
With the meaning of being incomparable and marvelous, each of the evidences the Quran brings from nature to prove its fundamental principles is actually in the nature of a miracle. The creation of the camel, the resurrection of dry barren soil with rain in spring, the chasing of night and day are clear signs that cannot be explained without accepting a creator. What veils the miraculous aspect of these in our eyes is familiarity and habits. For example, in terms of requiring Allah's knowledge, will, and power, there is no difference between the sun rising from the east or the west. However, from the perspective of our habits, the sun rising from the east is an ordinary natural event while rising from the west would be perceived as a miracle.
As a result of negligence, humans are far from seeing the wonders in things they are constantly exposed to. Especially today, the modern world adorned with artificial pleasures is full of people who have not once lifted their heads to watch the sky. The magnificence of the skies does not attract attention as much as a fireworks show. Although the ease and abundance in creation show the greatness of Allah’s power, it is perceived by humans as worthlessness or ordinariness. Even humans show interest not in living beings sprouting from the earth with a creation where everything is in place, but in a few anomalous examples containing anomalies within. Sometimes this veil of negligence thickens so much that it makes humans utter the delirium, “There is no such thing as order in the universe.”
If the Quran spoke openly about scientific miracles, many wonders before our eyes that we look at as ordinary things would remain eternally behind the veil of familiarity and negligence. Because our view of the Quran would always carry the expectation of a scientific novelty. Every newly discovered miracle would also be consumed quickly and become ordinary. Thus, objects would be looked at not with the eye of wisdom, but with a deterministic eye. People would evaluate natural events and scientific discoveries only from a material perspective, ignoring the divine will behind them. The smallest thing would not be thought to have Allah’s knowledge, will, power, disposition, gigantic power manifestations including everything would be accepted as a result of extending causality. The veil of nature would thicken increasingly, the tawhid belief requiring seeing Allah’s hand in everything would weaken.
Instead of competing with our negligence, the Quran looks to the way of eliminating it. It removes the veil of familiarity and habit from our eyes and shows us the hand of power operating in every being. While doing this, it draws our attention to the normal, the known. “Do these people not look at how the camel was created, how the sky was raised, how the mountains were erected, how the earth was spread?” (Ghashiyah Surah, 17-20), it asks. By swearing by the sun, the moon, the fig, the olive, it points to the divine seal on things we look at and pass by. By calling “O possessors of intellect!”, it calls us who want to escape responsibility hiding behind miracle expectation to the truth that is openly visible.
Like this, many targets thought to be unreachable have been left behind throughout history. While each new success attracts attention for a short time, it drops the old one from the agenda, things seen as nonsense at one time become ordinary over time. The idea of going to the moon, which adorned Kepler's devilish dreams, subject of Jules Verne's science fiction novel, no longer excites us who have wheeled vehicles on Mars, send spacecraft outside the solar system.
Although they constitute only steps on a long ladder rising from past to future, these discoveries lead humans to some religious expectations. Humans think that scientific facts they themselves attribute importance to should also be considered important by their creator. Naturally, they want to see open mentions of these facts in the holy book as well. However, such an expectation is like expecting the message of revelation to stop at one of the steps of history and become ragged over time. However, the Quran does not just give news of events that will be important in a certain time period in the future. By doing something much harder, it gives messages that address the knowledge and comprehension of all times. Thus, it does not turn itself into a book of outdated small predictions by freezing its verses. Hz. Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent to the world as the last prophet. The Holy Quran, which is the word of Allah, is the last holy book that will guide us until the apocalypse. Despite so many developments recorded in many fields throughout the 1400-year process that has passed, the truths of the Quran have not aged, not faded, not remained outside the age. Even as Bediuzzaman expresses, as time ages, the Quran rejuvenates. For the verses of the Quran are reread in every age, with new information obtained as a result of new studies, new truths waiting to be discovered among the meaning layers of the same verses are reached.
In this scope, the Holy Quran, in accordance with its main purpose with its unique style, has also mentioned human's journey in the skies. In one verse, “O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah].” (Rahman Surah, 33) saying that it is possible to pass the boundaries of the skies with great force, after another verse drawing attention to the sky, it calls as follows:
“No! I swear by the twilight glow, And by the Night And its darkness when it deepens, And by the Moon When it is at the full, You will surely travel from stage to stage. So what is [the matter] with them [that] they do not believe?” (Inshiqaq Surah, 16-20)
The word “tabaka” in this verse has the same meaning as in Turkish, but indicates celestial layers in context. The verb used in the verse لَتَرْكَبُنَّ means to mount a vehicle. Thus, while the Quran refers to the entirety of humanity's journeys in different layers of the sky, it focuses minds on the main message. The issue of the Quran is not humans watching the world from an upper layer with a device they mount, but questioning why humans who witness another wonder in each layer, looking at the capacity to read the universe placed in their own creation, still do not believe. Yes, while mentioning human's space journey, the Quran neither gives news that will age and lose importance, nor spoils humans for their successes, nor forces them to believe in things their mind cannot grasp before time by using open expressions. This becomes possible with its unparalleled style, flexible expressions, the richness of meaning of its words selected like pearl beads and strung one after another.
In his work Isharat-ul Ijaz, Bediuzzaman gives the following answer to those who criticize the Quran for expressing matters related to materiality in a veiled way:
“...teaching the current sciences to people coming ten centuries ago or mentioning strange issues would give no benefit other than confusing their minds and throwing those people into sophistry. For example, if the Holy Quran said, ‘O people! Pay attention to the stillness of the sun, the movement of the earth, and the thousands of animals in a drop of water so that you understand the divine greatness’, it would drive all the people of those times to denial. Because it is contrary to apparent senses. Moreover, confusing the people who came and passed for ten centuries, satisfying only the people coming after the emergence of new sciences, is contrary to the position of guidance, as well as incompatible with the spirit of eloquence.”
As previously stated, the main purposes of the Quran are to reinforce the concepts of tawhid, prophethood, resurrection, and justice in people's souls. Making statements that minds cannot grasp centuries ago in order to teach scientific truths to humans or to show miracles does not bring people closer to religion, on the contrary, distances them from religion.
Regarding the deep and multiple meanings in the meaning layers of the Quran, our Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Each verse has layers of meaning; apparent (open), hidden (meaning that the competent can understand inside the open and visible meaning), limit (scope) and vantage point (meaning frame). And each of these four meaning layers has details, signs, branches, and particulars.” (Abu Ya'la, al-Musnad 9:287; at-Tabarani, al-Mu'jam al-Awsat 1:236.)
Bediuzzaman explains one aspect of the truths expressed by this hadith in his work Muhakemat with the following metaphor:
“As in concentric depictions (pictures), if a painter places a black point, that point is one's eye, another's face mark, another's nostril, another's mouth, similarly, there are such points in lofty speech.” (Muhakemat, 2nd Article, 9th Issue)
The word Tarik, which is the subject at the beginning of this book and gives its name to the 86th surah of the Quran, is such a word. For everyone carrying two eyes and a brain in their head, Tarik is a bright proof of the order in the skies that is possible only with infinite knowledge and power. For a believer interested in astronomy, Tarik is neutron stars that emit rhythmic sound waves like a door knocker while completing their rotation around themselves in a second. For a Muslim who knows biology, Tarik is the sperm that progresses towards the egg passing through different stages, scattering lights when reaching it and fertilizing the egg. For a heart-awake lover of the prophet, Tarik is Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him), the last-time prophet who was born in the darkness of ignorance and brightened the face of the human world as an illuminating lamp. For every open-minded, wisdom and truth enthusiast, taqwa owner human, Tarik is the Quran, a clear light and source of guidance that brings the human world out of darkness into light with its guidance.
Although answered from different angles in previous headings, we can say that underlying this question is an unwarranted self-conceit rather than a rightful curiosity. Actually, the feeling that leads us to such expectations and asks this question is our egocentric impulses that we cannot get rid of, rather than our desire to find the truth. Humans fall into the illusion that they are at the center of existence conceived with their mind, just as they are at the center of the environment perceived with five sense organs. Therefore, it is very difficult for humans to get rid of selfishness in their emotions and thoughts. Even human's conception of god is a conception that prioritizes their own needs and desires. However, in reality, the first and only and sole purpose of everything, the wisdom of existence, the purpose of creation is only Allah. All existence including humans are elements serving the manifestation of Allah’s names. Although humans hold a very important place in existence, this importance is not due to their intrinsic value, but due to the duty given to them by Allah. Yes, humans are made of flesh and bone like all other animals. Their beginning is dirty water, their end is a rotten carcass. Their main material is lowly soil, the world they inhabit is a pale blue dot left in a corner of the universe. This is the intrinsic value of humans. But they have been made caliph by Allah, names and knowledge have been taught, and everything has been made at their service. Only by fulfilling the mission they undertake can a lofty value bestowed by Allah be attributed to them. Then, what falls to humans in the search for wisdom and truth is to abandon the fallacy that they are at the center of everything, accept that Allah is at that center, and know that every being gains value in proportion to being a place of manifestation for Allah’s most beautiful names. When they know this, humans will record accuracy in thoughts, make healthy comparisons, and succeed in reaching the truth. Although they hold a distinguished position among all creatures with the arts they produce, when compared to the wonders flowing in the universe as divinity manifestation, they will see that their art is as nothing. Thus, they will give up the expectation of their small arts being mentioned in Allah’s book where Allah’s art is narrated.
Comparing human art with Allah’s art in the context of the same question, Bediuzzaman gives the following example in his tafsir Isharatul Ijaz:
“For example, if the airplane says to the Quran, ‘Give me a right to speak, give a place in your verses.’ Certainly, the planets, the earth, the moon, which are the airplanes of the circle of lordship, will say on behalf of the Quran, ‘You can take a position as much as your size here.’ If the wonders of civilization, subtleties of art ask for their rights in terms of aspect and demand position from verses; then, a single fly will say to them ‘Be silent’. You have no right as much as one of my wings. Because if all the fine arts and delicate devices in you are gathered, they cannot be as perfect as the fine art and delicate devices in my tiny body.”
As in this example, how can the knowledge of humans who can make bombs destroying big cities with a explosion be compared to the knowledge of Allah who created the entire universe with one explosion? Or is it reasonable to compare the skill of people who consume life on social media using communication tools they produce with the power of Allah who awakens billions of living beings to life by resurrecting dead soil with a spring glad tiding? Are these on the same scale to be weighed on the same scale? Are they of the same value to be mentioned together in the same book?
Returning to the initial question, is there really no place given to successes achieved by human hand in the Holy Quran? Is there no sign in the Quran about civilization wonders, albeit not in a way that compares human art with Allah’s art in an open and exalting style, but in a way that gives lessons to them? Bediuzzaman puts forth a very interesting approach on this subject. By drawing attention to the interest and harmony between the prophet miracles mentioned in the Quran and the scientific progresses recorded by humanity, he says that these miracles constitute examples to the endpoints that the human race can reach with science and work. By saying "O humanity! These miracles you see are some examples and samples. With your collective thoughts, with your works, you will make similars of these examples," he says that the Quran determines targets for humans with its indicative meaning.
Such an indirect target determination reminds humans of destiny's manifestation as a news of the unseen. Thus, humans begin to look at the successes they achieve as Allah’s decree. Moreover, the fact that the developments they record had occurred in the form of miracles by prophets much earlier reminds that the true actor is Allah. Because prophets are first of all Allah’s servants. In terms of being created, they are no different from other humans. The miracles they show also occur with Allah’s permission and creation. Just as the power that gushes waters from the rock when striking the rock with the staff in hand is neither in Moses nor in the staff, similarly, the true power that gushes the mercy water accumulated between the layers of the earth from artesian wells with drilling tools made using iron sent down from the sky as a bounty containing hardness and benefit, taught through names and knowledge, is not in humans, but belongs to Allah who made humans caliph on earth.
One wisdom of the Quran giving news of successes humans will achieve through prophet miracles may be to prevent errors humans may fall into in the future. Because humans, as a deficiency of comprehension, draw imaginary boundaries to their own power and capacity. While seeing themselves capable up to that boundary line, they attribute beyond the line to Allah’s power. When they see that they cross those boundaries they drew themselves over time, that they somehow reach targets they thought unreachable, they fall into doubt and question Allah’s existence. However, humans are Allah’s creation together with what they do and make. As stated in the noble verse, “But Allah has created you and your handiwork.” (Saffat 96). Allah who creates the fruit on the branch of the tree, the egg in the chicken's belly, can create some civilization wonders that can formally resemble prophet miracles in human's hand and mind. Just as Hz. Jesus does not gain the attribute of divinity by coming to the world fatherless as a miracle work, similarly, humanity does not cross divine boundaries by bringing a sheep to the world fatherless by cloning.
In his tafsir Isharatul Ijaz, Bediuzzaman gives the following examples of parallels between developments achieved by humanity and prophet miracles:
1. The first clock and ship were given to humanity by miracle hand.
2. In terms of announcing the names, attributes, properties of all species contained in the universe, through thousands of sciences occurring with humanity's collective thoughts, وَعَلَّمَ اٰدَمَ اْلاَسْمَاۤءَ كُلَّهَا (“Allah taught Adam all the names.” Baqarah Surah, 2:31.) has become the recipient of the miracle of Hz. Adam indicated by the verse.
3. Humanity, with so many progresses invented thanks to the softening and use of iron which is the basis of all arts, وَ أَلَنَّا لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ (“We made iron soft for him.” Saba Surah, 34:10.) has become the recipient of the miracle of Hz. David indicated by the verse.
4. Again with collective thoughts, humanity with aerial progresses invented like airplane, غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ (“We subjected the wind to Solomon, whose early morning [journey] was a month and whose late afternoon [journey] was a month.” Saba Surah, 34:12.) is approaching the miracle of Hz. Solomon whose speed is stated by the verse.
5. The centrifuge device that extracts water from arid and sandy places,
اِضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ (“Strike the rock with your staff.” Then twelve springs gushed forth from it.” Baqarah Surah, 2:60.) has taken lesson from the staff of Hz. Moses (peace be upon him) indicated by the verse.
6. The medical progresses occurring thanks to experiences and collective thoughts are from the inspirations of the miracle of Hz. Jesus (peace be upon him).
Indeed, there is a great relation and conformity between these miracles and these progresses. Yes, a attentive person, without hesitation, judges that these miracles are measures and samples for these progresses.
And similarly, يَا نَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًا وَسَلاَمًا (“O fire, be coolness and safety.” Anbiya Surah, 21:69.) according to the indication of the noble verse, when Hz. Abraham was thrown into the fire, the heat of the fire turning into coldness is the example and source for the non-burning degree of fire discovered by humanity.
7.لَوْلاَ اَنْ رَاٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهِ (“If he had not seen evidence of his Lord.” Yusuf Surah, 12:24.) as indicated by the noble verse -according to one view- Hz. Yusuf (peace be upon him) withdrawing from Zulaikha as soon as he sees the image of his father in Canaan and Hz. Jacob saying اِنِّى َلاَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ (Yusuf Surah, 12:94.) that is, “I find the scent of Yusuf” when the caravans return from Egypt and an ifrit saying to Hz. Solomon “I will bring it to you before you rise from your place” indicating أَنَا اٰتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ اَنْ يَرْتَدَّ اِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ (“I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.” Naml Surah, 27:40.) the noble verse, are examples and sources for inventions that humanity has discovered or will discover such as attracting sound, image, etc. from very distant distances.
Although they pursue different purposes, both science and religion take their examples from the same universe. Religion evaluates subjectively the existence that science handles objectively. For science, the universe is a laboratory, and objects are experimental materials. Every kind of formation and transformation we observe in nature occurs within causality, within the framework of certain laws named physics, chemistry, biology, etc. For example, according to science, the earth's crust is formed from tectonic plates that have solidified as a result of the cooling of magma and are interlocked with each other, constantly in motion. Celestial bodies follow their orbits in balance according to the law of gravitational attraction. Our atmosphere is also composed of gases in the earth's gravitational field under the influence of the same law of attraction. However, religion looks at the universe as a table of lessons, and at creatures as a chain of bounties. Everything in nature proceeds within a measure and order. This order, called Sunnatullah, shows that there is a creator with will behind everything. From the perspective of the Quran, the earth is a bed, and the sky is a protected dome. The sun and the moon are two lamps that illuminate our day and brighten our night. These are signs showing a creator who encompasses humans with mercy and settles them in the world, and of course, such a creation is not in vain.
Despite the difference in their contexts, the fact that the examples contain the same elements can create areas of conflict in our perceptions of religion and science. Moreover, if these conflicts are not analyzed sensibly, they can create big question marks in our faith in religion or science. First of all, it should be known that the one who will reach an interpretation by evaluating the data provided by religion and science together is ultimately a human. However, humans have limited capacity. However, it is not easy to have holistic knowledge and multidimensional thinking skills in two different disciplines with extensions as wide as encompassing all existence and deep roots. It is not possible to be equipped with certain and final knowledge free from all doubts in all branches of science, just as it is not possible to fully master all the subtleties of Arabic, a rich and grammatical language that reflects the pure temperament and natural tastes of the illiterate Arab society living in the desert during the age of ignorance, containing treasure troves of imagination full of metaphors and similes, and the religious sciences that have developed conceptually from the past to the present. In addition, while developing themselves in some areas, humans can dull their abilities in other areas. Individuals can have different aptitudes in areas divided as concrete-abstract, numerical-verbal, material-spiritual, and when they turn to one of these areas, they can regress in the other. The approach styles, reasoning methods, even characters of people in certain professional groups can be shaped according to the requirements of that profession. To interpret religion and science together requires being able to think both abstract and concrete at the same time, to distinguish the certainty of mathematics from the mystery of rhetoric, to look rationally when necessary, imaginatively when necessary, not to fall into nihilism while living in the world of causes, not to detach from life while believing in the causer of causes.
In addition to the difficulties of having the competence to reason religion and science together, there are other human barriers that influence the human mind and lead to wrong judgments. One of the weaknesses of humans is that their intellectual faculties are involuntarily under the influence of their emotional state, preconceptions, desires and whims, habits, partisan feelings, ego factor, and the instinct to constantly protect their interests. While progressing on a path, the mind does not always go ahead, most of the time it follows the emotions it is under the influence of. An example of this is that humans do not want to fall apart from the generally accepted values of the society they live in. Humans gain strength from society by being a social being. Being a part of society makes their life easier, just as thinking in parallel with the values of society provides them with a mental comfort zone. For humans to step out of this comfort zone and build their own world of ideas, to pursue the truth in a religious or worldly matter, requires serious effort. Even more difficult than this is the necessity to shape their own life according to this truth after finding the truth. However, living in harmony with the generally accepted values of the social fabric they are in is a much easier and safer choice. This feature of humans is valid for those in academic circles as well as for those in religious formations.
For the reasons mentioned above, the conclusions that people reach using their minds cannot always be evaluated as absolute truths produced by pure reason. In fact, the existence of many philosophical schools that contradict and even conflict with each other in certain periods of history is evidence of this. Many cultural, political, religious movements claiming to be based on reason have been accepted by large masses for a while but lost their effect over time. In fact, the file of crimes committed by humanity against right and truth is so thick that it is full of criminal records of a bunch of fraudsters who have given their minds to the command of their impulses, from scientists producing false evidence to religious figures who distorted their own holy books. Today, both religion and science have become instruments of ideological and political polarizations and personal interests more than ever in history, and have taken their share from populism excessively. As a result, we can say that the interpretations we derive from religious texts appearing to conflict with the scientific data of the time period we are in does not mean that religion and science conflict ontologically.
THE PURPOSE OF CREATION OF EXISTENCE AND HUMAN ACCORDING TO ISLAM
According to Islamic belief, everything observed in the realm of existence comes into being as a result of the creation of Allah Almighty. When He wills something, He only says "Be!" to it and it becomes. The process of the universe's existence also began suddenly with this command and continues without the slightest flaw. When the day decreed by Allah comes, the entire universe will be gathered like the pages of a book being rolled up and returned to its initial state. Then, with a new creation, the doors of eternal realms will be opened. These existences and annihilations are certainly not random and purposeless. The exalted Being who created intertwined, wiser, more artistic, and magnificent realms certainly has a purpose in mind.The universe, spread before our eyes like a book written with the pen of power, contains a very important message. The task of reading this message has been given to the human sent to the world with the mission of caliphate; because the human is created on a nature exactly capable of fulfilling this task. Almost everything in the universe has been placed in the creation of humans or associated with humans. As if the human is a miniaturized universe, the universe is a great human. In terms of matter and needs, the human is already connected to many elements. His body is created by filtering from different atoms on every side of the universe. It resembles many living beings like itself. The necessity to obtain sustenance directly connects him to the soil, rain, sun. The alternation of night and day, the formation of seasons is part of the human's life cycle. The balance of the sky and the continuation of order is an indispensable necessity of life. The needs necessary to sustain life cause him to establish a necessary bond with nature. Through sense organs, he recognizes objects in detail while experiencing pleasure and pain. He learns benefit and harm. Unlike other living beings, humans show interest in existence out of curiosity or affection even when vital needs are not at stake. He wants to explore the boundaries of space. He strives to observe subatomic particles. He investigates how life began, what the end of the universe will be. He establishes intellectual or emotional bonds with everything around him. He grieves for extinct species. He rushes to help whales trapped in icebergs. He wants to satiate his mind and heart as well as his stomach. Humans are equipped with abilities not only in bodily aspects but also in spiritual aspects. He is passionate about perfection, always seeks the perfect. He carries compassion in his heart, helps others without benefit. He gets angry against injustice, fights for it. He owns his family, his property. This holistic creation in humans, being related to everything, ego, mind, and emotions equip him to recognize objects, establish cause-effect relationships, reach from action to actor, from art to artist, and as a result, to search for the creator, to question the purpose of existence. Learning this purpose is the most important task given to humans by their creator, as well as silencing a groan coming from the depths of the soul for humans. Because humans cannot find peace without making sense of their own existence. They cannot build their life on a void without grounding the essence and purpose of their existence.
Since the universe that humans inhabit is not eternal, and since they themselves do not live an eternal life, it is impossible for humans to seek the purpose of their existence solely within finite existence. Such a perspective contains a kind of tautology, like saying, “The purpose of life is to live.” Humans can only place the purpose of existence on a logical ground by knowing the will of the one who created them from nothing. Every goal set for life without knowing Allah and seeking His pleasure cannot go beyond a consolation. The state of humans in this world is like a man wandering without knowing how and why he was brought, among a community he does not know, in a place he does not belong to. Such a stranger who has no idea what to do would first want to learn the owner of the place he is in and ask him the reason for being brought there, similarly, the deepest and primary desire of humans is to recognize Allah and listen to revelation to comprehend the meaning of existence. Here, the Quran, which is the word of Allah, was revealed to solve this fundamental issue of humans and informs us of our purpose of creation in the 56th verse of Surah Zariyat as follows:
“I have only created jinn and humans that they may worship Me.”
The introduction of Bediuzzaman's treatise Ayetül Kübra, which interprets this verse, begins with the following sentences:
“With the secret of this great verse, the wisdom and purpose of sending humans to this world is to know the Creator of the Universe and to believe in Him and worship Him. And the innate duty of humans and the obligatory debt is to know Allah and believe in Him, and to confirm His existence and oneness with understanding and certainty.” (Rays, 7th Ray)
For humans who comprehend with their mind and deepest intuitions that existence has a creator and that this creator has a purpose, trying to know the eternal and absolute creator with their finite and limited nature is like progressing on an infinite journey. It is of course impossible for the human, looking at objects through the window of five sense organs, to comprehend the essence of the exalted creator who has no equal, no similar, no opposite, who cannot be imagined or conceived, who is free from space and time, who cannot be encompassed by minds. The recognition of the creator by humans can only occur through His actions, under the guidance of the revelation He sent, and within human limits. In this framework, humans make some comparisons starting from their relationship with objects. They liken the creator's disposition over creatures to partial examples in their own world. As Bediuzzaman expresses, “He imagines a fictitious lordship, ownership, power, knowledge in himself, draws a limit, sets a fictitious boundary to the encompassing attributes with it. He makes a division saying ‘Up to here is mine, after that is His.’ He slowly understands their essence with the small measures in himself.” Such a recognition is not a recognition worthy of Allah’s greatness, but a recognition suitable for human nature. In a prayer taught to his ummah by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), “O Lord known by all creatures, we could not know and recognize You to the extent that You should be known,” expresses this truth.
The truth journey of humans is not limited to reaching a momentary consciousness as a result of serious contemplation, nor is it confined to the framework of the mind. Life is a long process that brings humans to a different level of comprehension at every stage on the path to becoming perfect human, requiring struggle with different difficulties. What falls to humans in this challenging process is to submit to the guidance of revelation in a way that turns every step of this process into a gain, in the unity of mind, heart, and righteous deeds. The knowledge of Allah and love of Allah that this submission will bring to humans is the most valuable asset that can be obtained in life, as well as the only thing they can take with them when leaving this world.
WHAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE QURAN
Humans, as a requirement of their nature, seek answers from the universe to questions like who am I, where do I come from, where am I going, why do I exist, and as a result of the same nature, they hope for a message from the owner of the universe. The Quran is this message that humans expect from Allah. It conveys by addressing them through values that are suitable for their creation, that they know and recognize, that they experience and comprehend. The Quran builds its conveyance on four fundamentals. These can be briefly listed as "tawhid" meaning the existence and uniqueness of Allah, "prophethood" informing that humans are not left aimless in the world but created for a purpose, "resurrection" announcing that worldly life will have a consequence, and "justice" commanding duties and responsibilities towards the creator and the created. These four fundamental elements permeate the entirety of the Quran. Behind every surah, even every verse, are these four elements we count as the main purpose. It is clear that each of these elements is in the nature of answers to questions that have been troubling the human mind since the moment they comprehend themselves. The truths announced by the Quran tell humans how they could exist, what the power that created them intends from them, under whose guidance and in what way to continue their existence, what awaits them at the end of their choices. In this framework, while the Quran brings examples from existence to make its own conveyance, while spreading before our eyes the proofs of tawhid in the wonders hidden behind the veil of familiarity, while witnessing various resurrections coming after the movements, changes, transformations in nature and heralding the coming of the hereafter, while drawing lessons for us from the instructive lives of past nations, although it touches on topics that will enter the field of science and history, it does not aim to directly advance science or make historical transmissions. It does not elevate elements like science and history that can be tools in knowing Allah to the level of purpose. It does not cloud the human's search for meaning with wrong targets that will divert it.DOES THE QURAN MENTION SCIENCES?
While the Quran brings examples from topics in the interest area of history and science to convey its four fundamental principles, in its indicative meanings, indirect narratives, between the lines, without compromising its main purposes, it can show the tips of historical facts or scientific truths. For example, in the following verse, while bringing evidence that the resurrection of humans after death is not at all far for Allah, by evolving from one creation to another in this world, it informs us from 1400 years ago of the surprising information we learned with the development of modern medicine:“O people! If you are in doubt about resurrection, know that: We created you first from soil, then from a drop of semen, then from a clinging cell, then from an embryo in the appearance of chewed meat with its basic elements completed but all organs not yet completed, so that We may clearly show Our power to you. We keep whom We will in the womb for a certain period. Then We bring you out as a baby. Then We grow you until you gain strength. Some of you are killed while still children, some are brought to the most wretched form of life. So much so that they come to not know what they knew before. You see the earth dry and barren, but when We send down water there, it soon stirs, swells, and produces every beautiful pair of plants.” (Hajj: 5)
In another verse, while mentioning that the book and the balance were sent down with prophets so that people uphold justice, in the same verse, it says that iron was also sent down as an element of benefit and strength. Here, with the chosen word “اَنْزَلْنَا - we sent down”, while reminding that iron is a heavenly bounty, it points to the fact that the majority of iron ores in the world are sourced from meteor showers. And it says this in the 26th verse if counted with the basmala at the beginning of Surah "Al-Hadid - Iron" (There are four isotopes of iron in nature with atomic weights of 54, 56, 57, and 58.), which is the 57th surah from the beginning and 58th from the end of the Quran. (Iron is in the periodic table with atomic number 26) Along with this, the abjad value of the word “Al-Hadid - Iron” (Abjad calculation is a calculation method using the numerical values of letters in Arabic.) is 57, just as if the abjad value of the word “Hadid - Iron” without the definite article at the beginning is calculated, it is found to be 26:
“We certainly sent Our messengers with clear proofs and sent down with them the Book and the balance so that people may establish justice. And We sent down iron, in which there is mighty power and benefits for people, so that Allah may know who helps Him and His messengers in the unseen. Indeed, Allah is Powerful, Almighty.” (Hadid 25)
Sometimes the Quran evokes associations in a different context while addressing a topic. In the following verse known as the Light verse of Surah Nur, while describing with a metaphor the astonishing qualities of the light of existence whose real owner is Allah, which illuminates the heavens and the earth, makes the universe visible, announces the truth, delights eyes and hearts, the light of guidance, the light of prophethood, the light of the Quran, the light of faith, the thought of an electric bulb being depicted comes to our minds:
“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp; the lamp is within glass; the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.” (Nur 35)
One part of the hereafter creed, which is one of the four principles of the Quran, is the belief in the occurrence of the apocalypse. Today, we who are aware of galaxy collisions, star explosions, black holes swallowing giant celestial bodies, or the laws of thermodynamics do not find the occurrence of the apocalypse strange, but 1400 years ago, it was not even possible to consider it probable. While the Quran warns people with the horror of that day and calls them to goodness and charity in verse 88 of Surah Naml, it informs us almost openly of a fact we realized in the last century. According to the data of geology, the earth's crust is not a single motionless piece as thought. The outer hard and cold layer called the lithosphere resembles a puzzle with its structure consisting of more than ten tectonic plates of various sizes. Each of these plates carrying continents and mountains on them is moving in different directions on the molten magma. 200 million years ago, when all continents were a single contiguous continent, as a result of these tectonic plates being dragged thousands of kilometers, the continents separated from each other and took their current shape. The Quran narrates this truth after an apocalypse scene, but in wide tense and emphasizing solidity. Allah, who is aware of the human mind's thought system, uses words so appropriately that He puts forth a solid art of expression so that both the people of past times take lessons from an hereafter depiction without having to deny their eyes and minds, and we experience the admiration of seeing another scientific miracle of the Quran:
“You see the mountains and think them firmly fixed, but they pass away as the passing away of clouds. [Such is] the artistry of Allah, who perfected all things. Indeed, He is Acquainted with that which you do.” (Naml 88)
It is possible to mention many more parallels like these between the Holy Quran and scientific findings. More detailed information can be obtained from numerous works written on this subject.
WHY DOES THE QURAN NOT MENTION SCIENTIFIC TRUTHS OPENLY?
Considering the values of the age we live in, it can be understood why expecting the Quran to pioneer scientific developments is a common attitude. Today, worldly successes such as being wealthy, holding position and status, holding power are accepted almost as the sole criterion. In the eyes of many people, being successful in worldly life is considered a sign of being right. This situation leads to determining what is right and what is wrong with material gains. As society's perception of life becomes worldly, religious values also take their share from this change. People enter into expectations from their religions such as worldly success and living paradise in the world, they do not want to believe in a religion that does not bring wealth and happiness in the world. However, religion elevates not a progress aiming at worldly success, but a perfection based on right and truth aiming to gain Allah's pleasure.Although not in a style that directly addresses the desires and expectations of modern humans, we have previously stated that the Quran touches on many scientific truths. In doing this, the Quran's not handling concepts with the clarity of a science book is not indifference, but a conscious choice. We can examine the reasons for this choice under a few headings.
1- THE QURAN IS FURQAN
One name of the Quran is also Furqan. This word coming from the root of difference is used in the meaning of separating truth from falsehood, faith from disbelief, halal from haram. Furqan-i Hakim puts forth solid faith principles that the sound mind can easily accept with this feature. It announces the moral measures, commands and prohibitions, way of life that are fully compatible with creation and grounded with these principles. Thus, it gathers around itself people who are pure-natured, seeking truth, adopting the moral values exalted by the Quran, determined to obey commands and prohibitions in line with these values. Then, by always directing these believers to goodness, it shows the ways to develop the human virtues given to them throughout a lifetime. On the other hand, Furqan-i Hakim distances people whose natures are corrupted, who do not recognize divine authority, who conflict with the moral measures indicated by the Quran, who are unwilling to limit their own desires and ambitions from itself. The following verses state that the Quran has different effects on people according to their approaches to the Quran:“The true believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, whose faith increases when His verses are recited to them, and who rely only on their Lord.” (Anfal, 8/2)
"When a new surah is revealed, some of them / hypocritical disbelievers say: 'Which of you has this increased faith?' mocking the revelation. But this increases the faith and certainty of those who believe, and they rejoice and give glad tidings to each other. But those surahs added disbelief to the disbelief of those whose hearts have the disease of disbelief and hypocrisy, and they died as disbelievers.” (Tawba, 9/124 and 125).
“We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers. But it only increases the loss of the wrongdoers.” (Isra,17/82).
The clustering of believers whose hearts tremble when Allah’s verses are recited around Furqan-i Hakim, and the mocking disbelievers distancing themselves from it, brings about the formation of a healthy social fabric that is vital for the Muslim community to develop and strengthen. An individual setting out in the light of revelation means stepping into a challenging process on the path to realizing personal potential and becoming a perfect human. Overcoming this challenging process requires social solidarity, just as the development and maturation of the beauties in the individual's potential depend on mutual interaction within society. The feedback the individual receives from society becomes determinant in building their own character. At the same time, knowing the existence of those aiming at the same goal motivates the individual. Social support gives the individual courage to exhibit positive behaviors, while also helping in controlling the compelling impulses of the nafs. When it is considered that the Quran is a guide that deeply encompasses every aspect of human life, the importance of social solidarity is understood much better. Because the Quran is a holistic book that directs individuals' emotional and thought world, faith principles, worships, worldly deeds, moral structure, and relationships with their environment.
One of the purposes of the Quran is to create a healthy social structure that will contribute to their perfection by bringing together people who value Quranic values and carry the will to develop themselves in line with these values. In this cause, the separation of those addicted to falsehood from society is as important as the coming together of seekers of truth. Protecting believers from the corrupting effect of disbelievers and hypocrites who turn their backs on a truth, a virtue or a merit by denying every Quran verse that is a source of healing and mercy is a requirement of conveyance.
Furqan-i Hakim preparing such an environment where healthy individuals can grow for believers becomes possible by leaving people alone with their free will. Because under compulsion, humans hide their character and engage in hypocritical attitudes. They behave in accordance with their essence only when they feel free. If left free among different options, they make choices reflecting what they harbor inside. If they want to turn to evil, to follow falsehood, they want an open door to cloak it in logic. Therefore, leaving humans free to believe and disbelieve, that is, preserving the secret of trial is a Quranic principle.
2- THE SECRET OF TRIAL IN ISLAMIC BELIEF
They tell a story; in a village, the headman has a huge cauldron placed in the village square in the evening. He tells the villagers to bring a measure of milk each at night, that cheese will be made from this milk and equal amounts of cheese will be distributed to everyone. The villagers, saying “Who will see in the darkness of night? And what difference will a pot of water make in a cauldron of milk?” fill the cauldron one by one until morning. With the light of morning, it turns out that the cauldron is filled to the brim with water.By creation, humans are free, free in their choices, and responsible for the consequences of their choices. What makes us us is the choices we make using our will. Because we have will, we will be held accountable in the hereafter, we will see reward or punishment. The area of movement of free will is the uncertainties where what is in our essence emerges. As in this story, the emergence of human's essence depends on feeling free in the choices between right and wrong. Our view of life, our way of life, our value judgments show themselves in moments when we feel free. Our desires and ambitions, our whims and fancies, evaluate shaded areas as opportunities for escapades.
The Holy Quran, while presenting its invitation, does not force humans to believe in a way that leaves no open door. As Bediuzzaman expresses, it opens the door to the mind but does not take away the will. This is called the secret of trial. The bee drinks water and produces honey, the snake drinks water and pours poison. Similarly, the Quran nourishes humans with pure truths, presents its clear evidences, provides sufficient data to believe but leaves humans free in choice in a way that will reveal what is in their essence.
“Those who do not know the truth said: ‘Shouldn't Allah speak to us or a miracle be shown to us?’ Those before them said similar words. How similar their hearts are! We have shown the evidences clearly for those who want to know the truths well.” (Baqarah 118)
Yes, we said that one name of the Holy Quran is Furqan. Because it separates truth from falsehood as well as the pure from the raw. It reveals the difference between the diamond-souled Abu Bakr and the coal-souled Abu Jahl. If the Quran spoke openly about historical events and scientific discoveries about the future, the secret of trial would disappear and this difference would not emerge. Because minds would be compelled to accept the Quran. In a monolithic and diseased human community filled with those whose minds cannot deny, whose hearts cannot believe, true believers would be deprived of separating and purifying to progress and perfect.
3- PERFECTION BETWEEN CERTAINTY AND UNCERTAINTY
Some people think that the Quran does everything in its power to make people believe in faith truths but these efforts usually do not yield results. However, in reality, the situation is not like that at all. Yes, the Quran spreads the clear evidences sufficient for faith before humans but does not leave them in a situation where they have no choice but to believe. Because this is contrary to the secret of trial as well as an obstacle to human development.Compulsory orientations that block the way for humans to choose freely prevent humans from contemplation and perfection. Humans can achieve lasting progress only by questioning, using their mind, experiences, feelings all together. They can even learn many abstract truths by experiencing them personally. Every kind of certainty state is a compulsory orientation for humans. To make something certain means at the same time to put the final point and stop. Uncertainty is a state of being in constant search and discovery. This ensures the continuation of contemplation and perfection. An individual who says "I am done!" in science, art, trade, morality, and faith has actually stopped and started to regress. They have wasted their potential by stopping going forward. The religion of Islam does not allow humans the luxury of saying "I am done!" in faith and deeds.
The state of not being sure of oneself gives the believer tremendous dynamism. They never see what they do as valid and sufficient. They belittle their own deeds next to what should be. They constantly aim for more, better, and more sincere. The worry of hypocrisy in their deeds keeps them alert. In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah in Muslim, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) says:
“The first person whose account will be settled on the Day of Judgment is a martyr brought forth. Allah Almighty reminds him of the bounties He gave, he remembers and confesses that he attained them. The Almighty says: So what did you do in return for these? The martyr replies: I fought in Your way until I was martyred. You are lying. You fought so that they say 'brave man', and it was said, He commands. Then he is ordered and that person is thrown face down into hell. This time a person who learned knowledge, taught it, and recited the Quran is brought forth. Allah reminds him too of the bounties He gave. He remembers and confesses. To him too: So what did you do in return for these bounties? He asks. I learned knowledge, taught it, and recited the Quran for Your pleasure, he answers. You are lying. You learned knowledge so that they say 'scholar', you recited the Quran so that they say 'how beautifully he recites'. These were said about you too, He commands. Then he is ordered, and he too is thrown face down into hell. (Then) a person to whom Allah gave every kind of wealth and opportunity is brought. Allah reminds him too of the bounties given. He remembers and confesses. So you, what did you do in return for these bounties? He commands. I did not withhold from any place You love to give, are pleased with, I gave, spent only to gain Your pleasure, he says. You are lying. Whereas you did all that you did so that they say 'what a generous man'. This was already said for you, He commands. He is ordered, this too is thrown face down into hell.”
Just as in deeds, the believer cannot be sure of themselves in faith either. The worry of hypocrisy and the fear of dying without faith always make them uneasy. As stated in a hadith in Buhari, Ibn Abi Mulaikah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
"I reached thirty of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who participated in the Battle of Badr. All of them were afraid of hypocrisy on their own account and did not feel secure from falling into fitna in their religion." [Bukhari, Faith 36 (Recorded in the chapter title).]
When Allah's greatness and human's weakness are considered, it is clear that there are always distances to be covered on the path to knowing Allah. As humans deepen in faith, they realize that they cannot know Allah properly and worship Him worthily and begin to worry about their end. This uneasiness drives humans to alertness. They go to strengthen their weaknesses, to complete their deficiencies. Similarly, when humans strive to increase their faith by nourishing from the Quran, while finding solutions to many issues on one hand, on the other hand, their mind gets stuck on some mysterious expressions of the Quran. The thought of removing the opacities in their mind multiplies and deepens their interest and curiosity in the Quran. This causes the believer to shake off laziness and show the necessary determination to understand the Quran and cling tightly to a source of guidance that harbors no doubt on the path of contemplation.
One of the wisdoms in the Quran not mentioning scientific developments in a way that would remove the secret of trial is to keep alive the interest and need of humans in the Quran and to ensure the continuation of their perfection. While the Quran presents evidences from nature with its unique style, it makes one feel that these expressions contain different layers of meaning. It makes one think that the issues stuck in the human mind are clues to deep truths. With its reassuring verses, it encourages humans to solve these clues. To those who show the necessary effort, it opens the door to its secret truths.
4- WHAT HUMANS NEED TO BE INVITED TO
By creation, humans are extremely greedy towards worldly gains. The instinct to continue life condemns them to certain necessities. Beyond basic needs like eating, drinking, clothing, sheltering, they have countless pleasures. They turn even a few bites of food sufficient for their body into a work of art with its taste, smell, composition, presentation. Like this, they try to enjoy life by adorning many of their needs with many details. Humans connect to life also with their ambitions. They want to be appreciated, want to secure their future, want to be safe from what they fear, want to live independently, want to rule everything. All these expectations and concerns inevitably drag them into the race to chase more worldly things. But humans are not alone in nature, nor does nature offer unlimited resources to humans. Humans have to share nature with other humans in their rightful or wrongful demands, necessary or superfluous needs. Conflict with other humans who are selfish like themselves, with aroused appetites, ambitious in obtaining what they want is inevitable. Minimizing these conflicts can only be possible by managing human emotions and limiting desires. From this perspective, it is a necessity for every belief system aiming at human good to first target instilling superior morality in humans.Another factor requiring the limitation of human desires is human responsibilities towards nature. The greed to obtain more with avarice has caused many disasters throughout human history. Every destruction caused in nature also reduces human living comfort. As a result, human emotions need to be kept under control and reformed. Otherwise, humans, owners of endless desires and ambitions, can become perpetrators of unimaginable oppression and murders. The world wars we experienced in the last century, besides the third one being talked about now, many environmental disasters such as global warming reaching horrific dimensions today, microplastics in seas, air pollution, shrinking water basins, soil pollution caused by agricultural chemicals, genetic pollution in agricultural products are indicators of how far human uncontrollability can go. While humans work on the world with greed beyond their needs, in a way that can also bring their own end, they progress so fast that they themselves cannot keep up with the change. With the entry of social media into our lives, the difference between generations has turned into an abyss. While access to information and news has become easier, the problem of inability to focus and insensitivity has increased, evil has normalized, social fabric has come to the point of disintegration. The danger of the levels that artificial intelligence, which has entered our agenda in recent years, can reach frightens even the developers of artificial intelligence themselves.
All these enumerated elements are indicators of how greedy humans are towards the world. While humans already record progress at a speed far above their own needs and nature's capacity, encouraging humans to work for the world is meaningless. However, humans show extreme resistance against moral values that will balance this greed, set boundaries, direct to the benefit of society in general. Therefore, what really needs to be done is not to motivate humans to work more for the world in a way that will further whip up their greed, but to ensure compliance with moral and conscientious boundaries by advising. The Quran does this difficult job, guides humans not to the world but to the straight path. Benefiting from science and technology correctly is only possible through moral people. Therefore, expecting the Quran to mention scientific truths instead of moral values is an inappropriate expectation.
Let's assume for a moment that this expectation is realized; if the Quran shed light on scientific truths in a way that would pioneer numerous technological developments with each verse, what effect would this have on humanity? Probably the first thing that comes to most of our minds is the thought that the majority of people would become Muslims. So what would such a belief bring with it? Of course, a terrible race. People would enter into a fierce competition to make discoveries starting from the scientific data in the holy book. So what would this race to reach knowledge and power give birth to? What it has given birth to throughout human history, it would give birth to the same; struggle and war. The sole responsible for the war that believers wage to gain superiority over each other would be the holy book they believe in. Because this book, by pioneering science and technology, would not only legitimize the results arising from it but also take all responsibility upon itself. People advancing on the path shown by God would act with the understanding, "If God gave us such knowledge, there is no harm in using it as we wish." Therefore, it would be accepted that God is responsible for many evils that emerge.
Even if this holy book mentioned the hereafter, those mentions would be ignored. Moral orientations would remain in the background in this competition and knowledge race. The hereafter and morality emphases of a book whose main theme is the world would also be distorted and evaluated in the context of the world. Indeed, virtuous behavior could not be expected from those who believe in a God who commits evil.
As a result, we can say that if the Quran mentioned scientific truths like a science book, it would motivate humans with worldly ambitions and legitimize its results. While humans have already overconsumed nature and thus disrupted the ecological balance, and produced technologies like nuclear weapons to kill each other, directing them to more ambitions cannot be the duty of a holy book. Such a book cannot mention morality and faith either.
5- SCIENCE AND RELIGION WITHIN THE BALANCE OF WORLD AND HEREAFTER
Unlike other living beings, humans live the present moment together with the past and future. Therefore, they always carry the traumas of the past and worries about the future in their hearts. Already unable to reach saturation in the moment they live with their endless ambitions and appetites, when humans also shoulder the burden of the past and future, life becomes unbearable. However, humans are candidates for eternity. In their soul, they carry the seed of a capacity to enjoy material and spiritual pleasures throughout an eternal paradise life. Their insatiable emotions are given to seek refuge in Allah whose power is infinite in this world of trial and to work to earn eternal paradise. But they deviate from the right path with haste and impatience, turn to the world, try to catch eternity in the world.Humans trying to satiate their emotions without boundaries with worldly bounties is a futile effort like trying to catch the horizon line. Every bounty reached makes humans desire more. Even if it is possible to satiate their body, their soul is always hungry. As stated in a noble hadith, if they had two mountains of gold, they would want the third. As Satan deceived our father Hz. Adam by making him eat from the fruit of the tree of eternity with the promise of being eternal, he deceives his children by saying that they can satiate their desire for infinity inside with the finite fruits of the world.
One weakness of humans is preferring what is immediate to what will come later. They give up great but distant bounties to reach small but close pleasures. They even take great harms that they will have to endure later for a small pleasure. In verse 11 of Surah Isra, it says:
“Humans want evil as much as they want good. Humans are very hasty!”
The exalted Allah, knowing both the desire for eternity and the hasty nature of humans, has made religion easy for them by lightening their responsibility in the world. He has decreed a life long enough for humans to understand the truth and learn from their mistakes. He has kept the door of repentance always open, allowing them to open a new page at any moment despite everything. Although the value of the finite cannot be mentioned next to the eternal, Allah has not asked humans to completely abandon the world. By saying “Seek the home of the Hereafter with what Allah has given you, but do not forget your share from the world.” (Qasas 77), He has taken into account their weakness but has not compromised the truth. He has placed worldly and otherworldly things in perfect balance within His own integrity and consistency. He has made the world a share, the hereafter home a target. Within this balance, the world is not abandoned but not made the purpose of life either. The world is a tool, the hereafter is the purpose. The world is the land of service, the hereafter is the land of reward. What makes the world valuable enough to live is this face that looks not to itself but to the hereafter.
The world is finite but the hereafter is earned with what we do in the world. Our worldly efforts, works, if done seeking Allah’s pleasure, take the rule of worship and become as if multiplied by an infinity coefficient. Because as our Prophet said, “Deeds are according to intentions.” Scientific studies that aim to discover the art and wisdom in creation, that lead to contemplation by interpreting the book of the universe seem worldly but are efforts to seek the hereafter home. Along with this, scientists who work to gain Allah’s pleasure by benefiting people are among the best of people. It can even be said that doing this is a necessary duty upon a group of Muslims. The Quran already encourages scientific studies to be done with this motivation with numerous verses. The following verses can be given as examples:
“So let man observe from what he was created.” (Tariq Surah 5)
“Do they not look at the camels, how they are created? And at the sky, how it is raised? And at the mountains, how they are erected? And at the earth, how it is spread out?” (Ghashiyah Surah 17,18,19,20)
“So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear?” (Hajj Surah 46)
“Say, ‘Travel through the land; then observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation. Indeed Allah, over all things, is competent.’” (Ankabut Surah 20)
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], ‘Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.’” (Ali Imran Surah 190, 191)
Within this balance, it is of course unthinkable for the holy book of a religion that values existence to abandon the hereafter and encourage humans to the world. The world has never been presented as a second target in front of, beside, or behind the hereafter. The Quran does not contradict itself by showing the finite world as a target for humans while eternal life stands. It knows that compared to infinity, no matter how large, every number is as nothing. Therefore, when mentioning the world, it mentions it only as a tool that will earn the hereafter. It does not praise the world in a way that legitimizes making it the purpose of our life, does not incline to the world, does not occupy with the world.
Many people want to see the Quran as a science book because they make the world their purpose and forget the hereafter. For them, producing worldly benefit is the most important issue, so religion should serve this purpose. It should guide scientific developments, motivate humans to work more for the world, and give consolation against the difficulties of worldly life. Thus, it should help humans turn the world into paradise. Unfortunately, although this understanding seems like a religious interpretation to some, it is quite a secular understanding. Although very common today, it is not possible to reconcile this understanding with Islam. Those who evaluate the Quran with expectations suitable for the desires of the secular world claiming that humans can be happy only by satisfying their bodily desires should not overlook that they are mostly people who show weakness regarding belief in the hereafter.
6- WHAT IS THE REAL MIRACLE
The religion of Islam bases its righteousness on being in complete harmony with existence. Faith principles are principles that the mind and conscience accept without hesitation. The commands and prohibitions of Islam are rules that are the requirement of uncorrupted nature and form the pillar of social life. Islam settles in souls in complete harmony with human's mind, heart, conscience, and corporeality; it does not harbor the slightest contradiction with sound nature. Because the first source of religion, the Quran, is the word of Allah, the creator of the universe. Just as a lock can only be opened by the right key, the Quran shows its truth by easily opening the secrets of the universe and making sense of existence free from all contradictions. From this perspective, although miracles are true, the religion of Islam takes its main strength not from extraordinariness and unknowns, but from realities based on the essence of existence. A book sitting on such solid foundations does not base all its righteousness on miracles that drive humans to astonishments.The word miracle, coming from the root "acz", is a term meaning "disabling, unopposable, incomparable, marvelous". In Islamic literature, extraordinary events that prove that prophets are true messengers sent by Allah, leaving people unable in terms of qualities to bring similar ones are called miracles. Although they differ in terms of types and purposes, the existence of miracles was a need especially for the first addressees to fulfill such an important mission as prophethood. Because this first generation, which would be the carrier of centuries and generations, while living in the darkest period of history, were addressed with a very serious claim that would radically change their lives and leave them face to face with countless dangers. They were told by a prophet sent by the Lord of the worlds to enter a tough struggle for a life after death, disregarding the world. At the beginning of the matter, there was no evidence supporting this great claim other than the pure personality of Hz. Prophet (peace be upon him) and the soul-penetrating effect of the verses revealed until then. Here, most of the miracles occurred in these difficult times, considering human needs and weaknesses, to convince some bedouin-tempered natures and to reinforce some sensitive souls. Along with this truth, miracles remained in a quite limited framework, religion was not built upon these extraordinariness. Because the main evidences showing Allah’s knowledge, wisdom, justice, art, and transcendent power are not in exceptional miracles, but in the order and regularity that flows before our eyes as a whole within cause-effect relationships.
With the meaning of being incomparable and marvelous, each of the evidences the Quran brings from nature to prove its fundamental principles is actually in the nature of a miracle. The creation of the camel, the resurrection of dry barren soil with rain in spring, the chasing of night and day are clear signs that cannot be explained without accepting a creator. What veils the miraculous aspect of these in our eyes is familiarity and habits. For example, in terms of requiring Allah's knowledge, will, and power, there is no difference between the sun rising from the east or the west. However, from the perspective of our habits, the sun rising from the east is an ordinary natural event while rising from the west would be perceived as a miracle.
As a result of negligence, humans are far from seeing the wonders in things they are constantly exposed to. Especially today, the modern world adorned with artificial pleasures is full of people who have not once lifted their heads to watch the sky. The magnificence of the skies does not attract attention as much as a fireworks show. Although the ease and abundance in creation show the greatness of Allah’s power, it is perceived by humans as worthlessness or ordinariness. Even humans show interest not in living beings sprouting from the earth with a creation where everything is in place, but in a few anomalous examples containing anomalies within. Sometimes this veil of negligence thickens so much that it makes humans utter the delirium, “There is no such thing as order in the universe.”
If the Quran spoke openly about scientific miracles, many wonders before our eyes that we look at as ordinary things would remain eternally behind the veil of familiarity and negligence. Because our view of the Quran would always carry the expectation of a scientific novelty. Every newly discovered miracle would also be consumed quickly and become ordinary. Thus, objects would be looked at not with the eye of wisdom, but with a deterministic eye. People would evaluate natural events and scientific discoveries only from a material perspective, ignoring the divine will behind them. The smallest thing would not be thought to have Allah’s knowledge, will, power, disposition, gigantic power manifestations including everything would be accepted as a result of extending causality. The veil of nature would thicken increasingly, the tawhid belief requiring seeing Allah’s hand in everything would weaken.
Instead of competing with our negligence, the Quran looks to the way of eliminating it. It removes the veil of familiarity and habit from our eyes and shows us the hand of power operating in every being. While doing this, it draws our attention to the normal, the known. “Do these people not look at how the camel was created, how the sky was raised, how the mountains were erected, how the earth was spread?” (Ghashiyah Surah, 17-20), it asks. By swearing by the sun, the moon, the fig, the olive, it points to the divine seal on things we look at and pass by. By calling “O possessors of intellect!”, it calls us who want to escape responsibility hiding behind miracle expectation to the truth that is openly visible.
7- A POINT BETWEEN PAST AND FUTURE
Every human is a child of their own time. When evaluating the past and future, they judge with the value judgments of the time they are in. Most of the time, they err and fall into anachronism. When appreciating the importance of something or deciding whether it is possible, they cannot escape limiting themselves with the conditions of their time. Therefore, sometimes they belittle past phenomena with the norms of the age they were born into, sometimes they deny what the future will bring by not fitting it into their mind. Even some sign historic gaffes while trying to make predictions about the future in their own expertise areas with their mind and experiences. The history of science and technology is full of such examples. One of the scientific gaffes we laugh at today was made by IBM chairman Thomas J. Watson in 1943 while predicting the world computer market. Watson, who said there would be 5 computers in the world in the future, was making a smart prediction in his own right. It is claimed that Bill Gates also signed a similar gaffe. In 1981, he is said to have predicted that there would be computers with 640 kilobytes of memory in the future. However, today, even computers that are small enough to fit in our pockets and widespread have capacities tens of thousands of times that.Like this, many targets thought to be unreachable have been left behind throughout history. While each new success attracts attention for a short time, it drops the old one from the agenda, things seen as nonsense at one time become ordinary over time. The idea of going to the moon, which adorned Kepler's devilish dreams, subject of Jules Verne's science fiction novel, no longer excites us who have wheeled vehicles on Mars, send spacecraft outside the solar system.
Although they constitute only steps on a long ladder rising from past to future, these discoveries lead humans to some religious expectations. Humans think that scientific facts they themselves attribute importance to should also be considered important by their creator. Naturally, they want to see open mentions of these facts in the holy book as well. However, such an expectation is like expecting the message of revelation to stop at one of the steps of history and become ragged over time. However, the Quran does not just give news of events that will be important in a certain time period in the future. By doing something much harder, it gives messages that address the knowledge and comprehension of all times. Thus, it does not turn itself into a book of outdated small predictions by freezing its verses. Hz. Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent to the world as the last prophet. The Holy Quran, which is the word of Allah, is the last holy book that will guide us until the apocalypse. Despite so many developments recorded in many fields throughout the 1400-year process that has passed, the truths of the Quran have not aged, not faded, not remained outside the age. Even as Bediuzzaman expresses, as time ages, the Quran rejuvenates. For the verses of the Quran are reread in every age, with new information obtained as a result of new studies, new truths waiting to be discovered among the meaning layers of the same verses are reached.
In this scope, the Holy Quran, in accordance with its main purpose with its unique style, has also mentioned human's journey in the skies. In one verse, “O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah].” (Rahman Surah, 33) saying that it is possible to pass the boundaries of the skies with great force, after another verse drawing attention to the sky, it calls as follows:
“No! I swear by the twilight glow, And by the Night And its darkness when it deepens, And by the Moon When it is at the full, You will surely travel from stage to stage. So what is [the matter] with them [that] they do not believe?” (Inshiqaq Surah, 16-20)
The word “tabaka” in this verse has the same meaning as in Turkish, but indicates celestial layers in context. The verb used in the verse لَتَرْكَبُنَّ means to mount a vehicle. Thus, while the Quran refers to the entirety of humanity's journeys in different layers of the sky, it focuses minds on the main message. The issue of the Quran is not humans watching the world from an upper layer with a device they mount, but questioning why humans who witness another wonder in each layer, looking at the capacity to read the universe placed in their own creation, still do not believe. Yes, while mentioning human's space journey, the Quran neither gives news that will age and lose importance, nor spoils humans for their successes, nor forces them to believe in things their mind cannot grasp before time by using open expressions. This becomes possible with its unparalleled style, flexible expressions, the richness of meaning of its words selected like pearl beads and strung one after another.
In his work Isharat-ul Ijaz, Bediuzzaman gives the following answer to those who criticize the Quran for expressing matters related to materiality in a veiled way:
“...teaching the current sciences to people coming ten centuries ago or mentioning strange issues would give no benefit other than confusing their minds and throwing those people into sophistry. For example, if the Holy Quran said, ‘O people! Pay attention to the stillness of the sun, the movement of the earth, and the thousands of animals in a drop of water so that you understand the divine greatness’, it would drive all the people of those times to denial. Because it is contrary to apparent senses. Moreover, confusing the people who came and passed for ten centuries, satisfying only the people coming after the emergence of new sciences, is contrary to the position of guidance, as well as incompatible with the spirit of eloquence.”
As previously stated, the main purposes of the Quran are to reinforce the concepts of tawhid, prophethood, resurrection, and justice in people's souls. Making statements that minds cannot grasp centuries ago in order to teach scientific truths to humans or to show miracles does not bring people closer to religion, on the contrary, distances them from religion.
8- LAYERS OF COMPREHENSION AND LAYERS OF MEANING
The Quran addresses different ages as well as different geographies, cultures, education levels, professional groups, social strata. The interest, knowledge, comprehension levels of each stratum are separate from each other. The most populous group among these strata is the broad masses called the common people stratum. It is a necessity for the primary addressees of a holy book addressing all humanity to be the common people constituting the large majority in number. Then, it is quite normal for this book to be equipped with examples familiar to them and to adopt a style they can easily understand. It is expected that people we can call the elite stratum, whose conceptual thinking faculties are relatively more developed, equipped with knowledge in various branches with the education they received, already understand the message given to the common people. In addition, they can satiate their souls among the meaning layers of the Quran by extracting different meanings expressed between the lines of the verses, in metaphorical narratives, in composition, in variants of etymology. However, if it were the opposite and the Quran used a philosophical language addressing the elite stratum, the elite stratum constituting the minority would perhaps show more interest feeling that their intellectual prides are flattered. However, in this case, the broad masses would distance themselves from the Quran by not understanding it. This is why the Quran says the most basic faith principles that everyone needs with a clarity that everyone's soul can understand, while hiding issues that are hard to grasp or need time to be understood in a veiled narrative among meaning layers. Scientific truths are also of this kind.Regarding the deep and multiple meanings in the meaning layers of the Quran, our Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Each verse has layers of meaning; apparent (open), hidden (meaning that the competent can understand inside the open and visible meaning), limit (scope) and vantage point (meaning frame). And each of these four meaning layers has details, signs, branches, and particulars.” (Abu Ya'la, al-Musnad 9:287; at-Tabarani, al-Mu'jam al-Awsat 1:236.)
Bediuzzaman explains one aspect of the truths expressed by this hadith in his work Muhakemat with the following metaphor:
“As in concentric depictions (pictures), if a painter places a black point, that point is one's eye, another's face mark, another's nostril, another's mouth, similarly, there are such points in lofty speech.” (Muhakemat, 2nd Article, 9th Issue)
The word Tarik, which is the subject at the beginning of this book and gives its name to the 86th surah of the Quran, is such a word. For everyone carrying two eyes and a brain in their head, Tarik is a bright proof of the order in the skies that is possible only with infinite knowledge and power. For a believer interested in astronomy, Tarik is neutron stars that emit rhythmic sound waves like a door knocker while completing their rotation around themselves in a second. For a Muslim who knows biology, Tarik is the sperm that progresses towards the egg passing through different stages, scattering lights when reaching it and fertilizing the egg. For a heart-awake lover of the prophet, Tarik is Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him), the last-time prophet who was born in the darkness of ignorance and brightened the face of the human world as an illuminating lamp. For every open-minded, wisdom and truth enthusiast, taqwa owner human, Tarik is the Quran, a clear light and source of guidance that brings the human world out of darkness into light with its guidance.
9- TECHNOLOGICAL INVENTIONS FROM THE WINDOW OF PRIDE AND GRATITUDE
Humanity, recording dizzying developments with knowledge accumulated for thousands of years, can now split the atom, travel in sea, land, air with devices they make, can communicate instantly with the other end of the world they turned into a global village. Humans, by nature overvaluing what they do, expect mentions of successes achieved in the holy book. In the Holy Quran, why is there no clear place for these successes that would arouse wonder when compared to other inhabitants of the earth?Although answered from different angles in previous headings, we can say that underlying this question is an unwarranted self-conceit rather than a rightful curiosity. Actually, the feeling that leads us to such expectations and asks this question is our egocentric impulses that we cannot get rid of, rather than our desire to find the truth. Humans fall into the illusion that they are at the center of existence conceived with their mind, just as they are at the center of the environment perceived with five sense organs. Therefore, it is very difficult for humans to get rid of selfishness in their emotions and thoughts. Even human's conception of god is a conception that prioritizes their own needs and desires. However, in reality, the first and only and sole purpose of everything, the wisdom of existence, the purpose of creation is only Allah. All existence including humans are elements serving the manifestation of Allah’s names. Although humans hold a very important place in existence, this importance is not due to their intrinsic value, but due to the duty given to them by Allah. Yes, humans are made of flesh and bone like all other animals. Their beginning is dirty water, their end is a rotten carcass. Their main material is lowly soil, the world they inhabit is a pale blue dot left in a corner of the universe. This is the intrinsic value of humans. But they have been made caliph by Allah, names and knowledge have been taught, and everything has been made at their service. Only by fulfilling the mission they undertake can a lofty value bestowed by Allah be attributed to them. Then, what falls to humans in the search for wisdom and truth is to abandon the fallacy that they are at the center of everything, accept that Allah is at that center, and know that every being gains value in proportion to being a place of manifestation for Allah’s most beautiful names. When they know this, humans will record accuracy in thoughts, make healthy comparisons, and succeed in reaching the truth. Although they hold a distinguished position among all creatures with the arts they produce, when compared to the wonders flowing in the universe as divinity manifestation, they will see that their art is as nothing. Thus, they will give up the expectation of their small arts being mentioned in Allah’s book where Allah’s art is narrated.
Comparing human art with Allah’s art in the context of the same question, Bediuzzaman gives the following example in his tafsir Isharatul Ijaz:
“For example, if the airplane says to the Quran, ‘Give me a right to speak, give a place in your verses.’ Certainly, the planets, the earth, the moon, which are the airplanes of the circle of lordship, will say on behalf of the Quran, ‘You can take a position as much as your size here.’ If the wonders of civilization, subtleties of art ask for their rights in terms of aspect and demand position from verses; then, a single fly will say to them ‘Be silent’. You have no right as much as one of my wings. Because if all the fine arts and delicate devices in you are gathered, they cannot be as perfect as the fine art and delicate devices in my tiny body.”
As in this example, how can the knowledge of humans who can make bombs destroying big cities with a explosion be compared to the knowledge of Allah who created the entire universe with one explosion? Or is it reasonable to compare the skill of people who consume life on social media using communication tools they produce with the power of Allah who awakens billions of living beings to life by resurrecting dead soil with a spring glad tiding? Are these on the same scale to be weighed on the same scale? Are they of the same value to be mentioned together in the same book?
Returning to the initial question, is there really no place given to successes achieved by human hand in the Holy Quran? Is there no sign in the Quran about civilization wonders, albeit not in a way that compares human art with Allah’s art in an open and exalting style, but in a way that gives lessons to them? Bediuzzaman puts forth a very interesting approach on this subject. By drawing attention to the interest and harmony between the prophet miracles mentioned in the Quran and the scientific progresses recorded by humanity, he says that these miracles constitute examples to the endpoints that the human race can reach with science and work. By saying "O humanity! These miracles you see are some examples and samples. With your collective thoughts, with your works, you will make similars of these examples," he says that the Quran determines targets for humans with its indicative meaning.
Such an indirect target determination reminds humans of destiny's manifestation as a news of the unseen. Thus, humans begin to look at the successes they achieve as Allah’s decree. Moreover, the fact that the developments they record had occurred in the form of miracles by prophets much earlier reminds that the true actor is Allah. Because prophets are first of all Allah’s servants. In terms of being created, they are no different from other humans. The miracles they show also occur with Allah’s permission and creation. Just as the power that gushes waters from the rock when striking the rock with the staff in hand is neither in Moses nor in the staff, similarly, the true power that gushes the mercy water accumulated between the layers of the earth from artesian wells with drilling tools made using iron sent down from the sky as a bounty containing hardness and benefit, taught through names and knowledge, is not in humans, but belongs to Allah who made humans caliph on earth.
One wisdom of the Quran giving news of successes humans will achieve through prophet miracles may be to prevent errors humans may fall into in the future. Because humans, as a deficiency of comprehension, draw imaginary boundaries to their own power and capacity. While seeing themselves capable up to that boundary line, they attribute beyond the line to Allah’s power. When they see that they cross those boundaries they drew themselves over time, that they somehow reach targets they thought unreachable, they fall into doubt and question Allah’s existence. However, humans are Allah’s creation together with what they do and make. As stated in the noble verse, “But Allah has created you and your handiwork.” (Saffat 96). Allah who creates the fruit on the branch of the tree, the egg in the chicken's belly, can create some civilization wonders that can formally resemble prophet miracles in human's hand and mind. Just as Hz. Jesus does not gain the attribute of divinity by coming to the world fatherless as a miracle work, similarly, humanity does not cross divine boundaries by bringing a sheep to the world fatherless by cloning.
In his tafsir Isharatul Ijaz, Bediuzzaman gives the following examples of parallels between developments achieved by humanity and prophet miracles:
1. The first clock and ship were given to humanity by miracle hand.
2. In terms of announcing the names, attributes, properties of all species contained in the universe, through thousands of sciences occurring with humanity's collective thoughts, وَعَلَّمَ اٰدَمَ اْلاَسْمَاۤءَ كُلَّهَا (“Allah taught Adam all the names.” Baqarah Surah, 2:31.) has become the recipient of the miracle of Hz. Adam indicated by the verse.
3. Humanity, with so many progresses invented thanks to the softening and use of iron which is the basis of all arts, وَ أَلَنَّا لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ (“We made iron soft for him.” Saba Surah, 34:10.) has become the recipient of the miracle of Hz. David indicated by the verse.
4. Again with collective thoughts, humanity with aerial progresses invented like airplane, غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ (“We subjected the wind to Solomon, whose early morning [journey] was a month and whose late afternoon [journey] was a month.” Saba Surah, 34:12.) is approaching the miracle of Hz. Solomon whose speed is stated by the verse.
5. The centrifuge device that extracts water from arid and sandy places,
اِضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ (“Strike the rock with your staff.” Then twelve springs gushed forth from it.” Baqarah Surah, 2:60.) has taken lesson from the staff of Hz. Moses (peace be upon him) indicated by the verse.
6. The medical progresses occurring thanks to experiences and collective thoughts are from the inspirations of the miracle of Hz. Jesus (peace be upon him).
Indeed, there is a great relation and conformity between these miracles and these progresses. Yes, a attentive person, without hesitation, judges that these miracles are measures and samples for these progresses.
And similarly, يَا نَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًا وَسَلاَمًا (“O fire, be coolness and safety.” Anbiya Surah, 21:69.) according to the indication of the noble verse, when Hz. Abraham was thrown into the fire, the heat of the fire turning into coldness is the example and source for the non-burning degree of fire discovered by humanity.
7.لَوْلاَ اَنْ رَاٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهِ (“If he had not seen evidence of his Lord.” Yusuf Surah, 12:24.) as indicated by the noble verse -according to one view- Hz. Yusuf (peace be upon him) withdrawing from Zulaikha as soon as he sees the image of his father in Canaan and Hz. Jacob saying اِنِّى َلاَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ (Yusuf Surah, 12:94.) that is, “I find the scent of Yusuf” when the caravans return from Egypt and an ifrit saying to Hz. Solomon “I will bring it to you before you rise from your place” indicating أَنَا اٰتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ اَنْ يَرْتَدَّ اِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ (“I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.” Naml Surah, 27:40.) the noble verse, are examples and sources for inventions that humanity has discovered or will discover such as attracting sound, image, etc. from very distant distances.
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