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   From: bv8bv8bv8@gmail.com   
      
   The Scientific Miracles of the Holy Quran - Embryo Development   
      
      
      
   This article delineates the correlation between the most accepted   
   scientific explanation of the origin and expansion of the Universe,   
   and the description of its origin and expansion in the Quran.   
      
      
      
   Hubble’s Law   
      
   For thousands of years, astronomers wrestled with basic questions   
   concerning the universe.  Until the early 1920’s, it was believed that   
   the universe had always been in existence; also, that the size of the   
   universe was fixed and not changing.  However, in 1912, the American   
   astronomer, Vesto Slipher, made a discovery that would soon change   
   astronomers’ beliefs about the universe.  Slipher, noticed that the   
   galaxies were moving away from earth at huge velocities.  These   
   observations provided the first evidence supporting the expanding-   
   universe theory.[1]   
      
      
      
      
      
   Before the invention of the telescope in 1608, man could do little   
   more than wonder about the origin of the universe. (Courtesy: NASA)   
      
      
      
   In 1916, Albert Einstein formulated his General Theory of Relativity   
   that indicated that the universe must be either expanding or   
   contracting.  Confirmation of the expanding-universe theory finally   
   came in 1929 in the hands of the well known American astronomer Edwin   
   Hubble.   
      
   By observing redshifts[2] in the light wavelengths emitted by   
   galaxies, Hubble found that galaxies were not fixed in their position;   
   instead, they were actually moving away from us with speeds   
   proportional to their distance from earth (Hubble's Law).  The only   
   explanation for this observation was that the universe had to be   
   expanding.  Hubble’s discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in   
   the history of astronomy.  In 1929, he published the velocity-time   
   relation which is the basis of modern cosmology.  In the years to   
   come, with further observations, the expanding-universe theory was   
   accepted by scientists and astronomers alike.   
      
      
      
      
      
   With the Hooker Telescope, Hubble discovered that the galaxies were   
   moving away us.  Above are photos of known galaxies.  (Courtesy: NASA)   
      
      
      
   Yet, astonishingly well before telescopes were even invented and well   
   before Hubble published his Law, Prophet Muhammad used to recite a   
   verse of the Quran to his companions that ultimately stated that the   
   universe is expanding.   
      
   “And the heaven We created with might, and indeed We are (its)   
   expander.” (Quran 51:47)   
      
   At the time of the revelation of the Quran, the word “space” was not   
   known, and people used the word “heaven” to refer to what lies above   
   the Earth.  In the above verse, the word “heaven” is referring to   
   space and the known universe.  The verse points out that space, and   
   thus the universe, happens to be expanding, just as Hubble’s Law   
   states.   
      
   That the Quran mentioned such a fact centuries before the invention of   
   the first telescope, at a time when there was primitive knowledge in   
   science, is considered remarkable.  This is more so considering that,   
   like many people in his time, Prophet Muhammad happened to be   
   illiterate and simply could not have been aware of such facts by   
   himself.  Could it be that he had truly received divine revelation   
   from the Creator and Originator of the universe?   
      
   The Big Bang Theory   
      
   Soon after Hubble published his theory, he went on to discover that   
   not only were galaxies moving away from the Earth, but were also   
   moving away from one another.  This meant that the universe happened   
   to be expanding in every direction, in the same way a balloon expands   
   when filled with air.  Hubble’s new findings placed the foundations   
   for the Big Bang theory.   
      
   The Big Bang theory states that around 12-15 billion years ago the   
   universe came into existence from one single extremely hot and dense   
   point, and that something triggered the explosion of this point that   
   brought about the beginning of the universe.  The universe, since   
   then, has been expanding from this single point.   
      
   Later, in 1965, radio astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson made   
   a Noble Prize winning discovery that confirmed the Bing Bang theory.   
   Prior to their discovery, the theory implied that if the single point   
   from which the universe came into existence was initially extremely   
   hot, then remnants of this heat should be found.  This remnant heat is   
   exactly what Penzias and Wilson found.  In 1965, Penzias and Wilson   
   discovered a 2.725 degree Kelvin Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation   
   (CMB) that spreads through the universe.  Thus, it was understood that   
   the radiation found was a remnant of the initial stages of the Big   
   Bang.  Presently, the Big Bang theory is accepted by the vast majority   
   of scientists and astronomers.   
      
      
      
      
   A microwave map of the leftover from the Big Bang that gave birth to   
   the universe. (Courtesy: NASA)   
      
      
      
   It is mentioned in the Quran:   
      
   “He (God) is the Originator of the heavens and the earth…” (Quran   
   6:101)   
      
   “Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the   
   likes of them?  Yes; and He is the Knowing Creator. His command is   
   only when He intends a thing that He says to it, ‘Be,’ and it   
   is.” (Quran 36:81-82)   
      
   The above verses prove that the universe had a beginning, that God was   
   behind its creation, and all that God needs to do inorder to create is   
   to say “Be,” and it is.  Could this be an explanation as to what   
   triggered off the explosion that brought about the beginning of the   
   universe?   
      
   The Quran also mentions:   
      
   “Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the   
   earth were a joined entity, then We separated them, and made from   
   water every living thing?  Then will they not believe?” (Quran 21:30)   
      
   Muslim scholars who have explained the previous verse mention that the   
   heavens and earth were once one, and then God caused them to separate   
   and form into the seven heavens and Earth.  Yet, due to the   
   limitations of science and technology at the time of the revelation of   
   the Quran (and for centuries to follow), no scholar was able to give   
   much detail about how exactly the heavens and earth were created.   
   What the scholars could explain was the precise meaning of each word   
   in Arabic in the verse, as well as the overall meaning of the verse.   
      
   In the previous verse, the Arabic words ratq and fataq are used.  The   
   word ratqcan be translated into “entity” “sewn to” “joined together”   
   or “closed up”.  The meaning of these translations all circulate   
   around something that is mixed and that has a separate and distinct   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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