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Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-08T05:07:48Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Bones are Formed before Flesh */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

this is not proven as an error
because the word "smoke" in Arabic includes 'steam, dust, and smoke'

and we know that the stars are formed by some dust, called the Cosmic dust.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

Allah never said the sun is "flat" specially in the last verse,
if a black hole came around the sun, the sun is going to be folded up

this is not proven as an error

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

this is not proven as an error if it was like (sun) + (moon) = Permanent eclipse.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

this is not proven as an error
because atmosphere do protect us from meteors or ultraviolet.

and it's true that there is some places where the protection is removed from atmosphere (Ozone depletion)

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

this is not proven as an error because the heavens are well guarded against Devils.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|7}}|
(For beauty) and for guard against all obstinate rebellious evil spirits, }}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

this is not proven as an error because the sky can be rolled up by black holes

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

sperm comes from testicles, and from embryology we know testicles come out from between the spine and the ribs.

if A comes from B and B comes from C .. then A comes from C

there is no error here.

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

this is not proven as an error because Cartilage comes before flesh,
and Cartilages do convert to bones,
(Bones are cartilages in the first place.)
Flesh sticks to bones and cartilages as a "Dress" on it like Allah said in the last verse.

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T21:59:45Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Sky can be Rolled Up */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

this is not proven as an error
because the word "smoke" in Arabic includes 'steam, dust, and smoke'

and we know that the stars are formed by some dust, called the Cosmic dust.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

Allah never said the sun is "flat" specially in the last verse,
if a black hole came around the sun, the sun is going to be folded up

this is not proven as an error

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

this is not proven as an error if it was like (sun) + (moon) = Permanent eclipse.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

this is not proven as an error
because atmosphere do protect us from meteors or ultraviolet.

and it's true that there is some places where the protection is removed from atmosphere (Ozone depletion)

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

this is not proven as an error because the heavens are well guarded against Devils.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|7}}|
(For beauty) and for guard against all obstinate rebellious evil spirits, }}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

this is not proven as an error because the sky can be rolled up by black holes

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

sperm comes from testicles, and from embryology we know testicles come out from between the spine and the ribs.

if A comes from B and B comes from C .. then A comes from C

there is no error here.

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T21:40:16Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Sky Guards the Earth */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

this is not proven as an error
because the word "smoke" in Arabic includes 'steam, dust, and smoke'

and we know that the stars are formed by some dust, called the Cosmic dust.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

Allah never said the sun is "flat" specially in the last verse,
if a black hole came around the sun, the sun is going to be folded up

this is not proven as an error

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

this is not proven as an error if it was like (sun) + (moon) = Permanent eclipse.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

this is not proven as an error
because atmosphere do protect us from meteors or ultraviolet.

and it's true that there is some places where the protection is removed from atmosphere (Ozone depletion)

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

this is not proven as an error because the heavens are well guarded against Devils.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|7}}|
(For beauty) and for guard against all obstinate rebellious evil spirits, }}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

sperm comes from testicles, and from embryology we know testicles come out from between the spine and the ribs.

if A comes from B and B comes from C .. then A comes from C

there is no error here.

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T21:26:32Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Sky is a Tent/Dome */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

this is not proven as an error
because the word "smoke" in Arabic includes 'steam, dust, and smoke'

and we know that the stars are formed by some dust, called the Cosmic dust.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

Allah never said the sun is "flat" specially in the last verse,
if a black hole came around the sun, the sun is going to be folded up

this is not proven as an error

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

this is not proven as an error if it was like (sun) + (moon) = Permanent eclipse.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

this is not proven as an error
because atmosphere do protect us from meteors or ultraviolet.

and it's true that there is some places where the protection is removed from atmosphere (Ozone depletion)

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

sperm comes from testicles, and from embryology we know testicles come out from between the spine and the ribs.

if A comes from B and B comes from C .. then A comes from C

there is no error here.

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T21:11:40Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

this is not proven as an error
because the word "smoke" in Arabic includes 'steam, dust, and smoke'

and we know that the stars are formed by some dust, called the Cosmic dust.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

Allah never said the sun is "flat" specially in the last verse,
if a black hole came around the sun, the sun is going to be folded up

this is not proven as an error

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

this is not proven as an error if it was like (sun) + (moon) = Permanent eclipse.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

sperm comes from testicles, and from embryology we know testicles come out from between the spine and the ribs.

if A comes from B and B comes from C .. then A comes from C

there is no error here.

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T21:02:33Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Sun is a Flat Disk */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

Allah never said the sun is "flat" specially in the last verse,
if a black hole came around the sun, the sun is going to be folded up

this is not proven as an error

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

this is not proven as an error if it was like (sun) + (moon) = Permanent eclipse.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

sperm comes from testicles, and from embryology we know testicles come out from between the spine and the ribs.

if A comes from B and B comes from C .. then A comes from C

there is no error here.

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T20:56:57Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

this is not proven as an error if it was like (sun) + (moon) = Permanent eclipse.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

sperm comes from testicles, and from embryology we know testicles come out from between the spine and the ribs.

if A comes from B and B comes from C .. then A comes from C

there is no error here.

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T20:46:00Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* The similar size and distance of the sun and moon */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

this is not proven as an error if it was like (sun) + (moon) = Permanent eclipse.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T20:35:25Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Earth Created before Stars */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

this is not proven as an error, because Allah did say that he sent down Iron.
Iron came from the sun, and Earth came from the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|57|25}}|
We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T20:19:53Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Earth Created in Six Days */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T20:17:54Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Earth Created in Six Days */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

still this error is not proven
because the meaning of how much is the word "day" does change according for someone to someone else.

for example..

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|47}}|
WYet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning.}}

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T20:02:26Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

the edges of the universe are not known till now, and there is no proof if this is an error.

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T19:54:03Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Seven Planets in the Universe */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn | God it is Who created seven heavens, and of earth the like thereof, that is to say, seven earths. The command, the revelation, descends between them, between the heavens and the earth: Gabriel descends with it from the seventh heaven to the seventh earth, that you may know (li-ta‘lamū is semantically connected to an omitted clause, that is to say, ‘He apprises you of this creation and this sending down [that you may know]’), that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

the meaning could be true as seven layers of Earth.

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T19:42:59Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping, navigation and as ornaments for the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T19:38:04Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping and navigation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T19:23:59Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Moon Emits Light */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

this can't be proven as an error because Allah never said that the moon emits light
but he did say that the sun is like a lamp that does emit light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping and navigation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time).}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T19:00:41Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Night is a Veil */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

Allah never said that the moon emits light
and he said the sun is like a lamp that do emit light

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping and navigation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time).}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.
then it's true that the Night is a Veil

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T18:53:25Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

But Allah never said the word "star" in these verses, so nobody did proof if this is a true error.

and the "flaming fire, of piercing brightness" could be a Meteor.

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

Allah never said that the moon emits light
and he said the sun is like a lamp that do emit light

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping and navigation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time).}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T16:55:56Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Night is a Veil */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with stars/lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

Allah never said that the moon emits light
and he said the sun is like a lamp that do emit light

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping and navigation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time).}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

But if you were outside and there was no lights, you can change your clothes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T16:51:50Z

Adeeb Asiri: /* Moon Emits Light */

{{page_title|Scientific Errors in the Qur'an}}
{{under review}}
Muslims believe that the [[Qur'an]] contains a message from an all-powerful, all-knowing, infallible being. If this is true then it should not contain any [[Contradictions and Errors|errors, mistakes]], or information that contradicts known facts about the universe. If even one error exists in the text of [[Islam]]'s holy book then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true. An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors and it reflects a pre-scientific, 7th century view of the natural world.

Some apologists will contest these numerous scientific errors in the Qur'an by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or [[w:Phenomenology (philosophy)|phenomenological]] interpretations of the text. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Qur'anic verses often mimic the popular mythology and unscientific misconceptions of the time in which they were recorded. The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the common folklore of the people living in the 7th century. If the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous and misleading statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause. This alone should be reason to reject any claims to its divine authorship.

==Astronomy==

=== Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions numerous times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit, but does not mention once that the earth does too. This is consistent with a earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is always mentioned in the context of night and day.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=38|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise.}}
This is in a passage about night and day. Right after describing the change from day to night, it says that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (a few translations use instead, "appointed term", though in nearly all other verses where we find قرر as a participle they translate it as a place of settlement or an abode or resting place. There are also sahih hadith that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word as in verse 36:38 to mean a resting place {{Muslim|1|297}} (for the Arabic of this hadith, see [http://sunnah.com/muslim/1/306 here]).

The alternative view was that it refers to the sun's final resting on the last day. There are other verses (35:13, 31:29, 39:5, 13:2) that mention the sun and moon floating/swimming (with the same verb as is translated "run" in 36:38) for a term appointed (لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى which does have that meaning - مُسْتَقَرٍّ in 36:38 is a different word). Another version of the above mentioned hadith (e.g. {{Bukhari|9|93|520}} - for the Arabic see [http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/52 here]) probably supports this view, with a different ending indicating that the مُسْتَقَرٍّ (resting place) in 36:38 refers to the end of the world when the sun is asked to rise from its setting place (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Some apologists try to explain away the Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. This is an [[w:Ad hoc hypothesis|Ad hoc hypothesis]], of no relevance to human time scales, and nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the earth. If the author had knowledge of the sun orbiting a black hole then it is conspicuous that he never mentions it explicitly nor in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon.

In the Qur'an, the moon and the sun orbit the earth together. There is no distinction made between the moon, which actually revolves around the earth, and the sun which only appears to revolve around the earth when in fact the sun's apparent movement through the sky is a product of the rotation of the earth around its axis.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The Arabic word translated "follow" is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of immitation, of action etc. and is often used for animals like camels following behind each other. This is very much compatible with and suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. The choice of word is not suggestive merely of appearing one after the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}

Notice also that the path of the sun is something that the author expects people to have seen (another problem for the galactic orbit interpretation).

===Setting and Rising Place of the Sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}

The Qur'an assumes a flat earth which has physical places into which the sun sets and rises from. Since the earth is a rotating sphere, the sun does not set in any particular place and you can never travel to "the spot" where the sun sets nor a place where it rises; the sun appears to set or rise on the horizon no matter where you are on the planet. In these verses, the author propagates a popular legend from the 7th century of a man named Dhu'l-Qarnayn who visits the places where the sun sets and rises; here he finds the sun going down into a muddy spring and later rising on a tribe with no coverings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Some Muslim Apologists have come up with creative interpretations of these verses to say that Dhu'l-Qrnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" or to a spot "at the time" when the sun set and not the "place" where the sun set. Unfortunately, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words]] used in these verses, which instead point to a physical location. Again, we must ask why an all-knowing being would use such misleading verses that mimic the misconceptions and legends prevalent at the time if one of these alternative explanations is correct.

===Stars are Missiles Shot at Devils===
{{Main|Mistranslations of Quran 67-5|l1=Mistranslations of Qur'an 67:5}}

The author of the Qur'an does not seem to know the difference between stars (giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth) and meteorites which are small rocky masses of debris which brighten up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteorites look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why there were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. In the following verse, the Qur'an claims that Allah uses stars as missiles to ward away devils. This repeats a common Arab myth at the time the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with stars/lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|10}}|
Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.}}

===Moon Emits Light===

The moon does not emit its own light but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (in`ikaas) does not appear in this Qur'anic verse that says the Moon is a "light". It instead uses the word "Noor" which is used to denote an entity that emits light.

Allah never said that the moon emits light
and he said the sun is like a lamp that do emit light

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp}}

The word "Noor" is also used in this verse to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. Clearly the author is not implying that Allah reflects light from another source but is the source of the light

however this Arabic word "Noor". have nothing to do with the "source" or "reflect" so we can't proof the error here

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}

===Moon was Split in Two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an and Hadith claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that the moon has ever been split into two. Since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, we should expect to see numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to this event if it actually happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The absence of historical record from other civilizations, contemporary to Muhammad, is a strong indication that this event never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|1-3}}|The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|831}}|Narrated Anas: "That the Meccan people requested Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the splitting of the moon."}}

=== Sun, Moon and Stars Created for Humans===
The sun, moon and stars are much older than humans. But the Qur'an states their created purpose is for timekeeping and navigation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time).}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|97}}|It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know. }}

=== Night is a Veil ===
Night is just the darkness of space as seen from the earth due its rotation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|54}}| Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: }}

===Seven Planets in the Universe===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

This verse claims there are seven planets. However, according to astronomers, there are eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, which leaves the grand total at thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found hundreds of other planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe. The author of the Qur'an singling out such a small number of celestial objects only reaffirms his ignorance of the makeup of the universe.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a '''similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge. }}

A Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) attributed to Ibn Abbas, but by an unknown author and date, says that Allah means that all 7 planets are flat planets.

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Abass | Allah is He who created 7 heavens one above the other like a dome, and of the Earths, the like thereof, 7 planets but '''they are flat'''}}

A hadith suggests that these are seven earths stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.}}

===Seven Heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. There is no such thing as seven layers to the universe. This myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

There are only 5 not 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 not 7 major layers to the Earth itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.}}

===Stars are Located in the Nearest Heaven===

Stars are spread throughout the Universe and there is no such thing as the "nearest" heaven or layer. Also, this verse is in keeping with the author's claim (Quran 71:15 as described above) that the seven heavens are arranged one above the other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Earth Created in Six Days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The earth first formed around 9 billion years after the Big Bang. The Qur'an, however, repeats the prevailing middle eastern myth that the earth and universe were formed in six days.

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

Muslim apologists try and rescue the Qur'an by pointing to an alternative meaning of the Arabic word 'yawm' which typically means 'day' but can sometimes mean 'time period'. However the predominant meaning of the word is day and when a specific number is used, in this case six, the word almost always means a literal 24-hour day. Again, nothing in the context of the verses, nor the Qur'an in general, suggests the universe or earth were formed over long time periods. Secondly, neither the universe nor earth were formed in six long periods of time. It would have been trivial for an all-knowing diety to simply state that the universe was first formed over [[w:Age of the universe|13.8 billion years ago]]. However, this information is conspicuously missing.

===Earth Created before Stars===

The author of the Qur'an is also unaware that the [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars. Modern science has proposed that all the elements that make up the earth (Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Iron, etc.) was originally formed by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]] in stars and then expelled into the universe when those stars [[w:Supernova|supernova]]. Yet the Qur'an describes the earth being formed before the stars and from "smoke" or material that pre-dates stars. All rocky and gaseous planets in the universe were formed in a similar manner to the earth and the Qur'an singling out the earth only further highlights the authors ignorance of the history of the formation of celestial objects.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. }}

====Earth and Heavens were Ripped Apart====

Some apologists claim that the following verse is compatible with the [[w:Big Bang|Big Bang]] theory. But according to this theory, the Universe was formed about 13.8 billion years ago due to a [[w:Chronology of the universe|rapid expansion]] from singularity. The earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago from [[w:History of the Earth|accretion]] of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was no "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens as this verse suggests. It is, in fact, a repetition of [[w:World egg|cosmic egg]] myths in which an egg-like structure was split into two halves, the lower half forming the earth and the upper half forming the heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

====Universe was Made from Smoke by Contraction====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

Neither was there any stage of formation of the Universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion) nor did the earth and heavens "come" together at any point of time. Earth is a part of this Universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

The next verse clearly says that stars were created after the seven heavens which took two days to create, and after the earth which was created even earlier.

===The Cause of Shadows===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is blocked by an obstacle. It is the Earth's rotation that causes these shadows to change size and location. However, by calling the sun the guide of shadows, this verse claims shadows are caused due to the sun's movement. A non-living "guide" can have two meanings: a controller of movement or an indicator. Other translations of this verse do call the sun an indicator but this is also unscientific because the sun cannot ''indicate'' them.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Further, this verse suggests that shadows can be made stationary i.e. the rotation of the earth can be stopped. This is not possible. Then the next verse says that shadows are drawn towards Allah which has no scientific meaning.

===Sun is a Flat Disk===

This verse suggests that the Sun is flat and can be folded up. The Sun appears as a flat disc from the perspective of a person on earth, but the [[w:Sun|sun]] is in fact a near-perfect sphere (oblate spheroid). The verse implies the authors ignorance of this fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|1}}|
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up}}

===The similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an has statements about the end of the world that are much as one would expect if the author believed the sun and moon to be of similar size and a similar distance from Earth.

{{Quote|{{cite quran|75|8|end=9|style=ref}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The word translated "are joined" is Arabic jumi'a, a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together. Given that this would actually require the moon to travel 98 million miles away from Earth and into the sun, which dwarfs it by over 600 times in diameter, it seems vastly less fitting as an apocalyptic event than if the ancient conception of the cosmos was correct.

===Sky is a Tent/Dome===

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars. Many Bedouin people living in Arabia imagined the sky as a large tent covering, similar to the tents they used. The author repeats this myth by describing the sky as being "raised" above the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
It is He Who made the Earth a couch for you, and the sky a dome.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

In another verse, the author says that the sky has a covering.

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the heaven has its covering removed,}}

===Sky Guards the Earth===

Asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species including most dinosaurs. There is no guardian, whatsoever, that prevents these types of events form happening.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)}}

===Sky can Fall Down on People===

The Qur'an author thought that the sky is like a ceiling that can fall on someone while the earth can swallow someone too. This is obviously impossible as the earth's atmosphere is simply made of gas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

===Sky can be Rolled Up===

This is another verse implying that the sky or heaven is something solid.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

===Ignorance of the North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. The author of the Qur'an did not know about this and he only repeated earlier geocentric ideas.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

Furthermore, when reading this verse one should wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit. This does, however, seem to fit with another verse (see above [http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an#Night_is_a_Veil Night is a Veil]).

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of life on earth. Its understanding of the history of human life is incompatible with the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years, through natural selection [http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====Human Creation from Clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an state that humans were created instantaneously from mud or clay. There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years nor our common ancestry with apes and primates.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is. }}

====First Humans: Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur’an and Hadith contains stories concerning the 'first humans' and how all people are descended from these two earliest ancestors. It states that humans were created in a garden (paradise) and then brought to earth fully formed. This view of the origins of human life is clearly contradicted by the numerous fossils of pre-homosapien species that lived on earth for millions of years before modern humans first evolved.[http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence]

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
"He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate," }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|548}}| Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Treat women nicely, for '''a women is created from a rib''', and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely." }}

Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. They often exploit the confusion caused by scientists referring to these genetic ancestors as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. These two individuals bear little resemblance to the Quranic account as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. The Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than Adam, however [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]].[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].

====Humans Created in Paradise and then Brought to Earth====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The author of the Qur'an explicitly states that humans were first created outside of the earth and then only later sent down to live on the planet after being expelled from paradise. We have no evidence that humans ever lived in a terrestrial or extra-terrestrial paradise. In fact, all evidence points to primitive humanoids living in caves for tens of thousands of years before settling into more permanent dwellings. [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab27]

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|36}}|
"Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On '''earth will be your dwelling-place''' and your means of livelihood - for a time.' }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|1856}}| Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is''' Friday; on it Adam was created''', on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.}}

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an and Hadith contain statements about bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are vague and unscientific. Most bear a striking resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] and the ideas of ancient Greeks [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]], including their errors.

====Sperm Originates Between the Backbone and Ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states, incorrectly, that semen originates from a spot between the backbone and ribs. Today we know sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from the pelvic region, which is not between the spine and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo is Formed from Male and Female Fluids====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The author of the Qur'an describes the formation of a human embryo from fluids emanating from the man (and possibly also of the woman). This reflects the contemporary, but incorrect, view that the embryo is initially formed out of semen stored in the womb. In fact, semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and the resulting cell divides and travels back into the womb for implantation. While English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word in question literally means a small amount of liquid, a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
From what thing doth He create him? From a '''drop of seed'''. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-wi|76|2}}|Verily We created Man from '''a drop of mingled sperm''' [nutfatin amshajin], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}

====No Mention of Female Ovum====

The Qur'an's author did not mention the role of the ovum in human reproduction and appears to have no knowledge of it. This verse fails to mention the important role of the female egg, or ovum, plays in the reproduction of humankind. It implies that reproduction is caused simply by the male semen. The human ovum is very small, though visible to the human eye, and it's purpose wasn't understood in the 7th century. Again, we are left wondering why an all-knowing deity would omit such information.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|6}}|He is created from a drop emitted}}

====Humans Created from a Clot of Blood====
{{Main|Embryology in Islamic Scripture}}

The Qur'an and Hadith depict that humans are formed from a clot of blood. There was never a stage in embryonic development where humans are formed into a clot of blood. This description is likely influenced by an unscientific and primitive understanding of human reproduction based on observations from an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

===All Organisms are Created in Pairs===
{{Main|Quranic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs|l1=Qur'anic Claim of Everything Created in Pairs}}

Not every creature procreates or reproduces through male and female sexual relationship. The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]]. [[w:virus|Viruses]] reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division. [[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}

===Womb has Three Layers===
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|l1=Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Qur'an and Hadith}}

The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf butun] (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators like to use the more specific word "womb". There are many more layers in the human body such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). The idea of three membranes around the fetus (chorion, allantois, and amnion) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen. It is likely that the Quranic author is simply repeating this erroneous idea.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in '''three veils of darkness'''. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? }}

===Bones are Formed before Flesh===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an explains that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. Modern scientific studies and research have shown that the bones and muscles of a developing fetus are formed simultaneously.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create! }}

===Source and Purity of Milk===
{{Main|Qur'an and Milk}}

The Qur'an states that milk is produced, in the body, somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are nowhere near the intestines which is where excrement is stored. Many kinds of cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before they can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans are [[Qur'an and Milk|lactose intolerant]] and unable to digest milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. This makes the Qur'anic claim that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to those who drink it dubious.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

===Corn has Seven Ears, Each with a Hundred Grains===

A corn plant generally has only one or two ears and an ear has up to 600 grains.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|261}}|
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. }}

==Geology and Meteorology==

===The Earth is Flat===
{{Main|Flat Earth and the Quran|l1=Flat Earth and the Qur'an}}

====Facing Toward Mecca====

The Qur'an tells all Muslims to face in the direction of Mecca when they pray. However, this would only be possible on a flat Earth because it is not possible to bow down towards the direction of Mecca when you are on the opposite side of the earth. The author here presupposes a small world, local to Arabia, that is flat. Only in that world view can people everywhere face Mecca.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth is Spread Out and Flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions to his audience that the earth is 'spread out' and layed flat like a carpet spread on the ground.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

The Qur'anic commentator al-Jalalayn in his Tasfir agrees with this understanding of the verse saying that most scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|Tafsir al-Jalalayn |And the earth, how it was laid out flat?, and thus infer from this the power of God, exalted be He, and His Oneness? The commencing with the [mention of] camels is because they are closer in contact with it [the earth] than any other [animal]. As for His words sutihat, 'laid out flat', this on a literal reading suggests '''that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars''' of the [revealed] Law, and '''not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay'a) have it''', even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth is Like a Couch====

The earth is described as a couch, flat and laid out for people to lay upon.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your dome; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). }}

Ibn-Kathir in his Tafsir agrees with this interpretation that the earth is flat and comfortable like a bed.

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir |who has made the earth as flat and comfortable as a bed and placed upon it mountains standing firm... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Part 1) }}

====Earth is Like a Carpet====

The earth is described like a carpet, completely flat and spread out on the ground and not rolled up for storage.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|10}}|
He Who has, made for you '''the earth like a carpet spread out'''; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others. }}

====Earth is a Wide Plain====

The author of the Qur'an sees the earth as a wide plain or expanse. This is often likened to a flat bed, as some translators put it. Again, the author seems unaware of the curvature of the earth or the fact that it is a sphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|6}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, }}

====Earth is Level====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed leaving the earth smooth and level. This description assumes the earth is already flat and level with only the mountains giving it shape. The author here appears to have no knowledge that the earth is curved and not level.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see '''the earth as a level stretch''', and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|105}}|They ask thee concerning the Mountains: say "My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust; He will '''leave them as plains smooth and level'''; Nothing crooked or curved wilt thou see in their place}}

===Earth has Seven Atmospheric Layers===
{{Main|Science and the Seven Earths}}

Some apologists believe the Qur'an describes the layers of the earth's atmosphere when it refers to the firmament and it's likeness on earth. However, scientists have determined that there are [[w:Atmosphere_of_Earth#Structure_of_the_atmosphere|five principal layers]] in the atmosphere and not seven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah is He Who Created '''seven''' firmaments and '''of the earth a similar number'''. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge.)" }}

===The Earth does not Rotate===

The author of the Qur'an repeats a common view of the 7th century that the earth was a fixed and un-moving object with the stars, sun, and moon revolving around it. The author appears to be unaware that the earth is rotating around its axis and moving through space around the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|
Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as '''a fixed abode''', and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232&Itemid=83 The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, '''stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse''', because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved}}

===Permanent Barrier between Fresh and Salt Water===
{{Main|Meeting of Fresh and Salt Water in the Quran}}

When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an [[w:estuary|estuary]] where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute (thus cannot be described as a "barrier"), is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an however erroneously says that the seperation between the two types of water is absolute and permanent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

===Mountains Prevent Earthquakes===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains|l1=The Qur'an and Mountains}}

Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called [[w:Plate tectonics|Plate tectonic]] these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust forming mountains but also causing earthquakes and faults. the Qur'an propagates the idea that mountains are crucial in stabilizing the earth when, in fact, the earth would be much more stable and have less earthquakes if mountains did not exist.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves}}

===Mountains Cast into the Earth===

Mountains are usually formed through the movement of lithosphere plates. They were not thrown down into the earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way }}

===Chest Contracts with Altitude===
{{Main|Quran Describes Altitude Sickness|l1=Qur'an Describes Altitude Sickness}}

This verse says that your chest cavity gets smaller with higher altitude when in reality the opposite is true.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Some of the highest death tolls from natural disasters in the last decade were in Muslim countries. In fact, natural disasters do not differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim nations nor are they controlled by a divine being. Earth quakes are extremely common along tectonic fault lines and are not a punishment for human behavior but the byproduct of natural forces. The Qur'anic author perpetuates an unscientific understanding of his phenomena in there verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

===Hurricanes and Blizzards are a Punishment from God===
{{Main|Accidents and Natural Disasters in the Muslim World}}

Two of the deadliest blizzards in history happened in Muslim countries. However, the Qur'an regards those natural disasters as violent punishment from God. Weather patterns follow predictable patterns and are not controlled by a divine being.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Rainwater is Pure===

The Qur'an says rainwater is pure, though in some industrial areas rainwater can contain significant amounts of pollution and acidity. Called [[w:Acid Rain|acid rain]] this type of rain causes harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and buildings.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|48}}|
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the cloud, }}

===No Evaporation in Water Cycle===
{{Main|Responses_to_Zakir_Naik#Water_Cycle_in_the_Qur.27an|l1=Water Cycle in the Qur'an}}

Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. However evaporation of water into the air is conspicuously never mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Hail Comes from Mountains in the Sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when super-cooled water droplets freeze. However, the Qur'an mistakenly ascribed the formation of hail to invisible mountains in the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And '''He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail'''. He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. }}

===Thunder is an Angel===

The Qur'anic author was superstitious about thunder and imagined this natural phenomena as an angel.

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

Muslim sources, which explain this verse clearly, indicate that the author of the Qur'an believed that thunder was not an impersonal natural phenomenon, but an angel:

{{Quote|1=[http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=13&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0 Tafsir Ibn-Abbas]|2=(The thunder hymneth His praise) by His command; '''it is an angel'''; it is also said: it is the voice of the sky (and (so do) the angels) and also the angels hymn His praise (for awe of Him) the angels have awe towards Allah. (He launcheth the thunder bolts) i.e. fire (and smiteth with them whom He will) He destroys by means of fire whoever He will, referring here to Zayd Ibn Qays whom Allah destroyed by fire, along with his friend ‘Amir Ibn al-Tufayl who was killed as a result of being stabbed in his waist (while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah) while they dispute with Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the Religion of Allah, (and He is mighty in wrath) His chastisement is severe }}

==Zoology==

===Bees Eat Fruit===

Bees feed on nectar and pollen. However, the Qur'an relates that bees consume fruit.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|68-69}}|
And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; '''Then to eat of all the fruits (of the earth)''', and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. }}

===Ants Recognize Humans and Speak with Each Other===

Ants typically communicate with each other using pheromone which are a chemical signal. While scientists have also discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce such complex communication as is depicted in the Quranic story of Solomon and the ants. However, the Qur'an tells us that not only does an ant warn her fellow ants of the approach of a large army of humans, but it recognizes one of the humans as Solomon. Then, he also understands her speech. How an ant could even see that far or have known the identify of Solomon is never explained. This account of a talking ant is clearly a legend and not scientific.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Horses Created as Transportation===

It took thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding before horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals though the Qur'an neglects to mention this important fact. Even today [[w:Feral horse|feral horses]] are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===Bird Flight is a Miracle===

Today, engineers and scientists are well aware of the aerodynamic properties of a bird's wing. It functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds evolved over millions of years to acquire this feature. The author of the Qur'an, however, is unaware of these scientific details and says that 'nothing' holds up the bird except the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

===Classification of Creatures===

The Qur'an observes that creatures of the desert move using their bellies (snake) or two legs (human) or four legs (cows, goats, etc.). However, the author fails to include insects such as millipedes that have a thousand legs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|45}}|
And Allah has created '''every''' animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things. }}

===Only Eight Types of Cattle===

While the Qur'an states that there are eight kinds of cattle, In fact there are more than a dozen kinds of cattle. The word "cattle" in 39:6 is [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf al-ana'ami], meaning pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals. The word [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf azwajin] ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means mate or member of a pair. {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that these refer to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxes and camels. This neglects other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia such as reindeer, which are important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

===Birth Defects and Imperfections===

The author of the Qur'an states that there are no flaws in anything. The author fails to mention the numerous defects and imperfections in all species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|3}}|
Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any flaw?}}

===Poisonous Sea Life is Edible===

A number of sea creatures are deadly and fatal to humans if consumed. This includes the [[w:puffer fish|puffer fish]], [[w:poison dart frog|poison dart frong]], marbled cone snail, [[w:blue ringed octopus|blue ringed octopus]] and [[w:stonefish|stonefish]]. The Qur'an, however, makes no prohibition against eating these types of animals even though it goes into lengthy detail forbidding the consumption of pigs, which are safe for humans to eat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|96}}|
Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. }}

===Birds Fight Elephants===

Birds and elephants don't fight each other. In fact, African elephants and birds have a symbiotic relationship where the birds eat bugs and lice off of elephants [http://www.elephant-facts.co.uk/relationship-between-african-elephants-and-birds/]. The Qur'an here depicts a fanciful story of birds being directed to attack elephants and their riders during a battle.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|105|1|3}}|
Sees thou not how Allah dealt with the companions of the elephants? Did He not make their plan into misguidance? And he sent against them flights of birds. }}

===Sinful Animals===

According to the Qur'an, all animals will be judged for their sins. This despite the fact that animals are not as self-aware as humans and operate almost exclusively on instinct.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

==History==

===Wall of Iron between Two Mountains===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The author of the Qur'an repeats the Syrian legend of Alexander the Great as a great king who helps a tribe of people build a massive wall of iron between two mountains. Even with satellites and near universal exploration of the world, no archaeologist has ever found even a trace of such a massive structure.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|96|97}}|
"Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had '''filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides''', He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
}}

===Christians Worship Mary as Part of the Trinity===

Christians have never worshiped Mary as part of the Trinity. The author of the Qur'an seems to be mistaken in his understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the theology of Christians throughout history.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

===Mary Confused with Miriam ===

Each of the following verses narrates the story of Jesus's birth. But Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and is not related to Moses and his family that existed 1500 years before. Miriam, not Mary, was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran).

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And '''Mary, the daughter of 'Imran''', who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; }}

Hence the claim that Mary's mother is the wife of Imran is also false.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|35-36}}| Behold! '''a woman of 'Imran''' said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For Thou hearest and knowest all things." When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and Allah knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected." }}

The fact that two different people are given the exact same name despite supposedly living over 1000 years apart in communities which spoke completely different languages (ancient paleo-hebrew and then syriac-aramiac), with different alphabets, also casts serious doubt on the precise historicity of the Qu'ranic account.

===Coat of Mail was Invented during the Reign of David===

There is no evidence that Coats of mail existed during the time of David (10th century BCE). The earliest example of a coat of mail was Celtic.<ref>Rusu, M., "Das Keltische Fürstengrab von Ciumeşti in Rumänien", Germania 50, 1969, pp. 267–269</ref> Its invention is commonly credited to the Celts.<ref name="books.google.com">[http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79&dq=laminar+armor&hl=en&ei=nOMGTqrNNfGv0AGWpbi6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=laminar%20armor&f=true ''The ancient world'', Richard A. Gabriel, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things). It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? }}

===Noah's Ark holds Every Species===

The legend of Noah and the Ark states that two of each kind of animal was placed on an ark. However, there are over a hundred thousand species of animals including penguins, polar bears, koala bears, and kangaroos that live spread across the entire planet and in different climates and requiring specialized diets. There is no way such an event could have occurred.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him. }}

===Pharaoh or Pharaohs===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt was adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their Pharaohs. There were so many Pharaohs ranging from numerous dynasties, many of them were preserved intact. But the Qur'an merely narrated one Pharaoh that was preserved.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|92}}|
This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!" }}

===Jews call Ezra the Son of God===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. But the author of the Qur'an accuses Jews of polytheism by stating that they call Uzair (Ezra) the son of God in the same way that Christians see Jesus as the son of God. The author of the Qur'an seems to be unaware of the different theological implications of these two terms between Judaism and Christianity.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===Supernatural Destruction of Cities===

The Qur'an author thought that outside the vicinity of Arabia there were cities and tribes destroyed by Allah. He acquired this information through hearsay from Arabian folklore as well as other legends. Those cities and tribes probably were destroyed by natural disasters, famine, wars, migration or neglect.

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|82}}|
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them. }}

===Humans can Sleep for Three Hundred Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Humans cannot live without food and water for more than a few days. However, the Qur'an incorporated a myth from the 5th century legends of the [[Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in the Quran|Seven Sleepers of Ephesus]] who sleep in a cave for over 300 years and then miraculously awaken in perfect health. There is no historical evidence that this ever happened or could even been scientifically possible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|11}}|
Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. }}

===Humans can Live for a Thousand Years===

The oldest verified human life has been a little over 120 years. Based on fossil records and testing on human remains, anthropologists have concluded that human life spans are increasing, not decreasing. Nevertheless, the Qur'an claims that Noah lived for almost 1,000 years.

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|14}}|
We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them '''a thousand years less fifty''': but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. }}

===Non-Existent Mosque in Jerusalem===

Muslims claim that Al-Aqsa mosque is mentioned in the Qur'an as the furthest mosque, even though there was obviously no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad's time.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

==Sociology==

===Fasting and Prayer Requirements at the Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The author of the Qur'an was apparently unfamiliar with the polar regions in which there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during winter and summer. The Qur'an claims that Muslims should fast from sunrise till sunset, however this is arguably not observable by anyone living in the polar regions.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...then complete your fast Till the night appears;...}}

A similar issue exists for the five daily prayers. Anyone living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer all year round. Even for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is around 4 and a half hours in June, so anyone following these rules has to interupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. Such issues would not have crossed the mind of a 7th century man in Arabia, who believed that everyone experiences sunrise and sunset when he does, and where it would be perfectly natural to arise at dawn any time of the year.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

===People are Protected in Mecca===
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Qur'an claims Allah has made Mecca and the Ka'aba a place of safety. However, historically it has been attacked and seen battles numerous times. Juhayman al-Otaybi, Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Tahir al-Janabi killed thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. Moreover, Yazid Bin Muawiya sent an army battalion to attack Mecca and desecrated the Ka'aba. The universal safety of people in Mecca has no historical evidence supporting it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|125}}|
Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and '''a place of safety'''; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|97}}|
Allah made '''the Ka'ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men''', as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things. }}

===All Animals Live in Communities===

Some animals such as the jaguar, leopard, and panda are well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and only to mate. They do not live in communities and routinely fight each other over territory.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, '''but (forms part of) communities like you'''. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. }}

===Requirement to Learn in Arabic===

There are over 5,000 languages and dialects in the world, with less than 4% of the world's population being native Arabic speakers. However, it is incumbent upon Muslims to pray in Arabic, recite the Qur'an in Arabic, and understand commentaries and the traditions of Muhammad in Arabic. We are left wondering why an all-knowing being would not provide a more efficient way to send his message to all people on earth and why he does not account for the immense diversity of languages.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===Non-Muslims are Deaf, Dumb, and Blind===
{{Main|Golden Age}}

The Qur'an calls non-believers "deaf dumb and blind". However all the technology, medicine, and scientific advancements in the Muslim world are almost exclusively purchased from the non-Muslim countries. Computers, television, space travel, helicopters, media players, nuclear bombs, cameras, satellites, birth control pills, vaccinations, telephones, radios, light bulbs, microchips, games consoles, refrigerators, microwaves, plastic, aluminium, x-rays, antibiotics, heart-transplants, the internet etc., were all invented by non-Muslims.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|18}}|
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)}}

==Myths and Legendary Tales==

===Humans Transformed into Apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes. This account seems to be a mere legend and has no basis in scientific fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

=== Golden Calf Statue Moos ===

A statue of a calf was cast out of ornaments but it could moo.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Tribe Trapped Behind a Wall===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn}}

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn says that a tribe is trapped behind a massive wall of Iron. According to the Qur'an, these two beast tribes concealed themselves behind this metal wall and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. Obviously, no such wall has ever been found nor is there a tribe somewhere on earth trapped behind it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|96}}|
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. }}

===Supernatural Food===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

The Qur'an states Mary received food sent down from heaven. There have never been any scientifically verified accounts of fully cooked food falling from the sky.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers.}}

===A Stick Transforms into a Serpent===
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===Solomon's Army of Genies and Birds===

Throughout history, kings and emperors had commanded huge and small amount of armies. None was ever recorded to possess armies that entirely consists of birds and genies. This story in the Qur'an draws on Jewish folklore.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

He spoke with a [[w:Hoopoe|Hoopoe]] bird and wanted to punish it for a small error.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-22}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence).}}

The Hoopoe bird was in fact busy eavesdropping on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|23}}|
I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

===Jonah Performs Repentance inside a Fish===

A human could not live inside a fish and pray.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|
Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah,He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Muhammad Flies on a Winged Horse to Heaven===
{{Main|Buraq}}

It took one week to travel from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque by camel. But the Qur'an reveals that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, traveled a similar distance in a matter of minutes. No such creature has ever been shown to be real and it seems to only exist in legend and mythology.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Body Parts Speak===

The limbs and organs of a human are controlled by the brain that conveys electrical signal through the nervous system. But the Qur'an believes that the limbs can talk and testify against the person, even though they would have no voice, memory or mind of their own.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===The Ocean Split in Half===

Moses and the Israelites crossed an ocean that was split into two halves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Solomon can Control the Wind===

King Solomon had the authority to manipulate the wind at his command and could fly anywhere he wanted.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Ibn-Kathir | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===A Dead Man Testified against his Killer===

Scientifically, a man who has died for a few days can never be resurrected.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|72}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Animals Speak to Humans===

The Qur'an states that a beast will come and tell humans the truth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the '''earth a beast''' to (face) them: '''He will speak to them''', for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. }}

===Mountains and Birds can Sing Songs===

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

==Others==

===Linguistics ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

The Qu'ran states that the first humans "Adam and Eve" spoke to each other in some kind of advanced language in many suras, and also that God told them the names of everything. Thanks to the modern field of linguistics and the history of language we know that the type of sentences constructed in the Qu'ran would simply not have been able to be spoken by humans until over 100,000 years since the first humans evolved. The language of the first humans would be incomprehensible to us and they would not be able to express the kinds of sentences that Adam and Eve do in the Qu'ran.

===Mathematical Error in Hereditary Laws===

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}

* Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
* Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
* Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
* Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
* '''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

The total does not equal to 1. This error can never be reconciled in any way. [http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html]

===People use the Forehead to Lie===
{{Main|Quran and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum|l1=Qur'an and the Lying Prefrontal Cerebrum}}

Brain wave technology has shown that electrical activity happens in the entire brain when a person is being deceitful.

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|15-16}}|
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forehead.}}

===Sailing of Ships is a Miracle ===

Ships float due to buoyancy and they can be driven by various sources of power.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|31}}| Seest thou not that the ships sail through the ocean by the Grace of Allah?- that He may show you of His signs? Verily in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks. }}

{{quote | {{cite quran|42|32|end=34|style=ref}} | And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful. Or He can cause them to perish because of the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|66}}| Your Lord is He That maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of his Bounty. For he is unto you most Merciful. }}

===Space Flight is Impossible ===

The first space ships and travel beyond the atmosphere of earth occurred over 60 years ago. With current technology, humankind has already explored the end of the solar system. The Qur'an however, implies that going beyond the earth is forbidden.

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33}}|
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Contradictions and Errors|Contradictions and Errors}}
* [[Scientific Errors in the Qur'an (Response)]]

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Inconsistencies]]

Talk:Scientific Errors in the Quran

2015-10-07T16:37:19Z

Adeeb Asiri:

==[Sticky] Instructions for editing this page==
: ''Under construction''
This page is linked often from other websites and should be edited with care.

An error should be included only if it cannot be justified or explained in any way. In other words the error should be obvious. The following points should be noted:
* The error should not be attributable to a translation issue and must be valid for the verse in Arabic (when necessary, Arabic speakers should be consulted)
* The error should be shown in at least 2 translations (Shakir, Yusuf or Pickthall)
* These are the only translations that can be used
* Use the translation which is the most easy to understand.
* The error is obvious and cannot be attributed to "figure of speech". An example is "We will blow up the sky" (this is just an example and may not be a real verse). This should not be listed as an error. A counter-claim may be that they may have been talking about the sun expanding and engulfing the Earth (this will eventually happen). Errors that can be explained by apologists in this way should not be listed.
* If there is a plausible way that the verse could be interpreted that doesn't indicate an error (from an Islamic worldview where Allah exists), then it is not a demonstrable error unless evidence against the alternative explanation is given.
* The error should contradict what we know from science, history etc. rather than these facts simply causing a theological difficulty. For example, the Quran says that the moon was created for our benefit to reckon time, but we know that the moon existed long before humans. It is more of a theological difficulty why Allah would create it before it was needed.
* Weaker errors can be listed in a separate section at the bottom called "Other Quranic verses" with a note "The following are Quranic verses which may contain figures of speech but are still questionable". For this section, the verses should be listed without any section headings. The reason is that a record of such verses should still be kept but these verses should not be presented as obvious errors. These weaker verses are not as strong as others but they could still be seen as adding to the evidence against the Quran.

==Tasks==
See [[WikiIslam:Tasks/Scientific Errors in the Qur'an]] for tasks for this page.
* Investigate "Heavy clouds" and add if suitable: [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Qur%27anic_scientific_foreknowledge#Climatology]. Also add any other suitable errors on this page.
* Check for additions: http://www.islam-watch.org/SyedKamranMirza/Erroneous-Science-and-Contradictions-in-Quran.htm

==Removed errors / candidates for removal==
A record of the reasons errors were removed in case future editors unknowingly reinstate them.
===Where is allah===
It's the first contradiction and people to whom i gave the link thought the site was stupid because this first one isn't a contradiction. The quran says allah is everywhere metaphorically it means that he is on his throne but since he can see/hear/act everywhere we can say that he is everywhere. I think we should only have the clear contradictions here and there is many of them. There is no point in putting alot of contradictions that actually aren't that just takes down the credibility of the site.--[[User:Einstein reason|ArabSagan]] ([[User talk:Einstein reason|talk]]) 14:20, 8 October 2014 (PDT)
===Constellations===
For my edit here [http://wikiislam.net/w/index.php?title=Scientific_Errors_in_the_Qur%27an&curid=9078&diff=107462&oldid=107458]
: Blessed is He Who made constellations in the skies, and placed therein a Lamp and a Moon giving light; [http://quranx.com/25.61]
Basically its just saying "However the stars are made, we made them and we arranged them like that", so I agree with {{user|Lightyears}} unless Saggy you have any additional stuff to say. --[[User:Axius|Axius]] ([[User_talk:Axius|talk]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Special:Contributions/Axius|contribs]]) 15:13, 15 May 2014 (PDT)
: "We arranged them like that" is the mistake. Same as the errors pointed out above it (sun, moon and its phases are made for our timekeeping and stars created for navigation). I wrote the light years to show stars are not where they appear (it may not be needed). Hence constellations are imaginations. —Preceding unsigned comment added by [[User:Saggy|Saggy]] ([[User talk:Saggy|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Saggy|contribs]]) {{#if:| |}} ([[WikiIslam:Signatures#Signing_Posts|Remember to sign your comments]]) 
::To humans stars have a certain arrangement. Yes that arrangement would change if we were looking it from another place for example the center of the galaxy buy they have an arrangement for people on Earth.
::But good job on finding that other verse for the Stars in the lower heaven. Did you find that error verse yourself or you saw it somewhere else? If you saw it yourself, are you going through the Quran systematically chapter by chapter? Thats good. What are you using to browse the Quran, what website? --[[User:Axius|Axius]] ([[User_talk:Axius|talk]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Special:Contributions/Axius|contribs]]) 16:34, 16 May 2014 (PDT)
:::there are not many errors to find, i have not gone chapter by chapter recently (only for details article). decoration verse was already present.
:::You didnt yet decide on constel. What I am thinking upon recently is that we look for errors dont we? Then if something is removed, it has to be absolutely correct. Think like that. Is "Allah made constellations" or "mansions" correct? Any one of the two translations can be quoted and then the other explained. Also in [http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/36/39/default.htm 36:39], Moon has mansions (though the word is manzil and not burooj). one more question , if this constelation thing is refutable, doesnt it mean all mythology is true or zodiacs are true? I read this q somewhere. Then Why Islam rejects zodiacs as far as I know? This verse must soon go somewhere: here or the lack of details page or the questions to ask a muslim page. [[User:Saggy|Saggy]] ([[User talk:Saggy|talk]]) 07:30, 17 May 2014 (PDT)
::::So what website do you use for looking at the Quran? Islam awakened?
:::: "we made constellations" = we arranged the stars like that. If it can be explained its not good to have it on the page. I dont know what the connection is for zodiacs. The verse is only talking about the stars arrangement, not zodiacs. I dont know what Islam says about zodiacs.
::::The moon verse [http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/36/39/default.htm] is just talking about the appearance of the moon. --[[User:Axius|Axius]] ([[User_talk:Axius|talk]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Special:Contributions/Axius|contribs]]) 08:50, 17 May 2014 (PDT)
:::::Some stray translation includes zodiacs. "we arranged the stars" - as i said before, it cannot be explained. In 36:39 what i wanted to show is that moon has mansions. So its another case of faulty cosmology, same is with constellations being called mansions.[[User:Saggy|Saggy]] ([[User talk:Saggy|talk]]) 03:38, 18 May 2014 (PDT)
:::::::''"The error should not be attributable to a translation issue"''
::::::We cannot have the approach that we have to find the translation that includes the 'error' we want to point out. Looking at the all the translations as a whole its clear its talking about the arrangement of the stars, nothing more. --[[User:Axius|Axius]] ([[User_talk:Axius|talk]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Special:Contributions/Axius|contribs]]) 04:52, 18 May 2014 (PDT)
:::::::Can you do one thing - just add the Scientific Quran errors to your Sandbox page for now: [[User:Saggy/Sandbox_-_Issues_with_Quran_and_Hadith]]. These can be reviewed and added to the main article in the end when you're done. Its more mental work to review them one at a time. It will also be easier for you as you can do what you like in your Sandbox without feeling restricted. --[[User:Axius|Axius]] ([[User_talk:Axius|talk]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Special:Contributions/Axius|contribs]]) 20:09, 18 May 2014 (PDT)
::::::::I see what Saggy means - what Saggy added when putting constellations back (and was originally missing) was that because stars are varying distances and a long way away, we are looking back in time when we see them - and a different amount of time for each star. So if a constellation consists of a star 50 light years away and another 1000 light years away, then their relative positions that we see today when their ancient light reaches our eyes does not reflect their actual relative positions. It's a clever and interesting point, but there are a couple of reasons why Muslims would still be very unmoved by the claim that there is an error here. Firstly, the stars that we can see in the constellations are all fairly close - a few hundred to about a thousand light years away. So what we see isn't significantly different to how they are ([http://news.discovery.com/space/history-of-space/changing-constellations-50000-years.htm this] indicates how much they move in 50000 years, but we're talking about hundreds). The other thing is that any Muslim who believes that Allah designed the constellations will have no trouble believing that he took the light travel time into account and was only concerned with how they look from earth.[[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]]) 09:13, 23 May 2014 (PDT)
:::::::::Your claims mean this: a Muslim must agree constellations have been made for us? Since constellations hardly change for hundred or thousand years and the age of those stars is certainly millions to billions of years, he must agree that Allah planted those stars with their perceived design on earth so long ago? We humans got separated from the chimps only some 1 or 2 million years ago? (for whoever is stuborn on Adam: he is dated as even more recent than evolution.) We started using those constellations for guidance or fun much later? All of this was planned for "us" billions of years ago? [[User:Saggy|Saggy]] ([[User talk:Saggy|talk]]) 10:57, 23 May 2014 (PDT)

::::::::::Exactly that. They would say the same for the position of the continents today or any number of things. Clearly Muslims have no problem with multi-million or billion year processes being set in motion with today's world as the end result in mind. Otherwise endless things about the world today would seem a problem for them. What originally triggered me to question the quality of this entry was when I saw a Muslim saying they laughed when they saw this one. It shouldn't be easy for anyone to pick what they see as a weak example to dismiss the whole page.[[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]]) 11:16, 23 May 2014 (PDT)

:::::::::No, we are not Allah's reality TV. Such things were not pre-planned and anybody who still believes in the contrary is either ignorant or he's straight on the way to his 72 virgins which are obviously planned according to him :):):). Your approach is that somebody will cry out he has refuted an error and then we will have to cleanup. What about him digesting a hundred absurdities when trying to refute one? It always happens on answeringchristianity.org and all blogs where errors are discussed. [[User:Saggy|Saggy]] ([[User talk:Saggy|talk]]) 11:19, 23 May 2014 (PDT)
::::::::::Oh you replied. So let me add, some people even try to refute the sun takes permission froh Allah to rise hadith. We cant have a standard for who will believe in nonsense and to what extent and how we will cater him, but we must not lose content thereby. Btw, what did that guy think about the rest of the article? How come he rejected everything? Doesnt that show how ignorant he is?[[User:Saggy|Saggy]] ([[User talk:Saggy|talk]]) 11:25, 23 May 2014 (PDT)
:::::::::::What i always have in mind and i suggested before is keeping the claim and gradually giving it a main article (then we dont have to worry whether it looks strong or weak claim at first sight). Look at the massive 2-part article on sun sets in muddy spring. I dont think anybody still wants to rescue that poor verse, does he? That must be the eventual aim.[[User:Saggy|Saggy]] ([[User talk:Saggy|talk]]) 11:37, 23 May 2014 (PDT)
::::::::::::You're right, some Muslims will laugh at any error claim so I take that back, though he thought this particularly bad. Re your previous point, yes it is absurd (as theology generally is), but it doesn't belong on the scientific errors page since it is a question of theology, how Allah behaves. It's not a statement about the world that can be proven false. No-one could prove scientifically that Allah wouldn't set things in motion at an early stage with today in mind. If there was something in the verse suggesting a time scale that would be potential for a scientific error. Rather, the verse implies a theological absurdity (given that we know the stars have been moving a long time), and one that would apply to all sorts of things like continental drift, not just consellations. It is good content as a theological point, so maybe there is / someone will make a page on this subject. Anyway, maybe we'll just have to disagree on this one. It's for someone else to decide whether the entry is put back on the scientific errors page or not. And the 2 part sun muddy spring article is mine (copied across by someone who runs this site from the quranspotlight blog I used to maintain) - I'm glad you like it :) [[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]]) 11:54, 23 May 2014 (PDT)
:::::::::::::How Allah behaves will easily go into the new article whose scope is not limited to errors.[[User:Saggy|Saggy]] ([[User talk:Saggy|talk]]) 13:08, 23 May 2014 (PDT)
:::::::::hi Lightyears, I agree with you when you say: ''"but there are a couple of reasons why Muslims would still be very unmoved by the claim that there is an error here''".
:::::::::This is the problem with some of Saggy's additions to this page. Some of the additions can be justified and it creates a problem for whoever links this page. Sometimes he has problems understanding what a verse or hadith is saying ([http://wikiislam.net/wiki/WikiIslam:Forum#Womb_sentence another example] where there was no issue but he thought there was).
:::::::::The word "constellation" is a translation issue. Some translations use "big stars". The Quran is just saying "See how we arranged the stars" - which is what it looks like to humans. So I think it includes the meaning 'constellation' but is not limited to it (''"The word "burooj" in the first verse is translated to constellations, stars, and Zodiacal signs."'' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Burooj])
:::::::::Here is something that you said and I agree with it 100% but Saggy refuses to understand this and keeps adding "non errors" or weak errors (at one point he said ''"there is no such thing as a weak error"'', not true) to this page and weakening it:
::::::::::''What originally triggered me to question the quality of this entry was when I saw a Muslim saying they laughed when they saw this one. '''It shouldn't be easy for anyone to pick what they see as a weak example to dismiss the whole page'''.''
:::::::::(bold is mine) I myself have seen another location where Saggy's addition was being mocked and things like that concern me greatly. One bad addition can lead to someone mocking the whole website. The fact that this Scientific errors page is one of the top 10 most visited pages on the site, makes the issue even more critical and it is therefore even more important for this page to be of high quality. I have discussed various issues like this with him and finally I have asked him not to add any verses to this page until the review template is gone. I have told him to do what he wants in his own Sandbox page where he has more freedom to do what he wants.
:::::::::Some of his additions may be issues of some kind but could be displayed on another page in another manner. At this point I'm not sure how that could be done but for now we can try to keep the Scientific errors page as strong as possible. --[[User:Axius|Axius]] ([[User_talk:Axius|talk]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Special:Contributions/Axius|contribs]]) 16:25, 23 May 2014 (PDT)
::::::::::Hi Axius, I very much agree. Any new errors need to be very strong, having carefully considered counter arguments and where necessary how the key words are used in lexicons, other verses. Most people won't read the whole of an already long list of errors (not that lots of errors isn't a good thing in one sense!), so that's another reason to keep weak ones out. —Preceding unsigned comment added by [[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Lightyears|contribs]]) {{#if:| |}} ([[WikiIslam:Signatures#Signing_Posts|Remember to sign your comments]]) 
:::::::::::Thanks I agree. Its good to have a short strong page rather than a long weak/mediocre page.
:::::::::::Saggy, please also note what Lightyears said, in particular: ''"Any new errors need to be very strong, '''having carefully considered counter arguments'''"''. --[[User:Axius|Axius]] ([[User_talk:Axius|talk]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Special:Contributions/Axius|contribs]]) 17:22, 23 May 2014 (PDT)

===Only Allah Knows the Gender of a Fetus (31:34)===
I removed this since it doesn't say "alone" in the Arabic (though it is generally assumed). After it says he knows what is in the wombs it says "and not" rather than "nor". It also doesn't specify anything about gender. Hadiths suggest that it refers to a bunch of things ("his life span, his deeds, and whether he will be among the wretched or the blessed").
Shakir's translation is most accurate here: "Surely Allah is He with Whom is the knowledge of the hour, and He sends down the rain and He knows what is in the wombs; and no one knows what he shall earn on the morrow; and no one knows in what land he shall die; surely Allah is Knowing, Aware."[[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]]) 05:58, 27 May 2014 (PDT)

===Earth fixed in place===
I removed the stuff on this from the geocentrism entry a few days ago since it's unclear from the Arabic (irrelevant that we know that the author of the Qur'an was a 7th century bedoin who almost certainly had such a view). It's still there using a different verse under the section The Earth does not rotate.

40:64 was already commented out (they probably saw that it only says fixed place in one translation). The Arabic word basically means a stable abode http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000029.pdf. The question is whether qararan here means a settled thing / place, or a place for settling (by humans). The womb is elsewhere described with this word (fee qararin - in a resting place), but a pregnant woman moves around, though the fetus is settled there. Also 27:61 uses the same word while talking about mountains, rivers, so it is perhaps saying that it's a good place for us to settle (rather than that the earth is settled). See also 2:36 where Satan is sent down and given in Earth a dwelling/place of settlement (using the same word as a participle). I'll leave it to an Arabic expert to decide what to do. The stuff about Allah casting down mountains "lest it (the earth) shake with you" could be useful.

As for 35:41, the word deviate in the quoted translation (cease, be removed etc in others) is زول which means (Lane Lexicon) to go away, depart, remove, shift, make remote, absense, cease to be. Most translations use these other meanings. I don't think we can say Earth's orbit/spin meets this definition. The word translated grasp/hold مسك means (Lane's Lexicon) retain, withold, maintain, hold fast, grasp, restrain, confine. Just as these definitions could be used to read an error here, the verse can plausibly be interpreted to mean (if you believe in Allah) that he confines the heavens and earth lest they veer off their unmentioned orbits.

Perhaps it could be eventually added under the other errors section. I think it's enough that there is no mention of the orbit or spin of the Earth which gives rise to day & night, seasons (so very important to humans), given that it does mentions the orbits of the moon and sun (the latter having no relevence to humans if it meant around the galaxy).--[[User:Lightyears|Lightyears]] ([[User talk:Lightyears|talk]]) 09:19, 27 May 2014 (PDT)
:Thanks for analyzing this. --[[User:Axius|Axius]] ([[User_talk:Axius|talk]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Special:Contributions/Axius|contribs]]) 17:10, 27 May 2014 (PDT)

== Adding hadith on shooting stars ==

To show that it isn't justa "false reading of the quran", you should give proofs that it was common mythology like what you said in the intro.
For example concerning th shooting stars you should add this hadith
http://www.yanabi.com/Hadith.aspx?HadithID=139555

== Possible Additions ==

These are possible additions that need review/revision before being added to the page.

===Crucifixions===
:''(add in the main 'History' section)''

There are no references from any culture anywhere in the world to crucifixion as a method of execution before 500BCE, and it is not clear that their crucifixions where the same as what we know(the Roman crucifixion)/they are the same type. Ancient Egypt has been extensively studied as well. However, the Qur’an tells of crucifixions in the time of Joseph(approximately 2000BCE) and Moses(approximately 1500BCE).

Not only that but they are often used in a very casual way in the qu'ran suggesting the practice was widespread and understood by the majority of people, as common people are being addressed in these surahs yet the practice only appears much, much later (over a 1000 years).

{{Quote|{{Quran|12|36}}|
Now with him there came into the prison two young men. Said one of them: "I see myself (in a dream) pressing wine." said the other: "I see myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head, and birds are eating, thereof." "Tell us" (they said) "The truth and meaning thereof: for we see thou art one that doth good (to all)." }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|12|37}}|
He said: "Before any food comes (in due course) to feed either of you, I will surely reveal to you the truth and meaning of this ere it befall you: that is part of the (duty) which my Lord hath taught me. I have (I assure you) abandoned the ways of a people that believe not in Allah and that (even) deny the Hereafter. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|12|38}}|
"And I follow the ways of my fathers,- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and never could we attribute any partners whatever to Allah. that (comes) of the grace of Allah to us and to mankind: yet most men are not grateful. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|12|39}}|
"O my two companions of the prison! (I ask you): are many lords differing among themselves better, or the One Allah, Supreme and Irresistible? }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|12|40}}|
"If not Him, ye worship nothing but names which ye have named,- ye and your fathers,- for which Allah hath sent down no authority: the command is for none but Allah. He hath commanded that ye worship none but Him: that is the right religion, but most men understand not }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|12|41}}|
O two companions of prison, as for one of you, he will give drink to his master of wine; but as for the other, he will be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. The matter has been decreed about which you both inquire." }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|123}}|
Said Pharaoh: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this is a trick which ye have planned in the city to drive out its people: but soon shall ye know (the consequences). }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|124}}|
I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides; then I will surely crucify you all." }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|125}}|
They said: "For us, We are but sent back unto our Lord: }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|126}}|
T`And you find no fault in us but that we have believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us (and we pray to Him), "Our Lord! pour forth upon us patience and perseverance and grant that we die in a state of complete submission (to You)".' }}