Scientific Errors in the Quran: Difference between revisions

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Scientific Errors in the Quran (view source)

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There is a big picture that is missed by apologists when they contest the various types of [[Islam and Science|scientific]] [[Contradictions and Errors|errors]] in the [[Qur'an]] by appealing to metaphor, other possible meanings for a word (many of which claims are inaccurate), or phenomenological language. Even supposing that another interpretation was possible in every case, the wording and content of these verses often reflect the popular mythology and misconceptions of the time, and are such as you’d expect if that was what the author had in mind, with no clear attempt to make it distinct from the mythology or misconceptions. Take collectively the many verses that suggest geocentrism, for example. Such statements, very avoidably, reinforced false notions that people had at the time and later provided plenty of reason to doubt the claims of a divine origin.
If the Qur’an contains a message from an all-powerful, all- knowing, infallible divine being then it should not contain any factual errors.  If even one error is shown to exist in the text then the claims of divine authorship and infallibility are not true.  An objective evaluation of the Qur’an shows that it contains numerous scientific and historical errors and it reflects a 7th century view of the natural world.
 
Some Muslim apologists will contest these numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] [[Contradictions and Errors|errors]] in the [[Qur'an]] by appealing to metaphor, alternative meanings, or phenomenological interpretations. Even if we suppose that alternative explanations were possible in every case, the wording and content of the Quranic verses often mimic the popular mythology and misconceptions of the time in which they were written.  The author of the Qur’an makes no clear or unambiguous statements that differentiate his understanding of the natural world from the mythology and misconceptions of the people of 7th century. At no point does he clearly state the universe is 13.8 billion years old, all organisms have evolved, the earth revolves around the sun, life is based on DNA, or any other salient piece of scientific information that could clearly prove a knowledge of the universe beyond the human understanding of the time.  if the Qur’an was delivered by an all-powerful, all-knowing being then he would have been able to foresee how such ambiguous statements would be understood by future generations and the doubts and confusions they would cause.


This in itself is a major weakness that a human author would avoid if he knew better, let alone the concept of a divine author whose work would be beyond any weakness, let alone such a comprehensive weakness over an extensive revelation. Such a being would be able to entirely foresee how such statements would be understood and the doubts they would cause later.


==Evolution==
==Evolution==


The Qur'an advocates [[creation|creationism]]. It is incompatible with the thesis of human evolution from simpler life forms and natural selection. This is not very controversial as [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|reliable statistics]] on the subject have shown most Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.
The Qur'an presupposes a [[creation|creationist]] view of the world. Its understanding of the history of human life on earth is incompatible with the theory of human evolution from prior life forms over millions of years through natural selection. While some Muslims accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationis world view. [[Muslim Statistics - Science#Evolution|Opinion polls]] show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.


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


The scientific hypothesis postulates that clay merely 'match-makes' RNA and membrane vesicles - and therefore does not form a building block. This is contrary to the Islamic faith which postulates that human beings were created ''from'' clay, implying clay was a building block.
The Qur’an mimics many Middle Eastern creation myths by stating that humans were created instantly from dirt 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 other apes and primates.


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


{{Quote|{{Quran|2|117}}|
{{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. }}
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. }}


===Humans were created from a single being===
===Human Ancestors===


Some apologists will claim this is consistent with modern scientific knowledge because scientists refer to individuals labeled as [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] and [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. This is a bad misunderstanding since these are the terms for the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today, not of all humans in history. Incidentally, the Qur'an clearly states Eve was created later than (and from) Adam. [[W:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than [[W:Y-chromosomal Adam|Y-chromosomal Adam]]. More to the point, genetic studies indicate that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. See [http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] and [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].
The Qur’an mimics Hebrew myths about 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.


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


===Creation of humans happened in an instant===
{{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|{{Quran|2|117}}|
Some Muslim apologists will claim the view of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with modern 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 Qur’an 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]].  Genetic evidence overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population, not a single couple. [http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple] [http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/].
"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" }}
 
===Fall from paradise down to the earth===
 
{{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."  }}


==Astronomy==
==Astronomy==
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