Title: Science and Islam Question/Comments: The Qur’an says: 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? ( Al-Anbiyaa 21: 30) Can you please explain your understanding of the above verses? Is the last verse not an indication of scientific proof in the Qur’an, i.e. every cell is created from mainly water? Mohammed Amjid Khan Answer: I do not refute the idea that everything contained in the Qur'an, whether it relates to the physical world, the spiritual world or any future worlds is a reality. What I have tried to stress in a few of my earlier responses is that the reference to any scientific facts in the Qur'an is not for the purpose of 'information', but is, in fact, for the purpose of authenticating the idea that the Qur'an wants to establish. As a result, I hold that the Qur'an has generally not referred to any scientific reality, which was completely unknown or unverifiable for its first addressees, as such a reference would generally not serve the purpose of providing any support for the idea, which the Qur'an had wanted to establish by that reference. Today, 'Every living thing is made from water' can be seen as holding true even if we apply it to the composition and water contents in the cells of living things. This does not, however, establish by itself that the referred verse 'informed' the Arabs that 'human cells are made primarily of water'. Furthermore, it also does not establish by itself that the Arabs did not ascribe to the idea (due to whatever reasons) that every living thing has emerged from an input of water (however large or small it may have been). It should be kept in mind that the verse is neither informing us that living things are made of 'cells' nor that 'cells' are composed mainly of 'water'. The verse, on the contrary, is simply stating that in the creation of all living things, water was one of the inputs. My dear brother, it is one thing to ascribe to the idea that nothing in the Qur'an has been proven incorrect even after all the tremendous scientific developments and discoveries in the last many centuries, and quite another to say that the Qur'an has unfolded a number of unknown scientific facts. I agree with the former but do not find any basis to agree with the latter. As I understand it, the cited verse points out to the man, who considers that the dead cannot be raised again, that the Creator, Who made this magnificently arranged universe and who fashioned the beautiful living things that adorn the earth from a thing like 'water', can bring the dead back to life. How can man refute the power of the Creator, even after being aware of these phenomena? I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad October 24, 2001