✨𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓐𝓪𝓵𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓱✨ - Aafiyah's Hub

As a science student, how do you reconcile the Quranic and academic approaches to natural sciences?

Assalamu alaikum,
Apologies for the exremely late reply. Thanks for your question! Genuinely, I find science in itself interesting just as a subject, and when I find scientific miracles in both the Qur'an and in my studies, it really is fascinating. Even just how water itself is a product woth such diverse chemixal properties, and how nearly every mechanism in the body of am organism is adapted well for its function, i feel it strenghtens my imaan and gives me a deeper belief in my religion.
What about you?

Assalamu alaikum,
Apologies for the exremely late reply. Thanks for your question! Genuinely, I find science in itself interesting just as a subject, and when I find scientific miracles in both the Qur'an and in my studies, it really is fascinating. Even just how water itself is a product woth such diverse chemixal properties, and how nearly every mechanism in the body of am organism is adapted well for its function, i feel it strenghtens my imaan and gives me a deeper belief in my religion.
What about you?

I was referring to those passages in the Quran that are contradicted by known science. As you mentioned "scientific miracles" in the Quran, the supposed "miracle" of human embryology is a good example. The descriptions in the Quran contain errors and omissions. In such instances, which takes precedence?
Every aspect of water and its properties has a solid scientific explanation that does not require any supernatural element.
Similarly, the way organisms adapt to environment is a well-understood, natural process with no requirement for any supernatural input.
So, in what way does the lack of need for god to explain these things increase your faith in god?

I was referring to those passages in the Quran that are contradicted by known science. As you mentioned "scientific miracles" in the Quran, the supposed "miracle" of human embryology is a good example. The descriptions in the Quran contain errors and omissions. In such instances, which takes precedence?
Every aspect of water and its properties has a solid scientific explanation that does not require any supernatural element.
Similarly, the way organisms adapt to environment is a well-understood, natural process with no requirement for any supernatural input.
So, in what way does the lack of need for god to explain these things increase your faith in god?

As for the passages in the qur'an that you refer to, I have encountered this opinion from others before and acknowledge your point - whilst there may be some inconsistencies and potential omissions to some scientific processes as you havr stated, honestly the fact that any information on the basis of embryonic development or the geography of the earth, when the qur'an itself was revealed through the prophet (saw) at a time such as the year 610 AD is astonishing and enough for me.
I feel that sometimes people forget that the qur'an was revealed in an era that precedes the techonological innovations and advancements that we are able to experience today, and so it would make sense for some of the descriptions to be "oversimplistic" and may seem potentially "incorrect" - not due to error from a Supreme Being, but for the benefit and understanding of the people.
From the best of my knowledge as a young scholar, and may God forgive me for any doubts or things I have overlooked, we have to also take into account this significant pragmatical aspect - the qur'an was revealed to the arabs (and the whole of mankind but targeted this demographic specifically at first) at THAT TIME (610 AD), and some descriptions such as "mudghah" which translates to a chewed substance, or "alaqah" which is used as the threefold definitions suspended thing, leech-luke thing and bloodclot - whilst many argue seem simplistic and overregularised is a concept that the people of the time can actually UNDERSTAND and comprehend - and realistically in order for a people to be able to believe and connect with a revelation - the least that God did other than send down a miracle and inspire an illiterate man to recite such verses of poetry was to provide a scripture that the people could understand and learn from. 🙃
I am not disregarding your argument, as some precedence stated in the qur'an does sometimes clash with and against science, but overall on the whole I find that both science and religion coexist in my life with little to no opposition.
I believe those who wish to express this as a fault can do so, but it doesn't personally affect me. At the end of the day, whatever it comes down to I know i'll choose islam 🤍
Hope this answers your question or if you would like to ask anything else or if you have another point, i'd be happy to continue this 🙃
Thanks for your contribution
God bless you ✊
(Sorry for the extensively long reply again 😭)

Sticking with the embryology issue, the description in the Quran is no more accurate or complete than earlier accounts by Aristotle and Galen, so nothing astonishing about a book containing existing knowledge. Interestingly, one of the Prophet's companions (Al-Harith ibn Kalada) studied at Gundeshapur, where Galenic medicine was taught, so there is a simple explanation for how such content is found in the Quran.
As for simplifying the content for the understanding of the audience, there is no need for simplification to require error. I am not an omnipotent and omniscient being, but I could write a more accurate account that could be understood by a person with no medical knowledge. The simple fact is that the account in the Quran sounds exactly like you would expect it to sound if written by someone with the knowledge available at the time.
Another "miracle" that comes up is the one about the Quran apparently describing the earth as "shaped like an ostrich egg". Not only is this wrong (the earth is an oblate sphere, not a prolate sphere - shaped like an orange or apple, not an egg), but it was already known that the earth is round. Not only that, but one Greek philosopher calculated the earth's circumference fairly accurately, several centuries before the Quran was written. So again, nothing unusual about a book containing existing knowledge. (The passage in question doesn't actually say "shaped like an ostrich egg" anyway. It says that the earth was spread out in the way an ostrich clears the ground to make its nest. Quite a few of these "miracles" play fast and loose with the wording of passages).
On another point, the claim that Muhammad was illiterate and unworldly is somewhat suspect. He grew up in a privileged environment, and before prophethood, travelled all over the Arabian peninsula and the Levant on trading missions. He ran Mecca's largest merchant enterprise and was often consulted in business disputes, etc. Hardly the "illiterate shepherd".
"At the end of the day, whatever it comes down to I know i'll choose islam"
Refusing to change ones position, regardless of the evidence is entirely incompatible with scientific enquiry and knowledge.

Okay, like I said before, you're entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't change the fact that others will have contrasting views - especially due to the fact that many around the world follow the same religion.
Before I continue, as you seem to be a person who likes their research, could i ask respectfully what your personal opnions and dispositions towards religion and itself and the studies surrounding it as a whole are , as well as your scientific background? Genuinely not judging or trying to be condescending - just interested and trying to get the full picture...

This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful ˹of Allah˺,
who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and donate from what We have provided for them,
and who believe in what has been revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ and what was revealed before you, and have sure faith in the Hereafter.
It is they who are ˹truly˺ guided by their Lord, and it is they who will be successful.
As for those who persist in disbelief, it is the same whether you warn them or not—they will never believe.
Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and their sight is covered...
Surah al Baqarah ~ verses 2-7

@a'swithaafiyah would you like me to move this thread into the 'Faith and Spirituality Communities' forum, rather than have it in the 'Religion, philosophy and ethics' debate forum?

yes please

yes please

Are you no longer responding in this discussion then? (You know that discussion is banned in the 'Faith and Spirituality Communities' forum?)

I think the tone of the first two posts makes it quite clear that this was never intended to be a debate thread.

I've done that for you now. Wishing you all the best for your Aalimah studies!