Islam and Science - Revision history

Lightyears: Automated script replacing USC-MSA hadith numbering system for Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud

2025-11-12T19:10:46Z

Automated script replacing USC-MSA hadith numbering system for Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:10, 12 November 2025
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	{{Main\|Islamic Medicinal Practices}}Islamic hadiths provide details on sayings attributed to Muhammad and his practices, or sunnah. These record and encourage various folk medicinal practices common in Arabia at the time of [[Muhammad]] and his [[Sahabah\|companions]] in the seventh century and perhaps introduced some new practices, including the use, in diverse ways, of: camel urine, a mixture of saliva and dust, Muhammad's bodily fluids and hairs, Indian incense, averting one's gaze from women, prayer, the wings of houseflies, cupping, and black cumin.		{{Main\|Islamic Medicinal Practices}}Islamic hadiths provide details on sayings attributed to Muhammad and his practices, or sunnah. These record and encourage various folk medicinal practices common in Arabia at the time of [[Muhammad]] and his [[Sahabah\|companions]] in the seventh century and perhaps introduced some new practices, including the use, in diverse ways, of: camel urine, a mixture of saliva and dust, Muhammad's bodily fluids and hairs, Indian incense, averting one's gaze from women, prayer, the wings of houseflies, cupping, and black cumin.
	===Camel urine as a curative===		===Camel urine as a curative===
	{{Main\|Camel Urine and Islam}}Muhammad prescribed camel urine as medicine.{{Quote\|{{Bukhari\|8\|82\|~~794~~}}\|Narrated Anas:Some people from the tribe of 'Ukl came to the Prophet and embraced Islam. The climate of Medina did not suit them, so the Prophet ordered them to go to the (herd of milch) camels of charity and to '''drink''', their milk and '''urine''' (as a medicine).}}		{{Main\|Camel Urine and Islam}}Muhammad prescribed camel urine as medicine.{{Quote\|{{Bukhari\|\|\|6802\|darussalam}}\|Narrated Anas:Some people from the tribe of 'Ukl came to the Prophet and embraced Islam. The climate of Medina did not suit them, so the Prophet ordered them to go to the (herd of milch) camels of charity and to '''drink''', their milk and '''urine''' (as a medicine).}}
	===Dipping flies into drinks===		===Dipping flies into drinks===
	{{Main\|Diseases and Cures in the Wings of Houseflies}}Muhammad advised that if a fly lands in one's drink, one ought to dip it in further and then consume the drink.{{Quote\|{{Bukhari\|4\|54\|~~537~~}}\|The Prophet said "If a house fly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in the drink), for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for the disease."<!-- As narrated from Abu Hurayra and Abu Sa`id al-Khudri by al-Bukhari and in the Sunan, prophet Muhammad said: If a fly falls into one of your containers [of food or drink], immerse it completely (falyaghmis-hu kullahu) before removing it, for under one of its wings there is venom and under another there is its antidote.(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 54, Number 537) -->}}Beyond the unsanitary nature of the practice, Muslim scholars arguing for efficacy of the practice on the grounds that there are bacteriophages present on flies' wings encounter the following scientific challenges: (1) bacteriophages are not limited to any specific wing of the fly (2) bacteriophages in their natural state and concentration are not antidotal to bacterial diseases, particularly for temperate or lysogenic phages, (3) bacteriophages are ineffective against non-bacterial diseases, and (4) phage therapy is not a generally-accepted medical therapy at present because it is largely ineffective and requires large quantities of purified, possibly genetically-engineered, phages not present in the natural condition.		{{Main\|Diseases and Cures in the Wings of Houseflies}}Muhammad advised that if a fly lands in one's drink, one ought to dip it in further and then consume the drink.{{Quote\|{{Bukhari\|\|\|3320\|darussalam}}\|The Prophet said "If a house fly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in the drink), for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for the disease."<!-- As narrated from Abu Hurayra and Abu Sa`id al-Khudri by al-Bukhari and in the Sunan, prophet Muhammad said: If a fly falls into one of your containers [of food or drink], immerse it completely (falyaghmis-hu kullahu) before removing it, for under one of its wings there is venom and under another there is its antidote.(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 54, Number 537) -->}}Beyond the unsanitary nature of the practice, Muslim scholars arguing for efficacy of the practice on the grounds that there are bacteriophages present on flies' wings encounter the following scientific challenges: (1) bacteriophages are not limited to any specific wing of the fly (2) bacteriophages in their natural state and concentration are not antidotal to bacterial diseases, particularly for temperate or lysogenic phages, (3) bacteriophages are ineffective against non-bacterial diseases, and (4) phage therapy is not a generally-accepted medical therapy at present because it is largely ineffective and requires large quantities of purified, possibly genetically-engineered, phages not present in the natural condition.
	===Islamic fasting and health===		===Islamic fasting and health===
	{{Main\|Islamic Fasting and Health}}Medical fasting is different from [[Sawm (Fasting)\|Islamic fasting (Sawm)]]. Islamic fasting, unlike Medical fasting, has numerous adverse effects that have been in scientific studies. Islamic fasting is intermittent, prolonged, water-deprived, and often combined with unhealthy night-time indulgence. Each of these factors are known to contribute to an unhealthy metabolism, mood swings, and generally poor performance.		{{Main\|Islamic Fasting and Health}}Medical fasting is different from [[Sawm (Fasting)\|Islamic fasting (Sawm)]]. Islamic fasting, unlike Medical fasting, has numerous adverse effects that have been in scientific studies. Islamic fasting is intermittent, prolonged, water-deprived, and often combined with unhealthy night-time indulgence. Each of these factors are known to contribute to an unhealthy metabolism, mood swings, and generally poor performance.
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	{{Main\|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}According to Islamic rituals set out in the Qur'an and hadith, the keeping and breaking of a fast and the times of prayer, among other things, are related to times of sunrise and sunset. As one gets closer to the North or South Pole, the day or night can extend to up to several months each. At the North Pole itself, daylight and darkness lasts for more than 6 months at a time. Extending the five daily prayers of a period of several months appears to undermine the Islamic ritual, however, and fasting for such a period is evidently impossible. These considerations appear to confirm the pre-modern cosmology described elsewhere in the Quran and hadith.		{{Main\|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}According to Islamic rituals set out in the Qur'an and hadith, the keeping and breaking of a fast and the times of prayer, among other things, are related to times of sunrise and sunset. As one gets closer to the North or South Pole, the day or night can extend to up to several months each. At the North Pole itself, daylight and darkness lasts for more than 6 months at a time. Extending the five daily prayers of a period of several months appears to undermine the Islamic ritual, however, and fasting for such a period is evidently impossible. These considerations appear to confirm the pre-modern cosmology described elsewhere in the Quran and hadith.
	===Islamic scriptures and scholars on the universe===		===Islamic scriptures and scholars on the universe===
	{{Main\|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Cosmology}}Islamic scriptures and scholars have much to say in regards to the cosmology of the universe.{{Quote\|{{Muslim\|1\|~~297~~}}\|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out from its rising place and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything ( unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out from the place of your setting, and it will rise from the place of its setting. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}		{{Main\|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Cosmology}}Islamic scriptures and scholars have much to say in regards to the cosmology of the universe.{{Quote\|{{Muslim\|\|159a\|reference}}\|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out from its rising place and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything ( unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out from the place of your setting, and it will rise from the place of its setting. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}

	==Science in the Qur'an==		==Science in the Qur'an==

Lightyears: Article needed a significant update

2025-10-03T16:45:03Z

Article needed a significant update

Show changes

Vixen at 10:52, 12 April 2024

2024-04-12T10:52:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:52, 12 April 2024
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	==Islamic science and the Golden Age==		==Islamic science and the Golden Age==
	===Islamic Inventions that Changed the World===		===Islamic Inventions that Changed the World===
	These past few years have seen many inventions claimed and attributed to Islamic inventors, which in fact either existed in pre-Islamic eras, were invented by other cultures, or both. However, this detail has not apologists from perpetuating these false claims. Such claims have even been propagated through a nationwide tour which opened with an exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester and the University of Manchester, England.		These past few years have seen many inventions claimed and attributed to Islamic inventors, which in fact either existed in pre-Islamic eras, were invented by other cultures, or both. However, this detail has not stopped apologists from perpetuating these false claims. Such claims have even been propagated through a nationwide tour which opened with an exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester and the University of Manchester, England.

	To celebrate this series of events, an article titled “How Islamic inventors changed the world” was written by Paul Vallely and published in The Independent. This inaccurate piece of writing has received much praise and is still being widely circulated on Islamic websites, forums and blogs. This article lists and examines all twenty of these “Islamic inventions that changed the world”, and in doing so, it reveals their actual inventors and the true role of Islam/Muslims, if any, behind the inventions.		To celebrate this series of events, an article titled “How Islamic inventors changed the world” was written by Paul Vallely and published in The Independent. This inaccurate piece of writing has received much praise and is still being widely circulated on Islamic websites, forums and blogs. This article lists and examines all twenty of these “Islamic inventions that changed the world”, and in doing so, it reveals their actual inventors and the true role of Islam/Muslims, if any, behind the inventions.

IbnPinker at 18:51, 7 March 2021

2021-03-07T18:51:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:51, 7 March 2021
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	{{Main\|Scientific Errors in the Quran\|Scientific Errors in the Hadith}}A common criticism of the Quran is that it contains numerous scientific and historical errors, with no obvious attempts to differentiate its understanding of the natural world and historical events from the common folklore and misconceptions of the people living in 7th century Arabia. Modern responses typically appeal to metaphor, alternative meanings, or phenomenological interpretations of such verses. They also argue that the wording needed to be acceptable to people of its time. Critics typically argue that an all-knowing, perfect communicator would nevertheless have been able to avoid statements in the Quran that reinforced misconceptions of the time, caused future generations to have doubts about its perfection, and on a scale that critics contend is an overwhelming weakness. A similar dialogue surrounds the mention of scientific topics in the hadith.		{{Main\|Scientific Errors in the Quran\|Scientific Errors in the Hadith}}A common criticism of the Quran is that it contains numerous scientific and historical errors, with no obvious attempts to differentiate its understanding of the natural world and historical events from the common folklore and misconceptions of the people living in 7th century Arabia. Modern responses typically appeal to metaphor, alternative meanings, or phenomenological interpretations of such verses. They also argue that the wording needed to be acceptable to people of its time. Critics typically argue that an all-knowing, perfect communicator would nevertheless have been able to avoid statements in the Quran that reinforced misconceptions of the time, caused future generations to have doubts about its perfection, and on a scale that critics contend is an overwhelming weakness. A similar dialogue surrounds the mention of scientific topics in the hadith.
	===Bucailleism, Dr. Keith Moore, and the "Islamic Additions"===		===Bucailleism, Dr. Keith Moore, and the "Islamic Additions"===
	{{Main\|Dr. Keith Moore ~~and the Islamic Additions~~\|l1=Dr. Keith Moore and the "Islamic Additions"\|Bucailleism}}Bucailleism is the belief that "the Qur'an prophesied the Big Bang theory, space travel and other contemporary scientific breakthroughs," and that "there are more than 1200 verses (Ayat) which can be interpreted in the light of modern science." It has been called "a fast-growing branch of Islamic fundamentalism." Named after the French surgeon Maurice Bucaille, its proponents believe that "one of the main convincing evidences" that lead many to convert to Islam "is the large number of scientific facts in the Quran."		{{Main\|Dr. Keith Moore\|l1=Dr. Keith Moore and the "Islamic Additions"\|Bucailleism}}Bucailleism is the belief that "the Qur'an prophesied the Big Bang theory, space travel and other contemporary scientific breakthroughs," and that "there are more than 1200 verses (Ayat) which can be interpreted in the light of modern science." It has been called "a fast-growing branch of Islamic fundamentalism." Named after the French surgeon Maurice Bucaille, its proponents believe that "one of the main convincing evidences" that lead many to convert to Islam "is the large number of scientific facts in the Quran."

	The doctrine is "widely taught" in Islamic secondary schools, promoted on popular television in Arab world and is advanced by "a well-funded campaign" led by the Commission on Scientific Signs in the Quran and Sunnah, based in Saudi Arabia and founded by Sheikh Abdul Majeed Zindani, a leading militant Islamist and "Specially Designated Global Terrorist". The ideas financed by the commission proved a popular tool of [[w:Dawah\|da'wah]] in the 1980s, when videos where taken of various Western scientists apparently vouching for the scientific accuracy of the Qur'an. In later interviews however, many of the scientists quoted revealed that they were tricked, misquoted, and misrepresented by Sheikh Abdul Majeed Zindani, who organized the conferences.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/user/ThisIsTheTruthUncut</ref>		The doctrine is "widely taught" in Islamic secondary schools, promoted on popular television in Arab world and is advanced by "a well-funded campaign" led by the Commission on Scientific Signs in the Quran and Sunnah, based in Saudi Arabia and founded by Sheikh Abdul Majeed Zindani, a leading militant Islamist and "Specially Designated Global Terrorist". The ideas financed by the commission proved a popular tool of [[w:Dawah\|da'wah]] in the 1980s, when videos where taken of various Western scientists apparently vouching for the scientific accuracy of the Qur'an. In later interviews however, many of the scientists quoted revealed that they were tricked, misquoted, and misrepresented by Sheikh Abdul Majeed Zindani, who organized the conferences.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/user/ThisIsTheTruthUncut</ref>

IbnPinker at 18:48, 7 March 2021

2021-03-07T18:48:23Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:48, 7 March 2021
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	As recently as 1993 the supreme religious authority of Saudi Arabia ''Sheik Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baaz'' declared "The earth is flat. Whoever claims it is round is an atheist deserving of punishment." and in a televised debate aired on Iraqi Al-Fayhaa TV (October 31, 2007), Muslim Researcher on Astronomy Fadhel Al-Sa'd also declared that the Earth is flat as evidenced by Qur'anic verses and that the sun is much smaller than the Earth and revolves around it.		As recently as 1993 the supreme religious authority of Saudi Arabia ''Sheik Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baaz'' declared "The earth is flat. Whoever claims it is round is an atheist deserving of punishment." and in a televised debate aired on Iraqi Al-Fayhaa TV (October 31, 2007), Muslim Researcher on Astronomy Fadhel Al-Sa'd also declared that the Earth is flat as evidenced by Qur'anic verses and that the sun is much smaller than the Earth and revolves around it.
	===The sun's setting in a muddy spring===		===The sun's setting in a muddy spring===
	{{Main\|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring (Part One)}}The precise meaning of the opening phrases in verses 86 and 90 in the 18<sup>th</sup> chapter of the Qur’an ({{Quran-range\|18\|86\|90}}) is a matter of considerable controversy. These verses occur within an account concerning a powerful figure called Dhu’l Qarnayn, “the two-horned one” ([[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Alexander Romance\|Alexander, in all likelihood]]), who Allah guides on a series of three fantastic journeys in Qur’an 18:83-101. The controversy surrounding the verses emerges from the fact that the verses appear to suggest, in plain language, that the sun sets into a spring of muddy water somewhere on earth in a location inhabited, no less, by people.		{{Main\|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}The precise meaning of the opening phrases in verses 86 and 90 in the 18<sup>th</sup> chapter of the Qur’an ({{Quran-range\|18\|86\|90}}) is a matter of considerable controversy. These verses occur within an account concerning a powerful figure called Dhu’l Qarnayn, “the two-horned one” ([[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Alexander Romance\|Alexander, in all likelihood]]), who Allah guides on a series of three fantastic journeys in Qur’an 18:83-101. The controversy surrounding the verses emerges from the fact that the verses appear to suggest, in plain language, that the sun sets into a spring of muddy water somewhere on earth in a location inhabited, no less, by people.
	===The Islamic Whale===		===The Islamic Whale===
	{{Main\|The Islamic Whale}}The Islamic whale (in Arabic الحوت الإسلامي, al-hoot al-islami), is a mythological creature described in Islamic texts that carries the Earth on its back. It is also called Nun (نون), which is also the name of the Arabic letter "n" ن. Two alternative names of the whale are Liwash and Lutiaya. The details behind the mentioning of this creature is a unclear topic. There is little mention of Nun in the Quran, however there is further mention of it in other Islamic scriptures such has Hadith and Tafsir along with context verses.		{{Main\|The Islamic Whale}}The Islamic whale (in Arabic الحوت الإسلامي, al-hoot al-islami), is a mythological creature described in Islamic texts that carries the Earth on its back. It is also called Nun (نون), which is also the name of the Arabic letter "n" ن. Two alternative names of the whale are Liwash and Lutiaya. The details behind the mentioning of this creature is a unclear topic. There is little mention of Nun in the Quran, however there is further mention of it in other Islamic scriptures such has Hadith and Tafsir along with context verses.

IbnPinker at 18:13, 7 March 2021

2021-03-07T18:13:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:13, 7 March 2021
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	As recently as 1993 the supreme religious authority of Saudi Arabia ''Sheik Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baaz'' declared "The earth is flat. Whoever claims it is round is an atheist deserving of punishment." and in a televised debate aired on Iraqi Al-Fayhaa TV (October 31, 2007), Muslim Researcher on Astronomy Fadhel Al-Sa'd also declared that the Earth is flat as evidenced by Qur'anic verses and that the sun is much smaller than the Earth and revolves around it.		As recently as 1993 the supreme religious authority of Saudi Arabia ''Sheik Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baaz'' declared "The earth is flat. Whoever claims it is round is an atheist deserving of punishment." and in a televised debate aired on Iraqi Al-Fayhaa TV (October 31, 2007), Muslim Researcher on Astronomy Fadhel Al-Sa'd also declared that the Earth is flat as evidenced by Qur'anic verses and that the sun is much smaller than the Earth and revolves around it.
	===The sun's setting in a muddy spring===		===The sun's setting in a muddy spring===
	{{Main\|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring}}The precise meaning of the opening phrases in verses 86 and 90 in the 18<sup>th</sup> chapter of the Qur’an ({{Quran-range\|18\|86\|90}}) is a matter of considerable controversy. These verses occur within an account concerning a powerful figure called Dhu’l Qarnayn, “the two-horned one” ([[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Alexander Romance\|Alexander, in all likelihood]]), who Allah guides on a series of three fantastic journeys in Qur’an 18:83-101. The controversy surrounding the verses emerges from the fact that the verses appear to suggest, in plain language, that the sun sets into a spring of muddy water somewhere on earth in a location inhabited, no less, by people.		{{Main\|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring (Part One)}}The precise meaning of the opening phrases in verses 86 and 90 in the 18<sup>th</sup> chapter of the Qur’an ({{Quran-range\|18\|86\|90}}) is a matter of considerable controversy. These verses occur within an account concerning a powerful figure called Dhu’l Qarnayn, “the two-horned one” ([[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Alexander Romance\|Alexander, in all likelihood]]), who Allah guides on a series of three fantastic journeys in Qur’an 18:83-101. The controversy surrounding the verses emerges from the fact that the verses appear to suggest, in plain language, that the sun sets into a spring of muddy water somewhere on earth in a location inhabited, no less, by people.
	===The Islamic Whale===		===The Islamic Whale===
	{{Main\|The Islamic Whale}}The Islamic whale (in Arabic الحوت الإسلامي, al-hoot al-islami), is a mythological creature described in Islamic texts that carries the Earth on its back. It is also called Nun (نون), which is also the name of the Arabic letter "n" ن. Two alternative names of the whale are Liwash and Lutiaya. The details behind the mentioning of this creature is a unclear topic. There is little mention of Nun in the Quran, however there is further mention of it in other Islamic scriptures such has Hadith and Tafsir along with context verses.		{{Main\|The Islamic Whale}}The Islamic whale (in Arabic الحوت الإسلامي, al-hoot al-islami), is a mythological creature described in Islamic texts that carries the Earth on its back. It is also called Nun (نون), which is also the name of the Arabic letter "n" ن. Two alternative names of the whale are Liwash and Lutiaya. The details behind the mentioning of this creature is a unclear topic. There is little mention of Nun in the Quran, however there is further mention of it in other Islamic scriptures such has Hadith and Tafsir along with context verses.

IbnPinker at 18:55, 23 February 2021

2021-02-23T18:55:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:55, 23 February 2021
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	[[Category:Revelation]]		[[Category:Revelation]]
	[[Category:Dawah]]		[[Category:Dawah]]
			[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]

IbnPinker at 17:44, 23 February 2021

2021-02-23T17:44:19Z

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	[[Category:Miracles]]		[[Category:Miracles]]
	[[Category:Revelation]]		[[Category:Revelation]]
			[[Category:Dawah]]

Asmith at 02:54, 22 February 2021

2021-02-22T02:54:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:54, 22 February 2021
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	[[Category:Miracles]]		[[Category:Miracles]]
	[[Category:Revelation]]		[[Category:Revelation]]
	~~[[Category:Tafsir]]~~
	~~[[Category:Dawah]]~~

Asmith at 02:50, 22 February 2021

2021-02-22T02:50:42Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:50, 22 February 2021
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	[[Category:Miracles]]		[[Category:Miracles]]
	[[Category:Revelation]]		[[Category:Revelation]]
	~~[[Category:Modern movements]]~~
	[[Category:Tafsir]]		[[Category:Tafsir]]
	[[Category:Dawah]]		[[Category:Dawah]]