Even More Unscientific Quran Verses
5:39
1 May 2017
Biology, Evolution
In this second video addressing unscientific ideas in the Qurʾān, “Nate” approaches several topics related to biology and evolution. Although he does not address by name prominent figures who assert the logic of iʿjāz ʿilmii, in some cases the logic of Nate’s presentation is derived from theirs. This logic asserts that because it shows that science appeared in the Qurʾān before it was known through scientific investigation, the Qurʾān is miraculous and therefore from a divine source.
“Nate”’s logic, because it is contrasted to this flawed use of science, also sometimes is logically questionable. His effort to use the Qurʾān to demonstrate concepts that current science would disprove is an attempt to mock iʿjāz videos, one of which he clearly names in the discussion on ants.
The topics he uses in this video (and their Qurʾānic references) are:
#1 The rain cycle (Q43.11)
#2 The sky being a solid covering (Q2.12, 21.32, 40.64)
#3 Length of a human lifespan (based on Noah, Q29.14)
#4 Horses being made for transportation (Q16.8)
#5 Evolution of man (Q15.26, 23.12, 32.7, 53.14)
#6 All organisms being made in pairs, that is, male and female (Q36.36, 36.36, 53.45)
#7 Ants’ speech (Q27.18-19)
“Nate”’s previous video’s evaluation is available here. “Nate” begins this video by listing some of the comments he attributes to Muslims that his previous video received. Although such derogatory comments are in no way condoned, one must keep in mind that trolling is common in YouTube comments, and there is no way to know the faith of anyone making comments.
More balanced discussions of similar material may be found in the work of The Masked Arab, who especially critiques presentations by Zakir Naik.
Evaluation:
As in the previous video, “Nate” is more interested in mocking the construction of iʿjāz ʿilmii than coherently presenting the Qurʾānic material. As the proponents of iʿjāz do, “Nate” cherry picks his verses to show the Qurʾān and its incoherence with science. Some of the discussions fail to comprehend basic Islamic concepts. For instance, in the sky being a covering and horses being made for transportation he is taking the Qurʾān more literally than most Muslims would. The discussion of the length of a human life is no less credible than the Bible’s similar construction in Genesis. In this sense, in addition to being anti-Islamic,“Nate”’s presentation also anti-religious.
The points about science are generally in accord with current scientific consensus. “Nate” has provided reasonably reliable sources in the video’s description.
There is insufficient historical material on which to base an evaluation.