SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES : DANGERS OF PIGS

Scientific discoveries show that pigs pose significant dangers to human health, environmental biodiversity, and agricultural stability.

Among foods that inspire a cult-like following, pork often leads the pack, as evidenced by the 65% of Americans eager to name bacon the country’s national food.

Unfortunately, that popularity comes at a cost. Along with being the most commonly consumed meat in the world, pork may also be one of the most dangerous, carrying some important and under-discussed risks that any consumer should be aware of. (Denise Minger , 2017)

Public Health and Zoonotic Disease Risks

• Zoonotic Superbugs: Researchers at Copenhagen University discovered that intensive pig farming creates reservoirs for Clostridioides difficile, a deadly superbug capable of exchanging antibiotic-resistance genes with humans. 
• Neurological Cysts: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) highlights Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), which causes neurocysticercosis, a major cause of adult-onset epilepsy in developing nations. 
• Foodborne Parasites: Consumption of undercooked wild or domestic pork can transmit Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spiralis, leading to chronic flu-like illness, fatigue, and severe organ tissue damage. 
• Bacterial Threats: Feral pig populations carry brucellosis, prompting institutions like Hawaii Pacific University to design rapid field DNA tests to safeguard hunters from immediate infection. 
• Sun Simiao: the legendary Tang Dynasty physician known as China's "King of Medicine", explictly warned that eating pork long-term or indorrectly can trigger underlying diseases and chronic illnesses. In his seminal medical texts, the "Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold (Qian Jin Yao Fang) and its supplement "Qian Jin Yi Fang", he introduced foundational guidelines on dietary therapy, viewing certain types of food a powerful triggers of bodily harm. 
• Li Shizhen: also written as Lee Shih-Ch'en (1518-1593) - the legendary Ming Dynasty physician. His 52-volume of medical catalog, the "Bencao Gangmu" is considered the most comprehensive pharmaceutical encyclopedia in the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He classified standard pork meat as having a bitter, cold nature. Eating too much raw or omproperly cooked pork could block the body's energy channels, trigger phlegm and exacerbate weaknesses in the spleen and stomach. 
• Alix Fano - an author and the founder / Director of the Campaign for Responsible Transplantation (CRT), has been a loading voice warning against the severe viral dangers associate with Xonotransplantation - specifically, the harvesting of pig organs for human transplant. 
• Dr. Daniel S.Shapiro, M.D : a prominent infectious disease specialist, extensively cataloged the infectious risk profiles of livestock. His work on Infection Acquired from Animals Other then Pets, outlines the major pathogens and clinical syndromes associated with pigs. He has listed 25 types of diseases caused by pigs, among them are H1N1, H3N2, H1N2, Hepatitis E Virus, Nipah Virus, Taenia Solium, Neurocysticercosis, Toxoplasma Gondii etc..
• Dr. Virginia Hinshaw: In her research, wild aquatic birds are the primary natural reervoir for all influenza A viruses, while the pig trachea acts as a bridge, accepting both bird flue and human seasonal flu strains simultaneously. Inside the pig, the genetic segments of these distinct avian and human viruses can physically swap.

Ecological Destruction and Biodivesty Damage

• Species Extinction: Listed globally among the worst invasive mammals, wild pigs actively hunt, prey upon, and drive down the populations of ground frogs, rodents, and endangered sea turtle eggs. 
• Habitat Degradation: Wallowing and destructive root foraging habits destroy agricultural crops, pollute local water sources, and drastically deplete overall native flora and fauna. 

Physical Danger and Attacks

Aggressive Trauma: Scientific monitoring reveals an upward trend in global wild pig encounters; they weigh an average of 240 lbs and utilize sharp tusks and dense neck muscle to charge at high speeds. 

Viruses from Pigs

• 1894 : Yersinia Bacterium was isolated by Alexander Yersin on 20 June 1894 during a plague epidemic in Hong Kong. Eating raw or undercooked pork is the primary cause of Yersiniosis, a foodborne bacterial infection triggered by Yersinia Enterocolitica. Pigs as as the main reservoir for this bacteria, carrying it in their intestines without showing any signs of illness. 
• 1918: "Spanish Flu" which killed an estimated 20 to 50 million people globally, was caused by an H1N1 influenza virus that modern genetic research strongly link to American swine. 
• 1957: "Asian Flu" -  a global outbreak caused by an H2N2 influenza virus that killed an estimated 1 million to 4 million people worldwide. This crisis was driven by genetic material originating in animals, though it followed a different evolutionary path involving wild birds rather that a direct leap from pigs. First indentified in Guizhou, China in February 1957, by April it hits Hong Kong and speared globally by summer, heavily accelerated by school reopening in the autumn. In the U.S alone, the pandemic caused approximately 116,000 deaths across two distinct waves. 
• 1968: Hong Kong Flu -  a global outbreak caused by an H3N2 influenza virus that killed an estimated 1 - 4 million people worldwide. First recorded in Hong Kong on July 13,1968. Within 2 weeks, it infected over 500,000 people locally. While in U.S it claimed 100,000 American lives. 
• From 1970's, 1990's and 2000's - Multi-country analyses spanning data, have continously show that as pork consumption rises within a population, rates of liver cancer and chronic liver disease mirror that trend. 
• 1980's - Scientific research indicates a remarkably strong statistical and potential causal link between pork consumption and an increased of developing Multiple Sclerosis (MS). 
• 1985 analysis showed that pork intake correlated with hepatocellular carcinoma deaths as strongly as alcohol. 
• 1997: Dr. Jeffrey Taubenberger analysed viral RNA from preserved lung tissue of an Army private who died of the 1918 flue. His team found that the virus-s hemagglutinin gene closely matched classical swine influenza, confirming the virus made a leap from pigs to humans. 
• 1997 - A research team led by Dr. Robin Weiss and Dr. Jonathan Stoye definitively proved that Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) could jump the species barrier and infect human cells in a laboratory setting. It was widely that pig retroviruses were completely harmless to humans. 
• 1997 : Dr.Xiang-Jin Meng, Chinese-born American virologist and Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech, had discovered swine Hepatitis E, which completely revolutionised how the global scientific community understood the virus. He and his tem from National Institutes of Health (NIH) isolated a novel strains of the virus from commercial pigs in the U.S.  While working at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Meng and his team isolated a novel strain of the virus from commercial pigs in the United States. He proved that this swine virus was genetically nearly identical to the human virus and could cross species to infect humans. This single finding reshaped global food safety guidelines, linking Hepatitis E directly to undercooked pork and offal.
• 2009 : Swine Flu Pandemic was a global outbreak caused by a novel H1N1 influenza virus that emerged from pigs and infected an estimated 24% of the global population during its first year. 80% of the deaths occured in people under the age of 65. While official laboratory-confirmed deaths stood at 18,499. A subsequent statistical modeling study by the CDC estimated that between 151,700 and 575,400 people dies globally the first year circulation.
• A September 11, 2012, Medical Daily report highlighted that pigs act as critical genetic reservoirs, functioning as "mixing vessels" where avian and human influenza viruses can recombine and create novel, pandemic-capable strains. The analysis warned that pigs often carry these mutated viruses asymptomatically, necessitating enhanced surveillance in commercial livestock to prevent zoonotic spillover. You can read more about these findings in the archived Medical Daily report from 2012.

15 August 2026: 12.00 a.m

Sun See Mao - a Tang Dynasty physician - pigs provoke disease

Sun Simiao, the legendary Tang Dynasty physician known as China's "King of Medicine" (Yaowang), explicitly warned that eating pork long-term or incorrectly can trigger underlying diseases and chronic illnesses. In his seminal medical texts, the Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold (Qian Jin Yao Fang) and its supplement Qian Jin Yi Fang, he introduced foundational guidelines on dietary therapy, viewing certain types of food as powerful triggers of bodily harm. 

1. The Core Claims by Sun Simiao on Pork

In historical Chinese medical texts (such as the compiled medical encyclopedia Gu Jin Tu Shu Ji Cheng), Sun Simiao’s exact assessments of pork are recorded as follows: 

• Triggers Dormant Illnesses: He noted, "Eating other pork long-term makes a person produce less semen and triggers old/dormant illnesses" (久食，令人少子精，发宿病). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), pork is considered heavily "damping" and rich. Overconsumption causes stagnant Qi and damp-heat, which acts as a catalyst that wakes up hidden or latent medical conditions (宿病 / Xubing).
• Causes Body and Muscle Pain: Speaking specifically of piglets or certain pork cuts, he stated, "Eating pork long-term causes a person's entire body, muscles, and bones to ache, and depletes their Qi" (久食，令人遍体筋肉碎痛，乏气). 
• Interferes with Medical Treatments: He widely restricted pork consumption for individuals recovering from trauma (like open wounds or sores) and prohibited it during the intake of specific herbal formulas, warning that it causes the treatment to lose its efficacy or causes the illness to flare up again. 

2. Seasonal Restrictions

Sun Simiao pioneered chronomedicine—the concept that diet must adapt to calendar changes. He explicitly prescribed: 

"Do not eat pork in July" (七月勿食猪肉). According to the traditional lunar calendar, late summer/early autumn brings heavy ambient dampness. Because pork is inherently greasy and damp-natured, eating it during this time severely damages the Spleen and Stomach functions. 

3. Lethal Dietary Combinations

Sun Simiao’s Thousand Gold Dietary Therapy (Qian Jin Shi Zhi) lists strict dangerous pairings: 

Pork and Raw Soybean Powder: He documented a warning handed down from early legends stating that if children between ages 1 and 10 consume roasted/raw soybean powder and immediately eat pork, it can cause severe internal Qi stagnation leading to sudden death (必拥气死). 

4. Modern Medical Perspective

While Sun Simiao viewed these issues through the lens of Qi, Wind, and Dampness, modern medical science confirms that pigs are carriers of specific health hazards if handled or consumed incorrectly: 

Zoonotic Diseases & Parasites: Pork can transmit parasites like Trichinella spiralis (roundworms) and tapeworms. It is also highly associated with Streptococcus suis and Yersinia enterocolitica bacteria, which can trigger acute food poisoning, chronic joint issues, and reactive autoimmune flare-ups if the meat is undercooked. 

References:

1. Health Line : 4 Hidden Dangers of Pork.
2. ITM online : Sun Simiao - Author of the Earliest Chinese Encyclopeida for Clinical Practice. 

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

14 August 2026: 10.30 p.m

NUTRITION IN ISLAM & SCIENCE

Islamic dietary principles perfectly mirror modern nutritional science, establishing a holistic approach to physical, mental, and spiritual health. Rather than treating nutrition as a mere physical necessity, Islam frames mindful eating as an act of worship and a fundamental component of maintaining bodily balance (Mīzān). 

When we analyze the Quran and Sunnah through the lens of modern biology, the correlation between 1,400-year-old revelations and current medical advice becomes clear. 

1. The Core Paradigm: Halal and Tayyib

Islamic jurisprudence mandates that food must not only be Halal (lawful) but also Tayyib (pure, wholesome, and nutritious).

• Halal (Permissible): Foods that are explicitly allowed under Islamic law. This excludes prohibited items (Haram) such as pork, blood, alcohol, intoxicants and meat from animals not slaughtered according to Islamic rites. 
• Tayyib (Wholesome/Pure) : this goes beyong mere legality. It dictates that food must be clean, nutritious, ethically sourced, hygienic and free from harm. A food item can be technically Halal, but if is ultra-processed, toxic or damaging to the body, it falls short of being Tayyib. 
• Surah Al-Maidah (5:3) : "Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, and swine; what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah; what is killed by strangling, beating, a fall, or by being gored to death; what is partly eaten by a predator unless you slaughter it; and what is sacrificed on altars. You are also forbidden to draw lots for decisions.This is all evil. Today the disbelievers have given up all hope of ˹undermining˺ your faith. So do not fear them; fear Me! Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way. But whoever is compelled by extreme hunger—not intending to sin—then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
• Surah Al-Maidah (5:4) : "They ask you, [O Prophet], what is permissible for them [to eat]. Say, 'What is good and lawful. Also what is caught by your hunting animals and birds of prey which you have trained as instructed by Allah. So eat what they catch for you, but mention the Name of Allah over it [first].' And be mindful of Allah. Surely Allah is swift in reckoning."
• Surah Al-Maidah (5:5) : People of the Book > "Similarly, the food of the People of The Book is permissible for you and yours is permissible for them. And permissible for you in marriage are chaste believing women as well as chaste woman of those given the Scripture before you. "
• The Specific Forbidden Categories: (Surah Al-Maidah 5:3)
• Carrion (Dead Meat) - animals that die of natural causes, illnesses of accidents withou being properly slaughtered. 
• Type of Carrion :> Animals killed by strangling, killed by violent blow, killed by head-long fall, killed by the goring of horns, animals partially eaten by wild beasts. 
• Running Blood: liquid blood that flows out of an animal during its slaughter or due to injury. 
• Flesh of Swine (Pork) : all parts of the pork, including its meal, fat and any by-products. 
• Immolated to other than Allah: meat from animals sacrified to idols, stone altas or slaughtered in the name of anyone other than God. 
• Intoxicants: Alcohol and any intoxicating substances, which are strictly forbidden for consumption under Surah Al-Maidah (5:90).
• The Divine Command: In Surah Al-Baqarah (2:168), humanity is told to eat what is "lawful and good" on the earth.
• The Scientific Parallel: Science categorizes food into nutrient-dense options versus empty calories. Choosing Tayyib foods translates directly to eating organic, unprocessed, and toxin-free whole foods while eliminating chemically modified or contaminated substances. 

ISLAMIC DIETARY SPECTRUM

HALAL (Lawful) & TAYYIB (Pure) > Whole foods, fruits, grains, lean meats

HARAM (Prohibited & Harmful) > Alcohol, blood, carrion and swine

2. Portion Control and Macronutrient Balance

Excessive calorie consumption is the primary driver of the global metabolic health crisis. Islamic teachings anticipated this by establishing strict guidelines for moderation.

• The One-Third Rule: The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) famously stated: "A human being fills no vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for a son of Adam to eat what will sustain his spine. If he must defeat that, then one-third for his food, one-third for his drink, and one-third for his breath." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi). 
• The Scientific Parallel: Modern health organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO) advocate against overconsumption to avoid chronic diseases. Keeping the stomach partly empty prevents the extreme stretching of gastric walls, reduces the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), prevents insulin spikes, and allows digestive enzymes to break down food efficiently. 

3. Dietary Diversity vs. Malnutrition

Islam explicitly discourages eating monotonous diets and instead promotes drawing nutrition from varied, natural sources. 

• The Quranic Palette: The Quran repeatedly highlights structural food groups including fresh fruits (dates, grapes, pomegranates, olives), vegetables, grains (wheat, barley), milk, and proteins (fish, poultry, and meat). 
• The Scientific Parallel: Modern clinical nutrition relies on Dietary Diversity Scores (DDS). Consuming varied food groups ensures that the body receives a full spectrum of macro- and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants), reducing the prevalence of micro-nutrient deficiencies. 

4. Prohibited Substances (Haram)

The foods strictly forbidden in Islam are linked to distinct biomedical and public health hazards. 

• Intoxicants (Alcohol) :Causes liver cirrhosis, cognitive decline, neurotoxicity, and high addiction risk (Surah Al-Maidah 5:90) 
• Swine (Pork) : High risk of parasitic infections (such as Trichinella spiralis) and specific fatty acid profiles linked to cardiovascular stress.
• Al-Baqarah (2:173) - "He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah."
• Surah Al-Maidah (5:3) - "Forbidden to you are carrion, blood and swine, what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. "
• Surah Al-An'am (6:145) - "unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure. "
• Surah An-Nahl (16:115) - "He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah."
• Blood & Carrion : Dead animal tissue and blood act as excellent culture media for pathogenic bacteria, endotoxins, and metabolic waste products.

Pork : The Divine Reason: Rijs (Impure)

In Surah Al-An'am (6:145), the Quran provides the explicit reason for the prohibition, describing the flesh of swine as Rijs. In Arabic, this means inherently unclean, filthy, and detrimental to human health.

The Scientific Parallel

Modern clinical medicine and biology heavily validate the description of pork as a uniquely high-risk meat:

• Resilient Parasites: Pigs are biological hosts for highly dangerous pathogens, most notably Taenia solium (the pork tapeworm). If ingested, its larvae can exit the gut and form cysts in human muscles or even travel to the brain, causing a serious neurological condition called neurocysticercosis. 
• Toxin Retention: Pigs possess a highly rapid digestive system (taking roughly 4 hours), meaning their bodies do not eliminate metabolic toxins as thoroughly as ruminants (like cows or sheep, which digest food over 24 hours). A higher concentration of these toxic elements ends up stored directly in the animal's adipose (fat) tissues. 
• Latent Biological Risks: Pork is dense in saturated fats and contains specific biological markers that modern epidemiological studies continue to link to elevated risks of cardiovascular stress and systemic inflammation. 

5. Prophetic Superfoods and Modern Research

Several foods highly recommended in the Sunnah have undergone rigorous laboratory evaluations.

• Dates: The Prophet recommended breaking fasts with dates. Science confirms that dates are exceptionally high in easily digestible simple carbohydrates (fructose and glucose), which rapidly restore blood glucose levels after a long period of fasting without shocking the pancreas. They are also dense in fiber, potassium, and magnesium.
• Honey: Described in the Quran as a source of "healing for mankind" (Surah An-Nahl-16:69). Medical research validates honey's potent antibacterial properties (via hydrogen peroxide production), its rich antioxidant profile, and its efficacy as a wound-healing agent and antitussive.
• Olive Oil: Highly praised in Islamic texts, extra virgin olive oil is verified by contemporary cardiology as a powerhouse of monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid) and polyphenols that drastically reduce systemic inflammation and lower LDL cholesterol. (Surah At-Tin 95:1)

6. The Physiology of Fasting

Islamic fasting (Sawm) provides a brilliant intersection between spiritual discipline and metabolic optimization. 

• The Spiritual Routine: Muslims fast from dawn to sunset during Ramadan, and are encouraged to observe voluntary fasts on Mondays and Thursdays. 
• The Scientific Parallel: This practice perfectly mirrors Intermittent Fasting (IF) and time-restricted feeding protocols. Medically, after roughly 12 hours without food, the body depletes its glycogen stores and switches to lipolysis (breaking down stored fat for energy). This process triggers autophagy—a crucial cellular housecleaning mechanism where the body degrades and recycles damaged proteins and old cellular components, lowering the risk of metabolic syndromes. 

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

14 August 2026: 8.27 p.m

THE UNSUNG MALAY HISTORY

Oleh: Hazmi Rosli

Introduction

The Malays were great seafarers who once dominated most parts of Southeast Asia. For centuries, they built great kingdoms, huge monuments and pioneered maritime technologies in strengthening their grip over a huge maritime area extending from Madagascar in the West to the Indonesian islands in the East.Nevertheless, most Malaysians particularly the Malays are unaware of this part of their own glorious history. Malaysians are mostly fed colonial history of the country showcasing the incompetence and weaknesses of the Malay rulers of the past that failed to withstand the encroachment of foreign imperialism. This is the part of history that the Malays would never be proud of.

The history of the Malays as taught in Malaysian schools is confined to developments within the territorial limits of modern Malaysia without emphasising the larger scope of the Malay Archipelago. Despite the fact that most parts of the Malay Archipelago are now territories of Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines, the historical developments of Malay kingdoms that flourished throughout the archipelago should not be left forgotten.

The Malay Archipelago

The Malay Archipelago, or Nusantara, as it is popularly known, is the largest archipelago in the world, extending from Sumatra in the West to the Spice Islands in the East.The Malay race refers to Austronesian peoples, namely the inhabitants of the Malay Archipelago from Sumatra to the Philippine islands such as the Minangkabaus, the Bugis, the Bataks, the Javanese, the Sundanese and the Makassarese.

Glorious Malay Empires of the Past

Srivijaya was the first united Malay kingdom to dominate much of the areas of the Malay Archipelago.This lost-lost forgotten empire was brought back to memory by a French historian, George Coedes.Established in the seventh century AD by a Hindu Malay Maharaja, Dapunta Hyang Sri Jayanasa erected the capital of Srivijaya in Palembang, situated almost equidistantly from the Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Sunda. Srivijaya participated actively in a growing world economy at that time and prospered by engaging in extensive commerce in camphor, cloves, sandalwood, nutmegs and other valuable commodities with traders and merchants from different parts of Asia, namely China, India and the Middle-East.

The Maharajas of Srivijaya were great conquerers putting much of Southeast Asia within its influence extending beyond the modern territory of Indonesia. Arab accounts recorded that the empire of the maharaja was so vast that in two years the swiftest vessel could not travel round all its islands. A western historian, Nicholas Tarling asserted that the success of Srivijaya resulted from Malay nautical skill and organising initiative and of opportunity.The core economic and political power in the Malay Archipelago shifted from Sumatra to the island of Java in 1293 AD. From the capital city of Trowulan in east Java, Majapahit territories expanded significantly in the 13th century AD throughout the Malay Archipelago, which included Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Celebes, Moluccas and Mindanao. It generated wealth through agricultural produce, particularly rice, and also through maritime trade that went through its archipelagic straits.

With such large territories, Majapahit traders accumulated raw materials from its hinterland to be traded at the port. These included pepper, salt and coconut oil from Java, spices from the Moluccas, ivory from Sumatra, tin and lead from the Malay Peninsula to be exchanged with textiles from India and porcelain from China. By the 13th century AD, Majapahit replaced Srivijaya and became the foremost centre of commerce in Southeast Asia.With the weakening of Majapahit in the fifteenth century, Malacca became the next kingdom to take command in controlling trade in the Malay Archipelago. Established by Parameswara, a prince of the disintegrated Srivijayanempire, this kingdom had a profound influence on the Strait of Malacca, so much so that the name of this once powerful Sultanate is immortalised in one of the busiest straits on the planet. By late 14th century, Malacca began to increase its influence as a centre of trade. The Sultanate of Malacca prospered until 1511 as a crucial link in world trade.

It was said that the population of the port of Malacca before the fall of the Sultanate was probably around 100,000, and thus, was as large as that of other European cities of the time, such as Naples and Paris.On the other side of the South China Sea, the Malay kingdom of Brunei dominated Borneo for hundreds of years. The name ‘Borneo’ is said to derive from a corrupted version of the name ‘Brunei’. During its golden age in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Brunei held an influential grip over the entire coastal areas around Borneo. It also established the satellite Kingdom of Maynila in the modern day city of Manila before it was taken over by the Spanish. In 1578, the Spanish began its aggressive campaign against Brunei ransacking its capital, Kota Batu, before razing the city down to the ground. The Malay leaders of Brunei at that time managed to lead the disarrayed Bruneian troops to ultimately oust the Spaniards on 26 June 1578, just 72 days after the fall of Kota Batu.

If not for the bravery and courage of the Bruneian Malays, Brunei may have ceased to exist and annexed as part of the Spanish empire. Unlike Malacca, Brunei was not short-lived and remains a sovereign State to this day, indicating the strength of the Malays to withstand colonisation.

Forgotten Monuments

Besides possessing far-flung empires, historical accounts have also proven that the Malays have erected huge monuments in the past. The Malays have long forgotten about the amazing structures built by their ancestors, only then to be rediscovered by European explorers and historians. These monuments are centuries old and mostly are in the form of temple buildings and complexes. Borobudur Temple for example, is the largest ancient monument ever to be erected in the southern hemisphere. This temple was constructed within the time span of 75 years during the reign of Maharaja Samaratungga in the year 825AD.

The Kingdom of Srivijaya was also said to have built the gigantic eleventh-century Muara Takus Temple in the depth of the rainforests of Riau, Sumatra. The Kingdom of Melayu, a former vassal of Srivijaya was responsible in the construction of the eleventh-century Muara Jambi Temple Complexes in Jambi. The bygone days of the golden age of the Old Kedah Kingdom is evident in the number of temples now preserved in Lembah Bujang, Malaysia.In addition, the island of Java itself is home to hundreds of ancient Hindu temples dotting across the island, the largest being the Prambanan Temple in Central Java.

These huge temples were manifestations that the Malays or in a larger scale, the people of the Malay race, possessed technologies to build large temples and monuments. Unfortunately, these glorious moments of their history remain forgotten particularly by Malaysians.

Great Seafarers

The archipelagic character of maritime Southeast Asia meant that transportation by sea is the best way to travel within the region particularly in ancient times. The maritime prowess of the Malays of Srivijaya was documentedin the carvings on the wall of the temple of Borobudur, depicting an eighth century wooden double outrigger vehicles of Maritime Southeast Asia. Historians believe that the vesselscarved on the walls of Borobudur are most likely were the type of vessels used for trade and military expeditions in this region.

Furthermore, the formidable influence of Srivijaya had made itpossible for the Malays to penetrate thousands of miles into the Indian Ocean contributing to the population of Madagascar in Africa that took place around 830AD.On the other side of the world, W. Lloyd Warner, a western historian acknowledged that the Malays had established contact with the coastal Australian aboriginal groups in Arnhem Land and traded with them prior to European settlement in Australia in the sixteenth century. He contended that the Malays made early voyages down through the Malay Archipelago and the Arafura Sea to the northern coast of Australia. These instances show that the Malays were great seafarers that have ventured beyond Southeast Asia from Madagascar to Australia, an episode of history that the Malays, regardless of their nationalities, should take pride in.

Re-writing History

From mighty empires to monumental structures to astounding seafaring skills, it is beyond doubt that the Malays have long and glorious history that they can be proud of. Unfortunately, these episodes of their remarkable yesteryears are not properly embraced and not taught particularly in Malaysian schools. The Malaysian version of Malay history is limited to the chronicles of the Sultanate of Malacca followed by hundreds of years of colonial history.

The Sultanate of Malacca is just a tiny fraction of what the Malays have achieved in the past.While the Chinese, regardless of their nationalities, takes pride in the Great Wall of China, the Indians with their graceful Taj Mahal, the Koreans with the grandeur of the Sungnyemun Gate and the Scandinavians with their courageous Viking legacy, the Malays in Malaysia particularly are largely unaware of their glorious history outside the scope of the Sultanate of Malacca.Japan rose as a great world power and actively took part in World War II prior to the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945. Nevertheless, to rebuild pride amongst its people, Japanese history books emphasised more on its success in empire building without focusing too much on its dramatic defeat to the Allied Forces. South Korean history books too, focused more on its glorious past rather than reiterating accounts during colonial times.

In addition, Thai historians keep reinstating the fact that they were never under foreign rule despite the fact that Thailand was under Japanese influence in mid-1900s. As a result, Japan, South Korea and Thailand have been successful in nurturing younger generations that take pride in their racial and national identities.

Conclusion

‘Sejarah membentuk jati diri’ – This Malay maxim is true in its very sense. It is impossible for the Malays to have strong jati diri (identity) if they are continuously fed with hundreds of years of colonial history in schools. Malaysia should emulate the Japanese, the Korean and the Thai approach in inculcating pride amongst its nationals.Malaysia is celebrating its 58th birthday this year. As Malaysia’s largest ethnic group, the Malays, alongside their non-Malay compatriots, play significant role in driving Malaysia towards success.

The Malays should take pride in their identity. It is vital to pick and choose history that should be told and should be left untold. This is the time to remind younger generations of the Malays about their forgotten glorious history of success, eminence and prominence,to build a better, stronger Malaysia.

*Mohd Hazmi Mohd Rusli (Ph. D) is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia and a visiting professor at the School of Law, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia.

**Views expressed here are personally of the author’s and does not necessarily reflect Astro AWANI’s.

C&P

11 August 2026: 7.51 p.m

MY NOTEBOOK: ISLAM, ALQURAN AND SCIENCE

The relationship between the Al-Quran and science is a prominent topic in Islamic theology, focusing on how a text revealed 1,400 years ago aligns with modern scientific discoveries. While the Quran is primarily a book of spiritual guidance and ethics, it contains numerous verses describing natural phenomena that mirror contemporary understandings of cosmology, embryology, and geology. 

Islamic scholarship generally classifies the intersections of the Quran and science into several major categories. 

There is no human work in existence that contains statements as far beyond the level of knowledge of its time as the Qur’an. Scientific opinions comparable to those in the Qur’an are the result of modern knowledge.

Human Embryology

One of the most heavily analyzed areas of correlation is the description of human prenatal development found in Surah Al-Mu'minun (23:12-14). 

Science has only proved this with the help of the latest technology. It is Professor Emeritus Keith L. Moore who is one of the world’s most well-known scientists in the fields of anatomy and embryology, who said that “It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later.”

• Nutfah: The initial stage is described as a drop of mixed fluid, corresponding to the fertilization process and zygote formation. (Surah Al-Hajj 22:5)
• Alaqah: The embryo is next described as a "clinging substance" or "leech-like" structure, which matches the physical appearance and function of the blastocyst implanting into the uterine wall. (Surah Al-Hajj 22:5)
• Mudghah: The next stage translates to a "chewed lump," closely resembling the somite-stage embryo which takes on a segmented, indented appearance. (Surah Al-Hajj 22:5)
• Sulalatin min Tin:  Extract of clay - often interpreted as the physical, chemical components of humanity.
• Qararin Makin : Secure Place - the uterus where implantation occurs. 
• Izam & Lahm: Bones & Fresh - the formation of the skeleton (week 5-6) followed by muscle tissue formation (weeks 7-8).
• Khalqan Akhar : New creation - the transition to a distinct human fetus.

BIOLOGY

The Al-Quran contains numerous verses that touch upon biological concepts, many of which aligh closely with modern scientific discoveries in embryology, botany, zoology and physiology. 

• Animal Societies: Surah Al-An'am (6:38) - Animal & birds live in highly sturctured and social sytems, complete with hierarchies and communication lines > "There is not and animal upon the earth nor a bird tht flies with its wing but that they are communities like you. "
• Female Honeybee: Surah An-Nahl (16: 68-69) > the Arabic verbs used for the bee building its hive and gathering food are in the female singular form (itakhidhi, sukuli). Entomologists later discovered that worker bees, which perform all the building and foraging, are exclusively female.
• Biological Origins: Surah At-Tariq :5-7 > The Quran directs humanity to contemplate its humble biological origins as proof of God's power to resurrect the dead - "Let people then consider what they were created from!  They were created from a spurting fluid (Sperm),  stemming from between the backbone and the ribcage.”
• The Skin - Pain receptors  : Surah An-Nisa (4:56) - "We shall send those who reject our revelations to the (hell) fire. When their skins have been burned away, We shall replace them with new ones so that they may continue to feel the pain.: - It has been discovered that there are pain receptors present in the skin. Without these pain receptors, a person would not be able to feel pain.

Divine Creation & Natural Science

• Surah Al-Anbiya (21:30) - "Do the disbelievers not realize that the heavens and earth were ˹once˺ one mass then We split them apart? And We created from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?" - Origin of life and the "Big Bang Theory".
• Water: Surah Al-Furqan (25:54): "And He is the One Who creates human beings from water, then establishes for them bonds of kinship and marriage. For your Lord is Most Capable."
• Human Reproduction: 
• Az-Zumar (39:6) : Biological development within the womb > "He created you from one soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He sent down for you from the cattle eight mates. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, within three darknesses. That is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs dominion. There is no deity except Him, so how are you turned away?"
• Surah At-Tariq (86:5-7) - “Let people then consider what they were created from! They were created from a spurting fluid, stemming from between the backbone and the ribcage.” - Spurting Fluid refers contextually to reproductive fluids containing semen and sperm. 
• Surah Al-Hajj (22:5) - “O humanity! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then ˹consider that˺ We surely created you from dust, then from a drop of fluid (nutfah), then from a clinging clot (’alaqah), then from a lump of flesh (mudghah)—partly formed and partly unformed—so that We may make ˹Our power˺ clear to you...”
• Surah As-Sajdah (32:8-9) : "Then He made his posterity from an extract of a liquid disdained." "Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His soul and made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect]; little are you grateful.">the reproduction of mankind occurs through a humble, extracted fluid. 
• Surah An-Najm (53:45-46): "And that He creates mates - the male and the female. From a spem-drop when it is emitted." >highlights that gender determination and the initiation of human life occur when a drop of fluid is emitted. 
• Surah Al-Hujurat (49:13): "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." > human diversity in gender, race and nationality is a deliberate divine design intended for mutual recognition, not conflict. 
• Surah Al-Hijr (15:26-27) - "An indeed, We created humanity from sounding clay moulded from black mud. As for the Jinn, We created them earlier form smokeless fire."
• Surah As-Saffat (37:11) : "Then inquire of them, [O Muḥammad], 'Are they a stronger [or more difficult] creation or those [others] We have created?' Indeed, We created them [i.e., men] from sticky clay." > human beings were originally created from sticky clay (teenin laazib) to humble those who reject the concept of resurrection. The verse serves as a direct rhetorical argument against the disbelievers by comparing human frailty to the vast, complex wonders of the universe
• Surah Ar-Rahman (55:14-15) - "He created man from sounding clay like pottery, and He created the Jinn from a piercing flame of fire. "
• Surah Al-Insan (76:2) : "Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; so We made him hearing and seeing." > human being are created from a mixed drip of fluid (nuftatin Amshaj) to test their obedience. 
• Surah An-Nisaa (4:1): "O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer." - despite variations in race, color, nationality or status, everyone originates from the exact same human root that is Adam and Eve. 
• Surah Nuh (71:14)  "While He has created you in stages?" >  human creations did not happen all at once, but rather developed in progressive stages. 
• Surah Al-A'raaf (7:12) - "Allah asked, What prevented you from bowing when I commanded you" He (Iblis) replied, 'I am better than he is :  You created me form fire and him from clay.".
• the description of human prenatal development found in Surah Al-Mu'minun (23:12-14). 

Breastfeeding

• Surah Al-Baqarah (2:233) : "Mother may breastfee their children for two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the Nursing."
• Surah Luqman (31:14): "and his weaning is in two years. "

Physiology and the Circulatory System
The Quran describes the production of milk in nursing animals, pointing directly to the interaction between the digestive and circulatory systems. 

• The Verse: "And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from what is in their bellies - between excretions and blood - pure milk, palatable to a drinker." (Surah An-Nahl 16:66). 
• Scientific Parallel: Nutrients from digested food are absorbed through the intestinal walls into the bloodstream. The mammary glands then filter these nutrients directly from the blood to synthesize milk, a precise sequence captured by the phrasing "between excretions (intestine contents) and blood".

Astronomy & Cosmology

The Quran contains several verses describing the origin, expansion, and mechanics of the universe that align closely with modern astrophysics. 

• The Big Bang: Surah Al-Anbiya (21:30) describes the heavens and the earth as being a "joined-together mass" before being cloven asunder, resembling the singularity model of cosmology. 
• The Big Crunch: Surah Al-Anbiya (21:104) : "The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a (written) sheet for the records.. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it (That is) a promise binding upon Us. Indeem We will do it." - This fit in with the theory of Big Crunch which talks about how the universe will be pulled back into the black holes and again form a tiny mass. 
• Expanding Universe: Surah Adh-Zhariyat (51:47) states, "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander," mirroring modern discoveries regarding cosmic expansion. According to Stephen Hawking in his book "A Brief History of Time", the discovery that the universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century. 
• Stars and Planets: The word "Star"(Najm) in the phrase "An-najm ath-Thaqib". Surah As-Saffat (37:6) - describes the lowest heaven adorned with kawakib, often interpreted as planest or shining celestial bodies. 
• Solar Apex: surah Yasin (36:38) : “The sun runs its coarse to a settled place That is the decree of the Almighty, the All Knowing.”
• Orbits: Surah Al-Anbiya (21:33) - “(God is) the one who created the night, the day, the sun and the moon. Each one is traveling in an orbit with its own motion.”
• Celestial Orbits: Surah Al-Anbiya (21:33) notes that the sun and the moon swim along their own defined, self-propelled orbits. 
• Sun and Moon:Surah Nuh (71:15-16) - “Did you see how Allah created seven heavens, one above the other, and made in them the moon a light and the sun a lamp?”

Earth Sciences & Geology

The text frequently references 

natural terrestrial mechanisms, urging readers to observe environmental processes. 

• Earth: 
• Surah Al Baqarah (2:22) : "Who has made the earth a resting place (bed/couch) for you...."
• Surah Al Baqarah : 2:29 - Allah created everyting on the Earth for humanity before fashioning the heavens > "He is the One Who created everything in the earth for you.Then He turned towards the heaven, forming it into 7 heavens. And He has perfect knowledge of all things."
• Surah Al-Imran (3:190-191) > the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and day are signs for those of understanding(Ulul Albab). 
• Surah Thahaa (20:6)  : "To Him belongs whatever is the heavens and whatever is on the earth and whatever is in between and whatever is underground." Similar verses in the Quran : Al Furqan (25:2), Al-Maaidah (5:17) Al-Anbiya (21:16), and At-Talaw (65:12). 
• Surah Ash-Syura (42:29) : "And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and all living beings He dispersed throughout both. And He is Most Capable of bringing all together whenever He wills." 
• Surah Az-Zukhruf (43:10) - Allah describes the Earth as a cradle or resting place equipped with pathways to guide humanity. " > “[He is the One] Who has made for you the earth a bed and made for you upon it roads that you might be guided.”
• Surah Abasa (80:26) - Allah describes the biological and geological preparation of the Earth's soil, specifically how it splits open to let plant life sprout." - "And meticulously split the earth open (for sprouts). "
• Surah Al-Ghaasyiyah (88:20) : "and the earth - how it was levelled out?" > the earth is obviously outstretched and made suitable for human life and its full and varied range of activities. 
• Surah Ar-Ra'd (13:3) - Allah transtitions from the signs in the heavens to the interconnected natural systems of the Earth, detailing how geology, water, vegetaton and time work together. > "And He is the One Who spread out the earth and placed firm mountains and rivers upon it, and created fruits of every kind in pairs. He covers the day with night. Surely in this are signs for those who reflect.”
• Creation of Earth : Fussilat (41:9-12) : The most detailed, sequential accout of 6-day creation is found in this surah verses 9-12. 
• Verses 9 : "Say, 'Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two Days and attribute to Him equals?'"
• Verses 10: : "And He placed on the earth firmly stabilizing mountains above it, and blessed it and determined therein its provisions in four Days...". (Note: Classical scholars clarify that these four days include the initial two days of the earth's creation).
• Verses 11-12:  "Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, 'Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion.' They said, 'We have come willingly.' So He completed them as seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its command."
• Nebula Rose: Surah Ar-Rahman (55:37) > "How horrible will it be when the heavens will split apart, becoming rose-red like 'burnt' oil!" In recent decades, this verse gained massive global attention when NASA released Hubble Space Telescope images of planetary nebulae—specifically the Cat's Eye Nebula and the Rosette Nebula.
• Allah created the Earth in 6 days: 
Surah Hud (11:7) - Allah created the heavens and the earth in six days (or periods) while His Throne (Ars) was over the water, explicity establishing that the primary purpose of this creation is to test humanity's deeds > "He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days—and His Throne was upon the waters—in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And if you ˹O Prophet˺ say, “Surely you will ˹all˺ be raised up after death,” the disbelievers will certainly say, “That is nothing but pure magic!”
• Surah Al-A'raf (7:54)
• Surah Yunus (10:3)
• Surah Al-Furqan (25:59)
• Surah As-Sajdah (32:4)
• Surah Qaf (50:38)
• Surah Al-Hadid (57:4)
• Cosmic Creation : Surah Fussilat :9-12 - provide the most granular, step-by-step breakdown of cosmic creation. 
• Verses 9 mentioned Allah created the earth in 2 days. 
• Verses 11: describes an early stage of cosmis reaction where heavens existed as smoke (Dukhan) > “Then He turned towards the heaven when it was smoke, saying to it and to the earth, 'Submit, willingly or unwillingly.' They both responded, 'We submit willingly.'” 
• The Role of Mountains: 
• Surah An-Naba (78:6-7) refers to mountains as "pegs" (awtad), which aligns with the geological discovery of continental crustal roots that anchor tectonic plates deep within the earth's mantle. 
• Surah Al-Ghasiyah : 17-20 - Allah dirests human attention to four specific signs in nature : including mountains-to prove His ultimate creative power and the inevitability of the Day of Judgement > "Do they not look at the camels—how they are created? And at the sky—how it is raised? And at the mountains—how they are erected? And at the earth—how it is spread out?"
• Origin of Water: The absolute reliance of all organic life on water is explicitly highlighted in Surah Al-Anbya (21:30), matching modern biological and astrobiological criteria for life. >"We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?"
• Water Cycle in Surah Az-Zumar (39:21) - "Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky—channeling it through streams in the earth—then produces with it crops of various colors, then they dry up and you see them wither, and then He reduces them to chaff? Surely in this is a reminder for people of reason."
• Rain: 
Surah Fatir : 9 - Water cycle to illustrate the reality of the Resurrection > "And it is Allah Who sends the winds, which then stir up vapour, forming clouds, and then We drive them to a lifeless land, giving life to the earth after its death. Similar is the Resurrection."
• Surah Az-Zukhruf (43:11) - "And ˹He is the One˺ Who sends down rain from the sky in perfect measure, with which We give life to a lifeless land. And so will you be brought forth ˹from the grave˺."
• Atmospheric Protection: Surah Al-Anbya (21:32) describes the sky as a "protected ceiling," corresponding to the protective functions of the Earth's atmosphere and magnetosphere against harmful solar radiation.
• The Star:
• Surah At-Taqwir (81:2) :describes the chaotic events taking place at the end of the universe and the beginning of the Day of Judgement > "And when the stars fall, losing their lustre (or disperse)."
• Surah At-Taqwir (81:15-16) > "So I sweat by the retreating stars (al-khunnas), those that move swiftly (al-jawari), and sweep/hide away."
• Surah Waqiah (56:75-76) : "Then I swear by the setting place of the stars. "
• Surah Al-A'raaf (7:54) : mentions the sun, the moon and the stars to illustrate God's complete ownership, control and ordering of the universe  > "and (He created) the sun, the moon and the stars, subjected by His command. "
• Surah Al-Nahl (16:16) : highlights how humanity uses the cosmos for physical travel and navigation across the Earth > "And landmarks. And by the stars they are guided."
• Surah At-Tariq (86: 1-3) > "By the heaven and the nightly star ! And what will make you realize what the nightly star is? The star of piercing brightness."
• Black Holes: Modern science shows that black holes form at the end of a massive star's life cycle. Surah Al-Mursalat (77:8) > "When the stars are extinguished."
• The Sun : 
• Chapter 91 of the Quran is named Surah Ash-Shams meaning "The Sun". Verses 1 : "By the sun and its brightness."
• Surah An-Naba (78:13) : "and placed in them a shining lamp (Sun)."
• Surah Nuh (71:15-16) : "Do you not see how Allah created seven heavens, one above the other, and placed the moon within them as a reflected light (Noor), and the sun as a radiant lamp (Siraaj)?" 

• The Sky: 
• Surah An-Nazi'at : 27-30 - highlights the grandeur of the sky and the universe as a direct proof of God's creative power " Which is harder to creat: you or the sky? He built it, raising it high and formint it falwlessly. He dimmed its night, and brought forth its daylight. As for the Earth, He spreat it out as well."
• Surah Al-Anbiya (21:32) : "And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away." - It is a scientific fact that the sky, with all of its gasses, protectd the earth and life that is present on it from the harmful rays of the sun. If there was no protective layer, life on earth would cease  to exist as the temperature on earth would be freezing at 270.556 degree celcius, the same as the temperature in space. 

• Night and Day: 
• Surah Az-Zumar (39:5) - "He created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. He wraps the night around the day, and wraps the day around the night."
• Surah Luqman (31:29) - "Do you not see that Allah causes the night to merge into the day and the day into the night., and has subjected the sun and the moon, each orbiting for an appointed term."
• Orbits: Surah Al-Anbiya (21:33) - “(God is) the one who created the night, the day, the sun and the moon. Each one is traveling in an orbit with its own motion.”

Oceanography: The Barrier Between Seas

The Quran describes specific physical dynamics of marine environments that were only fully understood after the advent of modern marine science.

"He released the two seas, meeting [side by side]; Between them is a barrier [barzakh] so neither of them transgresses."

— Surah Ar-Rahman (55:19-20)

In Surah An-Nur (24:40), Allah (SWT) has revealed: “Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds – darknesses, some of them upon others. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allah has not granted light – for him there is no light”.

Incredibly, oceanographers have stated that unlike the belief that waves only occur on the surface, there are waves that take place internally in the oceans, below the surface of the water. Invisible to the human eye, these can only be detected through special equipment.

• Scientific Context: In physical oceanography, when two different bodies of water meet (such as the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean), they do not immediately mix.
• The Mechanism: Because of differences in salinity, temperature, and density, a distinct physical barrier or transition zone forms between them, maintaining the unique characteristics of each body of water.

Botany: The Dual Nature of Plant Life

The text references the reproductive structures of plants, highlighting a fundamental biological rule.

Progress in botany at the time of Muhammad (S) was not advanced enough in any country for scientists to know that plants have both male and female parts.

"Glory be to Him Who created all pairs, from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know."

— Surah Ya-Sin (36:36)

“(God is the One who) sent down rain from the sky and with it brought forth a variety of plants in pairs.” Qur’an," 

-Taa Haa (20:53)

“… and of all fruits (God) placed (on the earth) two pairs.” Qur’an,Ar-Raad: 13:3

"And We cause every noble pair (of plants) to grow therein" - Quran Surah Luqman (31:10)

"And We caused to grown therein every kind of beautiful pair. - Quran Surah Qar (50:7).

Fertilizing : "And We have sent the fertilizing winds, and sent down water from the sky and given you drink from it. And you are not its retainers." : Quran Surah Al Hijr : 22

• Scientific Context: For centuries, reproduction in the plant kingdom was poorly understood. Modern botany confirms that plants possess male and female parts (stamen and pistil) necessary for reproduction.
• The Mechanism: Even in monoecious plants (where both sexes live on the same plant), the distinct male and female components function as "pairs" to achieve pollination and produce fruit.

Physics: Subatomic Particles

Classical physics once held that the atom was the absolute smallest, indivisible unit of matter. The Quran implies a deeper layer of physical reality.

• Surah Yunus (10:61) : "And not absent from your Lord is any [part] of an atom's weight within the earth or within the heaven or [anything] smaller than that or greater but that it is in a clear register."
• Surah Az-Zalzalah (99:7) - "So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it" 
• Surah Saba (34:3) - "But those who disbelieve say, 'The Hour will not come to us.' Say, 'Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [Allah is] the Knower of the unseen.' Not absent from Him is an atom's weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register."

• Iron with Meteorites: Surah Al-Hadid (57:25) - "We sent down Iron with its great inherent strength and its many benefits for humankind" - According to M.E. Wairath, iron is not natural to the earth. Scientists state that billions of years ago, the earth was struck by meteorites. It was this meteorites that iron was present and due to explosion on earth, we now have iron available to uas. 
• Scientific Context: The Arabic word used here is Zharrah, historically translated by scholars as an ant or a tiny speck, and later used to mean an "atom."
• The Mechanism: The explicit mention of something "smaller than that" directly mirrors the 20th-century discovery of subatomic particles, including protons, neutrons, electrons, and quarks.

Theological Perspectives

Scholars and thinkers approach these parallels through three main intellectual frameworks: 

• Concordism (I'jaz Scientific): The belief that these verses represent literal scientific miracles meant to validate the divine origin of the Quran to later generations equipped with advanced technology.
• Non-Concordism: A cautionary approach emphasizing that science shifts constantly based on new theories, whereas the Quran is timeless. Tying the text too tightly to modern science might undermine it if those scientific theories change.
• Integrationism: A middle path asserting that while the Quran is not a textbook of science, it actively commands humanity to use reason, observation, and scientific inquiry to understand the universe. 

References:

1. The Muslim Vibes: 13 Scienctific Facts in the Holy Quran.
2. Why Islam: The Quran and Modern Science. 
3. Al Hakam: Quran and Science: Evolution, Big Bang, Embryology, ET Life and Beyond.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

10 August 2026: 9.42 p.m