Qur'anic Commentary & Analysis through the Lens of Modern Science [13]

"The Qur'an follows its method of solving cultural, political, social and economic problems. The principles and practice of law is handled in a manner quite distinct from sociologists, lawyers, and jurists. Morality is thought in a way that has no parallel in the realm of literature on the subject."
--- Translation of the Qur'an(Introductory Comment) by Yusuf Ali, Third Edition 1998
Historical Discoveries Vindicating the Holy Qur'an
The Qur'an, apart from making numerous scientific prophecies, is also replete with information and revelation about the amazing historic events and incidents of the ancient generations that had happened long before the emergence of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) . And below are few of them:
The City of Iram
"Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with 'Aad (people of) Iram who had lofty pillars, the like of whom no nation was created in the lands of the world?"--- Q:89:9
Analysis: The commentators of the Qur'an state that 'Aad Iram refers to an earlier tribe of the people of 'Aad known as 'Aadu Ula, or the former 'Aad. They were totally unknown to ancient Arab historians. The Qur'an for the first time mentioned them as 'Aad Iram i.e. the tribe of 'Aad that lived in the city of Iram.
The "National Geography" issue of December, 1978 gave an interesting account of an ancient city called Elba which was excavated in Syria in 1973. The city was found to be forty three centuries old. The magazine also stated that this city had a library which had a record of the neighboring cities with which the people of Elba did business. Strange enough, there on the list of cities was the name of a city called Iram. How Muhammad(PBUH) in the sixth century could have gained the knowledge of a city which was forty three centuries old, and which was discovered by the archeologists as recently as 1973, unless Allah, the Exalted gave this information to him?
The People of 'Aad
"And remember (Hud) the brother of 'Aad. When he warned his people in the wind curved sand hills: Worship Allah, truly I fear for you the torment of a mighty day. They said: Have you come in order to turn us away from our gods? Then bring upon is the(calamity) with which you threaten us, if you are telling the truth?..Then, when they saw a dense cloud coming towards their valley, they said: This cloud will give us rain. Nay, it is the (calamity) you are asking to be hastened! A wind wherein is a grievous penalty. Everything will it destroy by the command of its Lord. So they become such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings, Thus do we recompense the sinners." --- Q-46:21-25
Analysis: The commentators of the Qur'an state that a part of the people of 'Aad survived the first destruction and flourished in other cities. These are known as 'Aad Ukhra, or the other 'Aad. They also disobeyed their Prophets and were destroyed as the former 'Aad.
An American Muslim magazine, "The Message" in its issue of March 1992, had reported that a team of archeologists from Southern California have recently discovered the ruins of the city of the people of 'Aad, who were the contemporaries of the people of Thamud. The Qur'an gives references to its people in twenty-four different places. Among all the religious scriptures of the world, only the Qur'an has spoken about this city and its people. The Old and New Testaments do not say anything about it. Neither Muhammad (PBUH) nor any of those living around him ever traveled to this area, he would have not known this city, since it is deeply buried in the sand. The Jews, Christians and atheists state that Muhammad (PBUH) is the author of the Qur'an. No one could, however, explain the source of this immense knowledge to Muhammad(PBUH). The truth is that, Allah the Exalted revealed this knowledge to Muhammad(PBUH) as an evident proof for the validity of His Divine Message.
The People of Aikah
"But the earthquake took them unaware, and they lay prostrate in their homes. The men who rejected Shu'ab became as if they had never been in the homes where they had flourished; the men who rejected Shu'ab were ruined." --- Q-7:91-92
"As the people of Al Aikah were also wrong-doers, so, We(Allah) took vengeance to them, and the ruined habitations of these two communities lie upon the open highway." --- Q-15:78
Analysis: The people of Aikah was the community where Prophets Shu'ab, May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him was sent. Geographers have now discovered this habitation close to the present city of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. One can still visit these ruins and witness the authenticity and vindication of these verses of the Qur'an. Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) was neither a geographer nor a traveler. It is very clear that Allah revealed this information to Muhammad (PBUH) who then transmitted it to us through the Qur'an.
The People of Hijr
"To the Thamud people(We sent) Salih, one of their own brethren; He said: O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other God but Allah…The arrogant party(of people) said: For our part, we reject what you believe in…So the earthquake took them unaware, and they lay prostrate(dead) in their homes."---Q-7:71-78
"The people of Al-Hijr also treated the Messengers as imposters, and we (Allah) sent our revelations, and (also) showed to them our signs, but they persisted in turning away from them; They use to carve their houses into mountain, feeling secure; But at last a violent blast overlook them with the approach of morning and all that they had achieved proved no avail to them." --- Q-15:80-84
Analysis: Historians say that Al-Hijr was the capital city of the people of Thamud who are considered to be the fifth descendant generation of Prophet Noah, Allah blessings be upon him. Its ruins are now discovered near the modern city of Al Ula, which lies on the route from Medina to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Ibn Batuta, the great explorer and the traveler of eight century, visited this place and noted: "I have seen the buildings of Thamud carved into red mountains. Their painting looked so bright as if they had been there only recently…and the rotten bones of the inhabitants are still present in their ruins. It is a miracle of the Qur'an that one can witness this truth by his own eyes even today.
Husseini Yushau BabalWaiz, is the Research & Outreach Coordinator at the Center for Media & Peace Initiatives Inc. New York, Author of three books, including "Not good without God" & Tutor in Arabic & Islamic Studies in New York, babalwaiz71@gmail.com
Further Reading:
1-The Prophecies of the Holy Qur'an, by Sheikh Muhammad Ashraf.
2- The Message International, ICNA, 1992.
3- Divine Revelation or Forgery?, by Abul Maudoodi, 1981.