Steam Explosions in the Quran
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WikiIslam Archive,
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When lava meets the sea it can create a steam explosion. Some Islamic apologists claim that this is described in the verse 82:3.
The "miracle"
When molten lava meets sea water it creates steam explosions.
Steam explosions are often encountered where hot lava meets sea water. Such an occurrence is also called a littoral explosion. A dangerous steam explosion can also be created when liquid water encounters hot, molten metal. As the water explodes into steam, it splashes the burning hot liquid metal along with it, causing an extreme risk of severe burns to anyone located nearby and creating a fire hazard. Wikipedia, Steam Explosions, 2018
Earlier today, a basketball-sized chunk of molten rock slammed into a tour boat off the coast of Hawaii, injuring 23 people and sending at least four to the hospital. The incident happened near the Kilauea volcano, which has been erupting since early May. As USA Today reports, the Lava Ocean Tours boat was hit by falling lava caused by a littoral explosion near the Kapoho volcanic ocean entry, where molten rock from the Kilauea volcano is pouring into the sea. Gizmodo, Nearly Two Dozen People Injured After Lava Bomb Hits Hawaii Tour Boat, 2018
But 1400 years ago explosion of sea water was portrayed in the Quran.
[Quran 82.3] If the seas were exploded.
Today we know where hot lava meets the sea water it makes steam explosions.
How could an illiterate man who lived 1400 years ago have known that sea water can explode?
The context
As we can see from the context, the verse is not about the world today, but about what will happen on the Judgement Day (also known as the Day of Recompense):
82:1 When the sky breaks apart
82:2 And when the stars fall, scattering,
82:3 And when the seas are erupted
82:4 And when the [contents of] graves are scattered,
82:5 A soul will [then] know what it has put forth and kept back.
82:6 O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous,
82:7 Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you?
82:8 In whatever form He willed has He assembled you.
82:9 No! But you deny the Recompense.
82:10 And indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers,
82:11 Noble and recording;
82:12 They know whatever you do.
82:13 Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure,
82:14 And indeed, the wicked will be in Hellfire.
82:15 They will [enter to] burn therein on the Day of Recompense,
If the sura is about the world today, then it is a scientific error, because for example the sky is not broken apart. But the verse 82:15 explicitly says that it is about the Day of Judgement (يوم الدين). The Quran describes a lot of supernatural events that will happen on the Judgement Day and the "explosion" can be one of them. So it's not a description of nature and therefore it's not about science.
The verse
The word فجرت (fujjirat) is not usually translated as "exploded":
Pickthall: When (إذا) the seas are poured forth (فجرت),
Yusuf Ali: When the Oceans are suffered to burst forth;
Muhsin Khan: And when the seas are burst forth (got dried up);
Sahih International: And when the seas are erupted
Dr. Ghali: And when the seas will be made to gush forth,
Mufti Taqi Usmani: and when the seas will be burst forth,
- The miracle is called "Steam explosion", but steam was not mentioned in the verse at all
- Lava was also not mentioned
- The word إذا (idhaa) at the beginning is unanimously translated as "when", not "if".
- Apologists probably translated it as "if" to hide the fact that the verse is not talking about the present but about the Day of Judgement in the future
Tafsir al-Jalalyn explained the verse this way:
and when the seas are burst forth released one upon the other forming one mass of water so that the sweet water mixes with the salty;
Fujjirat
Other form of the verb fujjirat ("gush forth") was mentioned in the story of Noah:
54:9 The people of Noah denied before them, and they denied Our servant and said, "A madman," and he was repelled.
54:10 So he invoked his Lord, "Indeed, I am overpowered, so help."
54:11 Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down
54:12
Sahih International: And caused the earth to burst (وفجرنا, wafajjarnaa) with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined.
Yusuf Ali: And We caused the earth to gush forth with springs, so the waters met (and rose) to the extent decreed.
Pickthall: And caused the earth to gush forth springs, so that the waters met for a predestined purpose.
Muhsin Khan: And We caused the earth to gush forth with springs. So the waters (of the heaven and the earth) met for a matter predestined.
Were the springs exploding like bombs or were they just bursting out of the Earth?
The verb was also mentioned in this parable:
18:32 And present to them an example of two men: We granted to one of them two gardens of grapevines, and We bordered them with palm trees and placed between them [fields of] crops.
18:33 Each of the two gardens produced its fruit and did not fall short thereof in anything. And We caused to gush forth (وفجرنا) within them a river.
18:34 And he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, "I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in [numbers of] men."
Was this a dangerous explosion?
The "explosions" are also waiting for believers in heaven:
76:5 Indeed, the righteous will drink from a cup [of wine] whose mixture is of Kafur,
76:6 A spring of which the [righteous] servants of Allah will drink; they will make it gush forth (يفجرونها, yufajjiroonahaa) in force [and abundance].
Just because fajjara is used for explosions in today's Arabic doesn't mean that the original word in the 7th century had the same meaning.
See also
- Relational Algebra Miracle in the Quran
- Gravitational Lensing in the Quran
- Scientific Miracles in the Quran
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