Does the Quran contain all the information? The following is stated in verse 59 of the chapter of al-Anam: “We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims.”

Dear Brother / Sister,

“We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims.” (1)

“We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things.” (2)

Acting upon the verses above and similar ones, some people say, “Everything is in the Quran.” Is there really everything in the Quran? If so, how?

Yes, everything is in the Quran. However, it is not in the form of details, but essentials. It is like the plan and program of the tree being written in a small seed and signs indicating the laws that exist in the universe and in the realm of humanity.

The Quran and the universe are two books of Allah. One is the manifestation of His attribute of kalam and the other is the manifestation of His attribute of power. There is everything in the universe, which comes from Allah’s attribute of power, but not everyone can see everything. For example, there was electricity in the world before Edison discovered electricity. However, people were not aware of it. Edison did not create electricity out of nothing; he found something that existed. Therefore, scholars such as Edison, Newton and Archimedes are not the makers of the laws in nature, but the finders of them. They are discoverers, not inventors.

The same holds true for the verses of the Quran. Tafsir scholars try to understand the vast meanings of the Quran. Each of them can see and find some secrets. The course of time also helps to reveal the secrets of the Quran. For example,

“We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers.” (3)

The secret of the “fingertips” mentioned in the verse above was understood better in the 19th century when it was discovered that everyone’s fingerprints were different. In this regard, it is possible to give examples of hundreds of verses pointing to scientific developments. Examples and details of the issue can be found in Celal Kırca’s book entitled “Kur’an-ı Kerim ve Modern İlimler”.

In addition, the miracles of the prophets mentioned in the Quran also have messages related to the future. Verses of the Quran indicate that it is possible to extract water from the ground with simple tools like the staff of the Prophet Musa (Moses), to heal all kinds of diseases like the Prophet Isa (Jesus), to benefit from birds like the Prophet Sulayman (Solomon), to forge iron like the Prophet Dawud (David), not to be burned in fire like the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), to build big ships like the Prophet Nuh (Noah) and to bring things from a great distance either in the form of their shapes or themselves like the Prophet Sulayman (Solomon). (4)

We would like to draw attention to the following principles regarding knowledge in the Quran:

1. The Quran mentions everything. The verses of the Quran mention all the basic subjects such as sky-earth, world-afterlife, good deed-sin, Paradise-Hell, Allah-realm.

2. There are signs of today’s science and technology in the Quran. However, the relevant verses do not indicate them in detail, but in terms of principles. Saying, “There are no signs indicating scientific developments in the Quran” is an understatement. Saying, “There are detailed signs indicating scientific developments in the Quran” is an overstatement. It is necessary to keep away from both extremes.

3. The Quran is not a history-geography book. The real wisdom behind the Quran’s being sent down is

“To teach about the perfections and acts in the sphere of lordship and the duties and circumstances in the sphere of worship.” (5)

In other words, it is to introduce Allah to us and to teach us our servitude duties.

4. Saying, “It exists is in the Quran!” in the face of every new discovery or popular theory may result in some drawbacks in the future. The Quran, which comes from the Divine Knowledge, does not need to be supported by some “scientific props”. Trying to find such support means accepting science as primary and the Quran as secondary. However, what is essential is the eternal and immutable decrees of the Quran. No decree of science can be contrary to the Quran. How can the word of the One who created the universe be contrary to the laws of the universe?

References:

1. al-An’am, 6/59.
2. an-Nahl, 16/89.
3. al-Qiyamah, 75/4.
4. The issue can be viewed in detail on pages 235-249 of Said Nursi’s book entitled Sözler.
5. Nursi, Sözler, p. 147.
6. an-Nahl, 16/43.

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