Author: Mufti Noor Mohammad Mohibi
The Quran; A Miracle Beyond Time – A Study of Its Miraculous Nature (Part 20)
The Darkness of Space and the Scientific Miracle of the Noble Qur’an
The Noble Qur’an, in addition to being a book of guidance and ethics, also contains profound signs of the truths of existence—signs that, over time and with the advancement of human knowledge, gradually become clear one after another. One of the most astonishing of these signs is the Qur’an’s precise reference to “absolute darkness” in the space beyond Earth’s atmosphere—a phenomenon that remained unknown until the beginning of space exploration in the twentieth century. This section presents a scientific analysis of this phenomenon, explores the experiences of astronauts, and compares these with Qur’anic verses.
Space Experience and Human Astonishment
In one of the space missions, a spacecraft was launched in broad daylight from Earth. Shortly after passing through the layers of the atmosphere, one of the astronauts contacted the control center and, with amazement, said: “We’ve gone blind—we can’t see anything anymore!”
Even though the sun was still shining brightly, no light was visible around them. The environment had plunged into absolute darkness—a phenomenon that humanity encountered directly for the first time.
The Physical Analysis of Space Darkness
The reason the sky appears bright during the day is due to a phenomenon called “light scattering” or scattering. When the sun’s rays enter Earth’s atmosphere, they collide with air particles, water vapor, and dust. As a result, the light is scattered in various directions. This phenomenon, known in physics as Rayleigh scattering, is what allows us to see light from all directions—even in places where direct sunlight doesn’t reach, such as inside a mosque or home.
However, in outer space, there is no air or suspended particles. Though sunlight still travels through space, since there is nothing to scatter the light, space remains dark. This reality was empirically confirmed only after spacecrafts were launched and passed beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
The Astonishing Statement of the Noble Qur’an
More than fourteen centuries ago, the Noble Qur’an conveyed this scientific reality with remarkable subtlety and precision in the following verse: (وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَابًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فَظَلُّوا فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ لَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَارُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَّسْحُورُونَ) [Surah Al-Hijr: 14–15] Translation: “If We were to open for them a gate into the sky, and they were to continue ascending through it, they would surely say: ‘Our eyes have been dazzled! Rather, we have been bewitched!’”
In this verse, people are described as ascending to the sky but encountering something that leads them to say their eyes have been “sealed” or “covered”: “سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَارُنَا”—an expression that directly matches the experience of astronauts who, upon entering outer space, felt they had gone blind due to the absolute darkness.
Does this alignment between the Qur’anic description and scientific discovery not serve as a clear testimony to the Qur’an’s scientific miracle?
The Promise of Discovering Signs in the Horizons
In another verse, the Noble Qur’an promises that, over time, divine signs will be revealed in the horizons and within human beings: (سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ) [Surah Fussilat: 53] Translation: “We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it (the Qur’an) is the Truth.”
The use of the particle “سَـ” at the beginning of the verb “سَنُرِيهِمْ” indicates the future tense—showing that this promise refers to a gradual unveiling over time. Allah, the Exalted, declares that the signs confirming the truth of the Qur’an will be revealed gradually, in step with scientific progress. The phenomenon of the darkness of space is one of those manifest signs “in the horizons” that is now well-known to all.
To summarize: the Qur’an’s reference to the absolute darkness of cosmic space—made at a time when neither the concept of “atmosphere” was understood, nor space travel was possible—is definitive evidence of the Qur’an’s divine origin and its everlasting miraculous nature.
Such verses and signs call us to deeper reflection upon the Divine Word, so that our faith may grow stronger, and our lives may become more firmly aligned with divine guidance. Without a doubt, understanding the Qur’an from a scientific perspective—alongside its ethical and legal aspects—is essential for a comprehensive grasp of this radiant Book of Wisdom. [1]
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[1] Summary derived from: Mawsu‘at al-I‘jaz al-‘Ilmi fi al-Qur’an wa al-Sunnah, Vol. 2, pp. 5–7.
