chapter vii

Rains In The Quran

The rains are part of the earth sciences. It is very interesting to note that the Holy Quran has given a very comprehensive account of the rains.

Under the heading ‘Quran the Exponent of the Modern science’ I have drawn attention of the readers on verse 164 of S.II. of the Quran wherein God had invited mankind to contemplate into phenomena of nature. In the verse, a very important aspect of life is stated viz a viz rains:

Lo! In the creation of the heaven and the earth, in the alteration of night and day; in sailing of the ships which run upon the sea; for the profit of mankind; and in the rain which Allah send down from the sky. Thereby reviving the earth after its death; and in scattering all the kinds of beasts therein; and in the change of the winds and the clouds subdued (to the winds) between heaven and earth: Are signs for people who have sense, (to believe in His divine Omnipotence). (2/164)

Herein above the Quran refers to the creation of the skies and the earth, the alteration of day and night. The discussion on this phenomena has already preceded and it has been proved that how the modern science has endorsed all the Quranic facts after a very long denial.

The Quran further points out to the benefit of mankind drawn from the seas and rains. The day and night, seas, winds, clouds and rains all are inter-connected. The glowing sun radiates its beams over the earth. The axial rotation of the earth causes the alteration of day and night. The radiation and the winds both make water to evaporate. The evaporation of the water is also stated in another verse of the Quran

ARABIC TEXT (Wal bahr al masjoor) (52/6)

ENGLISH VERSION. The ocean keeps heating.

The root word is Arabic for ‘al masjoor’ is ‘sajara’ means heating of the oven.

When we say ‘al bahr al masjoor’ it shall mean ocean keep heating.

Ibn Abbas in the explanation of the verse ‘Wa iz al behar sujjerat’ meaning when the oceans will boil up, said, “Allah will send the winds from the west which will change them i.e. oceans into flaming heat.” (Ibn Kathir). This verse pertains to Doomsday when the sun will come close to the moon. (See Stars and Planets). Ibn Kathir explaining the verse ‘al bahr al masjoor’ took the contention of Ibn Abbas and explained its meaning with another word ‘Tajjala’. In the book ‘Al Mawrid’ by Munir Baalbki, the word heat means ‘Tajjala’. However, Ibn Kathir referred to Qatada who said: The Ocean kept filled. Ibn Jarir following Qatada translated ‘al masjoor’, the ocean kept filled, “Because we don’t see them flaming.” The meaning ‘ocean kept filled’ were interpreted because this verse ‘al bahr al masjoor’ does not relate to Doomsday.

The above condition of the exegetes made it clear that the correct and the dictionary meaning are, ‘and the ocean keeps heating. ‘This is also note worthy that this is not a common statement of the Quran but has been given due emphasis God has adjured by five things in the beginning of this surah and the ocean keep heating being the fifth.

In the time of Qatada or Ibn Jarir everyone was unaware of the radiation and that it is causing heating of the oceans or seas. It was, therefore, they interpret the meaning not relevant to the word in the text. Now in our times we know that the seawater and the earth’s surface keep heating due to radiation. Further, it is also established that the ocean floor has a flow of heat from the earth’s interior. And this heat flow through the ocean floor is, in general, comparable to the heat flow through the continents (24). Thus, the radiation on one hand and heat flow from the interior of the earth through ocean floor keeps the oceans heating as described by the Holy Quran.

24) The heating of the ocean by flow of heat from the earth’s interior was established in 1950. (See Encyclopedia Britannica, ‘Sea Floor Spreading’)

The heat and the wind make the water to evaporate. As a result of heating the atmosphere here becomes unstable, whereas the temperature decreases with the height. The winds get an upward trend and they raise the vapour to high altitudes. The Quran says:

And Allah it is who sendeth the winds and they raise a cloud. (35/9)

Now we shall see how do the winds raise a cloud as described by the Quran.

The winds carry with them the minute solid particles like dust, salt crystals, carbon particles in smoke, pollen grains, etc.

These particles form the condensation nuclei. The conversion of the water vapour into droplets of water (cloud) is called condensation. It starts when the air is beyond the level of saturation in the atmosphere. The cooling of the atmosphere lending to condensation takes place primarily by ascent of the air. The Quran explaining the basic cause of formation of the clouds in earlier 7th century said:

And We send the winds fertilising and cause water to descend from the sky, and give it you to drink. It is not ye the holders of the store thereof. (35/22)

The Arabic word ‘Lawaqih’ used in the Arabic text means fertilising or fecundating. As already said the condensation of vapour occurs due to the particles in atmosphere i.e. the fertilising of the vapour into droplets of water is due to the aforesaid particles which are called condensation nuclei. Our scientists say, that the condensation occurs on some variety of the aerosol particles present in the atmosphere, for continued condensation leading to formation of cloud, the air must be slightly saturated, the highly efficient condensation nuclei are the particles produced by the evaporation of water. The most likely of atmosphere ice nuclei is provided by soil and mineral dust particles carried aloft by the winds.

However, the fecundating winds as described by the Quran mix the particles with vapour and carrying them into high altitudes play chief roll in the final formation of the clouds.

Then further, the air helps in aggregating the condensed water into droplets. A rain droplet is produced by an accumulation of about a million minute droplets present in the clouds. Only then, the droplets become big enough to fall down to the earth through the atmosphere. This process is called precipitation. This results in aggregating millions of cloud particles into a smaller number of rain droplets. Strong vertical air currents and high concentration of liquid water all these factors favour the rapid growth of precipitation.

It is also said that most of the precipitation, particles carry an electro static charge, either positive or negative and the charge is produced by rebound of the ice crystals or a small fraction of the cloud droplets that collide by the action of the air with the falling hail pellets. Thus, electrical effects culminating in lightening accompany the development of the precipitation in convective clouds. The Quran speaks at many places of lightening and thunder along with rains.

Lastly, the winds carry pollen to the sticky stigmas of angiosperms or to the naked ovules of gymnosperms causing fertilization. The insects also carry the pollens. The air makes pollen or grains travel into a stratosphere. In fact, most falls to the parent plants or soon washed out by rain, hail or snow. It has also been noticed that a few grains of Ephedra and Nothafagus blow east from South America to Tristanda Cunha (about 4400 KM) in the Subantarctic. These have been found in the peat bogs.

However the Quran very clearly mentioned that the winds fertilize i.e. the evaporation into condensation (clouds) and then bring its precipitation i.e. rains on one hand and on the other, they cause the fertilization of the plants. Thus, the dead earth is revived.

Is it not amazing that the Quran in the 7th century described all this basic science? Where as the scientist could find these details of the fertilizing winds in the 18th and 19th century. It was only after the invention of the microscope that they could see the condensation nuclei.

Describing the effects of the winds on the clouds that Quran says:

Allah is He Who sendeth the winds so that they raise clouds and spreadeth them along the sky as pleaseth Him, and causeth them to break, and thou seest the rain down-pouring from within them. And when he maketh it to fall on whom He will of His bondmen, lo! They rejoice. ()

We have already seen that the winds cause the condensation and then precipitation and thus we have the rains. It is also note-worthy that salt crystals have mostly been found in condensation nuclei because water vaporizes from the seas and oceans. It is, therefore, within the power of God to vaporize salt along with water to make rainwater saltish as He said:

Have ye observed the water, which ye drink? Is it ye who shed it from nimbus cloud or are We the shedder? If We willed we verily could make it bitter. Why, then, ye give no thanks. (56/68-70)

Is it not incredible that in 7th century when the world was blind to the scientific notions the Quran told us that the rainwater can be made saltish? And after more than 1300 years we did find that the salt crystals make the condensation nuclei. And a mere change of heat temperature along with the winds can make the rain water like sea water.

However, Allah is merciful on His bondmen, the rains are His mercy and the famine is His curse, He said:

Lo! Thy Lord enlargeth the provision for whom He will, and straiteneth (it for whom He will ). For He is knower, Seer of His slaves. (17/30)

Somewhere the torrential hail and rains bring famine. But mostly the rains bring glad tidings to mankind. We see that all the forces of nature are subdued to the will and plan of God.

CLOUDS CLASSIFICATION AND THE HOLY QURAN

The Encyclopedia of Science and Technology mentioning the classification of the clouds started that the first classification was that of Howard (London, 1803), i.e. the stratiform (layer), cumuliform (heap), and cerriform (fibrous). The world meteorological organization (WHO) uses a classification, which, with minor modifications, dates from 1894. But when we peep into Quran, we find that this Book of God gave the classification of the clouds, which dates back to 7th century. I offer few of the citations from this great Book mentioning the kinds of the clouds

He it is who showeth you the lightning, a fear and a hope, And raiseth the dense (rain) clouds. (13/12)

And He it is who sendeth the winds as tidings heralding His mercy, till when they raise a dense (rain) cloud, We lead it to dead land, and the cause water to descend thereon and thereby bring forth fruits of every kind. Thus bring We forth the dead. Haply ye may remember. (7/57)

Hast thou not see how Allah wafeth the clouds, then gathereth them. Then maketh them cumulus and thou seest the rain come forth from between; He sendeth them form the sky, from mountains wherein is hail, and smiteth therewith (whom) He intends, and avereth it from whom He will. The flash of His lightening well-nigh blight the sight. (24/43)

The above three verses mention two kinds of clouds.

The dense rain cloud and the cumulus cloud. The words in the Arabic text ‘Al Sehab altheqal’ means heavy (rain) cloud or dense (rain) cloud and the other word ‘Rukama’in the text means cumulus i.e. cumulus cloud. See the dictionary (Al Mawrid by Munir Baalbaki).

Mentioning another scientific fact in the above-cited verse (24/43), the Quran states falling of the rain from the sky and from mountains. Now it has been universally accepted that the mountains also help in bringing the rains. When the continent is warmed by solar radiation, an ocean to land air current is established. Unstable moist air is carried inland and is forced to rise up the steep slopes of the mountains. When it reaches to high altitudes, it is super-cooled. That is what happens when summer monsoons from Indian Ocean strike Himalayas, as a result showers and thunders storms are produced in great abundance. Cherrapunji (India) records 457 inches of average rain.

In Europe wettest places with an average of sixty inches or more, include the high land of Ireland, Britain, and the Alps, all these come into Mediterranean region. The other wetted places are the east coast of Adriatic sea and the east coast of the Black Sea, where as westerly winds blow directly against the high ground.

The rainiest part of North America is the pacific coastal strip north of latitude 40 degree, where the westerly winds meet the mountains and the average exceeds hundred inches per year.

The 20th century scientist could gather this knowledge through observation and told us that the mountains regions and the high lands have most of the rainfall. But how marvelous it is! That the Quran in 7th century told us coming of the rains and hail from the sky and from the mountains.

The Quran also mentioned hail, which is part of ice. The ice crystals are formed on high altitudes in condensation.Telling another form of the cloud the Quran tells:

Have ye observed the water, which ye drink. It is ye who shed it from the nimbus cloud or we the shedder. (565/68- 69)

For the nimbus cloud, the Arabic word is ‘muzn’.

The Quran also mentioned ‘Sahab al musakhar’ meaning the cloud subdued to or obedient to (the winds). This is the fact that all the clouds are subdued to the winds. We also find the verse telling:

And We have sent down from the rainy clouds abundant water. (78/14)

Thus, the Quran’s classification of the clouds, the dense or the heavy rain cloud, cumulus cloud, nimbus cloud, rainy clouds dates back to 7th century. One shall strike with amazement after looking into all these details of rain so beautifully described by the Quran in those days of scientific ignorance.

One has to accept that the Quran is Book of God, the Creator, the Omniscient of all things. It is He who could describe the earth sciences at the time when the people had not known the ABC of the science. We the Muslims believe that God is Unique, the Quran is His Book and His Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihi wasallem) came with a perfect code of life to serve in all aspects of life till Doomsday.