Muhammad's 'Star Wars'
The Qur'an's Interesting Take on 'Shooting Stars'
We are often told that one of the major ‘proofs’ of the Qur’an’s reliability is the claim that it contains many scientific miracles. For this assertion to be taken seriously, we should be able to turn to the Qur’an for accurate scientific information on a variety of topics. So, let’s take a moment to consider how the Qur’an explains ‘shooting stars.’
The commonly accepted scientific explanation can be presented as follows: A meteorite is a collection of matter that travels through space. When a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere, friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause the body to heat up and emit light, thus forming a fireball, also known as a shooting or falling star.
The Qur’an, however, offers a rather different perspective on the matter: “And verily, We have beautified the world’s heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them, We have prepared the doom of flame.” (Qur’an 67:5)
Muslim apologists generally respond to such statements by asserting that the verse is to be taken figuratively. This leaves us with a simple question: Are we to understand that the Qur’an should always be taken literally when it is confirmed by modern science, but always taken figuratively when it is contradicted by modern science?
For much more in-depth analysis of the truth claims of Islam, please see my book: Questioning Islam - Tough Questions and Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion.
Kind regards,
Peter
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