AS EVIDENCED BY THE SCIENTIFIC SIGNS IN THE QUR’AN AND BY MODERN SCIENCE
Another scientific knowledge that was referred to in the Qur’an centuries before man’s actual discovery of it relates to the composition of the atmosphere. It is now known that the higher we ascend in the sky the less air we would find, and thus the less oxygen so vital for respiration. A person flying at great heights in aircraft or air balloon would feel a sharp contraction of the lungs causing pain.
At the time of the revelation of the Qur’an in the 7th century, no one would have known that ascending in the sky would cause constriction and pain in the chest, simply because it was way before the age of air flight (ascending in the sky).
Allah The All Mighty says in the Qur’an:
“So, whomsoever ALLAH intends to guide, HE expands his bosom for the acceptance of Islam; and whomsoever HE intends that he should go astray, HE makes his bosom narrow and close, as though he was mounting up into the skies. Thus does ALLAH inflict punishment on those who do not believe.”
(Qur’an, 6:125)
It has been proven by aeronautics that when man is exposed to high altitude, space; he suffers from some physiological symptoms that would vary between feeling tightness in his chest and getting into a critical stage if he continues being exposed to high altitude and low atmospheric pressure. Is there any relationship between what was mentioned in the verse and recent scientific discoveries??
Scientific facts concerning the state of man in high altitude:
- Layers of the atmosphere and its physiological effect on man:
a. The Physiologically Sufficient area for human being is from sea level up to 10,000 feet above sea level. The oxygen in this layer is physiologically sufficient for human survival.
b. The Physiologically Insufficient area, is between 10,000 -50,000 feet. In this area there is a deficiency in oxygen, in addition to low atmospheric pressure. This would result in clear physiological symptoms on the human body, and so symptoms of Hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) and Desparism (low atmospheric pressure) take place.
c. Near Space Area (of the earth): from 50,0,000 feet. From the physiological point of view man can’t live in altitudes higher 50,000 feet even if he breathes 100% oxygen. He should then wear a space suit to tolerate the decrease in atmospheric pressure and oxygen deficiency.
- Symptoms of the stages of Hypoxia:
This is divided into four stages depending on the atmospheric pressure , altitude and blood oxygen concentration.
a. From sea level to 10,000 feet no symptoms of Hypoxia appear.
b. From 10,000-16,000 feet physiological compensatory systems of the human body prevent symptoms of Hypoxia from appearing except if the period of exposure is too long. Then breathing becomes faster and deeper, pulse and blood pressure also increase.
c. From 16,000-25,000 feet, physiological systems do not function and cannot provide tissues with sufficient oxygen, and the afore mentioned symptoms appear. At this stage we find a clear explanation of the tightness of the chest one feels at this altitude (Note: Qur’an verse 6:125).
d. The Critical Stage is from 25,000 feet and higher. At this stage man completely loses consciousness due to the failure of the nervous system. Changes that occur in the chest reach their maxima at this altitude and then there will be complete physiological failure of heart functions and respiration.
Scientific signs in the Qur’an:
The Holy Qur’an in verse: “And whomsoever He wills to send astray He makes his breast closed and constricted… ”6:125 mentions that tightness would occur in the chest when going up in the sky, which has now been proven by modern science. Ascending to higher altitudes causes the symptoms of Hypoxia and Desparism. This leads to tightness of the chest because of the expansion of gases in the body cavities and their pressure on the lungs. In addition to this the evolving of the dissolved gases (in the body) in the form of bubbles at high altitude causes severe chest pains. So the words of Allah “He makes his breast closed ” present a brief and precise explanation to the physiological changes occurring in man at these high altitudes. This scientific fact mentioned in the Qur’an, was not discovered except after years of research. As for the word “constricted ” it refers to what happens to man when he continues to rise in high altitude until he gets to the Critical Height as mentioned before which is 25,000 feet and higher when man loses consciousness due to failure of the nervous system.