Science and Signs in the Quran

“Or (they are) like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds – darknesses, some of them upon others. When one puts out his hand (therein), he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allah has not granted light – for him there is no light.”(Quran 24:40)

The Mystery of the Deep Sea Revealed in the Quran: A Sea Within a Sea!

By A.S.M. Razan

Friends, who among you enjoys going to the beach? Standing on the shore and feeling the waves wash over your feet is such a delightful experience, isn’t it? We usually think that waves occur only on the surface of the ocean. However, modern science has discovered a strange reality: deep within the belly of the ocean, a massive world of internal waves is constantly in motion, unknown to most.

While we can swim and fish in the familiar parts of the ocean, the environment changes drastically as we go deeper. Sunlight gradually fades until it disappears completely. Scientists state that beyond 200 meters, light begins to dim, and once you descend beyond 1,000 meters, you enter a realm where sunlight cannot penetrate at all. It is a region of absolute darkness, akin to the state of a person born blind. In these depths, if a human were to stretch out their hand in front of their face, they would not even be able to see it-that is how intense the darkness is.

Moving to the next interesting point: while surface waves are caused by wind, “internal waves” are formed deep within the ocean where layers of water with different densities (cold and warm) meet. These are significantly larger than the waves we see on the surface. It was only in the 20th century, with the help of submarines and modern scanning technology, that scientists were able to discover these internal waves.

Remarkably, the Quran described this scientific reality with pinpoint accuracy 1,400 years ago, long before modern technology allowed humans to explore the deep ocean.

In the Quran, it is stated: “Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds – darknesses, some of them upon others. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allah has not granted light – for him there is no light.”(Quran 24:40)

When we analyze this verse, we see that it describes the deep sea being covered by waves, and over those waves, there are yet more waves. This refers to the layered structure of the ocean-the internal waves beneath and the surface waves above. It also vividly captures the absolute darkness of the deep sea where even one’s own hand remains invisible.

To simplify this, imagine a glass filled halfway with thick syrup and topped with water. If you gently shake the glass, the syrup at the bottom moves as one wave, and the water at the top moves as another. This is exactly how internal waves form where water of different densities meets.

How could a person living in the desert 1,400 years ago-without oxygen tanks or submarines-know about the existence of internal waves and the absolute darkness of the deep sea? This is a testament that the One who created the universe and the depths of the ocean is the only One who could have revealed such secrets to humanity. This deep-sea miracle serves as a profound scientific sign for all who possess the power to reflect.

References:

• The Holy Quran:Surah An-Nur (The Light), Verse 40 (24:40).
• Scientific Context: The study of “Internal Waves” (also known as internal gravity waves) in physical oceanography. These waves propagate along density gradients (pycnoclines) within the ocean, as described in oceanographic literature (e.g., Introduction to Physical Oceanography).
• Historical/Theological Context: Commentaries (Tafsir) on the Quran, such as Tafsir Ibn Kathir, which explain the descriptions of the deep ocean and the nature of the layers of darkness described in the verse.

About the Author: A.S.M. Razan (Abdul Salam Mohamed Razan) writes on Islam and science, with particular interest in the relationship between Qur’anic revelation and discoveries in biology, astronomy and cosmology. He is a physiotherapy student at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and has a background in Biological Sciences. He is a guest writer for PEACE Magazine.

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