Honourable dignitaries on the Dias and off the Dias.
Good afternoon and Salaams!
At the outset I express my gratitude to The Creator who has given me a chance to interact with intellectuals of society. I am also in debt of Centre for Dialogue between Religion, Education Science and Society (CDRESS) team, specially Dr. Roy for his efforts towards a noble cause. I thank him, and his dedicated team.
Man is truth seeking creation. Since his arrival on this plant he is continuously in search of understanding this universe, his role in creation plan and purpose of his life. This quest made him to explore amazing natural laws governing the Universe. The Universe is invested with a profound significance. This fact explicitly shows that some Mind is at work behind the creation and sustenance of all the creatures and habitants the Universe. It is impossible for anything to be as meaningful as the universe is without an intellectual planning behind it. A Universe coming into existence by a blind, materialistic process could never evince such sequence, order and meaningfulness. The universe is such a wonderfully balanced organization that it is quite inconceivable that the order and balance could have come about accidentally.
So many essential conditions are necessary for life to exist on our earth that it is mathematically impossible that all of them could exist in proper relationship by chance. Therefore, there must be in Nature some form of intelligent direction. If this be true, then there must be a purpose. Final Testament describes the purpose of human life on this earth.
Al-Qur’an is the main source of guidance for all mankind. Since the message of the Qur’an is for all times, it should be relevant to every age. Does the Qur’an pass this test? Let us check it through science.
I am a nuclear physics person. I never accepted any unscientific, unreasonable, unjust and illogical statement, specially about religion. So I started analytical study of the Holy Qur’an in its original text, not through translation or interpretation. Respected audience, I found the Final Testament in resonance with every scientific fact, described more than 14 centuries back. I will share a brief account of few scientific facts here due to lack of time.
1. Creation of the Universe : "The Big Bang"
The creation of the universe is explained by astrophysicists with “Big Bang Theory”. According to it the whole universe was initially one big mass (Primary Nebula). Then there was a “Big Bang” which resulted in the formation of Galaxies. The origin of the Universe was unique and the probability of it occurring by “chance” is zero. It is said in chapter 21 verse 30
"The heavens and the earth were one single entity,
WE then parted them with a great bang"
And there was an Initial Gaseous mass before the Creation of Galaxies as described in 41/11.
"And HE applied HIS design to the skies, which were smoke . . ."
Again, this fact is a corollary to the ‘Big Bang’ and was not known to the Arabs during the time of Prophet Muhammad. What then, could have been the source of this knowledge?
2. Shape of Earth
The earth is not exactly round like a ball, but geo-spherical i.e. flattened at the poles. Its shape is described in 79/30.
“And the earth, HE made it egg shaped’’
3. The Light of the Moon is Reflected Light
Science tells us that moon has reflected light. It is mentioned in the Qur’an chapter 25 verse 61:
"Blessed is HE who has set up in the skies great constellations,
and has placed among them a luminous light-giving moon."
Qur’an recognizes the difference between sun light and moon light in 10/5 .
"HE it is who has made the sun a source of radiant light and the moon a reflected light, and has determined for it phases . . ."
4. The Sun Rotates
In 1609, the German scientist Keppler established that the planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun, as well as about their own axis. 21/33
"Every celestial body is rotating in space in orbit."
36/40 mentions the existence of the individual orbits of the Sun and the Moon, and their journey through space with their own speed.
"Neither may the sun overtake the moon, nor can the night usurp the time of day,
since all of them float through space in accordance with OUR laws."
5. The Expanding Universe
In 1925, an American astronomer, Edwin Hubble provided evidence that the Universe is expanding. Stephen Hawking, in his book, ‘A Brief History of Time’, says, “The discovery of expanding Universe is one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century.” The Qur’an mentioned the expansion of the Universe, before man even learnt to build a telescope! It is said in 51/47
"WE have built the Universe with OUR creative power;
and WE are steadily expanding it."
Rotating with an incredible rapidity, at a speed of 12 miles per second, Sun is continuously whirling away towards the outer margin of its galaxy, carrying all the members of the solar system with it. Similarly, in perpetual rotation, all the stars are moving away in one direction or the other at tremendous speeds---some at 8, some at 33 and some at 84 miles per second.
6. The Water Cycle
In 1580, Bernard Palissy was the first man to describe the present day concept of ‘water cycle. More than 15 verses describes water-cycle in the Qur’an. The Qur’an pointedly refers to the provision of ground water for human and animal consumption and for irrigating crops. It thus points out in 23/18-19.
"And WE send down water from the height of skies in accordance with a measure set by US,
and then WE cause it to lodge in the earth:
but, behold, WE are most certainly able to withdraw this blessing!"
"And by means of this water
WE bring forth for you gardens of date-palms and vines, wherein you have fruit abundant and whereof you eat"
Imagine the multiple uses of water globally, and the ingenious natural processes set in motion by Allah to preserve water for human use in necessity. It is thus obvious from the Qur’an that water as a life giving substance, is a real blessing. It continues to be the most vital single element for the sustenance of life on earth and to ensure continued progress and prosperity of human civilization.
The Qur’an has metaphorically but effectively and poignantly used the cycle of agricultural activities to symbolise it with life, death and revival after death. Human life itself is compared with the growth of plants: as said in 71/17-18
"And ALLAH has caused you to grow out of the earth in gradual growth;
And thereafter HE will return you to it (in death): and (then) HE will bring you forth (from it) in resurrection."
No Scripture other than the Qur’an dating back 1400 years ago gives such an accurate description of the water cycle and hydrology.
7. Man is created from a clot of consealed blood, substance as described in 96/2
"Allah created man, out of a clot of congealed blood."
Prof. (Dr) Keith Moore is the Professor of Embryology and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Toronto, in Canada. He says, it is clear to me that, these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. 23/12-16
"And Certainly, WE create man out of the essence of clay.
Then WE cause him to remain as a drop of sperm in (the womb's) firm keeping.
Then WE create out of the drop of sperm a germ-cell,
And then WE create out of the germ-cell an embryonic lump,
And then WE create within the embryonic lump bones,
And then WE clothe the bones with flesh,
And then WE bring all this into being as a new creation:
blessed, therefore, is ALLAH, the best of artisans!
And then, behold! after all this, you are destined to die.
And then, behold! you shall be raised from the dead on Resurrection Day."
8. Pain receptors are present in the skin as described in 4/56
"Verily, those who are bent on denying the truth of OUR messages
WE shall, in time, cause to endure Hell-fire and every time their skins are burnt off,
WE shall replace them with new skins, so that they may taste suffering in full.
Verily, ALLAH is Almighty, Wise."
Prof. Tagatat Tejasen, Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, was dump founded about this fact in Qur’an.
9. Mountains are like pegs
78/7 
79/32 
"And the mountains HE firmly fixed on earth."
"And HE made the mountains like earth's pegs."
The Qur’anic descriptions are in perfect agreement with modern geological data.
