For centuries, humanity viewed the oceans as mere vast expanses of water. However, as modern technology reached depths exceeding 5,000 meters, scientists discovered a strange world filled with secrets that challenged the human mind. These discoveries revealed that the Quran had accurately sketched their features hundreds of years before the invention of the submarine.
The Darkness of the Deep: Layers upon Layers
When modern submersibles descended beyond 1,000 meters, they encountered a profound darkness where the human eye can see nothing. In this abyss, creatures rely on bioluminescence to survive. The Quran describes this state of “accumulated darkness” with structural precision:
{أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ۚ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا} “…Or [it is] 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.” (Surah An-Nur, 24:40)
Modern oceanography has recently identified “internal waves” that separate layers of water with different densities. This aligns with the Quranic description of “waves upon waves.” This reality was impossible for anyone in the 7th century to imagine, as the deep sea was perceived as a still, unchanging void.
The Burning Sea: Fire Beneath the Depths
Among the most startling scenes recorded by exploration missions—from the coast of Western Canada to the deep trenches of the oceans—is the existence of volcanic fissures where fire and molten lava flow beneath the seabed. Despite the immense water pressure and freezing temperatures, these fires remain ignited in a staggering balance.
{وَالْبَحْرِ الْمَسْجُورِ} “And [by] the sea set on fire.” (Surah At-Tur, 52:6)
The Arabic term Al-Masjur refers to something heated or set ablaze. Scientists stand in awe of hydrothermal vents where water is heated to extreme temperatures by magma beneath the crust. The sea is literally “set on fire” in its deepest parts, serving as a sign of the Creator’s power to bring together two opposites: water and fire.
Signs in the Horizons: From Western China to the Heavens
The signs are not limited to the depths; they extend to the strange landscapes of the earth, such as the Danxia landforms in Western China. These mountains appear like painted canvases with vibrant, distinct lines of color, mirroring the Quranic description:
{وَمِنَ الْجِبَالِ جُدَدٌ بِيضٌ وَحُمْرٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهَا وَغَرَابِيبُ سُودٌ} “…And among the mountains are tracts of white and red of varying colors and [others] extremely black.” (Surah Fatir, 35:27)
The word Judad refers to clear paths or distinct streaks. These colorful mountains are a visual sign confirming that the diversity in the universe is a purposeful design intended to spark wonder and scientific inquiry.
The Physics of Clouds: Mountains of Hail
When we fly today, we see massive cumulus clouds that look like towering mountains. Modern meteorology informs us that these clouds are responsible for lightning and hail due to the collision of particles within them.
{وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِن جِبَالٍ فِيهَا مِن بَرَدٍ} “…And He sends down from the sky, from mountains [of clouds] within which is hail…” (Surah An-Nur, 24:43)
Describing clouds as “mountains” could only be truly appreciated after the era of aviation. Furthermore, science has proven that hail only forms within these specific types of massive, vertical cloud formations.
Conclusion: Science as a Mirror to the Sign
What scientists have found at 5,000 meters deep and what satellites have captured at the peaks of mountains are not merely “scientific data.” They are Divine messages crafted in an eloquent linguistic mold. The Quran does not provide this information for us to store in science textbooks, but for us to sense the greatness of the Maker who perfected everything He created.