My name is Saranzaib Khan. I am Merchant Sailor mailing you from Quetta. I have a Question. Consider the following verses from Sūrah al-Ra‘d:

It is He Who shows you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope: It is He Who raises the clouds, heavy with (fertilising) rain! Nay, thunder repeats His praises, and so do the angels, with awe: He flings the loud-voiced thunder-bolts, and therewith He strikes whomsoever He wills. Yet these (are the men) who (dare to) dispute about Allāh, with the strength of His power (supreme)! (Q 13:12-13)

The above verses carry no compatibility with the fact revealed by science which says that thunder and lightning happen when static charges come across in the presence of oxygen and there is a reason and logical explanation about its striking whereas; the Holy Qur’ān explains it as a scaring thing. So how do you see it?

Thanks

Saranzaib Khan

The first thing we need to appreciate when reading the verses of the Qur’ān about natural phenomena is that these verses are not revealed to give us scientific information but that they are there to serve the purpose of the Qur’ān that is guiding people to God and warning them about the hereafter.

Nowhere in these verses is anything to suggest that thunder and lightning is not the outcome of static charges that come across in the presence of oxygen. The verse is merely referring to the fact that lightning brings both fear (for those who fear its light and the sound that follows it) and hope (for those who need rain), illustrating the greatness of creation of God and that how weak human being is. The verses then refer to the fact that everything (including thunder) is praising the Almighty in verses 14 and 15. Then in verse 16 the conclusion (and the main point of all the above references) is given:

“Say: Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth? Say: Allāh …” 13:16

The fact that thunder is a scientific phenomenon does not stop it from being scary. Many people are some times scared from thunder and lightning despite knowing that it is a natural phenomenon.

Regards,