7 Future Technologies in the Qur’an That Shock Scientists
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Only a century ago, video calls could not even be imagined. But what if I told you that the Qur'an hinted at this technology 1400 years ago? And not only that, carrying people from one continent to another by airplanes, curing blindness and many other technological advancements. The Qur'an is a book that contains many secrets. It is full of messages and signs that are hidden in a subtle way for every era. So far we have witnessed many of its scientific miracles.
From the expansion of the universe to the stages of embryological development, from the darkness of the deep seas to the layers of the atmosphere, many scientific facts were pointed out in the Qur'an centuries before they were discovered. But what if there's even more? What if we've only scratched the surface, and there's still so much left to uncover? What if even clues to future technologies are hidden inside its verses? If you're ready, let's explore them one by one. In Suratu'l An'am, we see the following verse.
وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ اِلاَّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ Meaning, "Not even a leaf falls without His knowledge, and there is no grain in the dark layers of the earth, or anything fresh or dry that is not recorded in a clear book." So, according to this Ayah, everything is in the Qur'an. But not in full detail or by name. Instead through signs, summaries, and fundamental principles. Famous Islamic scholar Bediuzzaman says that some of these discoveries are hidden in the stories of the prophets and their miracles. Indeed, Allah has informed us about some of them through their stories.
He made humanity imagine the peak of technological advancements and hinted that similar inventions would one day be made. Now, we're going to look at seven miracles of the prophets mentioned in the Qur'an and the signs that are hidden within them. As we get closer to the final ones, these signs will surprise you even more. In Surat'un-Naml, verses 38-40, a truly fascinating event is described. According to these verses, Suleiman (as) asks for the throne of Queen of Sheba to be brought to him from a very distant land. And someone who had knowledge from the Scripture says he can bring it in the blink of an eye. And immediately, the throne appears right before Suleiman (as).
So the throne, which was in Yemen, somehow either becomes physically present or is seen as an image in Damascus, which is thousands of kilometers away. Additionally, they could see the people around the throne and hear their voices, too. The Qur'an gives remarkable signs here. Despite being revealed 1400 years ago, it describes how objects or their images can be quickly transported or transmitted over long distances. And it does so through an actual historical event. And we see that today, we can actually transmit images and sound through the internet and television in just a few seconds.
Isn't this event in the Qur'an very similar to live broadcasts, images we get from projectors, cameras, or even modern holograms that we have nowadays? But how could something like this be mentioned in the Qur'an when it was completely unimaginable 1400 years ago? Once again, we see a clear proof that the Qur'an cannot be the word of a human being. In the Qur'an, we see that Suleiman (as) knew the language of animals and could communicate with them. In Suratu'n-Naml, verse 18, it is mentioned that he understood the language of ants, and in verse 22, the language of birds. So what kind of sign is given here?
In fact, understanding the language of animals indicates that in the future, people might be able to understand how animals communicate and what they are capable of. After all, we know that Suleiman (as) knew their language, discovered their abilities and used them in his work. And when you think about it, if we fully understand the capabilities of animals, we could give them tasks in many areas of daily life. This is actually something we've already started doing. Pigeons have been used for sending messages and letters. Parrots have been trained to talk. We have figured out how to use silkworms to make clothes.
Similarly, we have, in a way, learned the language of dogs and use their strong sense of smell to fight narcotic crimes. Certain species of mice are also used in mine detection because of their highly sensitive noses. And we use dolphins' advanced sonar abilities in submarine search and rescue missions as well as in finding sea mines. So, Suleiman (as)'s miracle of understanding the language of animals and using them for certain tasks shows that we may discover even more of their abilities and find new ways to benefit from them in the future. There are thousands of animal species on Earth.
As we learn to understand their languages and train them, what we can achieve together with them may go far beyond our imagination. Another miracle granted to Suleiman (as) was his ability to control the wind. By doing so, he could travel long distances in a very short time. In Surah Saba, Allah says, "And for Suleiman, We subjected the wind, its journey in the morning was equal to the journey of one month, and its journey in the afternoon was equal to the journey of another month." This verse describes how a journey that would normally take a month could be completed in just a part of the day. Isn't this a clear hint at future technologies like airplanes? Think about it.
Today, with new technologies, we calculate how to use the wind, combine the right materials, and build airplanes. And just like the sign in the verse, we now complete long journeys in a very short time. We can even be in more than one country on the same day. Journeys that once took a whole month now take just a few hours. Another miracle was that Ibrahim (as) was thrown into the fire, yet it did not burn him. The tyrant ruler Nimrod became furious with him and ordered his men to prepare a massive fire. But when Ibrahim (as) was thrown into the flames, something shocking happened. The fire did not harm him at all.
Of course, this was a miracle that happened specifically for this great prophet. But at the same time, we can also see signs for the future in this miracle. In addition to Ibrahim (as) not being burned by the fire, his clothes were not burned either. And once again, this gives humanity a goal. In the future, fire-resistant materials could be developed to protect people from flames. And in fact, by the mid-20th century, for the first time, flame-resistant clothing began to be produced, especially for firefighters. In the 1960s, special materials like Nomex and Kevlar were discovered.
Nomex can withstand temperatures up to 370°C and has a high resistance to catching fire, while Kevlar can endure heat up to 450°C. With these innovations, firefighters can now resist flames more effectively. And this helps them stay protected for several minutes during emergency rescue operations. In Suratu'l-Baqarah, Musa (as) strikes a rock with his staff and suddenly, twelve springs gush out. Just imagine. With a single touch of a staff, a dry, lifeless rock in the middle of a barren desert turns into a source of abundant water. Twelve springs start flowing, and the people suffering from thirst finally drink from them. But what other messages were hidden in this miracle?
It actually showed that extracting water from underground is possible. In other words, it seemed to point to the drilling technology that we use today. This method dates back to the 19th century. And since its discovery, drilling machines have allowed us to access underground water, oil, and other natural resources. So, seeing water emerge from a rock at the strike of a staff has inspired people to imagine future technology. In the Ayah, there was a sign of drilling machines long before they were invented.
In Surat Ali-Imran, Isa (as), also known as Jesus says, "And I cure the born-blind and the leper, and bring the dead back to life, by the permission of Allah." These are some of the most well-known miracles of Isa (as). Let's now take a closer look at one of them, healing those born blind. Today, with advancements like gene therapy and stem cell treatments, some forms of congenital blindness can actually be treated. Again, until the 20th century, leprosy had no cure. But today, it can be treated with certain medications for a period of 6 months to 2 years. In fact, nowadays, except in certain regions, the number of leprosy cases has dropped to almost zero.
Bediuzzaman explains that this verse gives the following message. Even the most chronic diseases and severe health problems can have solutions. No matter what the illness is, a cure is possible. Keep searching, and you will find it. The last and most astonishing sign is in the miracle of Suleiman (as) bringing the Jinn under his command and making them work for good. By Allah's will, Suleiman (as) made the Jinns dive into the seas to bring out precious gems, build magnificent structures and do all sorts of difficult tasks for him. Bediuzzaman says that there are many signs in these miracles and that the Jinns could actually be controlled and become servants to humans in their work.
But of course, this will not happen through things like fortune-telling, magic, or other practices that go against Islamic principles. He says it could be possible through some hidden secrets within the Qur'an. Of course, we still don't know how this could be achieved. But while this remains a mystery today, it may well become a reality in the future. At this point, you might be wondering, "Why didn’t the Qur'an mention these things explicitly?" It's because the Qur'an's main purpose isn't to give direct explanations about science or technology. After all, it’s not a textbook on these subjects.
The Qur'an's main topics are tawhid, the oneness of God, the afterlife, prophethood, justice, and worship. But since technological discoveries are also blessings from Allah, and they've become such a big part of human life, the Qur'an doesn't completely ignore them either. So, as the All-Wise, Allah mentioned them through signs and hints. Also, there are two more important reasons for this. First, if technological inventions and scientific discoveries had been directly mentioned in the Qur'an, so that it could address the last one or two centuries, people who lived in the previous 12 centuries wouldn't have fully understood it. Some might have even found it unrealistic.
And that would go against the Qur'an's characteristic of being a universal book. I mean, think about it. Just a hundred years ago, if you had told people that video calls would be possible, no one would believe you. That’s why these discoveries are hinted at in the Qur'an through signs rather than being stated explicitly. If all technological and scientific discoveries were openly mentioned, wouldn't that contradict the whole idea of being tested? As we know, life is a test, and if everything was made obvious, there would be no room for disbelief. Everyone would believe.
And that would take away the purpose of free will because it would make it impossible to distinguish between sincere believers and those who only accept faith because they have no other choice. That's why these things are mentioned in a way that lets people reflect, search, and decide for themselves. Finally, the most important thing to understand from all this. All these signs in the Qur'an that inform us about the future give us a clear message. This cannot be the word of a human being. No person, on their own, could provide information that speaks to all people, across all times and places. The words of an ordinary human cannot contain timeless wisdom and lessons for every society.
These words can only belong to the Creator who brought everything into existence from nothing, who is beyond time, and who knows everything, that is Allah. We may have discovered only a very small part of the miracles in the Qur'an. And as new discoveries are made, we may find even more hidden miracles within this timeless book. And when that happens, some people's faith will grow stronger, while others will keep making excuses to deny the truth.
From the expansion of the universe to the stages of embryological development, from the darkness of the deep seas to the layers of the atmosphere, many scientific facts were pointed out in the Qur'an centuries before they were discovered. But what if there's even more? What if we've only scratched the surface, and there's still so much left to uncover? What if even clues to future technologies are hidden inside its verses? If you're ready, let's explore them one by one. In Suratu'l An'am, we see the following verse.
وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ اِلاَّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ Meaning, "Not even a leaf falls without His knowledge, and there is no grain in the dark layers of the earth, or anything fresh or dry that is not recorded in a clear book." So, according to this Ayah, everything is in the Qur'an. But not in full detail or by name. Instead through signs, summaries, and fundamental principles. Famous Islamic scholar Bediuzzaman says that some of these discoveries are hidden in the stories of the prophets and their miracles. Indeed, Allah has informed us about some of them through their stories.
He made humanity imagine the peak of technological advancements and hinted that similar inventions would one day be made. Now, we're going to look at seven miracles of the prophets mentioned in the Qur'an and the signs that are hidden within them. As we get closer to the final ones, these signs will surprise you even more. In Surat'un-Naml, verses 38-40, a truly fascinating event is described. According to these verses, Suleiman (as) asks for the throne of Queen of Sheba to be brought to him from a very distant land. And someone who had knowledge from the Scripture says he can bring it in the blink of an eye. And immediately, the throne appears right before Suleiman (as).
So the throne, which was in Yemen, somehow either becomes physically present or is seen as an image in Damascus, which is thousands of kilometers away. Additionally, they could see the people around the throne and hear their voices, too. The Qur'an gives remarkable signs here. Despite being revealed 1400 years ago, it describes how objects or their images can be quickly transported or transmitted over long distances. And it does so through an actual historical event. And we see that today, we can actually transmit images and sound through the internet and television in just a few seconds.
Isn't this event in the Qur'an very similar to live broadcasts, images we get from projectors, cameras, or even modern holograms that we have nowadays? But how could something like this be mentioned in the Qur'an when it was completely unimaginable 1400 years ago? Once again, we see a clear proof that the Qur'an cannot be the word of a human being. In the Qur'an, we see that Suleiman (as) knew the language of animals and could communicate with them. In Suratu'n-Naml, verse 18, it is mentioned that he understood the language of ants, and in verse 22, the language of birds. So what kind of sign is given here?
In fact, understanding the language of animals indicates that in the future, people might be able to understand how animals communicate and what they are capable of. After all, we know that Suleiman (as) knew their language, discovered their abilities and used them in his work. And when you think about it, if we fully understand the capabilities of animals, we could give them tasks in many areas of daily life. This is actually something we've already started doing. Pigeons have been used for sending messages and letters. Parrots have been trained to talk. We have figured out how to use silkworms to make clothes.
Similarly, we have, in a way, learned the language of dogs and use their strong sense of smell to fight narcotic crimes. Certain species of mice are also used in mine detection because of their highly sensitive noses. And we use dolphins' advanced sonar abilities in submarine search and rescue missions as well as in finding sea mines. So, Suleiman (as)'s miracle of understanding the language of animals and using them for certain tasks shows that we may discover even more of their abilities and find new ways to benefit from them in the future. There are thousands of animal species on Earth.
As we learn to understand their languages and train them, what we can achieve together with them may go far beyond our imagination. Another miracle granted to Suleiman (as) was his ability to control the wind. By doing so, he could travel long distances in a very short time. In Surah Saba, Allah says, "And for Suleiman, We subjected the wind, its journey in the morning was equal to the journey of one month, and its journey in the afternoon was equal to the journey of another month." This verse describes how a journey that would normally take a month could be completed in just a part of the day. Isn't this a clear hint at future technologies like airplanes? Think about it.
Today, with new technologies, we calculate how to use the wind, combine the right materials, and build airplanes. And just like the sign in the verse, we now complete long journeys in a very short time. We can even be in more than one country on the same day. Journeys that once took a whole month now take just a few hours. Another miracle was that Ibrahim (as) was thrown into the fire, yet it did not burn him. The tyrant ruler Nimrod became furious with him and ordered his men to prepare a massive fire. But when Ibrahim (as) was thrown into the flames, something shocking happened. The fire did not harm him at all.
Of course, this was a miracle that happened specifically for this great prophet. But at the same time, we can also see signs for the future in this miracle. In addition to Ibrahim (as) not being burned by the fire, his clothes were not burned either. And once again, this gives humanity a goal. In the future, fire-resistant materials could be developed to protect people from flames. And in fact, by the mid-20th century, for the first time, flame-resistant clothing began to be produced, especially for firefighters. In the 1960s, special materials like Nomex and Kevlar were discovered.
Nomex can withstand temperatures up to 370°C and has a high resistance to catching fire, while Kevlar can endure heat up to 450°C. With these innovations, firefighters can now resist flames more effectively. And this helps them stay protected for several minutes during emergency rescue operations. In Suratu'l-Baqarah, Musa (as) strikes a rock with his staff and suddenly, twelve springs gush out. Just imagine. With a single touch of a staff, a dry, lifeless rock in the middle of a barren desert turns into a source of abundant water. Twelve springs start flowing, and the people suffering from thirst finally drink from them. But what other messages were hidden in this miracle?
It actually showed that extracting water from underground is possible. In other words, it seemed to point to the drilling technology that we use today. This method dates back to the 19th century. And since its discovery, drilling machines have allowed us to access underground water, oil, and other natural resources. So, seeing water emerge from a rock at the strike of a staff has inspired people to imagine future technology. In the Ayah, there was a sign of drilling machines long before they were invented.
In Surat Ali-Imran, Isa (as), also known as Jesus says, "And I cure the born-blind and the leper, and bring the dead back to life, by the permission of Allah." These are some of the most well-known miracles of Isa (as). Let's now take a closer look at one of them, healing those born blind. Today, with advancements like gene therapy and stem cell treatments, some forms of congenital blindness can actually be treated. Again, until the 20th century, leprosy had no cure. But today, it can be treated with certain medications for a period of 6 months to 2 years. In fact, nowadays, except in certain regions, the number of leprosy cases has dropped to almost zero.
Bediuzzaman explains that this verse gives the following message. Even the most chronic diseases and severe health problems can have solutions. No matter what the illness is, a cure is possible. Keep searching, and you will find it. The last and most astonishing sign is in the miracle of Suleiman (as) bringing the Jinn under his command and making them work for good. By Allah's will, Suleiman (as) made the Jinns dive into the seas to bring out precious gems, build magnificent structures and do all sorts of difficult tasks for him. Bediuzzaman says that there are many signs in these miracles and that the Jinns could actually be controlled and become servants to humans in their work.
But of course, this will not happen through things like fortune-telling, magic, or other practices that go against Islamic principles. He says it could be possible through some hidden secrets within the Qur'an. Of course, we still don't know how this could be achieved. But while this remains a mystery today, it may well become a reality in the future. At this point, you might be wondering, "Why didn’t the Qur'an mention these things explicitly?" It's because the Qur'an's main purpose isn't to give direct explanations about science or technology. After all, it’s not a textbook on these subjects.
The Qur'an's main topics are tawhid, the oneness of God, the afterlife, prophethood, justice, and worship. But since technological discoveries are also blessings from Allah, and they've become such a big part of human life, the Qur'an doesn't completely ignore them either. So, as the All-Wise, Allah mentioned them through signs and hints. Also, there are two more important reasons for this. First, if technological inventions and scientific discoveries had been directly mentioned in the Qur'an, so that it could address the last one or two centuries, people who lived in the previous 12 centuries wouldn't have fully understood it. Some might have even found it unrealistic.
And that would go against the Qur'an's characteristic of being a universal book. I mean, think about it. Just a hundred years ago, if you had told people that video calls would be possible, no one would believe you. That’s why these discoveries are hinted at in the Qur'an through signs rather than being stated explicitly. If all technological and scientific discoveries were openly mentioned, wouldn't that contradict the whole idea of being tested? As we know, life is a test, and if everything was made obvious, there would be no room for disbelief. Everyone would believe.
And that would take away the purpose of free will because it would make it impossible to distinguish between sincere believers and those who only accept faith because they have no other choice. That's why these things are mentioned in a way that lets people reflect, search, and decide for themselves. Finally, the most important thing to understand from all this. All these signs in the Qur'an that inform us about the future give us a clear message. This cannot be the word of a human being. No person, on their own, could provide information that speaks to all people, across all times and places. The words of an ordinary human cannot contain timeless wisdom and lessons for every society.
These words can only belong to the Creator who brought everything into existence from nothing, who is beyond time, and who knows everything, that is Allah. We may have discovered only a very small part of the miracles in the Qur'an. And as new discoveries are made, we may find even more hidden miracles within this timeless book. And when that happens, some people's faith will grow stronger, while others will keep making excuses to deny the truth.