Posted by Illuminati on 5/15/2009, 4:48 pm, in reply to "Re: Why the Koran doesn't contain "Miracles.""
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Amir responded to the story about the boys who slept 300 years in a cave:
"It really doesn't matter, since there are also plenty of statements in the Koran which defy science."
YUSUFALI: So they stayed in their Cave three hundred years, and (some) add nine (more)
First we must ask ourselves why did Allah record such an insignificant incident in his scripture and which on top of that seems to defy human logic.If we were to look at it with disbelief we are not going to understand anything.Indeed Allah said that the Quran can bring us to the right but can also mislead us.So in the view of this we have to understand that there is more to it than a simple insignificant incident.
".... We caused them to turn over to the right and to the left..".
At first sigth this appears to be the usual behaviour of sleeping people but in this there is the basis and model for a modern scientific practice in the field of medicine.
Hibernating animals and men in yogi or spiritual trance do not turn about. The Cave companions, by extension, are not expected to have turned about on their own, since their autonomous nervous system controlled by spinal cord was inactivated. It was the Omniscient God who caused them to turn as the verse points out. What is the need for this turning about?
Bedridden patients develop bedsores in a matter of a few weeks because their bodies are pressed against even the softest of beds. So it is arranged that hospital staff turn them over from time to time. Modern hospital beds are equipped with a lateral ridge that keeps gently passing along the bed in order to relieve bed fatigue and break constancy of body pressure. Had God not caused frequent turning over, the sleepers' flesh would not only have developed bedsores but become full of holes, just as rubber tyres do if vehicles are left stationary for months.
I have no quarrel with any Muslim who believes this story as a matter of faith. Miracles are allowed in holy books. The Bible also contains miracle stories which are not supported by science. However, it is a logical fallacy to acknowledge that they contain miracle stories and to then claim that science supports the accuracy of the Koran or the Bible.
There might be a similar story in Christian folklore, but I'm unaware that this story is in any way related to mainstream Christian faith. The Bible contains plenty of miracles, just not this particular one.
Amir said:
...Such a phenomenon of suspended animation is certainly known to happen in nature. Scientists call it hibernation.
Unfortunately, you are applying a scientific patina on a story which is clearly not supported by science. It would make a fascinating science fiction story, but there is no evidence that anything like this has ever happened. Warm blooded animals can go into hibernation for a few months, but humans aren't one of those species which hibernate. Animals which do hibernate, usually do so for just a few months during which they lose a great deal of weight and need to eat to replenish themselves.
Amir said:
Whenever someone criticise the Quran in the view of proofs and good arguments i do not mind it.In fact it helps strenghtened my faith and that of my brothers and sisters.If u have find other unclear verses please bring them forth and we'll discuss it.
To answer your question whether this is scientifically acceptable well there is nothing to suggest the contrary.In fact science is trying to use hibernation which means it is something possible from a scientific point of view.
I agree that embracing miracles in the holy books does indeed strengthen faith. However, in my opinion, trying to reduce miracles into scientific sounding stories is not particularly helpful.
My point stands. The Koran is a holy book, not a book of science. Science does not support the accuracy of the Koran.
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