OCEANOLOGY
DARKNESS IN DEPTHS OF OCEAN
Prof. Durga Rao is a world renowned expert in the
field of Marine Geology and was a professor at King
Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah. He was asked to
comment on the following verse:
أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ
فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ
ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا
وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ
“Or (the Unbelievers’ state)
is like the depths of darkness
in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with billow
topped by billow,
topped by (dark) clouds:
depths of darkness,
one above another:
if a man stretches out his hand,
he can hardly see it!
For any to whom Allah
giveth not light,
there is no light!”
[Al-Qur’an 24:40]
*** Oceanography, Gross, p. 242. Also see Introductory Oceanography,
Thurman, pp. 300-301.
*** Oceanography, Gross, p. 244 and Introductory Oceanography,
Thurman, pp. 300-301.
Prof. Rao said that scientists have only now been
able to confirm, with the help of modern equipment,
that there is darkness in the depths of the ocean.
Humans are unable to dive unaided underwater for
more than 20 to 30 metres, and cannot survive in
the deep oceanic regions at a depth of more than
200 metres. This verse does not refer to all seas
because not every sea can be described as having
accumulated darkness layered one over another. It
refers especially to a deep sea or deep ocean, as the
Qur’an says, “darkness in a vast deep ocean”. This
layered darkness in a deep ocean is the result of two
causes:
1. A light ray is composed of seven colours seen
in the rainbow. These seven colours are Violet,
Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Red
(VIBGYOR). The light ray undergoes
refraction when it hits water. The upper 10 to
15 metres of water absorb the red colour.
Therefore, if a diver is 25 metres under water
and gets wounded, he would not be able to see
the red colour of his blood, because the red
colour does not reach this depth. Similarly,
orange rays are absorbed at 30 to 50 metres,
yellow at 50 to 100 metres, green at 100 to 200
metres, and finally, blue beyond 200 metres
and violet and indigo above 200 metres. Due to
successive disappearance of colour, one layer
after another, the ocean progressively becomes
darker, i.e. darkness takes place in layers of
light. Below a depth of 1000 meters there is
complete darkness.
2. The sun’s rays are absorbed by clouds which in
turn scatter light rays thus causing a layer of
darkness under the clouds. This is the first
layer of darkness. When light rays reach the
surface of the ocean they are reflected by the
wave surface giving it a shiny appearance.
Therefore, it is the waves which reflect light
and cause darkness. The unreflected light
penetrates into the depths of the ocean. Thus,
the ocean has two parts. The surface
characterized by light and warmth and the
depth characterized by darkness. The surface is further separated from the deep part of the ocean
by waves.
The internal waves cover the deep waters of
seas and oceans because the deep waters have
a higher density than the waters above them.
The darkness begins below the internal waves.
Even the fish in the depths of the ocean cannot
see; their only source of light is from their own
bodies.
*** Oceans, Elder and Pernetta, p. 27.
The Qur’an describes this aptly:
“Darkness in a vast deep ocean overwhelmed with
waves topped by waves”.
In other words, above these waves there are more
types of waves, i.e. those found on the surface of
the ocean. The Qur’anic verse continues, “topped
by (dark) clouds; depths of darkness, one above
another.”
These clouds as explained are barriers one over the
other that further cause darkness by absorption of
colours at different levels.
Prof. Durga Rao concluded by saying, “1400 years
ago a normal human being could not explain this
phenomenon in so much detail. Thus the
information must have come from a supernatural
source”.
**** The reference for this statment is the video tape titled ‘This is the
Truth’. For a copy of this video tape contact the Islamic Research
Foundation.
وَهُوَ الَّذِي
خَلَقَ مِنَ الْمَاء بَشَرًا فَجَعَلَهُ نَسَبًا وَصِهْرًا وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ
قَدِيرًا
“It is He Who has
Created man from water:
then has He established
relationships of lineage
and marriage:
for thy Lord has power
(over all things).”
[Al-Qur’an 25:54]
Was it possible 14 centuries ago for any human
being to guess that every living being was made
from water? Moreover would such a guess be
conceivable by a human being in the deserts of
Arabia where there has always been scarcity of
water?
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