The Supernatural: Science Waiting to Be Understood
Some skeptics argue that miracles are as logically impossible as a four-sided triangle. Just as a shape ceases to be a triangle if it has four sides, they claim that an event ceases to be real if it is classified as a miracle. Their reasoning is that invoking the concept of a miracle means attributing an event to the supernatural, which, by their definition, renders it inherently false or impossible. In this view, miracles are not just unlikely occurrences but contradictions in terms—something that, by nature, cannot exist.
The Quran presents events that many today may dismiss as supernatural, such as the parting of the sea for the Children of Israel (26:63-66), the fire staying cool for Abraham (21:69), and the palace of the Queen of Sheba being transported faster than the speed of light (27:38-40). Such accounts seem implausible for those bound by purely materialistic views as if they violate known physical laws. But this dismissal may be premature. The miracles of the Quran are not necessarily breaches of natural law; instead, they could reveal a deeper, yet-to-be-understood structure within reality—similar to scientific feats that once seemed impossible before we understood their mechanics.
Imagine I suggest transforming Super Mario World into Flappy Bird on a Super Nintendo console using only Mario’s in-game movements—most would say it’s impossible. Yet, this is precisely what SethBling achieved, using known glitches and the game’s mechanics. What initially seemed implausible becomes possible through a deep understanding of the system’s underlying logic and memory, executed with surgical precision. By exploiting glitches and performing specific actions, he effectively turned one game into another, demonstrating that what appears supernatural is actually grounded in applied knowledge.
Now, apply this analogy to the supposed “supernatural” events in the Quran. Just as our understanding of technology reveals the complexities within a seemingly rigid system, could it be that what we call “miracles” reveal layers of reality that our science hasn’t yet grasped? It is not that these miracles break natural law but rather that they may operate within a framework of laws we do not yet understand.
Theologically, this reframes the notion of miracles. They are not magic in the sense of defying reality; they are glimpses into the profound depths of creation, revealing laws we are only beginning to explore. The fire cooling for Abraham or the palace transported in an instant may reflect aspects of physics, dimensions, or energetic principles that God, as the ultimate creator, has woven into the universe. Dismissing these events outright may reflect more on our limited perspective than on their implausibility.
In essence, as we grow scientifically, we continually unlock secrets once labeled “supernatural.” As Arthur C. Clarke famously said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” The Quranic miracles, therefore, may not be denials of nature’s laws but rather invitations to explore deeper, to question, to seek understanding—not only of the universe but of the nature of faith itself. Just as SethBling’s manipulation of game mechanics turned one experience into another, so too might our understanding of these “miraculous” events once we grasp the true mechanics underlying creation.
When something is beyond our understanding, we label it as magic or supernatural; once we grasp its mechanics, it becomes science.
[6:59] With Him are the keys to all secrets; none knows them except He. He knows everything on land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls without His knowledge. Nor is there a grain in the depths of the soil. Nor is there anything wet or dry, that is not recorded in a profound record.
[10:61] You do not get into any situation, nor do you recite any Quran, nor do you do anything, without us being witnesses thereof as you do it. Not even an atom’s weight is out of your Lord’s control, be it in the heavens or the earth. Nor is there anything smaller than an atom, or larger, that is not recorded in a profound record.
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