Surah Al-Anaam(verse 126)

Atmospheric Pressure on the Human Chest

Dr. El Fandy comments on this point saying:

Atmospheric pressure, and consequently oxygen amounts in the air, decrease rapidly with increasing height above the Earth’s surface….

Evidently at 12.000 meter the atmospheric pressure and hence oxygen amount in the air decreases to one fifth of their value at M.S.L. For this reason one feels the need to a wider breast in order to inhale greater amounts of air (and hence of oxygen) as he rises up in the sky without outer protection.

We may question ourselves, who told the illiterate prophet Mohammed about this natural phenomena, which was only discovered at the age of balloons, planes and space travel? It must have been a true inspiration from our Creator.

In a comment on this verse Sheikh Azzindani says that in an encounter with Dr. Salah Eldeen Al Maghraby - a member of the American Committee for Space Physiology, and Professor of space Physiology in the British Institute for Space Physiology – he told him that when they studied the effect of high altitudes on human beings they found that pilots who fly at high altitudes pass through different atmospheric pressure.

They discovered that up to 10,000 feet above sea level is an altitude within which the pilot remains safe, he will not feel any shortage of air. But, if he flies within an altitude of 10,000 to 16,000 feet, parts of his body would be capable of compensating the shortage in oxygen and air pressure. And between 16,000 and 25,000 feet if the pilot’s equipments fall into disorder he would start to feel fainting, have a headache, and senses a deep inclination to sleep, difficulty in breathing. His stomach, would swell and press over the chest and then he would feel his chest is getting narrower.

Did Prophet Mohammed have an aero-plane with which he would rise to such high altitudes? Did he have the sophisticated equipment with which to study such phenomena?

And what is worth mentioning is that all the mountains of the entire Arab peninsula are much lower than such altitudes.

Have you seen the accurate description of the universe and our earth? Could it be done by our prophet who belonged to an illiterate society, more than 14,00 years ago? We cannot but kneel with awe to God, whose will is to reveal as much as He wishes and at the time He wishes of His Might and power to those on earth so that they would become grateful and follow His straightforward path.

We cannot but thank God who subjects science to explain to any person, with a free and healthy mind, that the Book which God has blessed us with, comes but from the Mighty Greator in whose power it is to describe the whole universe from the out side, at a time humanity had not yet reached the stage of maturity. We thank God whose Mercy has illuminated our path on earth a path that leads to everlasting salvation and heavenly bliss.

What is really amazing is that God subjects many non-Muslim scientists many of whom are non-believers to prove the Almighty’s Power and to explain His last Book which He has promised to safeguard from any change.

other related links:

Surah Prophets (verse 32)

The Elevated place (Al –Araaf) :142