God Arises

The Challenge of The Qur’an ~ 356 ~ at the Strait of Gibraltar. The Mediterranean is saltier than the North Atlantic because its evaporation exceeds its replenishment by rivers; the more saline water of the Mediterranean thus flows at depth over the sill into the North Atlantic, where it sinks to a depth of 1,000 metres; and less saline water from the North Atlantic flows near the surface. Current speeds as high as two metres per second have been recorded.22 It is as if there were a barrier between the waters of different densities, and ‘barrier’ is the exact expression used by the Quran. EXAMPLES FROM ASTRONOMY The firmament is another aspect of the universe which is described in the Quran in terms which are quite consistent with modern science: ‘It was God who raised the heavens without visible pillars’ (13:2). Such was human observation in ancient times. Man could see that above his head the sun, moon and stars had no visible supports. And these words are equally meaningful for the scientific man of today,