Did the Quran predict Pulsars and Black Holes? (At-Tariq)

The Quranic Verses about alleged miracle of pulsars/black holes:

Muslims of the last 14 centuries never claimed any such Quranic miracle about pulsars/black holes. But these are only modern-day Islamists, who came up with this claim during the last 20 or so years. They use the verses 86:1-3 to prove their claim.

But first, let us see the traditional understanding/commentary of these verses by Muslims of the last 14 centuries:

Quran 86:1-3:

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ ٱلنَّجْمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ

I swear by the sky and by the Night-Visitor(At-Tariq ٱلطَّارِقِ)- and what do you know what the Night-Visitor is? It is the Star of Piercing Brightness ٱلثَّاقِبُ (which pierces the darkness).

So, you can see there are no pulsars/black holes present in this traditional understanding of these verses. 

The Word Night-Visitor(ٱلطَّارِقِ):

The traditional commentary of Muslims from the last 14 centuries tell us that this star is given the name of at-Tariq (the Night-Visitor) since it is coming out and becoming visible at night. The figurative meaning of ‘Night Visitor’ is given to the word At-Tariq, while it comes from the word 'taraqa', which literally means to KNOCK, on account of how at night visitors would KNOCK on the door, whereas during the day it was the habit to leave doors open, and the visitor would simply call out and seek permission to enter.

The Word ٱلثَّاقِبُ 'Piercing Brightness': 

Ibn Kathir writes:

Concerning Allah's statement, الثَّاقِبُ (Ath-Thaqib.) Ibn `Abbas said, "The illuminating.'' `Ikrimah said, "It is illuminating and it burns the Shaytan

This word ٱلثَّاقِبُ 'Piercing Brightness' has also been used in the Quran (verse 37:10) to mention “meteors” and how they illuminate light. 

How modern-day Islamists turn these verses into pulsars/black holes:

Modern-day Islamists present the following modified translation of the Quran 86:1-3 :

The Word Knocker: 

Modern-day Islamists assert that the Quran meant PULSARS when it used the word at-Tariq (link 1 & 2). 

But why?

Their reasoning is, pulsars are dying neutron stars that emit electromagnetic radiation. When these electromagnetic radiation is converted into sound waves, we hear a rhythmic sound of beating or KNOCKING on the door.

Moreover, the figurative meaning of ‘Night Visitor’ is given to the word At-Tariq, while it comes from the word 'taraqa', which literally means to KNOCK, on account of how at night visitors would KNOCK on the door, whereas during the day it was the habit to leave doors open, and the visitor would simply call out and seek permission to enter.

The Word Ath-Thaqib ٱلثَّاقِبُ:

Modern-day Islamists assert that Ath-Thaqib means “piercing holes in the spacetime” (link 1 & 2) and causing black holes to develop. 

Our Response:

(1) Pulsars don't Emit any Sound:

Pulsars themselves don't produce any sound, as sound requires a medium like air or water to travel through, and space is a vacuum. However, scientists convert these electromagnetic signals into sound waves to experience the otherwise invisible and inaudible cosmic phenomena.

Here’s how it works:

1. Radio Waves Emission: Pulsars emit regular pulses of electromagnetic radiation, particularly in the form of radio waves, as they rotate. These radio waves can be detected by radio telescopes on Earth.

2. Signal Processing: The radio signals received by these telescopes are in the form of electromagnetic waves, which can be translated into digital data.

3. Audio Conversion: Scientists then convert this data into sound waves. The regularity of the pulsar’s emissions means that when converted, these signals produce a rhythmic pattern, almost like a beat. This sound is not the actual sound of the pulsar but a representation of its electromagnetic pulses.

4. Resulting Sound: The sound you hear is often described as a series of regular clicks, beeps, or even a kind of whooshing noise, depending on the pulsar’s rotation speed. Some pulsars spin extremely rapidly, producing very fast, high-pitched beats, while others spin more slowly, resulting in a slower rhythm.

This method allows us to "hear" what a pulsar would sound like if its radio emissions were converted into sound waves. It’s a way to experience the otherwise invisible and inaudible cosmic phenomena.

(2) The literal meaning of "at-Tariq" is not simply 'knocker', but 'the one who visits and knocks on the door at NIGHT Only'

The translation of "at-Tariq" as "knocker" is wrong. 

Even if we consider the literal meaning of "at-Tariq," it refers specifically to 'the one who visits and knocks on the door at NIGHT Only (i.e. he does not knock during the day). 

While, pulsars emit electromagnetic waves continuously, not just during the night.

(3) The name at-Tariq for a star existed before Islam and can be found in pre-Islamic history

Female pre-Islamic soothsayer Zubara’ using the same word (At-Tariq) 

وقد ذكر "الجاحظ" أن "الكهان" كانوا "يتكهنون ويحكمون بالأسجاع"2، هذه "زبراء" تنذر "بني رئام"، عن أنباء ستقع، فتقول "واللوح الخافق والليل الغاسق، والصباح الشارق، والنجم الطارق، والمزن الوادق، إن شجر الوادي ليأدوا خَتْلا، ويحرق أنيابًا عُصلا، وإن صخر الطود لينذر ثُكلا، لا تجدون معه معلا

Al-Jahiz mentioned that the "soothsayers" used to "prophesy and make judgments in rhymed prose." Here is "Zubara" warning the "Banu Re'am" about upcoming events, saying: "By the trembling tablet, the dark night, the bright morning, the piercing star, and the pouring rain, indeed the trees of the valley will be stealthily felled, and the sharp fangs will be burned, and the rocks of the mountain will foretell bereavement, and you will find no escape from it."

Source:

 الكتاب : المفصل فى تاريخ العرب قبل الإسلام
المؤلف : الدكتور جواد علي
الناشر : دار الساقي

page: 16 from 376

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The fact that a pre-Islamic poet used the same word definitively shows that there is nothing scientific or miraculous in the Quran’s usage of this word. If one were to maintain that there is, then one would have to also say the pre-islamic poets such as Zubara’ had miraculous foreknowledge of science only discovered in the 20th century. 

(4) “Ath-Thaqib” does not mean piercing holes in Spacetime

“Ath-Thaqib” merely refers to the light of the star and how its brightness is piercing through the darkness. Tafsir At-Tabari and Al-Qurtubi explain this phrasing in detail by using the sayings of the Arabs, demonstrating that it has no deeper hidden meaning but rather means something mundane.

(5) Muslim Commentators of the Quran:

Ibn Kathir writes:

"Swearing by the Existence of Humanity surrounded by the Organized System of AllahAllah swears by the heaven and what He has placed in it of radiant stars. Thus, He says,﴿وَالسَّمَآءِ وَالطَّارِقِ ﴾(By the heaven, and At-Tariq;) Then He says,﴿وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ ﴾(And what will make you to know what At-Tariq is) Then He explains it by His saying,﴿النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ ﴾(The star of Ath-Thaqib.) Qatadah and others have said, "The star has been named Tariq because it is only seen at night and it is hidden during the day.'' His view is supported by what has been mentioned in the authentic Hadith that prohibits a man to come to his family Taruq. This means that he comes to them unexpectedly at nighttime. Concerning Allah's statement,﴿الثَّاقِبُ﴾(Ath-Thaqib.) Ibn `Abbas said, "The illuminating.'' `Ikrimah said, "It is illuminating and it burns the Shaytan'"

Mufti Muhammad Shafi writes:

lk“The first oath, in the beginning of the Surah, is by the sky and tariq. The word tariq means the ‘Night-Comer’. Stars normally disappear during the day and only appear at night, therefore they are called tariq. The Qur’an itself raises the question: (and what may let you know what the Night-Comer is?…86:2) and then answers the question thus: (The star of piercing brightness!…86:3). The word najm means ‘star’. The Qur’an does not specify any particular ‘star’. Therefore, it may be applied to any star. Some of the commentators say that najm refers to the Pleiades or Saturn, and they quote specimens of Arabic speech to confirm their argument. The word thaqib means ‘piercing brightness’.”

Al-Qurtubi mentions:

“It was said: It is Saturn: the planet in the seventh heaven mentioned by Muhammad ibn al-Hasan in his interpretation (…). Ibn Zayd said: It is the Pleiades.”

At-Tabari writes:

“It is the piercing star, meaning: its light shines and glows.”

Maududi writes:

“On this, an oath has been sworn by the heaven and by every star and planet which appears in the darkness of the night. (Although lexically, an-najm ath-thaqib is singular, it does not imply any one star but the star in the generic sense). The oath signifies that the existence of each of the countless stars and planets that shines in the sky at ‘night, testifies to the fact that there is a Being Who has created it, illuminated it”

An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an writes:

“The term /tariq/ is derived from /tarq/ ‘to pound’. And /tariq/ means ‘way’ because the path is pounded by the feet of pedestrians. The term /matraqah/ ‘a sledge hammer’ is used for pounding iron and materials like this. And since the doors are closed at night when people arrive they have to pound on them to gain permission to enter, then, that which comes at night is called /tariq/ ‘the night- visitant’.”

Linguistic elaboration on Ath-Thaqib (i.e. piercing through darkness): 

• https://quran.ksu.edu.sa/tafseer/tabary/sura86-aya3.html 
• https://quran.ksu.edu.sa/tafseer/qortobi/sura86-aya3.html#qortobi

This alleged Quranic Miracle is a complete WASTAGE of Time:

Dear Readers, the Quran does not mention pulsars or black holes. Yet, modern-day Islamists resort to:

• Absurd and illogical arguments
• Ridiculous reasoning
• Nonsensical claims

to portray a Quranic verse as a scientific miracle.

Regrettably, we find ourselves compelled to waste both our time and the time of our valued readers in debunking this baseless claim of a Quranic miracle.

Why?

Because, unfortunately, 'brainwashing' and 'propaganda' are powerful forces in our imperfect world. Islamists have effectively deceived millions of innocent people through their relentless use of these tactics.