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We are unable to see black holes even with the most powerful telescope. In Surah al-Waqi’a, Allah draws attention to this matter by swearing upon the position of stars.
The 20th century saw a great many new discoveries regarding celestial phenomena in the universe. One of these entities, which has only recently been encou-ntered are the Black Holes. These are formed when a star which has consumed all its fuel collapses in on itself, eventually turning into a black hole with infinite density and zero volume and an immensely powerful magnetic field. We are unable to see black holes even with the most powerful telescope, because their gravitational pull is so strong that light is unable to escape from them. However, such a collapsed star can be perceived by means of the effect it has on the surrounding area. In Surah al-Waqi’a, Allah draws attention to this matter in this way, by swearing upon the position of stars:
“And I swear by the setting of the Stars-and that is a mighty adjuration if ye but knew”. (Qur’an, 56:75-76).
The term “black hole” was first employed in 1969 by the American physicist, John Wheeler. Previously, we imagined that we were able to see all the stars. However, it later emerged that there were stars in space whose light we were unable to perceive, because, the light of these collapsed stars disappears. Light cannot escape from a black hole because it is such a high concentration of mass in a small space. The enormous gravitation captures even the fastest particles, i.e. the photons. For example, the final stage of a typical star, three times the mass of the Sun, ends after its burning out and its implosion as a black hole of only 20 kms (12.5 miles) in diameter! Black holes are “black,” i.e. veiled from direct observation. They nevertheless reveal themselves indirectly, by the tremendous suction which their gravitational force exerts on other heavenly bodies. The depictions of the Day of Judgement, may also be pointing to this scientific discovery about black holes in this verse:
When the stars are extinguished: (Quran: 77:8).
Moreover, stars of great mass also cause warps to be perceived in space. Black holes, however, do not just cause warps in space, but also tear holes in it. That is why these collapsed stars are known as black holes. This fact may be referred to in the verse about stars, and this is another important item of information demonstrating that the Qur’an is the word of Allah:
I swear by Heaven and the Tariq! And what will convey to you what the Tariq is? The Star Piercing the darkness! (Quran, 86:1-3).
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