Scientific Explanation of Hail Based on Verse 43 of Surah al-Nūr from the Noble Qurʼan

Abstract

Hail is an atmospheric rainfall with a complex mechanism� The Greeks were among the pioneers of knowledge in ancient times and they termed "hail" as "frozen rain" (Anaximander) and "instant freezing of water and moisture" (Aristotle, n�d�)� These two meanings are inconsistent with current scientific facts� The Noble Qurʼan is the most authentic text to encourage Muslim believers to think about creation and strengthen their faith in the eternal power of the Creator� For instance, the mechanism of hail falling has been expressed in the verse (Q�24:43) with specific and gradual indications�In this research, first, by library method, different explanations of this verse were obtained from valid interpretive sources and then, the scientific findings of meteorologists and climatologists on hail were extracted from reference scientific texts on atmospheric sciences� In the third stage and based on comparative method, the scientific rules were placed next to interpretations to test the novelty and degree of the allusions of this verse�We found that the stages of hail falling included:"invisible water vapor rises from the sea," "water vapor ascends into the atmosphere," "reaching the condensation stage," "cloud formation," "convergence of ascending currents," "formation of cumulonimbus cloud," "growth of hailstones during successive ascents and descents by adsorption and freezing of ice needles," and finally "their fall down over ground" respectively� Meanwhile, the steps in the Noble Qurʼan are mentioned in verse (Q�24:43