Nassir H. Sabah
Iron is of crucial importance in the universe, in our planet, and in our bodies. All stars, including our Sun, generate their energy by nuclear fusion reactions that begin by fusing hydrogen atoms to produce helium atoms, with release of energy. The fusion reaction occurs in the central region of the star, where temperature and pressure are highest, thus producing a helium core surrounded by an envelope of hydrogen gas. The heat generated by this fusion reaction causes expansion and results in an outward pressure that is balanced by an inward gravitational force due to the mass of the star.
In very massive stars, the density of the helium core increases and its temperature rises sufficiently to start a new fusion process that converts helium to carbon. This produces a carbon core surrounded by helium then hydrogen, the fusion reactions occurring at the boundaries of the layers. If the star is massive enough this process continues, fusing carbon into oxygen and then through successively heavier elements until iron is produced. As iron fusion consumes rather than releases energy, the outward pressure of the core is reduced.
The gravitational force dominates, causing the massive star to collapse very rapidly. The resulting compression of the core compacts atoms to the point where electrons combine with protons in their parent nuclei to form neutrons and release neutrinos – subatomic particles that are similar to electrons but without an electrical charge. The neutrinos and the enormous shock waves produced by the collapse explode the outer part of the star, resulting in a tremendous explosion, or supernova, which spews iron into outer space, forming a part of cosmic dust.
Over time, cosmic dust forms rocks, then asteroids, and eventually, planets. Since iron is rather dense, it tends to settle under gravity at the center of the swirling mass of hot rock and metal. Hence, most of iron of the Earth is in its core. Nevertheless, when oceans formed, they contained large amounts of dissolved iron. After the evolution of various life forms, mostly algae, produced oxygen through photosynthesis, iron was oxidized to solid iron oxide that settled to the bottom of the oceans and formed what became iron mines.
Some of the iron found on the surface of the Earth came from iron meteorites that intensely bombarded Earth about 4 billion years ago in what is known as the Late Heavy Bombardment. These meteorites consisted mostly of an iron-nickel alloy and were forged much later by humans of ancient times to make tools and weapons, before smelting techniques were first developed around 2000 BCE to extract iron from mined iron oxides.
Iron is of crucial importance for respiration in humans. Approximately one-third of the total weight of a red blood cell is made up of hemoglobin – an iron containing protein in which the iron can reversibly combine with oxygen to transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. In addition, hemoglobin helps in transporting carbon dioxide back to the lungs and in regulating blood acidity. Myoglobin is another iron-and-oxygen-binding protein that acts as an oxygen store in muscles that contract for extended periods, as in the maintenance. of posture. Iron is also a component of various enzymes that participate in energy production in cells, in hormone production, and in the functioning of the immune system and the brain.
Significantly, Chapter 57 of the Quran is entitled “The Iron” (الحديد), and iron is mentioned in six verses of the Quran: (17:50), (18:96), (22:21), (34:10), (50:22), and (57:25). The chapter number, 57, places it at the center of the 114 chapters of the Quran, just like iron is at the center of Earth. 57 is also the numerical value of the word “iron” (حديد) in Arabic gematria and is very nearly equal to the atomic mass (56.94) of one of the naturally occurring isotopes of iron.
The six Quranic verses that mention iron use 26 Arabic letters, that is, all of the Arabic alphabet of 28 letters except for the two letters thāʾ (ث) and ẓāʾ (ظ). 26 is also the atomic number of iron.
The last Quranic verse that mentions iron is (57:25): “…And We sent down iron, wherein are great might and benefits for mankind…”… وَأَنزَلْنَا ٱلْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ… The “great might” refers to the fashioning of weapons, and the “benefits” refer to the making of tools. The Arabic verb anzalana, rendered here as “We sent down” could be a reference to the bombardment of Earth by iron meteorites from above, but it can also mean “making things accessible”, or “providing the means for it to exist”. It is in this sense that this same verb is used in connection with clothing in (7:26): “O children of Adam! Indeed, We have bestowed upon you from on high [the knowledge of making] garments to cover your nakedness, and as a thing of beauty…” يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَٰتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا…, and in connection with cattle in (39:6): “…And He produced for you four pairs of cattle” …وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ثَمَـٰنِيَةَ أَزْوَٰجٍ.
It is interesting to note that the sum of the chapter and verse numbers of the aforementioned verse (57:25) is 82, which is nearly the sum of the atomic number of iron and the atomic mass of its most prevalent form: 26 + 55.93 = 81.93.
So, how can the Quran be of other than Divine origin?
