Porous and Fractured Rocks
đQuran 2:74
Even then your hearts became hardened like a rock or even harder, for some rocks gush rivers; others split, spilling water; while others are humbled in awe of Allah. And Allah is never unaware of what you do.
Science today describes reservoir rocks, rocks with pores and fractures that can store and release fluids like water, oil, and gas. This mirrors the Qurâanâs description:
- Rocks that Gush Rivers, Reservoir rocks are types of rocks with porous structures that allow them to store and accumulate fluids such as water, oil, and gas, which aligns with the Qurâanic description of rocks that release or gush water.
- Rocks that split, spilling water â These are fractured or jointed rocks, not necessarily porous. They release water because of cracks and fractures, not because they have pores.
- Others remain solid yet under Allahâs control (stable formations).
Reference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Reservoir, 2019
Reference: Fracture (geology)
So the Qurâanâs analogy of rocks having different properties, some holding and releasing water, others breaking open, fits exactly with modern geological understanding of reservoir rocks and fluid storage in the Earth.
Additional Information
The Qurâan is not a science textbook, nor does it claim to provide scientific terminology. Instead, it offers signs about the Earth, the universe, and guidance for humanity. When it describes phenomena, like rocks that gush rivers, it provides observations in a way that points to real-world processes. Science later gives these phenomena formal names, such as âreservoir rocks,â but the Qurâanâs purpose is to guide and describe, not to label them scientifically.
