The Qur’an persistently calls upon human beings to observe the natural world: to “look” at the sky, the earth, the alternation of day and night, and even within their own selves. This act of observation is not a detached scientific exercise, but a spiritual-intellectual method whereby the eye and the heart are joined in recognizing the divine order.
The Qur’an states:
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of the night and the day, there are signs for people of understanding – those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth.”
Qur’an 3:190–191
Observation, therefore, is both sensory (ḥissī) and contemplative (ma‘nawī). It requires the external eye (baṣar) and the inner eye (baṣīrah). The Qur’an critiques those who “have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see” (Qur’an 7:179), indicating that true sight occurs when perception is integrated with reflection.
This essay will explore the Qur’anic conception of observation through the eye and the heart, and demonstrate how contemporary scientific studies in cosmology, neuroscience, and psychology align with this thematic emphasis. By bridging Qur’anic thematic tafsīr of āyāt kauniyyah with evidence-based research, we uncover a unified vision: that observation is not neutral but transformative, guiding the human being from awareness of phenomena to recognition of the Divine.
Qur’anic Foundation of Observation
The Eye (Baṣar) as a Gateway
The Qur’an frequently commands: afalā yanẓurūn — “Do they not observe?” (Qur’an 88:17). The term naẓara encompasses both seeing and contemplating. Verses direct attention to camels (88:17), mountains (88:19), the sky (88:18), and the earth (88:20). These are not trivial curiosities, but deliberate training of perception.
The Qur’an uses baṣar (sight) to refer both to physical vision and intellectual clarity. In 12:108, the Prophet is told: “Say: This is my way; I call to Allah with insight (basīrah).” Here, basīrah emerges as the deeper faculty where the heart interprets what the eye transmits.
The Heart (Qalb) as the True Organ of Seeing
Classical scholars such as al-Ghazālī emphasized that the heart sees, while the eye only delivers images. The Qur’an itself affirms:
“It is not the eyes that are blinded, but the hearts within the breasts.” (Qur’an 22:46)
Thus, observation without reflection is blindness. The Qur’an transforms sensory perception into a moral-epistemological act: one is accountable for what one chooses to notice, neglect, or deny
Classical Tafsīr on Observation of Creation
Thematic tafsīr, especially in al-Jawāhir of Shaykh Ṭāhir al-Jauharī, catalogued over 100 āyāt kauniyyah that direct attention to nature and the cosmos. He stressed that these verses are not “scientific data points” but guides for human perception, urging the believer to interpret natural order as āyāt (signs) pointing beyond themselves.
For example:
2:164 lists rain, ships, winds, and clouds as “signs for people who use reason.”
21:30 describes the heavens and earth as once joined and then separated — often cited as a Qur’anic echo of cosmic expansion.
16:68-69 highlights the bee’s instinctive guidance and the healing properties of honey.
The mufassirūn argued that ignoring such signs reflects ghaflah (heedlessness), whereas contemplation leads to īmān.
Modern Scientific Evidence and Qur’anic Alignment
- Cosmology and the Expanding Universe
The Qur’an mentions:
“And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander.” (Qur’an 51:47)
Modern cosmology confirms that the universe is expanding, a discovery first empirically demonstrated by Edwin Hubble in 1929 (Hubble, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1929). Current cosmic microwave background studies (Planck Collaboration, 2018) confirm this expansion is accelerating.
Alignment with Qur’an: While the Qur’an is not a textbook of astrophysics, its repeated emphasis on the heavens’ creation and order (67:3, 21:30, 51:47) nurtures an observational posture that anticipates scientific exploration. The believer interprets cosmology not as random physics but as divine artistry.
- Neuroscience of Vision and Reflection
Modern neuroscience shows that vision is not merely sensory input but deeply interpretative. The occipital cortex processes visual stimuli, but meaning-making occurs in association cortices and the prefrontal cortex, linked with emotion and reflection (Kandel, Principles of Neural Science, 2013).
Psychological studies show that mindful observation of nature increases well-being and reduces stress (Capaldi et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2015). Even brief exposure to natural environments enhances attention and creativity (Berman et al., Psychological Science, 2008).
Alignment with Qur’an: The Qur’anic call to reflect upon creation integrates baṣar and qalb — an alignment supported by neuroscience: perception without reflection is incomplete. The Qur’an thus prefigures modern findings that attention and contemplation shape neurocognition.
- Ecology and Interconnected Systems
Qur’an 6:99 describes rain producing varied vegetation, while 16:10-11 emphasizes rivers and fruits. Ecology now demonstrates the intricate interdependence of ecosystems — water cycles, pollination networks, nutrient recycling — essential for life on Earth (Odum, Fundamentals of Ecology, 1971).
The bee verse (16:68-69) resonates strongly with current ecological awareness: bees are essential pollinators, and their decline poses catastrophic risks to food security (Potts et al., Science, 2010).
Alignment with Qur’an: The Qur’an presents nature as integrated signs of divine wisdom. Modern ecology confirms this interdependence, reframing the believer’s ecological responsibility as a spiritual trust (amānah).
- Astronomy and the Cycles of Day and Night
The Qur’an frequently references the alternation of day and night (2:164, 25:62). Chronobiology demonstrates that circadian rhythms, synchronized with light-dark cycles, regulate human physiology — including sleep, hormone release, and cognition (Czeisler & Gooley, Nature, 2007). Disruption leads to metabolic and psychological disorders.
Alignment with Qur’an: The Qur’an reframes ordinary cycles as divine mercy: night for rest, day for work (25:47). Science confirms these rhythms are not arbitrary but vital to health, demonstrating the Qur’an’s insistence that mundane cycles are deeply meaningful.
- Psychology of Awe and Spiritual Experience
Recent studies in psychology suggest that observing vast natural phenomena (mountains, stars, oceans) evokes awe, leading to reduced self-focus and increased prosocial behavior (Keltner & Haidt, Cognition and Emotion, 2003; Stellar et al., Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2018).
Alignment with Qur’an: When the Qur’an commands observation of mountains (88:19) and skies (88:18), it is precisely this affective shift it seeks: moving the human from ego-centered perception to God-centered humility.
Synthesis: The Qur’anic Model of Observation
The Qur’an establishes a tripartite model:
- Baṣar (Eye) – collects sensory data.
- Tafakkur (Intellect) – processes meaning through comparison, reasoning.
- Qalb (Heart) – integrates perception into faith, humility, gratitude.
Modern science, in turn, confirms that observation is never neutral: sensory input is filtered, interpreted, and emotionally integrated. The Qur’an’s integration of eye and heart thus anticipates scientific recognition of observation as a cognitive-emotional act.
By aligning Qur’anic thematic tafsīr of āyāt kauniyyah with modern research, we arrive at a holistic understanding: to observe is to worship, when the heart is engaged.
Observation, in Qur’anic epistemology, is not passive reception but active recognition. The eye provides images, but the heart provides meaning. Modern science — from cosmology to neuroscience to psychology — affirms that observation shapes consciousness, influences behavior, and transforms perspective.
Where secular science often halts at description, the Qur’an insists on transcendence: observation must lead to remembrance (dhikr), gratitude (shukr), and surrender (islām). In this way, the believer integrates eye and heart, knowledge and devotion, cosmos and Creator.
In our times of ecological crisis and spiritual disorientation, the Qur’anic call “afalā yanẓurūn” — do they not observe? — resounds more urgently than ever. To see rightly is to live rightly; to observe nature as āyah is to awaken the soul to Allah.
References
[1] Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212.
[2] Capaldi, C. A., Passmore, H.-A., Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Dopko, R. L. (2015). Flourishing in nature: A review of the benefits of connecting with nature and its application as a wellbeing intervention. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 776.
[3] Czeisler, C. A., & Gooley, J. J. (2007). Sleep and circadian rhythms in humans. Nature, 447(7143), 329–335.
[4] Hubble, E. (1929). A relation between distance and radial velocity among extra-galactic nebulae. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 15(3), 168–173.
[5] Kandel, E. R. (2013). Principles of Neural Science (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
[6]Keltner, D., & Haidt, J. (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314.
[7]Odum, E. P. (1971). Fundamentals of Ecology (3rd ed.). Saunders.
[8]Planck Collaboration. (2018). Planck 2018 results. VI. Cosmological parameters. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 641, A6.
[9]Potts, S. G., Biesmeijer, J. C., Kremen, C., Neumann, P., Schweiger, O., & Kunin, W. E. (2010). Global pollinator declines: Trends, impacts and drivers. Science, 327(5966), 1611–1616.
[10]Stellar, J. E., Gordon, A. M., Piff, P. K., Cordaro, D., Anderson, C. L., Bai, Y., … & Keltner, D. (2018). Self-transcendent emotions and their social functions: Compassion, gratitude, and awe bind us to others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 114(2), 258–276.
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