ELECTRICITY AND THE GLORIOUS QUR'AN

Electricity and thunder has been mentioned in the Glorious Qur'an in the following Surahs:

Surah al-Baqarah Ayah 19-20, “Or it is like that of a rainstorm with darkness, thunder, and lightning approaching. They cover their ears for fear of thunder and death and Allah contains (the evil of) the unbelievers. The lightning almost takes away their vision. When the lightning brightens their surroundings, they walk, and when it is dark, they stand still. Had Allah wanted, He could have taken away their hearing and their vision. Allah has power over all things.”

Surah al-Ra'd Ayah 12-13, “It is He Who flashes lightning to frighten you and to give you hope. It is He Who forms the heavy clouds. Both the thunder and the angels glorify Him and, out of fearing Him, always praise Him. He sends down thunderbolts to strike whomever He wants, while they are busy arguing about the existence of Allah. His punishment is stern.

Surah al-Nur Ayah 43, “Did you not see that Allah moves the clouds gently, brings them together, piles them up, and then you can see the rain coming from them? He sends down hailstones from the mountains in the sky. With them He strikes or protects from them whomever He wants. The lightning can almost take away sight.

Surah al-Rum Ayah 24, “Also within the evidence of His existence is His showing you lightning which gives fear and hope and His sending water down from the sky which revives the earth after its death. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the people of understanding.”

The Ayah explains how the clouds are formed and rain drops fall on the earth.

Even after the advancement of scientific research, man is still unable to fathom this gigantic power of lightning which still kills many people every year. The huge sound of thunder scares many people.

Lightning produces nitrogen which is critical for life. Although, 78% of air consists of nitrogen but we do not make use of that nitrogen, we simply in-hale and ex-hale without using it. The nitrogen in air has three strong bonds between the electrons. It takes a great amount of energy to free the nitrogen. When lightning strikes, it knocks the electrons from the nitrogen atoms. The atoms are then free to combine with oxygen and hydrogen atoms in the air to form nitrates. Rain carries this new compound to the earth enriching the soil which are the building blocks of proteins.

Lightning produces heat of about 15,000 centigrade which in turn forms hydrogen peroxide or heavy water. The heavy water kills germs in the air and plants.

Some of the experts say that by virtue of the lightning the natural fertilizer on the earth amounts to thousands of tons.

The experts say that whenever there is less lightning and thunder, the incidence of increase of diseases and plant damages.

This might be the interpretation of the Ayah, “It is He Who flashes lightning to frighten you and to give you hope.”

Sources used: The Glorious Qur'an (Urdu translation) by Ayatollah Nasir Makarem Shirazi

The Glorious Qur'an (English translation) by Ayatollah Agha H.M.M.Pooya Yazdi