Weather predictions and Islam
By: Zuhair Khan
Tags: Weather, Quran, Religion, Islam

Abstract

This article busts the myth of weather prediction in islam, the common belief of many that the prediction of weather is challenging almighty Allah. Many attribute it to the level of shirk. A single ayah of Quran is enough to break this myth and establish concise proof.

“Meteorologists are able to predict the changes in weather patterns by using several different tools. They use these tools to measure atmospheric conditions that occurred in the past and present, and they apply this information to create educated guesses about the future weather. Always remember that a weather forecast is an educated guess – meteorologists (and mankind, in general) cannot control the weather. The best we can do is observe past and present atmospheric patterns and data, and apply this information to what we think will happen in the future. Meteorologists use the scientific method on a daily – and even hourly – basis”, writes, Warrilow (2012).

Meteorologists use many different tools for different purposes. Most people are familiar with thermometers, barometers, and anemometers for measuring temperature, air pressure, and wind speed, respectively. All these tools are basically sensors that measure air temperature, pressure and so on.

Mersereau (2018),”the most popular and widely-known saying is “red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky by morning, sailors take warning.” This phrase is at least as old as the Bible, and it has some truth to it. Weather systems in the northern hemisphere generally move from west to east, so if there’s a colorful sunrise – meaning clouds to the west – it means rough weather could approach during the day. However, if the clouds catch the sunset as they depart to the east, it means the weather will probably be calm tomorrow”. The most basic example is what we experience in our daily lives, when we see clouds we predict the rain.

In the case mentioned above, people used their eye as a sensor to collect the information which then processed by the brain led to the prediction of weather. The only difference is that “Meteorologists use sensors like thermometers, barometers etc. additional to the sense of sight. Also, with the advancement of technology we are able to place these sensors at more accurate locations to collect more accurate data. For example, weather balloons are special balloons that have a weather pack on them that measures temperature, air pressure, wind speed, and wind direction in all the layers of the troposphere.

Quran says,

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشْرًۢا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ

“It is “He” who sends the winds as glad tidings for what is going to come from his mercy”.

Measurement of air pressure, temperature and wind speed are basic fundamentals of weather prediction.

Allah’s statement that “he sends winds as glad tidings” means that we are supposed to know what is going to come from his mercy as glad tidings are the news which we are supposed to know. The difference is that in old days we used our eye to see this glad tiding of Allah and today we use various other tools.

In case of weather, we can only predict it and by prediction we mean an “educated guess” ( warrilow 2012). It is still a guess because there is another command of Allah which needs to be fulfilled in order for the rain to pour down.

Also,

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتْ سَحَابًا ثِقَالًا سُقْنَٰهُ لِبَلَدٍ مَّيِّتٍ

“until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land”. Winds that bring precipitation to our region are termed “Western disturbances”. Originating in the Mediterranean region that brings sudden winter rain to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent. Surprisingly, these wind patterns set by Allah carry moisture from the region as far as Mediterranean and by the command of Allah to our region.

It still remains a prediction and cannot move beyond that because Allah says,

فَأَنزَلْنَا بِهِ ٱلْمَآءَ

It is then by the command of Allah that clouds send down rain. In fact we might someday predict a heavy rain and to our surprise it may not happen because it is Allah who makes it happen. Meteorologists (Warrilow, 2012) often describe the weather as a set of “patterns”, because similar weather conditions tend to repeat themselves. Of course, just because something “fits” a pattern doesn’t mean it is identical in behavior – similar events are still unique in their own way. A snow storm may set up a similar pattern to one in the past, but produce a different amount of snow in a different part of the state.

Every process that takes place in our environment is set by Allah and there are different mediums by which these processes take place, also set by Allah. Similarly, the weather of our globe is set by Allah and processes that make it happen through mediums are also set by Allah. The study of these processes leads us to an educated guess/ prediction, which in no case leads to shirk or challenging Allah (SWT).

Allah knows best

References

AlQuran, Surah Al-Araf, Ayah 57

Mersereau D (2018) “How people predicted weather before modern technology”, https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/observer.com/2018/06/how-did-weather-forecasts-operate-before-modern-technology-computers/amp/

Warrilow C (2012) “Students ask: how do meteorologists predict weather?”, https://www.gpb.org/blogs/talking-storm/2012/02/15/students-ask-how-do-meteorologists-predict-the-weather