101 Reasons Why We Left Islam – Chapter 3: Islam and Science – Reason 29
Allah of Gaps is a take on the term “God’s of Gaps”, a terminology used to describe how we see various religions throughout human evolution – evolve the concept of God or Gods to match the gaps in their knowledge. For example, if we do not know how we were created, God(s) did it! Who makes thunder? God(s) does it. How can water fall from the sky like magic? God(s) does it. Why does the Sun rise every day from the East and set in the West? God(s) does that. And if you try to ask: How or why? Then you get variety of made-up reasons or get shut down with “Only God(s) know”! It was a coping mechanism derived from dealing with the bigger question: “What happens to us after we die? “
Keep in mind that I am agnostic. I cannot be certain if there is a god or not. Theologists see evidence of this in the Quran as much as they see in any other religion Muslims refuse to accept. We saw several of these already in this chapter, such as explaining the Earth as being flat, which made much more sense than round when people did not understand the concept of gravity. Man-made of sounding clay, embryology process, geocentric Earth, Sun setting points…and more to come – all could be classified under God of Gaps. Here, we focus on three linked subjects: Who controls the Weather? Who controls Thunder, Wind and Rain?
For rain, Quran 43:11 says:
“(He) who sends water down from the sky in due measure––We resurrect dead land with it, and likewise you will be resurrected from the grave.”
Quran 16:65:
“And Allah sends down rain from the sky, giving life to the earth after its death. Surely in this is a sign for those who listen.”
Quran 24:43:
“Do you not see that Allah drives clouds? Then He brings them together, then He makes them into a mass, and you see the rain emerge from within it….”
But probably the biggest God of Gaps verse has to be Quran 31:34:
“Indeed, Allah [alone] has the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain, and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will earn for tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.”
And there are many more verses about the rain. Of course, rain is a natural phenomenon that is linked to climate. Scientists were able to seed rains from clouds, were able to recreate clouds, and even rain. Would you call them God?
The same principles are applied to wind:
Quran 14:18:
“The parable of the deeds of those who disbelieve in their Lord is that of ashes fiercely blown away by wind on a stormy day.”
Quran 10:22:
“He is the One Who enables you to travel through land and sea. And it so happens that you are on ships, sailing with a favourable wind, to the passengers’ delight. Suddenly, the ships are overcome by a gale wind and those on board are overwhelmed by waves from every side, and they assume they are doomed. They cry out to Allah ˹alone˺ in sincere devotion, “If You save us from this, we will certainly be grateful.”
Quran 17:69:
“Or do you feel secure that He will not send you back to sea once again, and send upon you a violent storm, drowning you for your denial? Then you will find none to avenge you against Us.”
On the flat plains of the desert of Arabia, winds would have been associated more with their destructive powers and stories of sailors facing violent waves. Thus, the God of gaps controls the wind to exert his ‘anger’, completely missing the point that winds are natural phenomena controlled by seasons and changes in sea and air temperatures.
And finally, thunder. What would be more terrifying than the explosive sounds being that of a loud anger of God? The God of Thunder!! So, would you be surprised that there is a whole chapter in the Quran called ‘Surah Ar-Ra’d’ or Surah Thunder? Here are the key takeaways from this chapter:
Quran 13:12:
It is He who shows you lightening, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds.
Quran 13:13:
And the thunder exalts [Allah] with praise of Him – and the angels [as well] from fear of Him – and He sends thunderbolts and strikes therewith whom He wills while they dispute about Allah; and He is severe in assault.
The chapter goes on for 43 verses that have the theme of punishments and revenge of Allah – linked of course to the chapter title. But mainly pointing to God of Gaps when it says ‘He sends thunderbolts and strikes while there are those who dispute about Allah. This is followed with the threat of his severe in assaults. This has God of gaps all over it!
Thunder is created as the interaction of clouds of opposite electron charge, resulting in the discharge of lightning and an explosive sound. Depending on seasons and climate, some areas are more receptive to Thunders than others. This has absolutely nothing to do with a vengeful Allah. Nowadays, not only can we control its effect with thunder-poles that can catch and neutralise their impact, yet only costs less than $30. Such a simple instrument seems to render Allah’s most powerful ‘assault’, Chapter 13 of His book, harmless! How the powers of Allah have shrunk.
Issue 29.1: We are told that the arguments for Pagans for worshipping God of Rain are ridiculous, God of Wind being a joke, and the God of Thunder as laughable. But dig closer and we do exactly the same arguments under the title of Allah! The evidence from the Quran shows an author reflecting the environment and world around them that attributed natural phenomena to God of Gaps – no different to other faith you reject.
Islamic Apologists:
Issue 29.1: Unlike pagans, Islam believes in only one God – an all-powerful and all-mighty who created everything. The idea of multiple gods is ridiculous and rejected in Islam. The Quran is not wrong in attributing this to Allah and a single God. As I said before, the Quran is a book of signs and not a book of science. It would not explain the process of rain, thunder, and wind – but rather show where they came from. And ultimately, they are all the making of Allah. The Quran left signs to indicate its miraculous message. For example, several of the verses referred to the clouds of rain as being ‘heavy’ as mentioned in Quran 13:12 and 7:57. This information was not known back then, and only recently have scientists discovered that heavy clouds are associated with ones carrying rain.
https://www.livescience.com/how-much-does-a-cloud-weigh
>>Our Response: The fact that the Quran combined the gods into one God does not change the argument. It used the same fallacy of ‘God of Gaps’ in doing so. You may say what could have the Quran said otherwise. It could have been said that rain, wind, and thunder are natural phenomena essential for the Earth’s ability to renew itself. Therefore, you need to learn to adapt to it, utilise it, and work to develop protection from it. See how much more accurate this would have been and how encouraging it would be to ask humans to learn to live with it and rather than attribute it to loving or vengeful actions of a God to put fear in people to believe! As for the claim of heavy clouds being a miracle, this has been debunked from Islamic sources. Heavy also means full of water in Arabic. In the context of all these verses that talk about thunder and lightning, the reference to heavy meaning is full of water. This was a very well known knowledge back then. Do you think Ibn Kathir from the 14th century, who explains heavy clouds are in reference to being full of water, knew something our scientists ‘only discovered it now’?
“… He originates the clouds that are heavy and close to the ground because of being laden with rain. Mujahid said that this part of the Ayah is about clouds that are heavy with rain.”
https://quran.com/13:12/tafsirs/en-tafisr-ibn-kathir
Final Thoughts
Scientists now use satellite maps and powerful computers with superior models to better forecast the weather – rendering harmful effects of heavy rain, strong winds, and major thunderstorms less destructive on lives, property, and livestock. Homes are built better, and rising buildings are equipped to deal with all these effects. This is exactly the principle of the God of Gaps – that as scientists find answers and ways to control a phenomenon, the god of gaps shrinks and shrinks further. Now you rarely hear people terrified from the sounds of thunder in their homes or on high raising buildings, you rarely see people afraid of strong wind, or heavy rains- many times they would have had at least 72 hours warning that it is coming.