Muhammad Samih Afiyah

Muhammad Samih Afiyah is a modern researcher and writer known for his contributions to the study of geology and Earth sciences through the perspective of Quranic discourse, notably in his book al-Quran wa Ulum al-Ard (The Quran and Earth Sciences) al-Istinbat inda al-Khati….

Scholarly Approach

Afiyah approached the Quran as an empirical researcher, maintaining that Muslim scientists in experimental fields examine scripture with faith while utilizing findings from modern science to illuminate facets of Quranic verses that classical exegetes did not address al-Quran wa Ulum al-Ard. He considered these scientific insights to fall within the scientific inimitability of the Quran (al-i'jaz al-'ilmi), arguing that the scriptural allusions to physical phenomena serve to reinforce faith and demonstrate divine design al-Quran wa Ulum al-Ard+1.

In al-Quran wa Ulum al-Ard, published in 1414 AH (1994 CE) al-Istinbat inda al-Khati…, he integrated various branches of Earth sciences—including physical, dynamic, applied, and economic geology—with Quranic texts al-Quran wa Ulum al-Ard. His work addressed topics such as the formation and motions of the Earth, atmospheric and meteorological phenomena, crustal movements and mountain structures, the hydrosphere and oceans, geological time and dating, energy sources, and Earth's mineral and mining wealth alongside related legal rulings such as zakat on extracted minerals al-Quran wa Ulum al-Ard+1.