Internal Waves and Deep Sea Darkness
The Quran describes internal waves and layered deep-sea darkness - confirmed by modern oceanography.
أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ
Aw kaẓulumātin fī baḥrin lujjiyyin yaghshāhu mawjun min fawqihi mawjun min fawqihi saḥāb, ẓulumātun ba'ḍuhā fawqa ba'ḍ
“Or like shadows in a deep sea covered by waves upon waves, with clouds above—layer upon layer of darkness.”
Verify on Quran.com610-632 CE
The verse describing this phenomenon was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Time Gap
1,300+ years
Before scientific confirmation
20th century CE
20th century oceanography confirmed: Internal Waves and Deep Ocean Darkness
This verse describes conditions in deep oceans that could not have been observed in the 7th century - submarines did not exist, and humans could not dive to such depths.
The description includes: 1. **Internal waves** - The phrase "waves upon which are waves" describes internal waves that occur at density boundaries within the ocean, distinct from surface waves 2. **Layered darkness** - Light penetrates the ocean in layers: red light is absorbed in the first 10-20m, then orange, yellow, green, and finally blue. Below 200m is complete darkness 3. **Multiple layers** - "Darknesses, some of them upon others" accurately describes the progressive absorption of light wavelengths at different depths
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived in the Arabian desert with no access to the deep sea. The detailed description of internal waves and layered deep-sea darkness describes phenomena only observed with modern technology.
Phenomenon
Internal Waves and Deep Ocean Darkness
Discovered By
20th century oceanography
Year Discovered
20th century
Time Gap
1,300+ years
This verse describes multiple oceanographic phenomena:
1. **Internal Waves**: "Waves upon which are waves" - Internal waves occur at the boundaries between water layers of different densities (pycnoclines). These are separate from surface waves and occur deep within the ocean.
2. **Deep Sea Darkness**: The phrase "lujjiyy" (unfathomable/deep) sea with "layers of darkness" accurately describes how light is absorbed as water depth increases. At 200m, all visible light is gone. The layered nature of darkness (some above others) matches how different light wavelengths are absorbed at different depths.
3. **Multiple Layers**: Clouds above surface waves above internal waves above deep darkness - a precise description of oceanic light absorption.
Ancient Understanding
Ancient peoples could only observe the ocean surface. They knew the sea was dark at depth (from drowning accounts), but assumed it was uniformly dark below the surface. The concept of layers of darkness, each absorbing different light, was unknown. Internal waves within the ocean were completely unobserved.
Medieval & Renaissance Period
Medieval understanding of the ocean was limited to surface phenomena. Sailors observed surface waves and understood tides, but the internal structure of the ocean - layers of different densities with internal waves - was completely unknown. Deep sea exploration was impossible.
Scientific View Before Discovery
Before modern oceanography and submarines, the deep ocean was considered a homogeneous dark abyss. There was no knowledge of: (1) internal waves at density boundaries, (2) layered light absorption by depth, or (3) the stratified structure of ocean water.
Common Misconceptions (Before Modern Science)
- The ocean is uniformly dark below a certain depth
- Only surface waves exist - waves cannot occur inside the ocean
- Sea water is the same throughout (no layers)
- Darkness in the sea is instant, not gradual and layered
- The deep ocean can be observed from the surface
The Paradigm Shift
The development of submarines, oceanographic research vessels, and underwater photography in the 20th century revealed the ocean's true structure. Internal waves were discovered at pycnoclines. Light absorption studies showed progressive layering - red light absorbed first, then other colors, creating layers of darkness.
Related Signs
Sources & References
4 sources cited on this page