Home > Arguments for the Qur'an's excellence
"The Qur'an hints at the miracle of Sirius, the star, in a way that reflects its vast distance, known only recently. It says, ‘And that He is the Lord of Sirius' (Surah An-Najm, 53:49), singling out this star—now measured as 8.6 light-years away, one of the brightest and most distant visible to the naked eye. Its mention by Allah, in a time when such distances were unknown, points to divine knowledge beyond human reach.
Jesus (peace be upon him) received the Injeel—‘We gave him the Injeel, in which was guidance and light' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:46)—but the Bible lacks such precise cosmic signs. The Qur'an affirms, ‘The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:75). Sirius's mention showcases Allah's mastery over creation, proving the Qur'an's truth and reinforcing Jesus' call to worship the One who knows and rules all, even the farthest stars."
The argument that the Quran's mention of Sirius (Surah An-Najm, 53:49) is a "miracle" because its distance is now known is utterly ludicrous. This is mere retrospective guesswork, not prophetic foresight. It's like discovering an ancient scroll that mentions the moon, then claiming it predicted the Apollo landings because, well, the moon is out there.
1. The Absence of Real Data
The verse states, "He is the Lord of Sirius." That's it. It's a generic theological declaration of God's sovereignty over a bright, locally significant celestial object—a standard move to combat local idolatry. Where, pray tell, is the mention of 8.6 light-years? Where is the binary star system description? The verse contains zero unique, verifiable, and predictive data. The connection to modern science is entirely manufactured after the fact.
2. The True Miracle is Prophecy, Not Astronomy
The opponent suggests the Bible lacks "precise cosmic signs." Our authority rests not on coded secrets, but on manifest, objective action.
The Bible's confirmation is the miracle of fulfilled prophecy (2 Peter 1:20-21). Hundreds of specific, detailed predictions concerning nations, cities, and the life of Christ—written centuries in advance—came true with perfect accuracy. This is a time-stamped, objective miracle that surpasses any claim derived from a vague mention of the night sky. We choose the verifiable work of the Saviour over abstract celestial claims.
Christians dismiss the attempt to use a distant star to reinforce the diminished view of Christ as "no more than a messenger" (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:75). We worship the Lord of Sirius who did not merely point to a star, but entered creation as the Living Word (John 1:1, 14), whose resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) is the ultimate, cosmic sign.