Black Holes
Modern Science
Black holes are regions in space where gravity is so intense that nothing — not even light — can escape. They form when massive stars collapse, warping space-time and pulling in nearby matter. Although invisible, scientists detect them through their effects on stars, light, and the immense bursts of energy they release.
Qur’ānic Revelation 1400 Years Ago
Allāh says:
فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ
“So I swear by the retreating stars—
those that move swiftly, then hide away.”
[Qur’ān 81:15–16]
These verses describe something in space with 3 powerful characteristics:
1) They disappear (الخُنَّس)
The word الخُنَّس refers to objects that withdraw, retreat, or vanish from sight.
Meaning: they are not always visible — they can become hidden.
2) They move (الجوار)
Allāh then calls them الجوار — “those that run / travel”.
Meaning: these objects are moving through space, not fixed.
3) They hide (الكُنَّس)
The word الكُنَّس refers to something that goes into hiding, like an animal retreating into its den.
Meaning: they disappear into something unseen.
The Qur’ān described mysterious celestial bodies that move, withdraw, and become hidden over 1,400 years ago — a description that remarkably aligns with the modern understanding of black holes and their immense unseen power.
Further Explanation.
One of the most fascinating aspects of these verses is the precision of the wording.
1) Why would Allāh describe stars as “retreating”?
Stars are usually imagined as fixed lights in the sky — always visible, always shining.
But الخُنَّس (al-khunnas) describes something that withdraws, vanishes, or slips out of sight.
This is highly unusual — because in the ancient world, people did not have knowledge of celestial bodies that could exist unseen, while still being real and powerful.
2) The Qur’ān links invisibility with motion
Allāh immediately follows with الجوار (al-jawār) — “the runners”.
This tells us something important:
These objects don’t only disappear…
They also move with speed and precision, travelling through space.
This matches what we know today about massive astronomical objects: they follow orbits, shift through galaxies, and interact gravitationally with everything around them.
3) “al-kunnas” — not just hidden… but concealed
The word الكُنَّس (al-kunnas) is even deeper.
In Arabic it refers to something that goes into its den, retreats into a place where it becomes fully concealed.
This is incredibly striking, because black holes are exactly that:
- They are not merely “dim stars”,
- they are objects hidden in complete darkness,
- where even light cannot escape once it crosses the point of no return.
4) Seen by their signs, not by their appearance
Black holes were not “photographed” traditionally like planets or stars.
For most of modern history, scientists only knew black holes existed by observing their effects:
- surrounding stars moving unnaturally,
- light bending,
- matter heating up and swirling,
- invisible mass controlling an entire region of space.
In other words: the object is hidden, but its impact is undeniable.
A powerful reflection
So when the Qur’ān swears by celestial bodies that:
✅ move,
✅ withdraw,
✅ and hide away…
…it creates a description that strongly resonates with the reality of black holes — mysterious objects that cannot be seen directly, yet dominate the space around them.
And Allāh knows best.
