Quran & Science: Doctor Links Biological Age to 1400-Year-Old Text

CAIRO – Egyptian physician Hossam Mowafi, a professor of critical care medicine at Kasr El-Ainy Faculty of Medicine, has sparked discussion by linking modern medical understandings of biological age to verses within the Quran. The remarks came during an appearance on the “Wa Qul Rabb Zidni ‘Ilman” (And say, “My Lord, increase me in knowledge”) program on Sada El Balad television channel, following widespread online rumors concerning his health.

Sources close to Dr. Mowafi confirmed his health is stable and dismissed reports of his death circulating on social media as unfounded and malicious. He used his program appearance to address the false reports and then transitioned to a discussion of biological age, a concept he asserts is reflected in the Quranic text.

Mowafi emphasized the distinction between chronological age – the age recorded on official documents – and biological age, which is determined by the actual health and condition of the body. He stated this differentiation is crucial for accurate medical decision-making, including determining appropriate medication dosages, making critical care assessments, and evaluating medical risks. “Biological age is very important in intensive care, because it helps doctors make accurate decisions about the treatment the patient needs,” he said.

He cited a verse from Surah Al-Qasas (Chapter 28) – “ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ ۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ” (He said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We do not water until the shepherds drive [their flocks] out; and our father is an aged man.”) – as evidence of the Quran’s prescience. Mowafi explained that the Arabic word “shaykh” (شيخ) traditionally refers to someone over the age of fifty, while “kabir” (كبير) denotes a more advanced stage of aging, aligning with the modern medical understanding of biological age and its correlation to bodily health.

In a separate discussion, Dr. Mowafi revealed he had purchased a 400-page scientific book on water and its impact on the human body, costing a significant sum in US dollars, decades ago. He stated that the book’s core findings were encapsulated in just four words from Surah Al-Hijr (Chapter 15): “وَأَرْسَلْنَا الرِّيَاحَ لَوَاقِحَ فَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَسْقَيْنَاكُمُوهُ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ لَهُ بِخَازِنِينَ” (And We send the fertilizing winds and send down from the sky rain and give you to drink from it and We do not possess it for storage). He described the book as detailing the phenomenon of water diluting blood components and the potentially fatal consequences of exceeding certain limits. He said he felt compelled to prostrate in gratitude after understanding the book, only to find the same concept expressed succinctly in the Quranic verse during prayer.

Dr. Mowafi also discussed the importance of submission to God, stating that “slavery is a beautiful thing and must be adhered to, and we must teach our children to be only a slave to God.”