The Quantized Universe: How a Single Word in the Qur’an Foreshadows Modern Physics
Mithqala Dharratin: Does the Qur’an Predetermine the Quantization of Gravity?
In the realm of modern theoretical physics, one of the greatest challenges is the “Theory of Everything.” Scientists are struggling to bridge the gap between Einstein’s General Relativity (which sees gravity as a smooth, continuous fabric) and Quantum Mechanics (which sees the world as made of discrete, tiny particles).
Intriguingly, the language used in the Qur’an (Surah 10:61 and Surah 34:3) offers a linguistic structure that mirrors the most advanced theories of 21st-century physics: Quantum Gravity.
1. Grammatical Precision: The “Unit” of Weight
The phrase used in these verses is “Mithqala Dharratin” (مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ). To understand the depth of this expression, we must look at the classical Arabic roots:
- Dharra (ذرة): Traditionally interpreted as a tiny dust mote or a small ant—the smallest thing imaginable to the human eye at the time. Today, it is the Arabic word for Atom or Elementary Particle. It represents the “smallest unit of matter.”
- Mithqal (مثقال): Derived from the root Th-Q-L (ثقل), which relates to “heaviness,” “weight,” or Gravity. Crucially, Mithqal does not just mean “weight” in a vague sense; it refers to a specific measure, a standard unit, or a “weight-quantum.”
The Logical Implication: The verse does not simply say “a tiny thing.” It speaks of a fixed measure of gravity belonging to the smallest possible particle.
2. The Scientific Mirror: Why “Measure” Implies Quantization
In classical physics (Newtonian or Einsteinian), gravity was thought to be continuous—like a smooth slope. In a continuous universe, you could divide weight infinitely. There would be no such thing as a “smallest measure of weight,” because you could always go smaller.
However, the Qur’anic use of a specific “measure” (Mithqal) for the “smallest particle” (Dharra) implies a lower limit.
The Connection to Quantum Gravity
Modern theories like Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) suggest that space and gravity are not smooth. They are “quantized,” meaning they are made of discrete “pixels” or “atoms of geometry.”
- The Graviton: Physicists hypothesize a particle that carries the force of gravity. If it exists, it would be the literal Mithqal—the smallest possible unit of gravitational interaction.
- The Planck Scale: Physics dictates that below a certain mass and length, our current understanding of the universe ceases to exist. This is the “fundamental grain” of the cosmos.
If gravity were not quantized, the example of a Mithqal (a fixed measure) for the smallest particle would be scientifically imprecise. By using this term, the Creator points to a digital rather than an analog universe.
3. Saqal (Gravity) as the Identity of Matter
That the property of Saqal (heaviness/gravity) is the focal point. This is a profound realization. In modern physics, we know that:
- Mass and Gravity are inseparable (General Relativity).
- Even the smallest particles (like Neutrinos) must have a “rest mass” or energy to be part of our physical reality.
The Qur’an links the identity of the smallest thing (Dharra) directly to its gravitational measure (Mithqal). This suggests that the “smallest thing” in the universe is defined by its ability to interact with gravity. If it has no Mithqal, it does not exist in the record of the physical world.
4. Expanding the Thought: The “Pixels” of Reality
If we look at the universe as a giant computer simulation, the Mithqal would be the “bit” or the “pixel” of weight.
- Continuous Universe: Like a painting where colors blend infinitely.
- Quantized Universe (Qur’anic Model): Like a digital screen where, if you zoom in enough, you find a single pixel that cannot be divided further.
By stating that not even the Mithqal of a Dharra escapes the Creator’s knowledge, the text confirms that the universe has a finite resolution. It is not an endless void of divisibility; it is a precisely calibrated machine with a fundamental “smallest unit.”
5. The Limit of Gravity: Black Holes and the “Mithqal” Boundary
The relationship between a particle (Dharra) and its gravitational measure (Mithqal) becomes most evident when we look at the most extreme objects in the universe: Black Holes.
A Black Hole is created when a massive amount of matter is compressed into a tiny space. According to classical physics, this compression could go on forever, creating a “Singularity” of infinite density. However, modern physics suggests this is impossible because of the very principle we found in the Qur’anic text: Quantization.
The Information Paradox
If you were to throw a particle (Dharra) into a Black Hole, what happens to its “measure” (Mithqal)?
- The Event Horizon: Scientists like Stephen Hawking discovered that Black Holes have a surface area. When something falls in, the Black Hole’s surface grows—but not smoothly.
- Quantized Growth: It grows in “steps” or “units.” The smallest possible increase in a Black Hole’s surface is determined by the Planck Area.
This means that even a Black Hole—the most powerful gravitational force in existence—must obey the law of the “smallest measure.” It cannot consume “half a unit” of information; it must account for every Mithqal of every Dharra that enters it.
Gravity’s “Final Pixel”
If gravity were continuous, a Black Hole would be a bottomless pit of nothingness. But because gravity is quantized (as the term Mithqal suggests), many physicists now believe in a “Planck Star” or a “Quantum Star” at the center. This theory suggests that the collapse stops at a certain “smallest measure” because the fabric of the universe cannot be compressed further than its fundamental grain.
In this light, the verse takes on a cosmic dimension:
“…and not hidden from your Lord is even the measure of a particle…”
Whether it is a single atom floating in space or a particle being swallowed by a Black Hole, the “measure” (Mithqal) remains preserved in the knowledge of the Creator. The universe has a built-in accounting system where every unit of gravity is tracked, proving that the cosmos is not a chaotic void, but a perfectly “calculated” (quantized) reality.
Conclusion: A Message Across Time
The beauty of this linguistic choice lies in its dual nature. To a 7th-century listener, it was a poetic way to describe God’s infinite detail. To a 21st-century physicist, it is a statement about the quantization of the gravitational field.
The fact that the Qur’an anchors the smallest particle to a “measure of heaviness” reflects a reality we are only now beginning to prove through mathematics and particle accelerators. It suggests that the One who wrote these words is the same One who “quantized” the very fabric of space and time.
“If the Creator’s words foreshadow the deepest truths of physics, what else remains hidden? Please read the Holy Quran with its due respect and explore the depths of its wisdom.”