Maurice Bucaille
Encyclopedia
Maurice BucailleMaurice Bucaille (19 July 1920 in Pont-L'Eveque
, France
- 17 February 1998), son of Maurice and Marie (James) Bucaille, was a French
medical doctor, member of the French Society of Egyptology, and an author. Bucaille practiced medicine from 1945–82 and was a specialist in gastroenterology
. In 1973, Bucaille was appointed family physician to King Faisal
of Saudi Arabia
. Another of his patients at the time included members of the family of then President of Egypt
, Anwar Sadat
.
contains no statements contradicting established scientific fact. Bucaille argued that the Qur'an is in agreement with scientific facts, while the Bible is not. He states that in Islam, science and religion have always been “twin sisters” (vii). According to Bucaille, there are monumental errors of science in the Bible and not a single error in the Qur'an. Bucaille's belief is that the Qur'an's descriptions of natural phenomena make it compatible with modern science. Bucaille concludes that the Qur'an is the reliable word of God
.
Bucaille argues that the Old Testament
has been distorted because of numerous translations and corrections as it was transmitted orally. He highlights, in his words, “numerous disagreements and repetitions”, in the Old Testament and the Gospels. In his analysis, Bucaille claims he makes use of many propositions of Biblical criticism, such as the documentary hypothesis
. With regard to the Qur'an, however, Bucaille followed the Islamic tradition that the Qur'anic scrolls are said to have been collected during Muhammad’s lifetime.
Credible sources pertain that Bucaille stated he is not a Muslim, although, in an interview with the Islamic Bulletin, Bucaille claimed that his "inner soul cried out that Al- Quran was the Word of Allah
revealed to his Last Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W.)". He also said that he devoted himself to discuss all problems from a "purely academic angle", to be treated by the world as an "academician
rather than a theologian". However he has no qualifications as in philosophy or theology. The validity of Bucaille's arguments that all scientific statements presented in the Qur'an are scientifically accurate has been disputed and refuted..
.
Since the publishing of The Bible, the Quran and Science, Bucaillists have tried to prove the divine origin of the Qur'an by attempting to illustrate that it contains scientifically correct facts.
Pont-l'Évêque
Pont-l'Évêque is the name of two communes of France:* Pont-l'Évêque, Calvados, in the Calvados département, Normandy* Pont-l'Évêque, Oise, in the Oise département, Picardy-Other:* Pont-l'Évêque cheese, named after the commune in Normandy...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
- 17 February 1998), son of Maurice and Marie (James) Bucaille, was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
medical doctor, member of the French Society of Egyptology, and an author. Bucaille practiced medicine from 1945–82 and was a specialist in gastroenterology
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive system and its disorders are studied. The name is a combination of three Ancient Greek words gaster , enteron , and logos...
. In 1973, Bucaille was appointed family physician to King Faisal
Faisal of Saudi Arabia
Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. As king, he is credited with rescuing the country's finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform, while his main foreign policy themes were pan-Islamic Nationalism, anti-Communism, and pro-Palestinian...
of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. Another of his patients at the time included members of the family of then President of Egypt
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
, Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...
.
The Bible, The Qur'an and Science
In 1976, he published his book, The Bible, The Qur'an and Science which argued that the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
contains no statements contradicting established scientific fact. Bucaille argued that the Qur'an is in agreement with scientific facts, while the Bible is not. He states that in Islam, science and religion have always been “twin sisters” (vii). According to Bucaille, there are monumental errors of science in the Bible and not a single error in the Qur'an. Bucaille's belief is that the Qur'an's descriptions of natural phenomena make it compatible with modern science. Bucaille concludes that the Qur'an is the reliable word of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
.
Bucaille argues that the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
has been distorted because of numerous translations and corrections as it was transmitted orally. He highlights, in his words, “numerous disagreements and repetitions”, in the Old Testament and the Gospels. In his analysis, Bucaille claims he makes use of many propositions of Biblical criticism, such as the documentary hypothesis
Documentary hypothesis
The documentary hypothesis , holds that the Pentateuch was derived from originally independent, parallel and complete narratives, which were subsequently combined into the current form by a series of redactors...
. With regard to the Qur'an, however, Bucaille followed the Islamic tradition that the Qur'anic scrolls are said to have been collected during Muhammad’s lifetime.
Credible sources pertain that Bucaille stated he is not a Muslim, although, in an interview with the Islamic Bulletin, Bucaille claimed that his "inner soul cried out that Al- Quran was the Word of Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
revealed to his Last Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W.)". He also said that he devoted himself to discuss all problems from a "purely academic angle", to be treated by the world as an "academician
Academician
The title Academician denotes a Full Member of an art, literary, or scientific academy.In many countries, it is an honorary title. There also exists a lower-rank title, variously translated Corresponding Member or Associate Member, .-Eastern Europe and China:"Academician" may also be a functional...
rather than a theologian". However he has no qualifications as in philosophy or theology. The validity of Bucaille's arguments that all scientific statements presented in the Qur'an are scientifically accurate has been disputed and refuted..
Others
- La Bible, le Coran et la Science : Les Écritures Saintes examinées à la lumière des connaissances modernes, Seghers 1976, (ISBN 978-2221501535), Pocket 2003, (ISBN 978-2266131032)
- La bible, le coran et la science (The Bible, the Qur'an, and Science : The Holy Scriptures Examined in the Light of Modern Knowledge), traduit par Alistair D. Pannell, 7e édition, TTQ, Inc., 2003 (ISBN 187940298X).
- Les Momies des pharaons et la médecine, Séguier, 1987 (ISBN 2906284475). Mummies of the Pharaohs: Modern Medical Investigations by Maurice Bucaille. Translated by Alastair D. Pannell and the author. Illustrated. 236 pp. New York: St. Martin's Press.
- Réflexions sur le Coran, Seghers, (Reflections on the Koran) 1989 (ISBN 2232101487).
- L'homme d'où vient-il? Les réponses de la science et des Écritures Saintes (Man where is he coming from? The responses of science and Scripture), Seghers, 1980 7ème éd.(ISBN 2221007816).
- Moïse et Pharaon ; Les Hébreux en Egypte ; (Moses and Pharaoh, The Hebrews in Egypt) Quelles concordances de Livres saints avec l'Histoire, Seghers, 1995 (ISBN 2-232-10466-4).
Bucaillism
Bucaillism is a term used by academics to denote the movement to relate modern science with religion, and especially that of IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Since the publishing of The Bible, the Quran and Science, Bucaillists have tried to prove the divine origin of the Qur'an by attempting to illustrate that it contains scientifically correct facts.
External links
- Biography from Center for Islam and Science
- The Quran and Modern Science by Dr. Maurice Bucaille Edited by Dr. A. A. B. Philips
- Bible,Quran and Science by Dr. Maurice Bucaille Translated by Alastair D. Pannell and the Author
Critical
- The Qur'an and the Bible in the light of history and science by Dr. William Campbell, 1986 - a Christian response to The Bible, The Qur'an and Science