I think the Qur’an is pointing us toward the mathematical order of creation
I’m a math major, and studying mathematics has made me think that God made mathematics to create and order the universe. (Isaac Newton believed this too).
We invented mathematical notation, but we did not invent mathematical truth. The relationships themselves do not depend on us. They existed before humans discovered them and will remain true after us. The physical universe changes constantly; mathematical truth does not. Matter can obey mathematical laws, but it cannot amend them. Doesn’t that sound familiar…
There is a recurring pattern where God directs us toward things in creation. Perhaps, he also is hinting, that in addition to being beautiful—it is mathematical.
Surah 16 : The Bee:
“And thy Lord revealed unto the bees, saying: ‘Take unto yourselves, of the mountains, houses, and of the trees, and of what they are building. Then eat of all manner of fruit, and follow the ways of your Lord easy to go upon.’ Then comes there forth out of their bellies a drink of diverse hues wherein is healing for men. Surely in that is a sign for a people who reflect.”
God specifically tells us that He revealed/gave guidance to the bee, tells the bee to “follow the ways of your Lord,” tells us the bee makes honey, and then tells us that there is a sign here. But it doesn’t seem like the sign is just honey’s healing properties. The bee seems special.
So what happens when we actually study the bee?
Honeycomb geometry corresponds to an optimization result. The regular hexagonal tiling divides a plane into equal areas while minimizing the total perimeter required. Mathematicians suspected this for centuries, but the Honeycomb Conjecture was finally proved by Thomas Hales in 1999.
Bees navigate using the sun and polarized light, and their waggle dance communicates information about the direction and distance of food.
Their behavior is full of geometry, orientation, measurement and optimization.
So, when Allah tells the bee to “follow the ways of your Lord”….any ideas on what “the ways” mean?
Could God be referring specifically to the solar navigation of the bee, or could it be that God is telling the bee to use math, & the reason this is called God’s way is b/c it kind of is his way/method with respect to this universe?