What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to explore the connections between astronomical phenomena and Quranic verses using computational methods.

May 9, 2026Open Access

Astronomical Correspondence in the Quranic Text: A Computational Analysis of the Lunisolar Coordinate Index and Occurrence-Based Metonic Cycle Encoding

Key Points

This research aims to explore the connections between astronomical phenomena and Quranic verses using computational methods.
Analyzed Quranic text using the Tanzil Uthmani corpus (v1.0.2) with two main findings: Lunisolar Coordinate Index and Occurrence-Based Rank.
Conducted statistical tests including joint probability assessment and permutation tests with 50,000 permutations.
Included controls with word-pair combinations and negative controls using the Hebrew Pentateuch.
The coordinate sum of the verses relating to Shams, Qamar, and Ard equals 235, consistent with the Metonic cycle.
Statistical analysis yielded a joint probability of p ≈ 6.3 × 10⁻⁶, indicating a highly significant correlation.
Permutation testing confirmed substantial significance with p < 2 × 10⁻⁵.

Abstract

This paper presents two structurally independent computational analyses of the Quranic text using the Tanzil Uthmani corpus (v1.0.2). Finding 1 (Lunisolar Coordinate Index, LCI): the four Quranic verses in which the nominal lexemes Shams (sun), Qamar (moon), and Ard (earth) co-occur yield a coordinate sum (surah + verse) of 61 + 40 + 90 + 44 = 235 — the Metonic cycle constant (19 tropical years = 235 synodic months), robust across all five historical verse-enumeration traditions. Finding 2 (Occurrence-Based Rank): scanning the corpus in canonical order without reference to verse numbering, Shams reaches its 19th occurrence and Qamar its 12th at the third co-occurrence verse (Q.29:61); these integers satisfy 19 × 12 + 7 = 235, the full multiplicative decomposition of the Metonic cycle. The joint probability is p ≈ 6.3 × 10⁻⁶ (4.4σ); Bonferroni-corrected over 17 astronomically meaningful integers: p ≈ 1.07 × 10⁻⁴ (3.7σ). A permutation test (N = 50,000) confirms p < 2 × 10⁻⁵. Internal controls (16 word-pair combinations) and a Hebrew Pentateuch negative control are reported. Python scripts and full occurrence lists are included. This deposit contains the English-language manuscript (Journal of Quantitative Linguistics submission) and the Turkish-language manuscript (İhya Uluslararası İslam Araştırmaları Dergisi submission).

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