Iron: A Resource From The Divine

Hayaa Azmi – American Muslim Society for Science, Engineering, and Medicine

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَأَنزَلْنَا ٱلْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥ وَرُسُلَهُۥ بِٱلْغَيْبِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌۭ ٢٥

“Indeed, We sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and with them We sent down the Scripture and the balance ˹of justice˺ so that people may administer justice. And We sent down iron with its great might, benefits for humanity, and means for Allah to prove who ˹is willing to˺ stand up for Him and His messengers without seeing Him. Surely Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.” (57:25) 

Iron is one of the most abundant and useful metals found on Earth, and it has the additional benefit of divine endorsement. In verse 25 of Surah Al-Hadid (The Iron), Allah عز وجل Himself mentions that He “..sent down iron with its great might, benefits for humanity, and means for Allah to prove who ˹is willing to˺ stand up for Him and His messengers without seeing Him.” (Tafsir Surah Al-Hadid - 25). To further strengthen the function of iron, other metals are combined with it to make iron-alloyed materials. The process of utilizing iron alloys is a component of metallurgy, which has been a significant practice amongst various communities throughout history. 

Although Iron is a very common metal, it forms under extreme conditions that can’t be replicated on Earth (Chase). The origin of the iron found in the Earth’s core and crust dates back to when a red giant, a star in the late stages of its life, went through the process of turning helium, carbon, and oxygen atoms into iron atoms, causing the star to become very dense (Chase). This then led to the red giant experiencing an intense explosion, known as a supernova, and showering space with those atoms, which, combined with other scientific processes, led to the formation of Earth (Chase). After the completion of this process, asteroids that didn’t burn up upon entering the atmosphere continued to bring down more iron (Chase). 

However, despite iron being widely available, humans weren’t immediately taking full advantage of its benefits. Metallurgy, or the science behind how metals are used, first began with copper, next with bronze, and then with iron; these time periods were referred to as “The Copper Age”, “The Bronze Age”, and “The Iron Age” respectively (“Iron Age”). Around 1200 BC in the Mediterranean region, iron’s first purpose was for health-related therapeutics (Sheftel et al.). As time went on, other regions discovered that the best use of iron was to develop it into steel, which allowed for more durable and sharper weapons (Chase). Steel, an iron-carbon alloy, became the gold standard for regions like Persia, where militaries covered their cavalry, horses included, entirely in steel armor (“Iron Age”). 

In addition to steel, another iron alloy that is worth noting is the iron-copper alloy. In fact, in the Quran, Allah عز وجل references the great benefit of copper when paired with iron:

ءَاتُونِى زُبَرَ ٱلْحَدِيدِ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ ٱلصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ ٱنفُخُوا۟ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَعَلَهُۥ نَارًۭا قَالَ ءَاتُونِىٓ أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًۭا ٩٦

Bring me blocks of iron!” Then, when he [Ⱬul-Qarnain] had filled up ˹the gap˺ between the two mountains, he ordered, “Blow!” When the iron became red hot, he said, “Bring me molten copper to pour over it.” (18:96)

Copper’s notable characteristics include corrosion resistance in saltwater environments, malleability (can be flattened significantly without cracking), ductility (can be stretched or bent without breaking), and great thermal and electrical conductivity (“Adding Iron into Copper Alloys: Properties and Advantages”). Although iron has great tensile strength, similar to copper, its drawback is that it corrodes easily when exposed to air (“Iron”). However, when brought together, the iron-copper alloy offers impressive strength, corrosion resistance, and conductivity (“Adding Iron into Copper Alloys: Properties and Advantages”). There are many varieties of iron-copper alloys, and their strong properties enable industrial use in harsh operating conditions (“Iron Copper & Copper Steel Powdered Materials”), such as filling gaps between mountains, as mentioned in the previously cited verse, verse 96 of Surah Kahf (Tafsir Surah Al-’Kahf - 96).

When looking at something as simple as steel, it rarely crosses our minds how it came to be. Furthermore, we don’t connect those dots whilst reading through the divine words of the Quran. Nonetheless, verses in Surah Hadid, Surah Kahf, and numerous other surahs of the Quran continue to corroborate the intersection of science and Islam, which always leads back to the Creator, Allah عز وجل.

References

“Tafsir Surah Al-’Hadid - 25.” Quran.com, quran.com/57:25/tafsirs/en-tafisr-ibn-kathir. Accessed 27 June 2026.  

Chase, Mark. “What Is The Origin Of Iron?” Sciencing.com, 24 Mar. 2022, https://www.sciencing.com/origin-iron-5371252/. Accessed 27 June 2026.  

“Iron Age.” History.com, 03 Jan. 2018, https://www.history.com/articles/iron-age#When-Was-the-Iron-Age. Accessed 28 June 2026.  

Sheftel, Alex D., et al. “The Long History of Iron in the Universe and in Health and Disease.” PMC PubMed Central, 9 Aug. 2011, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3258305/#S12. Accessed 27 June 2026. 

“Tafsir Surah Al-Kahf - 96.” Quran.com, https://quran.com/al-kahf/96. Accessed 28 June 2026.

“Adding Iron into Copper Alloys: Properties and Advantages.” BelmontMetals.com, 18 Nov. 2020, https://www.belmontmetals.com/adding-iron-into-copper-alloys-properties-and-advantages/?srsltid=AfmBOoozK0955uczO2w0C2VZH42zN8Fnrpj8U7dlkbVXK3Uqtwm77T7k. Accessed 28 June 2026.

“Iron.”, Australian Government | Geoscience Australia, 14 May. 2025, https://www.ga.gov.au/education/minerals-energy/australian-mineral-facts/iron. Accessed 27 June 2026.

“Iron Copper & Copper Steel Powdered Materials.” Atlas Pressed Metals, https://atlaspressedmetals.com/iron-copper-and-copper-steel. Accessed 28 June 2026.