Light of Heavens

Composition of Air

Imam Jaʿfar al‑Ṣādiq’s (AS) statements about the composition of air, the component responsible for burning, and the ability to ignite fire using water become extraordinarily powerful when expressed clearly and placed alongside what modern chemistry now confirms. His insights anticipate the discovery of oxygen, oxidation, and combustion chemistry by more than a thousand years.


The Imam said that the air is composed of multiple components, and one of these components interacts with earthly materials and causes them to change. This same component is responsible for burning objects. He added that if this component were separated from the air and obtained in pure form, it could burn iron. He also explained that this component plays a major role in life and in the processes by which things decay or spoil over time.


The Fifth Imam also stated: “Using science, you can use water—which normally extinguishes fire—to start a fire.”


These statements align with modern scientific understanding in ways that were impossible to deduce in the 8th century.

Modern science confirms that oxygen is the reactive gas in air responsible for:


  • Combustion
  • Oxidation
  • Rusting
  • Spoilage of organic materials
  • Supporting life through respiration


The Imam’s description matches this exactly.

  • Pure oxygen can burn iron.
  • Chemistry demonstrates that:
  • If iron is heated until it glows red
  • And then exposed to pure oxygen
  • It burns vigorously with a bright flame
  • This is a standard demonstration in modern chemistry labs. The Imam’s statement that “in its pure form it can burn iron” is scientifically precise.
  • Oxygen causes materials to change or spoil
  • Oxidation is responsible for:
  • Rusting of metals
  • Browning of fruits
  • Spoiling of food
  • Aging of organic matter


The Imam’s statement that this component “changes things” and “causes them to spoil” is a perfect description of oxidation chemistry.


Imam's statement of “Using water to start a fire”

This statement seems paradoxical—until you consider chemistry. Water (H₂O) contains:

  • Hydrogen, a highly flammable gas
  • Oxygen, the gas that supports combustion


With scientific methods (electrolysis), water can be split into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen gas is one of the most powerful fuels known, and oxygen intensifies combustion. Thus, water can indeed be used to create fire, exactly as the Imam said.

This was discovered in the 18th century—over 1,000 years after the Imam’s statement.


What the World Believed

At the time of the Imam:


  • Air was believed to be a single, indivisible element.
  • Combustion was explained by mystical theories (e.g., “phlogiston”).
  • No one knew that air had components.
  • No one knew oxygen existed.
  • No one knew iron could burn.
  • No one knew water could be split into hydrogen and oxygen.


The discovery of oxygen is credited to Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoisier in the 1770s, more than 1,100 years after Imam al‑Ṣādiq (AS).

Electrolysis of water was discovered in 1800.  The Imam’s statements anticipate all of these developments.


Why is this Extraordinary?

The Imam’s insights include:

  • Air is a mixture, not an element
  • One component of air causes combustion
  • That component is essential for life
  • Pure form of that component can burn iron
  • That component causes decay and chemical change
  • Water can be used to create fire through scientific means


These are not guesses, metaphors, or philosophical speculations. They are chemically accurate statements that align with discoveries made centuries later. Within the Shia understanding, this is part of ʿilm ladunnī—knowledge granted directly by Allah (SWT) to His chosen Representatives.